This watch is a treasure left for me by my grandmother whom I never knew as she had died before I was able to walk!
It is certainly 100 years old and was made by Thomas Russell and Son (Watchmakers) of Liverpool, BUT NOW it is not what it looks like!!
Sometime in the 1960's a jeweller's shop mended it but didn't charge because they said the could not guarantee it was going to work - it went on for about another 10 years but when it finally stopped I knew that it had had its chips so I just packed it away. Then, around 1980, I took it to a -so called reputable jeweller/watch repairer in Devizes, Wiltshire and asked for if they had any suggestions as to what might be possible They suggested that a new modern movement was put in it. After a bit of thought I went ahead with that idea on condition that the face and hands were kept original - they were not at all happy as that was a lot of work but as it was me paying for it and I asked them to go ahead. I just cannot remember if it is battery operated or still mechanical. They did not return any of the original bits, including the jewels.
It worked for a few years - can't remember how many, and then the winder seemed to come adrift inside so I just admitted defeat bought a new 'modern' one packed this away in a jewellery box - there it has remained.
It is a lovely face with clear numbers for those of advancing years! And the watch case is hinged - you can just about see it between 10 and 8 and inside it still bears the markings of the craftsmen who repaired it. The strap is sprung within each link and I have at some point had it re-sprung.
I would like it to work so that I can wear it but as I don't know what is wrong I don't know if it is possible. The only thing I can say is 'it is worth a try', the worst that can happen is that it still doesn't work and it the goes back to sleep in the jewellery box!
Fancy a go????
It should be easy enough to determine if it is battery driven or mechanical, by opening the back which you seem to be saying you can do.
A battery operated movement will have a very obvious button battery of some kind but if you remember winding it up it is obvs mechanical.
I suspect it is mechanical and the stem has as you say come adrift . That ought to be a fairly easy repair for a decent repair place. They will either replace the stem or mend the exisiting one.
Being an amateur I don't have access to the sorts of spares a pro would have, he'd have lots in his stock and would pick one out that is either a direct replacement or could be modified.
But don't take it to a jewellers even one like Samuels, as they will only farm it out to someone else or they may make a mess of it. W gave me a fabulous watch for our wedding, a chronograph, not a mechanical one but still very nice. The crystal broke and one of my sixth formers worked in a Samuels so I asked her if they could repair it, she took it to the supposedly Rolex trained guy and he fixed it but a short while later it went bust. He hadn't seen how to remove the stem from the movement, he had simply yanked it out, despite the fact there is a little thing in the back of the movement you have to push with a small tool, with "push" marked next to it. The girl told me that he told her he did it the proper way!
So i bought a new movement as they are cheap enough and fitted it myself. I was able to get the stem out easily just by first pushing the stem inwards then pushing where it said "push" then pulling the stem out and through the case.
You can send it away to be repaired and quotes from pros may vary quite wildly.
List of accredited watch repairers from the British horological Institute, (There are only a couple in Wales)
https://bhi.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Accredited-Register-WATCHES-191222-B.pdf
Stuff to think about here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/fashion/watches-repairs-auctions.html
It would help the repairer to know the serial number and/or calibre numbre on the movement, if you can read it. From that he/she may be able to work out what make it is if he/she can get spares and if it is worth replacing tjhe movement again.
