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There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

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Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#41

Post by dave_universetf »

ghostpepper wrote: post #39
dave_universetf wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could well be! I have no specialist knowledge, I just got curious about the origin of the fairly random feature name, and went digging. The two well substantiated facts are: Hacking movements gained popularity between WW1 and WW2 due to army interest (and during WW2 US mil-spec for watches required a hacking feature, leading to e.g. the Elgin A-11 hacking watch). In the heyday of mechanical marine chronometers (late…

Great post! This has nothing to do with watches per se but I was wondering which war movies include soldiers shouting "Hack!" because I can't remember ever hearing it in a film.

There's a sibling thread making the same point, and: yeah, I overgeneralized on that bit. The instance I had in mind was the M.A.S.H. TV show, which has a couple exchanges involving "hack" for time synchronization (unsurprisingly, by the most over the top soldierly characters). All I can offer as a defense is that it was late and I assumed that I couldn't remember others for that reason. But looking around now, film usually goes with the more recognizable "mark".

Here's a memoir from a retired USAF airman where he recounts what the hacking procedure looked like, though: https://code7700.com/2023_time_hack.htm

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#42

Post by tedunangst »

ferongr wrote: post #4
matthewtse wrote: post #3

Interestingly, hacking seconds have become so ubiquitous, that some watches will advertise the "lack" of hacking seconds. I.e. in the Rolex GMT, when you adjust the hour hand independently of the seconds hand, the seconds hand continues moving (non-hacking), which allows you to change the time zone when traveling without messing up the seconds hand that you previously already setup.

Which is completely asinine, as mechanical watches, even expensive ones are inaccurate by many seconds every day.

I don't know about seconds, but it's pretty nice to adjust the hour without having to reset the minute hand.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#43

Post by thomasmiller_ »

callumprentice wrote: post #15

Somewhat related, I came across a YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/@WristwatchRevival ) that I never would have guessed I'd enjoy but now I am hooked. The host disassembles a high-end mechanical watch each episode, cleans each tiny piece and then puts it all back together again. I have never had any interest in mechanical watches whatsoever - I use an Apple Watch - but this is so relaxing and he is so good a…

I would also recommend Red Dead Restoration (https://www.youtube.com/@RedDeadRestoration). The creator occasionally dips into ASMR territory but the restorations sometimes double as chemistry lessons.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#45

Post by WillPostForFood »

callumprentice wrote: post #15

Somewhat related, I came across a YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/@WristwatchRevival ) that I never would have guessed I'd enjoy but now I am hooked. The host disassembles a high-end mechanical watch each episode, cleans each tiny piece and then puts it all back together again. I have never had any interest in mechanical watches whatsoever - I use an Apple Watch - but this is so relaxing and he is so good a…

Another recommendation: Blair Watch Project.

https://www.youtube.com/c/BlairWatchProject

He services and repairs Seiko watches, records the process for his customers, and then posts them on YouTube.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#46

Post by silisili »

Ancapistani wrote: post #24
ferongr wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which is completely asinine, as mechanical watches, even expensive ones are inaccurate by many seconds every day.

“Many” seconds per day strikes me as an overstatement. The Hamilton I’m wearing right now gains about 10 seconds per week. I set it about once every 3-4 months - that’s hardly an onerous task.

I'd say you got a lucky one. From Hamilton's own site -

> Most watches that do not have a chronometer certificate have an average course deviation of -10/+15 seconds per day. To be called a Chronometer, the mechanical watch mechanism must have an average course deviation of -4/+6 seconds per day.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#47

Post by ggm »

tuatoru wrote: post #28
75w wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't the word hackney (for a horse) come from the place Hackney (for a hipster)? so it would be Hackney -> Hack -> Hackney -> Hack

The Hackney Horse breed was developed in the 14th century in Norfolk when the King of England required powerful but attractive horses with an excellent trot, to be used for general purpose riding horses. May well have been named after the district. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackney_horse

This is like Proust, and the obsessive deriver-of-original-names character. I'd say its convergent distinct stories, lost in time. Hackney in London refers to a the river bend on the Lea, and an island or peninsula in the river, then the region, Hackney Carriages stem from the horse, the horse's name has now informed french breeds.. its all connected. But, Norfolk and East Anglia aren't close to Hackney in London.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#48

Post by Jerry2 »

callumprentice wrote: post #15

Somewhat related, I came across a YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/@WristwatchRevival ) that I never would have guessed I'd enjoy but now I am hooked. The host disassembles a high-end mechanical watch each episode, cleans each tiny piece and then puts it all back together again. I have never had any interest in mechanical watches whatsoever - I use an Apple Watch - but this is so relaxing and he is so good a…

My favorite is Red Dead Restoration: https://www.youtube.com/@RedDeadRestoration

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#49

Post by WrongAssumption »

silisili wrote: post #46
Ancapistani wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Many” seconds per day strikes me as an overstatement. The Hamilton I’m wearing right now gains about 10 seconds per week. I set it about once every 3-4 months - that’s hardly an onerous task.

I'd say you got a lucky one. From Hamilton's own site - > Most watches that do not have a chronometer certificate have an average course deviation of -10/+15 seconds per day. To be called a Chronometer, the mechanical watch mechanism must have an average course deviation of -4/+6 seconds per day.

That’s a min/max daily range that is influenced by factors such as movement, angle, temperature and magnetism. They generally do not hit the min max and average out quite a bit day to day.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#50

Post by jh00ker »

>So, there was great interest in developing a timekeeping mechanism that didn't rely on gravity.

"Great interest" is an understatement! The full story can be found in "Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time" by Dava Sobel

Cheap book, quick read, fascinating story!

https://amzn.to/465h1ij

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