[kidblue]

I apologize in advance for posting a Citizen-centric thread on the Public Forum, but I think I need some serious help

Last month, I was blessed to encounter a total GRAIL WATCH - a '70 Citizen Bullhead Octagon Chronograph powered by the renowned, classic 8110 movement. These are awesome watches, workhorses if there ever were ones and simply unique at a time when the idea of a "retro-modern" watch was just being born.

The seller, the classiest dude I could hope to deal with, made sure this puppy was mine and is still a real gentleman, honest as could be. It ran perfectly for the better part of the month - keeping good time and a 12-24 hour power reserve at least.

After wearing the watch for a few weeks every day, I put it in the watch-box for a couple days. When I returned to it, I wound it, put it on my wrist and enjoyed it for another day. The next morning, I realized it had stopped in the middle of the night. So far, even though the watch is still keeping perfect time on my wrist - the power-reserve has randomly dropped to about 2-3 hours.

I'm boggled as to how it could have happened randomly, without an "event" and after so long functioning perfectly. The time-keeping on my wrist is still fantastic, and every other function seems just swell. It genuinely is just the power-reserve that seems bad.

This is looking more and more like a funky mainspring, correct? If it is - What are my options for such an old, notoriously out-of-print movement?

Thanks in advance,

Noah

 

[Chascomm]

I apologize in advance for posting a Citizen-centric thread on the Public Forum, but I think I need some serious help

Last month, I was blessed to encounter a total GRAIL WATCH - a '70 Citizen Bullhead Octagon Chronograph powered by the renowned, classic 8110 movement. These are awesome watches, workhorses if there ever were ones and simply unique at a time when the idea of a "retro-modern" watch was just being born.

The seller, the classiest dude I could hope to deal with, made sure this puppy was mine and is still a real gentleman, honest as could be. It ran perfectly for the better part of the month - keeping good time and a 12-24 hour power reserve at least.

After wearing the watch for a few weeks every day, I put it in the watch-box for a couple days. When I returned to it, I wound it, put it on my wrist and enjoyed it for another day. The next morning, I realized it had stopped in the middle of the night. So far, even though the watch is still keeping perfect time on my wrist - the power-reserve has randomly dropped to about 2-3 hours.

I'm boggled as to how it could have happened randomly, without an "event" and after so long functioning perfectly. The time-keeping on my wrist is still fantastic, and every other function seems just swell. It genuinely is just the power-reserve that seems bad.

This is looking more and more like a funky mainspring, correct? If it is - What are my options for such an old, notoriously out-of-print movement?

Thanks in advance,

Noah

Being an automatic, it will probably limp along OK for a while longer, but it may be that you just need to take it to a watchmaker for a service. Even if there is nothing wrong apart from needing a clean and lube, it's going to cost a bit for a complicated piece like this. Unfortunately that's just part of the pain of wearing mechanical art on your arm.

It might be worth your while to get a second opinion on our Watchmaking forum. If you're sure that parts replacements are required, then you could try our Seiko and Citizen forum for leads on existing parts caches. For more general advice on living with vintage chronographs, try our Vintage forum. What the heck, post there anyway; it's a way cool watch and the regulars will get a buzz.

How about that; I've plugged three more Watchuseek forums in one short post! :-d

 

[kidblue]

Thanks. I hate double-posting, but in the case, this watch covers so many bases, I guess I've got to keep fingers crossed. I actually found an awesome watchmaker here in L.A. (got to love living in a metropolis) who seems to have a handle on it, basically confirming a mainspring and a TON of labor