Expert: Martin Meyer - 8/31/2009

Question
when I got this movement in the mail, opened the package. started installing the hands, did not find the nut for the minute hand. herd somaething loose inside took out the four screws in the back and carefully removed it. found the nut inside. after installing the back and setting the time the clock keeps going to central time. after checking my work area i found a smallpiece of metal could be a spring. it is about 1 1/2" long and not quite 1/8" wide, have no idea where it goes. think it has something to do with time zone adjustment.   thanks bert

Answer
Hi Bert,

How the hand nut got inside the movement I can't begin to imagine. Quartz movements are not designed to be repaired and, once screwed or glued shut at the factory, should never be opened. Your radio-controlled movement is especially complicated. There are many parts inside which are held in place by the movement back itself. Once the back is removed, all sorts of problems occur. I do not know where this spring might go or what it might do, because no repair or schematic information is made available to clockmakers, and clockmakers do not work on these movements. Your only option is to return the movement to the vendor as defective, which it certainly was if the hand nut was found inside the movement.  http://www.clockmasteronline.com