The first time you attempt to open up an Ebel Watch can be a bit scary… In this tutorial, I’m going to teach you how to open up the Ebel watch case, remove the movement, change the battery and put it all back together again.
If you are careful and take your time, this will work perfectly. Don’t be intimidated by the thought this this watch is too complex and you can’t do it. If you learn how to do this repair/battery sway, you can save hundreds of dollars. Sending the watch back to Ebel or a certified Ebel Service center can be expensive, and take weeks.
First thing to know
Most Ebel watches do not have back covers. The cases are solid, and only can be open from the top, or front of the watch. The four screws on the back of this watch are the screws that hold the band or bracelet onto the watch case.
The first step, is to remove the crown and half-stem from the watch case. To do this, you can do what I did here, use your fingernails to pry the crown “straight out” of the case. Try not to push it up or down, side to side. The crown has to be removed straight out so that it will not be damaged. If you don’t have fingernails you can wedge between the crown and case, use a plastic wedge too.
Once the crown is removed, you can remove the five screws on the face of the watch. In this case, they are solid gold. They scratch easily, and can be damaged, so be careful when removing them from the watch case. Put the screws aside so that they do not get lost or mis-placed. Losing these screws is expensive to replace. Not only are these gold screws expensive, but difficult to get.
Next, the movement has to be removed from the case. The movement is the watch mechanism itself. Wear gloves so as not to get fingerprints on the watch dial and the watch movement. Place the movement on a small soft pad so that it does not get damaged.
Once the movement is out of the case, remove the old dead battery, and insert a new one. The type of batter should match. Remember, batteries can have several numbers, so if you’re not sure, look up the cross reference of the battery number and replace it with the same type and style. If you insert the incorrect battery, you can damage the watch.
Once the new battery is installed, and the watch is working again, it is time to put it all together. The movement has a male step attached to it. This has to be placed in the case tube, or the hold in the side of the case where the crown is inserted. Be careful while inserting the movement, and allow it to fall into place. On occasion, some solid gold Ebel watches will get a bit of corrosion on them, and this may result in having difficulties inserting or removing the watch movement from the case. If this is the case, bring it to an authorized jeweler.
How its time to put the bezel on. Before you do so, check the sides of the bezel and make sure that they are clean. If dirty, wipe them down with a clothe and then put the bezel on the watch case. Make sure you orient it in the correct direction. The five screw holes and indentations should match perfectly.
Screw the five gold screws back onto the watch. Put them in, and tighten them down about half way at first. Once all the screws are partially in the watch, carefully go back to each and tighten them down. Because the screws are gold, be careful as you can damage the screw head. You’ll feel when it is tight, and you don’t want to go further then that as you can break them.
You’re almost done. Now, we have to insert the crown with the female stem into the case and line it up with the male stem on the inside. Once it is lined up, gently push it in. Not too hard. When it seats, you will hear a small “Click” sound.
That is… Set the date and time, and enjoy your watch!