Wittnauer Electro-Chron

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The original battery for this watch is no longer available so we machined a brass plate to fit inside the case back with a diameter hole that fits a 395 battery. We had some difficulty at first as the brass plate came in contact with the negative battery contact causing a short. We kept machining the brass insert down until it no longer made contact but in hindsight, we could have machined the same piece out of plastic or made a thin plastic disc to fit inside the brass recession. Just wanted to share our idea with some pics and look forward to the comments. I've seen some with a cardboard cut disc which also works fine but we wanted something that looked a little more aesthetically pleasing.

Cheers!
 
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The batteries I buy for my Accutron all come with those plastic gaskets

Edit: Great looking 12:00 marker on that watch
 
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I wish it had these hands though. That would really make the watch. Does anyone know if these hands were made in yellow?

img_5844-jpeg.1647138
 
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It’s a great looking watch nontheless. Good on you for bringing it back from the dead.
 
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@galaxytime nice. did you make extra? i would like to try as well.
We certianly could. I was once again thinking about plastic but something just doestn't feel right about that.
 
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The batteries I buy for my Accutron all come with those plastic gaskets

Edit: Great looking 12:00 marker on that watch
It was the edge of the brass touching the screw and or outer edge of the brass battery contact. We had to machine back until it no longer made contact and then it actually worked when the back was tightened. YAY!!!
 
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I admire that work 👍
 
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It would probably be worth while to make a casting and make some of these in plastic.

I know that if I owned one of these watches I would want one.
 
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We certianly could. I was once again thinking about plastic but something just doestn't feel right about that.
Hi galaxytime - I would certainly be interested in one of these if you are making them available to others? I just started a post about it and was directed to your thread. I don't like the thought of leaving a scruffy piece of cardboard in mine!

 
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Hi galaxytime - I would certainly be interested in one of these if you are making them available to others? I just started a post about it and was directed to your thread. I don't like the thought of leaving a scruffy piece of cardboard in mine!

Sorry for the late reply. I just sent you a PM.