trouble with a nos fairchild lcd

[Kasper]

Recently bought this item : ebay number 170696160419
Vintage Fairchild LCD mens wrist watch new in box

now 3 weeks later this arrived with the post.




What happend on the way to my kingdom???? where is that coming from, i didn't noticed it on ebay.

anyone an idea, is it a bad description from the seller, is it due to a flight with a plane and maybe low temperature.
Can i forget my nos incredible nice Fairchild lcd???

[Kasper]

@ Abe...can you tell me how to open the backcase??

[abem]

Kasper,

Oh my, that's unfortunate. Yow. Looks like a liquid crystal explosion. My condolences. The back is a regular press fit back. There should be a tiny indentation in the back which makes it slightly easier to fit a blade under but it still can be difficult. Be careful, I'm currently healing a cut on one hand that I got from having a blade slip while opening a back like this. Worse yet, it's easy to slip and scratch the case. I keep telling myself that it will get easier with practice. For especially tricky cases, I would take the watch to an expert.

This one's not too awful - I'd give it a try. You can either use a thin knife blade or a blade of a small screwdriver. The screwdriver is less perilous but more likely to damage the case. You can look around online for instructions but it basically amounts to prying the back off. They also sell special watch opening blades but I was told by a friend who worked at a watch repair store that they work about the same. I use a utility knife with a long thin flat blade.

I know someone who has a stash of these who might be able to sell you one. I think Ed may also have a stash from the same source. Let me know if you need contact info.

I hope that's at least marginally helpful.

-abe.

[bruce wegmann]

Here is an unfortunate, but object lesson that NOS -DOES NOT- equal "perfect" condition. I have always maintained that is more of a description of history, rather than condition. Poor or careless storage can do more damage than years of normal wear. You might have a case against the seller, if the item was represented as being in "mint" condition...

[retroleds]

Be careful, I'm currently healing a cut on one hand that I got from having a blade slip while opening a back like this. Worse yet, it's easy to slip and scratch the case. I keep telling myself that it will get easier with practice. For especially tricky cases, I would take the watch to an expert.

This one's not too awful - I'd give it a try. You can either use a thin knife blade or a blade of a small screwdriver. The screwdriver is less perilous but more likely to damage the case. You can look around online for instructions but it basically amounts to prying the back off. They also sell special watch opening blades but I was told by a friend who worked at a watch repair store that they work about the same. I use a utility knife with a long thin flat blade.

I know someone who has a stash of these who might be able to sell you one. I think Ed may also have a stash from the same source. Let me know if you need contact info.

I hope that's at least marginally helpful.

-abe.

Yes, I have a small stash of those....you probably bought it off a lady in Ohioh(USA) - she had about 100 of them. About 1/3 are dead(all have batteries in them), 1/3 will have a small display issue with the zebra strip, 1/3 work just fine. I have been retrofitting them with Fairchild 26mm LED movements when I can, which look just great through the clear glass. I've sold a number of those(5+) in last year....almost everyone who sees them is intrigued. Here, I swapped around a bunch of parts for a guy and this is how it goes. Oh, you can use a Commador LED module in those, as long as it doesn't have the bulging magnifiers over the display.

[Kasper]

damn, but he/she could at least mentioned it on ebay...i was allready looking for new tritium vains cause i was so intriged with what Abe had done with a fairchild watch.

[retroleds]

damn, but he/she could at least mentioned it on ebay...i was all ready looking for new tritium vains cause i was so intriged with what Abe had done with a fairchild watch.

She was painfully honest - never out of the original box. I know the styling is nice, but that is actually a very "crap" module - entirely snap together, rarely a good fit after dis-assembly & reassembly. No disrespect to Abe's success, but those movements working after disassembly seem to be more luck than skill. The zebra strip contacts seem to have shrunken, or is it the plastic hub has warped?
Write the seller nicely - maybe she will offer to ship you another for price of shipping, as she has with some other people. Your case can still be a nice Fairchild LED also.

[charger105]

The LCD panel in the listing looks perfect. She probably uses stock images to sell all of the watches.
I've never had an LCD panel degrade during transit either, so I feel you definitely have a case.
As Ed suggests, write to her nicely, explaining that the LCD panel is rooted, and is not the same as in the listing.

Rgds.

[rewolf]

Had a similar problem with mine from the same lady. LCD arrived all black. I wrote her and she sent me another watch for free.

[Kasper]

**update**

a few weeks later, a new one arrived..thats what i call service

i opened it and .......#%$@*&%@#$%%..i'm in no luck. This one is totally black. hmmm looks good if it was an inverted lcd



there goes my color tritium project.