Watch Collection:
| Complete Operation info |
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| Written by Debaufre | |
| Saturday, 01 July 2006 | |
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Automatic Watches: A rotor on the movement keeps the watch powered by the motion on your wrist. If worn everyday, an automatic watch will run forever. Automatic watches generally have 100īs of parts inside their small cases. If an automatic watch has stopped, it is best to wind it via the crown 20-30 times to give it a good kick start. If not wound manually, wrist motion is generally not enough to keep it running accurately. For best performance wind it every 4 weeks. Quartz Watches: The quartz movement became common for watches in the 70īs. They are powered by a battery and need little maintenance except for a battery swap every year or so. They are highly accurate compared to mechanical watches. Manual Wind Watches: A manual wind watch must be wound every one or two days by the crown in order to run. They are still produced in Switzerland and can even be found on watches well over $5000. Many collectors find them highly desirable. It is easier to make a thinner and lighter watch without the self-winding mechanism. Chronograph / Chronometer: A chronograph is a watch that has a stopwatch function. Typically, the top pusher will start and stop the chronograph. The bottom pusher will reset it. The chronograph generally can not reset in the running state. A chronometer is watch that has passed a series of tests, and is a superior timekeeper. Many watchmakers will put their movements through this test to illustrate their accuracy. The dial will typically have the word "Chronometer" or "Chronometre" on the dial. To become a chronometer, the watch movement must pass 15 days of severe tests. The accuracy of the movement is checked in 5 different positions at varied temperatures. This simulates conditions under which the watch might be worn. The watch must average between +6 and -4 seconds per day in order to earn the certification. If a watch is described simply as a "Chrono", it is generally safe to assume it is a chronograph. Operating a Manual Wind Watch: With a new watch, wear it every day for at least two weeks. Wind the watch first, and then set the hands. Wind the watch slowly and regularly. Wind it daily, and if possible do so in the morning. Jewels in Watch Movements: Jewels are man-made artificial rubies or sapphires that have been drilled, chamfered, and polished to serve as bearings for the gears and as stones for the pallet-arms. This reduces the friction of mechanical parts against each other to a minimum. Most Swiss watches today will have 17 or more Jewels. A quality mechanical piece needs at least 15. The popular ETA 2824 has 25 jewels. It's more prestigious sibling, the ETA 2892 uses 21 jewels. Operating a Quartz (Battery) Watch: If the watch is not going to be worn for a long period of time, stop the movement by pulling the crown out to time setting position. This will stop the watch and preserve the battery. Have the battery checked every two years by a competent watchmaker. When the battery is changed, have the watchmaker insure the watch is pressure-tight to withstand dust and moisture. If the second hand starts advancing in four-second increments, the battery needs to be replaced. Watches will run another 1-4 weeks when the battery is low. Setting the Date on Mechanical Watches: Never change the date manually when the hour hand is about the 9 and 3... Adjusting the date with the quick-set can damage the movement in this position. Never wind the hands back beyond the 12-midnight position, this can damage the movement. Some watches with complex movements and/or features require special care; please check the instructions that came with the watch. GMT: In order to use the second time zone, please align the 24 hour bezel with the red GMT hand. Operating an Automatic Watch: Having a new watch, wear it every day for at least two weeks. Wind the watch first, and then set the hands with the crown. Wind an automatic watch 30 to 40 times to power the main spring. This helps guarantee optimum torque. If you wear the watch daily, and only take it off at night, there should be no need to wind the watch. Note: Many watches have a screw-down crown that must be released. Breaking In a New Watch: Most new mechanical watches will go through a short burn-in period. Nothing special needs to be done by the owner, the watch should take care of itself. Before a watch makes it to your wrist, it has likely been sitting in the jewelers store or a warehouse. Oils and lubricants can pool in certain areas. It takes 1 or 2 months for the oils to be distributed to their proper locations. The moving of the parts will also wear away and microscopic imperfections that most parts have. After a couple of months the watch will be properly broken in and run with more precision. |
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