The Dive Watch Connection

Hello folks,

Can someone suggest a watch repair guy for an ETA 2824 clone on a Ginault?

I bought the watch really cheap and found it running about -10s a day which bugged me so one night after drinking about a six pack of dark beer, I decided I was a watchmaker so I opened up the back using a hole saw (don't ask) and adjusted the adjustment screw.

While there - and 100% caused by beer - not lack of skill!, my screwdriver slipped and ran into the hairspring; it now needs to be replaced.

Can anyone here fix it or can you guys recommend an actual watchmaker? Thanks!

Terry's guy?

I would contact Ginault first and see what they offer...if not a good resolution then hit up Terry.


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A different ?

tattoo chef wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:51 am

I would contact Ginault first and see what they offer...if not a good resolution then hit up Terry.


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Agree with this.

The Ginault people have been very responsive to me when I had issues in the past.

For example, I accidentally dropped mine and it landed flat on its crystal, causing an indice to come off the dial. I explained what happened, took full responsibility (expecting and willing to pay for the repair), but they replaced the dial at no cost.

Worst case scenario is you could drop an ETA 2824-2 in there, but you would have to swap over the pinion to an H4.

see what ginault says first. i would ask for a whole new movement and call it good. some watchmakers will not work on clone asian movements. to much risk involved with finding parts, lack of finishing etc.

Ok I sent them an email - it took them about two weeks to respond to my original email about adjustments so I assumed their assistance would be slow to non-existent. Good to hear they may be more responsive... Thanks dudes

LOL...the images in my head of you doing this are priceless! Good luck bud!!

Drink 6 of the same beers, plus an additional 1-3 for good measure and try again. I think your (beer) googles may have been a bit out of alignment and with 1-3 more, this should properly align them for fixing the watch.


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At least we know you can kill things with a screwdriver while drunk. America!!! Lol

andrema wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 14, 2020 11:31 am

LOL...the images in my head of you doing this are priceless! Good luck bud!!

This. I'd pay to see a video of it

Seriously, hope it's easy to get addressed Paul!

SoCal C4S wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:40 pm

At least we know you can kill things with a screwdriver while drunk. America!!! Lol

I had no doubt about this, though expected he could kill bigger things while drunk ... with a screwdriver...

nobody explained that you need *two* screwdrivers to do this operation?

zepp21 wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 14, 2020 11:47 am

Drink 6 of the same beers, plus an additional 1-3 for good measure and try again. I think your (beer) googles may have been a bit out of alignment and with 1-3 more, this should properly align them for fixing the watch.


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gwells wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:41 pm

nobody explained that you need *two* screwdrivers to do this operation?

That is for Eric to explain. He is the screwdriver expert.

oK, I sent several emails to Ginault and they are just ignoring me at this point; zero response. I asked them if they would either repair the spring or replace the movement and I've heard nothing back... I'm sure they'd respond if I told them I wanted to buy one of their reps..

Anyway, can anyone help? Seems sad to me that I have a very nice watch - gorgeous really - just sitting in my watch box reminding me every day that drinking and screwing rarely produces satisfying results...

Pretty lame that they aren't responding. Have you tried posting in the WUS thread?

deepcdvr wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 19, 2020 5:34 am

oK, I sent several emails to Ginault and they are just ignoring me at this point; zero response. I asked them if they would either repair the spring or replace the movement and I've heard nothing back... I'm sure they'd respond if I told them I wanted to buy one of their reps..

Anyway, can anyone help? Seems sad to me that I have a very nice watch - gorgeous really - just sitting in my watch box reminding me every day that drinking and screwing rarely produces satisfying results...

Paul you still have my address? Send it to me and we will figure something out.

Try this bottle instead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFVIuI4KzK0

https://youtu.be/OFVIuI4KzK0

toxicavenger wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 19, 2020 9:28 am

deepcdvr wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 19, 2020 5:34 am

oK, I sent several emails to Ginault and they are just ignoring me at this point; zero response. I asked them if they would either repair the spring or replace the movement and I've heard nothing back... I'm sure they'd respond if I told them I wanted to buy one of their reps..

Anyway, can anyone help? Seems sad to me that I have a very nice watch - gorgeous really - just sitting in my watch box reminding me every day that drinking and screwing rarely produces satisfying results...

Paul you still have my address? Send it to me and we will figure something out.

Terry - IIRC Ginault stated they did not make the shock protection, the jewels, nor the spings. Given they claim to make nearly everything else, I tend to believe them on this point.

This means to me a standard ETA 2824-2 spring set could be used to repair the movement. I doubt it would have to be completely replaced.

That said, if it were cheaper to simply swap out the movement with an ETA 2824-2, don't forget to swap the H4 pinion from the old movement over to the new one or the hands might not clear the dial indices.

I'm hopeful you do get the watch as I would be eager to hear what your watchmaker thinks of the movement from a relative quality perspective (i.e. compared to an actual ETA 2824-2 movement). He might even be able to share some ideas on the origins.

You guys ROCK - I have no idea what you said ^^ but sounds right to me lol

T - I'll send it to you if I can find your address in my pm's - no rush at all. I just want the watch to run, either with a spring swap or movement swap. I obviously can't sell it at this point but it would be nice if I could wear it occasionally

Chocodove wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 19, 2020 7:29 am

Pretty lame that they aren't responding. Have you tried posting in the WUS thread?

I did - haven't checked it since, though. My assumption is they didn't respond there either as they only have a total of 9 posts on WUS

deepcdvr wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:48 am

Hello folks,

Can someone suggest a watch repair guy for an ETA 2824 clone on a Ginault?

I bought the watch really cheap and found it running about -10s a day which bugged me so one night after drinking about a six pack of dark beer, I decided I was a watchmaker so I opened up the back using a hole saw (don't ask) and adjusted the adjustment screw.

While there - and 100% caused by beer - not lack of skill!, my screwdriver slipped and ran into the hairspring; it now needs to be replaced.

Can anyone here fix it or can you guys recommend an actual watchmaker? Thanks!

Dammit I wasn't aware of this thread!

I applaud your resolve to DYI it

I look forward to hearing from the watchmaker regarding the Ginault movement.

Lol! I missed this the first time around. Nice work, Paul.