DO’S & DON’TS
Timely tips for ticking
timepieces GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW:
F
or hundreds of years prior to the 1960’s, the spring was the only power source available for portable timekeepers - whether clock, pocket watch, or wristwatch. In the late 1960’s the miniaturization of the button cell battery and the introduction of the quartz controlled oscillator movement almost caused the untimely demise of the mechanical watch. As is common knowledge by now, the rebirth of the mechanical watch has taken firm hold over the last two-plus decades. More and more collectors at all price points are looking to the mechanical watch as a must-have part of a growing collection. For sure fashion and design remain paramount, but the appreciation of the mechanism inside the case and under the dial is becoming more relevant in the buying decision. So now that a new generation of mechanical watch enthusiasts is taking hold, let’s have a look at some simple guidelines that will help insure your new (or vintage) mechanical marvel will work for decades to come.
DO’S
DON’TS
Close the door. After winding your watch or changing the date or time ALWAYS remember to push the crown all the way in—and screw threaded crowns down (if so equipped). Water, moisture, and dust may find their way into the case and the inner workings of a mechanical watch don’t like this. ALWAYS change the time on a mechanical watch by going forward (clockwise)—even if you have to rock all the way around the clock (dial). Some watches are more resistant to this abuse then others—but make a clockwise adjustment your habit in all cases as a precautionary measure and you’re sure to err on the side of safety. This is even more important with watches equipped with a date display as transitioning back across midnight can strip the teeth or do other damage to the automatic date change mechanism. When changing the date on a mechanical watch always move the hour/minute hands forward until the date changes automatically as you roll the time past midnight. This usually occurs between 10:00pm and 2:00 am, sometimes slowly, sometimes with a “jump”. Once you see the date change and have made sure you’ve moved the indicated time past 2:00 am, you can then safely use the quick set mechanism to correct the date. This practice will not only protect your mechanical date mechanism, but it will also insure that your am/ pm is set correctly so your date will change at night and not mid-day.
SIMPLE RULE OF THUMB (AND FOREFINGER): The 10 and 2 rule - NEVER change the date on a mechanical watch when the indicated time reads between 10:00 and 2:00. The problem here is that most mechanical watches have the aforementioned automatic mechanism that goes into action somewhere between 10:00pm and 2:00am. If the automatic date change mechanism is already engaged and you unwittingly try to force a fast date change with the crown—the unusual crunching and snapping you may hear will let you know the error of your ways. Sure, it’s safe to make the change when the watch reads 10:00 am-2:00 pm, but I’ve made that assumption and paid the (repair) price. Best practices call for this to become another ingrained habit for mechanical watch owners. NEVER leave your watch on top of, or next to electronics for extended periods. Even minor magnetic fields can have a deleterious effect on your watches accuracy over time by magnetizing the balance and other ferrous metals in the movement. MAKE IT A HABIT to lay your watch flat - or at least on the side opposite the crown if flat is not an option for the type. Crowns are a weak point in the watch case which is why you see so many interpretations of the crown “protector”. Given the option, why put extra stress on the crown and keyless works it operates?
16 FUNCTION | AboutTime Magazine