While cleaning out my Aunts house after she died I found several old wrist watches in a box. I tryed to open the back of one to see if it says anything-but when I tryed to lift the back the whole works came out of the casing--is there a trick to opening these old watches? Any use messing with them or do I just need to discard them? The two I have in front of me say
Bulova--swiss made on the face
Bulova W or M 2--10k rgp bezel stanless steel back
r130223 on the back cover.
Helbros
Hekbros small red "N" in a circle on the face
nothing but base metal bezel-stainless steel back and w c in a big D on the back. Looks like 4 tiny diamond chips at each end of the watch front. Thanks for any help you can get me.

These must be to common or no one can tell me anything about them. Can anyone suggest a site where I might get some information? Thanks in advance.

Mgtex,

If the movement came out with the back, I would think that it was probably missing the case screws. If the watches have snap backs they can be snapped open by putting a knife under a small raised area and snapping them open. The movement should stay in the case if you do this dial down.
Some watches may have screwed down backs and can be opened with watchmaker's screwdrivers and others need a case back opener tool. I have come accross some old wrist watches just like you have. If they look like they are in good physical condition, a professional cleaning, buffing the crystals and new straps could really spruce them up. I just did this with an old Benrus and it looks like new. You can check value in the watch collector's price guides.

Scott Cerullo
cerullo34@aol.com


Scott Cerullo
cerullo34@aol.com

The M2 on the back of your watch likely indicates that it was manufactured in 1962. Bulova used a two-character date code on many of its products beginning in the 1950's, The alphabetic character indicates the decade (L for 1950's, M for 1960's) and the numerical character indicates the year within the decade--L1 means 1951, M5 means 1965.

It is not uncommon for the movement to stay in the back when it is removed from the front part of the case, particularily in watches produced from the 1930's onwards. The movement is a snug fit in the case back and care must be used in removing and re-inserting it. You can pry off the dial and hands trying to remove it and can snap the balance staff by forcibly pushing the movement into the back. I speak from experience on the balance staffs.

Thank you both for your replys--I can see where it's not a thing for me to mess with -trying to open these watches--I think I will take them some where and let someone who knows what there doing open them! Thanks again for your time and information.