[jchcollins]

Just today I noticed that my 218 occasionally makes a very slight clicking sound that I think is coming from within the case if I'm turning my wrist quickly. If I put the watch on my wrist right up to my ear, I can hear it too (over the hum) if I change the position of the watch. I would imagine its very hard to perceive the sound with the watch not very close to your ear.

Ideas on what this could be and whether or not it is anything to worry about? My best guess is that maybe the 344 cell is moving in place a bit? I checked and the case back is on about as tight as it will go, and the crown is secure. I suppose it's possible the movement itself is not totally secure in the case?

Again guessing virtually anyone else with this watch would not have noticed this - it's still working and keeping time perfectly fine - but thought I would ask the experts.

Thanks,
-John

 

[skypilot]

Doggone it, after reading this I had to go shake all of my 218's and no clicking. The battery fits pretty tight. I wonder if one of the battery hold down screws may have come out ?

 

[jchcollins]

Nope. Just opened her up. All screws I can see on the backside of the movement are secure, including the two holding the battery strap. The 344 itself doesn't seem to move in the compartment at all. Now I'm even more stumped. I tried the sound test up to my ear with the back still off and it still made the sound, but I didn't see anything move ...

 

[jchcollins]

Tightened all exposed screws I could access if they would budge. Screwed the case back down as tight as I could. No change. I don't see anything move, but it sounds as if the movement itself is doing something itself rattling a bit in the case - not a tiny screw loose anywhere or anything like that.

 

[oliverb]

I am certain you checked for the presence of the case back gasket and that it was intact. Any evidence that the case was not original to the mvt? In some situations where the dial has been replaced with one not proper for the case or the case has been replaced, there could be play between the mvt. and case resulting in slight motion when the watch is moved.

Another thought: I have has band spring bars make unusual clicking type sounds when the watch is moved around on the wrist.

 

[jchcollins]

The gasket is there, and although I did not change it along with the battery last time, I verified that it is intact - no cracks or warping. It lies as it should on the seal between the caseback and the case.

I cannot 100% vouch for the fact that the case is original to the movement, but would be very surprised if it were not. The watch has been in my family all of it's life, and in my personal possession for the last 18 years. On the slight chance it is not original to the movement, the case is definitely correct for the movement - this is a 14K GF case for the 218 Spaceview (M9) and is one of two that would be correct for the dial and movement, so I don't think that is the answer.

Springbars? Well, they were recently changed (in December) when I had the strap changed. I suppose it is possible, but the sound I'm hearing does not seem to be coming from them when I take the watch off and pull just on the strap individually.

To what extent should I be concerned here if the watch is still humming along and running fine keeping accurate time? (It is.) Part of me wants to freak-out because this watch is my baby - another part of me says hey, this watch is 44 years old and should be allowed some signs of old age if they are negligible enough...

-John

 

[bobpiker]

clicking sound???

John,

All of the suggestions offered here sound plausible, but if you've looked all of them over I might be inclined to lean towards the dial not being fastened all the way down with either one or both of the dial feet screws on the sides of the movement. If you hear the clicking whilst the watch is not moving, I doubt it's the dial, though. How often do the clicks occur...every couple of seconds...continuously? From the top, is the end of the sweep hand coming into contact now with markers on the dial where it might pause and then release creating a click over all or particular markers?

I guess it's possible, too, that a tooth in a particular train wheel is bent and everytime that particular tooth is engaged it "clicks" past it. If the frequency is consistent you might be looking at a bad train wheel. It shouldn't harm the movement if that's the case, though, although ultimately I think you might want to have it more fully diagnosed just for your piece of mind.

Bob

 

[jchcollins]

Thanks Bob,

This is definitely a when the watch is moving type problem. I don't think it is anything to do with the operation of the movement, a pawl, and the sweep is definitely not getting hung on anything.

Your theory about how the dial is screwed into the case sounds more plausible to me. Is this something that an amateur (very) with a magnifying glass can check? Wondering if I should even worry about it - as I said, watch is still running fine and in any event the noise it makes is softer than the rotor on my mechanical TAG when I give my wrist a good shake with that on...

 

[akkatron]

I'd say the spring bars. I have had them make clicking noises. I can't see how movement of the wrist could cause any sort of clicking sound other than flexing the spring pins a weird way, but who knows, these watches offer new surprises each day

 

[blue92]

Thanks Bob,

This is definitely a when the watch is moving type problem. I don't think it is anything to do with the operation of the movement, a pawl, and the sweep is definitely not getting hung on anything.

Your theory about how the dial is screwed into the case sounds more plausible to me. Is this something that an amateur (very) with a magnifying glass can check? Wondering if I should even worry about it - as I said, watch is still running fine and in any event the noise it makes is softer than the rotor on my mechanical TAG when I give my wrist a good shake with that on...

To get to the dial screws you need to remove the movement from the case and have the proper screw drivers to tighten the dial screws if they are loose. Then you'll need to make sure you don't get any trash in the case on the dial side before replacing the movement into the case.

 

[jchcollins]

To get to the dial screws you need to remove the movement from the case and have the proper screw drivers to tighten the dial screws if they are loose. Then you'll need to make sure you don't get any trash in the case on the dial side before replacing the movement into the case.

Yeah, pretty sure that's outside of what I would consider my immediate comfort zone. Thanks anyway... This is going to have to be a "live with it" problem in all likelihood unless it starts affecting the timekeeping or if the dial would start moving around visibly in the case or anything like that.

-John

 

[jchcollins]

New theory here - I noticed today that this clicking I'm describing sounds awfully similar to the sound that the 2181 date mechanism makes when advancing the date. It isn't a whole click like that, but got me to wondering if maybe this is the (don't know the proper name here) date wheel mechanism moving ever so slightly inside the movement? Again a disclaimer here - it's entirely possible that the watch has made this sound forever and I just haven't ever noticed it. If I'm being honest I'm a lot more obsessed with it than I used to be. :biggrin:

 

[akkatron]

Unless it happens only at midnight, I highly doubt it. The date mechanism loads a spring slowly and then releases. Is your caseback fastened tightly?

 

[jchcollins]

Unless it happens only at midnight, I highly doubt it. The date mechanism loads a spring slowly and then releases. Is your caseback fastened tightly?

Yes. I'm stumped.

 

[akkatron]

I'm going to put money on the spring bars. Change them out and see if it still does it.

 

[Littleroger]

I've had a clicking sound from spring bars too. As suggested, change them and see if it's gone.