Bueche Girod Repair
Discussion
On a very hot August day and after a few too many drinks, my wife decided to go for a swim. She forgot that her 1970's gold Bueche Girod electronic watch is not waterproof. It stopped for a few days, but then restarted.
On returning to England she took it to a jewellers who said that some bits are damaged but Bueche Girod went bust in the noughties and parts are no longer available. This was confirmed by Watchdoctors.
Does anyone here have any suggestions? Next time it stops, is it just gold scrap value?
Thanks
On returning to England she took it to a jewellers who said that some bits are damaged but Bueche Girod went bust in the noughties and parts are no longer available. This was confirmed by Watchdoctors.
Does anyone here have any suggestions? Next time it stops, is it just gold scrap value?
Thanks
If it's running at the moment and handset, date etc are working properly, then any damage is (at the moment) relatively superficial. The electronics have obviously survived if it's running and there won't be any rusty pivots or wheels because that'd stop it as well.
But rust tends to breed rust so, if there's surface rust on non-working surfaces inside then there's a risk that'll spread to working bits (like pivots) over time. If she'd rather it didn't become gold scrap then it'd be a good idea to have it stripped, de-rusted and serviced before that happens.
As you called it "electronic", do you know is it quartz or a balance wheel electronic?
But rust tends to breed rust so, if there's surface rust on non-working surfaces inside then there's a risk that'll spread to working bits (like pivots) over time. If she'd rather it didn't become gold scrap then it'd be a good idea to have it stripped, de-rusted and serviced before that happens.
As you called it "electronic", do you know is it quartz or a balance wheel electronic?
Thanks for your response.
I have just checked the face and it does have Quartz written on it. I can see nothing else on the case. I normally live in France and so do not have the box and certificates to hand. We probably bought it about 1977.
I can see that some of the black script is missing from the face, but it still keeps time well and is readable. It is really the delicate gold bracelet that makes it attractive.
I have just checked the face and it does have Quartz written on it. I can see nothing else on the case. I normally live in France and so do not have the box and certificates to hand. We probably bought it about 1977.
I can see that some of the black script is missing from the face, but it still keeps time well and is readable. It is really the delicate gold bracelet that makes it attractive.
If it's quartz then easy enough to service even at that age. My daily is a 1978-ish quartz and keeps time to +3 seconds / month - who says quartz is throwaway?
The movement will (almost certainly) be ETA, so the fact that Bueche don't exist isn't really an issue, and by that time they'd pretty well settled on the "modern" layout (rather than having right angle worm drives and other odd s
t like some of the earlier quartz did) so any competent indie should be able to handle a strip and clean.
The movement will (almost certainly) be ETA, so the fact that Bueche don't exist isn't really an issue, and by that time they'd pretty well settled on the "modern" layout (rather than having right angle worm drives and other odd s
t like some of the earlier quartz did) so any competent indie should be able to handle a strip and clean.
Pleased to help and glad she's happy. Happy wife - always a good way to start the year! 
From this end, 10 days off over Christmas was just a little too long to feel enthusiastic about opening again this week so going in a day early to just do one job in slow-time was a nice gentle start
From this end, 10 days off over Christmas was just a little too long to feel enthusiastic about opening again this week so going in a day early to just do one job in slow-time was a nice gentle start
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