This week, we were pleased to welcome a stylish Raymond Weil automatic watch to our workshop in Lewes for a full service and repair. Like all fine mechanical timepieces, regular maintenance is essential to ensure long-term reliability, and this particular watch was showing signs that it was running low on energy and efficiency.
The watch was presenting with poor timekeeping and a significantly diminished power reserve, a common occurrence when a watch has been in daily use for several years without intervention. A full service was clearly required to restore the watch to its intended performance.
Disassembly and Diagnosis: Inside the Sellita SW200-1
The Raymond Weil is powered by the popular and reliable Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement. This 26-jewel calibre is renowned for its robust nature and offers excellent performance when maintained correctly. It is branded for Raymond Weil as the calibre RW 4200.
The repair was carried out here in our fully-equipped, on-site workshop in Lewes by BHI Accredited Watchmaker, Dan Stent.
Upon initial inspection and full disassembly of the movement, Dan quickly diagnosed the core issues impacting its functionality:
- Weak Mainspring: The original mainspring had lost its elasticity over time, meaning it was unable to deliver the consistent and strong power required for optimal timekeeping and the maximum power reserve. A new mainspring was required and fitted into the barrel.
- Worn Rotor Bearing: The automatic winding system’s rotor bearing was showing significant wear. This is a critical component that allows the oscillating weight (rotor) to spin freely and efficiently to wind the mainspring. A worn bearing introduces friction, hindering the winding action and causing excessive noise and vibration. This required replacement with a new rotor bearing.
The SW200-1 movement (RW 4200) - Worn Reversers: The Reversers – key components in the automatic winding mechanism were worn out and needed replacing.
- Worn Ratchet Driving Wheel and Ratchet Wheel: The Ratchet Driving Wheel was completely broken, with the pinion missing a large section. This had in turn damaged the Ratchet Wheel.
The Service Process: Precision and Attention to Detail
The entire Sellita SW200-1 movement was fully stripped down into its numerous individual components.
All parts were meticulously inspected for wear and then thoroughly cleaned using a multi-stage process in our specialist cleaning machine. This ensures every component is free of old, dried-up oils, dirt, and microscopic debris that can dramatically impact a watch’s performance.
Once the parts were immaculate and dry, reassembly commenced. Dan meticulously rebuilt the movement, carefully installing the new mainspring, rotor bearing and other components. Crucially, all lubrication was applied strictly according to the official Sellita technical documents, ensuring the correct oils and greases were used at every friction point to minimise wear and maximise efficiency.
Final Stages: Testing and Quality Control
With the newly serviced movement back in the case, the watch underwent our rigorous final testing phase:
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Timekeeping: The watch was checked on our Timegrapher to ensure it was running to precise factory tolerances, showing excellent amplitude and beat error.
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Automatic Winding: The efficiency of the new rotor bearing and automatic system was tested, confirming reliable and smooth winding.
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Power Reserve: The full power reserve was confirmed, ensuring the watch now holds its charge for the maximum duration.
This Raymond Weil automatic watch is now fully restored and functioning to peak performance, ready to be enjoyed by its owner for many more years to come. Regular servicing is vital for any automatic movement, and we were delighted to bring this timepiece back up to standard.
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