How do I open the case? The rear bezel has six notches along the rim. I need to regulate the mechanism, which runs a little fast.

If you can wind your pocket watch using the crown, but you cannot see any way of setting the watch, you probably have a "lever-set" movement, though it's possible you might also have a "pin-set" movement. Do you see a little button you can push in, either at 1-2:00 or 10-11:00 on the watch case? If you, you have a pin set watch. Push and hold that little button in while you twist the winding crown, and that will let you set the time. End of problem.

Setting the time on a lever-set watch is a bit more complicated and will require taking off the front bezel of your pocket watch--the metal ring that holds the watch crystal in place. Pocket watch cases of this time are usually made in 3 pieces: the bezel, the main case body, and the back. The procedure used to remove your bezel depends on the type of watch case you have.

Take a close look at the front of your pocket watch. Do you see any hinges at the bottom (that is, below 6:00 and where the bezel meets the main case body)? I suspect that you won't, as double-hinged cases are usually associated with an older style of pocket watch, but it's worth checking. If you do see little hinges for the FRONT (it's more likely that the back will be hinged), then look for a little lip on the bezel that's used to pry open the front. Pull on that to open the case.

If you don't see hinges, which is what I expect, your front bezel unscrews. You can try to do this with your bare hands, but it's a lot easier if you have a bit of "gripping" rubber so your hands don't slip so badly. I have a small rectangle of shelf non-slip stuff that works perfectly for this. Turn the bezel counterclockwise. It may resist a little bit at first due to accumulated dirt, but then it should easily screw off.

Once you have the bezel away from the face, look closely at about 2:00 on the watch dial. Just at the edge of the dial, you should see a little lever or button. GENTLY pull this away from the watch face until it stops. Now, when you turn the winding crown, you should be able to set the time. Once the time is set, gently push the lever back to its prior position. Now, you should be able to wind the watch without changing the time.

Be very careful when screwing the bezel back onto the watch body. These parts typically have very fine threads, and it's easy to cross-thread the pieces. Don't force the two pieces together; once the threads catch properly, the front bezel will screw on easily without resistance.

An older style of pocket watch required the use of a little key to set the time from the back of the pocket watch movement. However, these watches were also wound by the same key, so the fact that you're able to wind this watch with a crown suggests to me that your watch doesn't use this system.

Although the cover is flatly closed and there's no tab/recessed area on the cover, you can still use a watchmaker's knife (looks like a Swiss Army knife but with case opener blade) or even use a Swiss Army knife to open it (pry off, particularly common in less expensive watch).
Be careful, don't try to use the point of the knife, use the blade instead.
Get under the rim and gently but firmly turn the blade upward, popping the cover off.

If the cover is flat, no notches on it, that is a screw-back case. You need a case wrench (screw-back watch case opener) to open (unscrew) the cover. If you try to use a very small flat screw drive and tab (turn) the cover in counter-clockwise direction, be careful because it can cut your fingers.

Hope it helps.

The back does not come off (case is in one piece); it's the bezel -- the metal rim that holds the front glass crystal.

There is a small notch in the rim of the bezel (on mine, this aligned with the 'lower left' lug on the case around 7:00 on the face). Be careful as there is an O-ring to waterproof the watch, and this notch goes right into the groove where that O-ring is located. Use a case knife or similar stiff but fairly thin-edge blade to pop the bezel off (it snaps off). Then gently remove the outer plastic ring, noting carefully how the notches are aligned.

The inner module now can be lifted carefully out - the two 'pushers' will not fall out of the case when you do this. The battery is a 3V lithium CR2025, and you will need a fairly small straight-blade jeweler's or optician's style screwdriver to remove the one screw that holds down the battery bracket - it may be tempting to bend this out of the way to change the battery, but please resist that temptation...

Put the module back in the base, put the ring back over the dial plate, and carefully snap the bezel back in place with its notch aligned as you found it. You might want to check and/or lubricate the O-ring as you do this.

Instructions for initializing the movement are printed inside the case: they list the switch for the 'recessed' button as A, and the pusher as B. In case you didn't note them before closing the case: to reset:

1) push A once. (Display will read "SET"
2) Push A until hands are exactly on 12:00 (and display reads "12"
3) Push B once to start reception

You then follow the standard procedure of putting the watch in a window facing Fort Collins, Colorado, until it picks up the time signal and synchronizes itself.

If you need more assistance with the physical module, there is contact information on it from its manufacturer:

[email protected]

Model number on my module is AR600 WWVB (37.5mm)

if its flat with no notches then you can use a pocket knife or small flat blade and look for a notch underneath the case back, there is usually an indentation where the case remover can slip in . Then you have to carefully force the knife inside and wiggle it up and down till it pops off. Be very careful you can cut yourself doing this or even damage the watch by slipping the blade inside and ruining the movement.

If it has a screw back you would see notches on the back of the case going around the diameter usually 6 or so notches. There you would need a special watch opener tool that fits into those holes and would unscrew it.

I would recommend taking it to a fast fix or batteryplus for about 7 dollars you can have them replace it. That way you can prevent yourself from ruining your watch or hurting yourself.

if you do open the watch up be careful not to touch the copper coil if you scratch that you will ruin the movement and need that replaced. if its flat with no notches then you can use a pocket knife or small flat blade and look for a notch underneath the case back, there is usually an indentation where the case remover can slip in . Then you have to carefully force the knife inside and wiggle it up and down till it pops off. Be very careful you can cut yourself doing this or even damage the watch by slipping the blade inside and ruining the movement.

If it has a screw back you would see notches on the back of the case going around the diameter usually 6 or so notches. There you would need a special watch opener tool that fits into those holes and would unscrew it.

I would recommend taking it to a fast fix or batteryplus for about 7 dollars you can have them replace it. That way you can prevent yourself from ruining your watch or hurting yourself.

if you do open the watch up be careful not to touch the copper coil if you scratch that you will ruin the movement and need that replaced.

mcdevito75 here, I"m pretty sure the mechanism is called a Ratchet mechanism, most likely for all watches with rotateing Bezels.

Unscrew the bezel on the front counter clockwise, there you will find a lever at or about the 2 number..

Pull out the lever and you can set the watch.

Hope this tip helps you.

R/
David

Here's my suggestion. Take it to the jewelry dept at Walmart. Do you have one where you live.
They'll replace for free - Battery $8
Watch how they do it with their tools and you'll know how to do it yourself in the future.
Good luck

Unless the watch back has notches on it, you want to look around the edge of the watch and find a little lip. When you find the lipp, use one of the knives and pry open the back. Take one of the tweezers and pull out the battery, you could also use one of those handy-dandy screwdrivers to pry out the battery. Put the new battery in laying exactly like the old one , then proceed to close the back, making sure that the little notch (on the INSIDE lip of the back case) lines up with the stem and crown (the part used for setting the watch) so not to break it. The back openers and the knives are just differant ways to opn the back of the watch. Sometimes watches have screws on the back that need to be taken off in order to open the back case. The case vise is to minumize the wear and tear on your hands. The tweezers are for taking out the battery. If you have anymore questions PLEASE feel free to contact me I will be glad to assist you further! Good Luck!!!

What kind of back do you have? Does the back have 5 little notches on it? If it does it is a screw-off back. With this kind you can use a needle-nose pliers and turn it counter-clockwise and it will come off. If it dosn't have the notches, looaround the back and the watch casing and look for a little lipp or open notched area and take a sharp strong knife and pry it up. If this is a expensive watch, some have a seal that holds the back in place and dosn't really have a notche .Use a razor blade to start it , and then a sharp knife to open compleatly. If you still have problems, please let me know. Good Luck!!