Tommy Ku Timepiece

Conclusion first: this one is unsavable without replacement parts but it's not even worth it.

I got this from a suspicious looking job lot which I placed a bid either late at night or right after work. A lot of warning signs had been missed despite the detailed pictures and relatively low competing bids.

Well, now it's on my lap I might as well try, for the experience at least.

Let's see together, at what point can it be announced unsavable.

A bent second hand isn't too bad. It could have been caused by mistake from the previous person, say the movement was held by some sloppy hands — this will become evident later.

I managed to open the case back, and popped a fresh battery in despite a horrific scene you'll soon see, no pulse, it isn't even trying, just dead silence.

First thing I see after opening the case back.

And if it isn't obvious, that metal plate covering the circuit has been forcibly bent up, possibly in a desperate attempt to reach to the keyless works underneath.

There's a lever on the keyless works, which when depressed, allows the stem to be removed and the movement uncased.

This can't be good. The stem has been bent rather badly.

It will probably snap if I tried to straighten it.

Now let's assess the damage.

Pivots look fine. Finally one good news.

If they weren't turning a simple cleaning and oiling should help.

The bent metal plate. The damage appears to be cosmetic, as the plate itself doesn't serve any purpose aside from looking pretty and covering the circuit board below.

But hey, is that a setting lever that's been dislodged?

It is. And I can imagine why. The previous person needs a therapy or a injunction prohibiting any further vintage watches getting hurt.

I put it back after having removed the circuit block.

The moment of truth. If the coil is dead, there's no point continuing.

The coil is dead.

Multimeter shows infinite resistance meaning the circuit is open.

If the coil cannot be magnetized, it cannot turn any wheel.

But the front of the movement looks very familiar, almost like a Miyota 2105.

However, a Miyota 2105 doesn't fit. It's one size smaller and the date/day disks do not align with the opening on the dial as well.

If you look closely, there's a finger print that embed itself onto the lacquer on the dial between 4 and 5 o'clock markers. The previous person doesn't know how to handle a watch dial properly.

At this point I put everything back together so at least the watch looks pretty again.

The second hand was straightened, and the laterally bant minute hand that you can see above was also rectified.

Not all watches I bought is savable or worth saving. I can at least keep this one for parts.