Changing straps and the screw isn't flush with the lug . . . (Kind of a screwy story)

[jimisaint]

Has anyone had this problem . . . I just got my watch back from Richemont service and they did a fantastic job! I picked it up from the Panerai Boutique in NYC. I get home and I decide to change out of the stainless steel band into one of the new straps I bought while I was awaiting the return of my watch. Changed into one strap . . . nice. Took it off and changed into another . . . nice. Changing into another and the screw flew off. Vanished. I had no idea where it went. Like some mystical magic trick. Luckily I got some back up screws from Panatime. Put one in and it was just a little too big. Stuck up a little and I couldn't tighten it down! I wasn't happy . . . Took it out, tried again, but the screw is just a little too big. Sticking up about a centimeter or so. Unacceptable. Tried to file it down (took it out of the watch first), but that didn't work. Took a little snip off of it with some pliers. That didn't work. Still wouldn't go down all the way. I had two screws, so I put the other one in and decided that I am going to have to live with it. I called the boutique and the woman that works there told me to come on up. She'll give me some screws (mind out of the gutter please). Told her I'd be up the next day. Went out, but when I came home I was determined to find that screw. It couldn't just vanish into thin air. I looked back in my watch box. I was performing the changes on top of it. I looked in it earlier, but apparently not good enough because on second examination, low and behold, the screw!!!! I was psyched! I proceeded to screw it back in.
But the screw wouldn't fit flush to the lug. The drive of the screw (the top part where you put the screwdriver into. I didn't know it was called the "drive" until I googled it) was a little shredded from me screwing and unscrewing it. I'm not mechanically inclined so I slipped out of the "drive" a lot when I was screwing the screw in. But still, the top of the screw was rough and not fitting flush to the lug. The screw on the other side fits perfectly.
Next day I go to the boutique and the woman gave me some screws and tubes. I didn't bring my watch with me because I didn't want her to think I found the screw because then she might not give me more. I called Richemont and asked them how much they cost and they told me three dollars each, but ten dollars shipping and handling. (The screws in the boutique cost $15!!!!) The woman was being extremely nice to give them to me.
When I got home and put in the new screw, but it still sticks up a little! Not as much as the after market screw, but enough that I can feel it when I rub my thumb over it. Just enough to annoy me. The other side is smooth. Seeing how I just got it out of service ago it kind of bums my out that I made it imperfect in less then an hour after getting it home. There was a good ding in the side when I took it into service and it isn't there anymore. They polished it out beautifully!
Is there a way I can fix this? I have a feeling I damaged the threads a little with the after market screw I got from Panatime. Should I just suck it up and not worry about it? Eventually it won't bother me, but now it does. If anyone knows of a way to fix this please let me know. If it's unfixable until the next service, so be it. It's probably too expensive to get the threads rethreaded.
Anyway, if you've read this far, thank you for indulging me. It's not easy being me all the time. Every now and then okay, but twenty-four seven?

[Shade]

You might have slightly damaged the female thread on the lug when you used the aftermarket screw. Btw, did you mean that the aftermarket screw was 1 milimetre out, because 1 centimetre is very long to file down..

[jimisaint]

Originally Posted by Shade

You might have slightly damaged the female thread on the lug when you used the aftermarket screw. Btw, did you mean that the aftermarket screw was 1 milimetre out, because 1 centimetre is very long to file down..

It might not be a centimeter. It stuck up a little. It was too much for me to file down, though. I probably did damage the female thread.
Thank you for your response.
BTW
Is there a way to fix the thread? Could they do that back at Richemont?

[VetteBandit]

1 centimeter = 10mm so I am guessing he means 1mm. I cant imagine anyone would attempt to put a screw in that would stick out 1cm, but crazier has happened.

Sounds like you marred the case threads. To get it right it will have to go back to Panerai, but Im not sure they will try and repair it. They tend to say "it needs to have the case replaced."

[Shade]

Hmm, fixing a female thread would probably be difficult since its on the lugs of the case, best thing you could do to shorten the male thread of the screw.. Call the service centre if they can offer you a bettet solution mate..

[kilyung]

It sounds like you damaged the female threads. Unfortunately you'll have to send it in to fix. They may just have to clean up the threads with a tap. In an extreme case where the thread is too far gone they might drill out the hole and put in a thread insert like Helicoil. You then tap it out to the right thread size but I've heard that at that point they recommend a new case instead.

[kilyung]

In order to avoid damaging threads and screws with frequent strap changes, I replaced my screws (when i still had other PAMs besides my 312) with spring bars designed for Panerais. They look like real screws but gave me the ease of lug hole strap changes with a toothpick. Bought from Panatime, they fit well. Actually, this may be a good solution for you until the next service.

http://www.panatime.com/24respbareyo.html

[jimisaint]

Originally Posted by kilyung

In order to avoid damaging threads and screws with frequent strap changes, I replaced my screws (when i still had other PAMs besides my 312) with spring bars designed for Panerais. They look like real screws but gave me the ease of lug hole strap changes with a toothpick. Bought from Panatime, they fit well. Actually, this may be a good solution for you until the next service.

http://www.panatime.com/24respbareyo.html

Thanks for the link. I have a PAM 50, so I ordered the 22mm bars. I just realized something, though. Seeing how you can use these instead of tubes they may be too big for a stainless band.
I'll go to Panerai and see what they have to say. The screw isn't really sticking up that far. I may be too obsessive about this. If it will cost too much to fix it I may have to live with it.

[Shade]

Goodluck!