Hi All

Just purchased a nice 992B in a model #15 Hamilton case. The case has a plastic crystal in so so condition. I would like to replace the crystal with a glass one. Could someone tell me the glass crystal size that fits the model #15 case.
Next question is the detent stem. Does the 992B have a cap stub over the detent screw?

Thanks for any help.

Regards
Keith

Keith, last case #15 I did took a 44.1mm crystal and was very tight.

Could you tell more about these "detent stems" on 992B's and the cap stub over the 992B detent screws

I don't quite grasp what is being talked about. Perhaps a picture would help us with your questions.

regards,
bb

Joseph, Thank you that is a good information.

Buster, I tried to remove the stem, so I could remove the movement prior to cleaning the case. I turned the detent screw a few turns and could not remove the stem. Then I continued to unscrew the detent screw another turn and still was not able to remove the stem. How many turns does it take to remove the stem? If I turn it to many times will it disengage with the plat that it is screwed to? Or is this first screw a cap screw over the real detent screw below, like on my Hamilton grade 969.
Thanks for any help.
Keith

Keith, If your talking about the screw on the movement, just over and a little to the left of the winding wheel? If you are, that has NOTHING to do with removing the movement from the case. Don't turn that screw any more, in fact try to tighten it back up. That is part of the setting part of the watch. It holds your lever in place.

On some of the #15 cases you can pull the crown out as if it was a pendent set watch. I know, there has been discussions here that they don't have that, but SOME of them do, I have three of them now. Just see if yours will pull up, and that will help it, the movement, drop out a little easier for you. If not, just take the case screws out and you can gently work the movement out.

Just remember, the ONLY screws that you touch to get the movement out of that case are the CASE screws.

Regards,
Larry

Larry

Thank you! Watch came out with only the case screws being removed.

Now on to the next fix required. The click will not engage the winding wheel. I have check and the spring is there. Could it need a new click spring or am I missing something.

Keith

The click springs on the 992Bs are pretty small if I remember. If there is no tension then it might have come out of the hole or be broken.

On another note, does the lever still work? Since you unscrewed the "detent screw" it might have to be checked to make sure that it is threaded correctly ...

Dan

The the spring is there and both ends are in the proper places. I did check, still does not spring back like it should. It is hit or miss on engaging, so I have to be very careful to wind the watch.

The set lever is OK, I never totally removed the screw.

The watch is running very nicely and keeping time.

Thanks

Keith

I am not sure. It could be gummed up or even perhaps bent. I just took one apart and took some pictures. It feels pretty loose even together, so I would take a look at yours and see if anything is stopping it, or gumming it up.

Keith check that the click is centered and the screw holding it is tight.

Also has the movement been serviced? There could be dirt under it, OR, someone could have bent the spring just enough that it will not pull the lever back the way it was meant to.

If that is not the case I just may have one for it.

Sorry Dan, I didn't see your post!!

Regards,
Larry

No problem. I think it is good that we at least are saying the same things!
Dan

Also, your spring may have lost its "spring-back" tensile that makes it work correctly. Sometimes these get bent out of shape and then when bent back over time they sometimes lose their "set" of the spring steel and don't work as intended.

Just for grins though, lets not get in the habit of saying that there is a "detent screw" on the 992B's Some of the very early Hamilton 16sz watches used such a stem set up that had a cap screw over another screw that "unlocked" and allowed the stem to be removed after it was turned slightly. These very early watches generally went up to about serial numbers 400000-500000, depending on grade, when the "detent screw", stem hold down was eliminated forever.

Great pictures of the click spring !!

regards,
bb

Thanks All

I will disassemble the click again and make sure it is not dirty or the spring is not bent.

The movement was stuck in the case pretty good that is why I asked about the (detent screw) which is NOT a detent screw at all. Great information as I learn about these Hamilton 992B's.

Thanks Larry, and Thanks Dan, and Thanks Buster.

Regards
Keith

Good point Buster. We should refer to it by its proper name - "Setting Lever Screw".

And Keith, glad to have helped!
Dan

Keith, I checked and I do have one in good shape if you cannot get that one to work properly. Just give me a shout at

larrylamphier@aol.com

Regards,
Larry