Diving into watch repairing? It's like the DIY version of a puzzle game - tricky but super satisfying. Hats off to the internet for turning casual viewers into budding horologists. And for those who just enjoy restoration blogs, it's cool to be a fan without getting your hands dirty. As for beginners seeking an easy start, a watch repair simulator game sounds like a fun, stress-free way to dip your toes in. Whether you're a hands-on tinkerer or a digital-only enthusiast, every tiny screw and spring brings its own adventure.
Mechanical Watch (2022)
151–160 of 168 posts
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#152Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's also the only timekeeping device that will still work after three days away from an electric plug, and the only one you would wear all you life . 1 second/day is 10 PPM. Reaching that accuracy with only mechanical means in a device small and robust enough to be worn on the body is something to admire, not to fault for its limits.
"It's also the only timekeeping device that will still work after three days away from an electric plug" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz_clock Lasting years on a battery is easy.
Why not both?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Drive
Advertised at +-15 seconds a month, but in reality it's much better than that.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#153I worked at a local-owned jewelry store for years (starting out as on-call computer guy). The kind with an old fashion in-house jeweler who did all repairs himself (setting stones, resizing rings, cleanings, etc). We did everything EXCEPT most watch repairs. We changed batteries in the quartz watches, and replaced and repaired bands, and performed some minor repairs of mechanical watches, but we sent out most watch repairs to a watchmaker several cities away.
The boss, who was an old jeweler who had started out in the business as a boy in the fifties working under a jeweler and watchmaker, always said that watchmakers are a dying breed, and could pretty much name their price.
When I started working and learning the trade we had two watchmakers that we shipped to. Within two years one of those had retired, and we were unable to find a replacement for him.
I loved working and repairing jewelry (even more so that my fulltime job in IT for local gov), and wanted to become a watchmaker, but my life took me elsewhere. Now that I am older and in a better place in life I often think of those three years, and have been considering obtaining the tools to start up a hobby in one or the other...or both.
Thank you, OP, for an awesome post and link.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#154I worked at a local-owned jewelry store for years (starting out as on-call computer guy). The kind with an old fashion in-house jeweler who did all repairs himself (setting stones, resizing rings, cleanings, etc). We did everything EXCEPT most watch repairs. We changed batteries in the quartz watches, and replaced and repaired bands, and performed some minor repairs of mechanical watches, but we sent out most watch r…
Like any hobby, there is a YouTube culture around mechanical wristwatch maintenance/repair these days if you want to learn more. If I remember correctly, there’s a channel called Wristwatch Revival that is quite good.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#155OMG this was such a beautiful and interesting article. I was so impressed I HAD to leave a comment
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#156This blog is what got me into the fabulous hobby of watch repairing. Well, this blog and Marshall's awesome repair videos over at Wristwatch Revival: https://www.youtube.com/@WristwatchRevival Watch repairing is a very rewarding hobby. It requires copious amounts of patience, but there's something fundamentally satisfying about disassembling something to its individual components, cleaning them and reassembling them…
Watches are pretty amazing, a mechanical engineering marvel crammed into tiny compartment that can easily keep working for 100 years with minimal upkeep, very sturdy, looking great at almost any design era and helping with time. I never got the lure of 'smart' watches of these days, they all look like plastic toys for kids including most expensive ones, definitely when compared to good mechanical watches. Also in for…
wearing a wristwatch with full formal is still a bit of a faux pas.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#157Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, it sounds a degaussing and calibration. My simple Seiko 5 with 7S36C is within +/- 4 seconds per day, and I never adjust it except short-month skipping.
Given that is minutes off even after demagnetizing, makes me wonder if there has been water intrusion, or it is old and the oil is starting to gum up.
Put it one a timegrapher and check amplitude, beat rate & beat error in different watch positions (watch dial up, dial down, crown up, crown down etc.).
There are timegraphing apps on the iOS/Android app stores (using the microphone for detecting beat signals) for a very quick test. The watch's tick signal may be a bit on the weak side but i usually get some data in a reasonably silent environments with direkt contact of the watch to the phone's body.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#158Earlier quoted context omitted.
Watches are pretty amazing, a mechanical engineering marvel crammed into tiny compartment that can easily keep working for 100 years with minimal upkeep, very sturdy, looking great at almost any design era and helping with time. I never got the lure of 'smart' watches of these days, they all look like plastic toys for kids including most expensive ones, definitely when compared to good mechanical watches. Also in for…
wearing a wristwatch with full formal is still a bit of a faux pas.
Rich: Rolex
Wealthy: Patek Philippe
True wealth: "I DGAF what time it is or what looks good with this jacket"
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#159My favorite watch ever was a self-winding mechanical Swatch. I suspect they (Swatch) acquired the company that made it. Disappointingly, when the pins that held the band on started to slip, there was no good way to repair it. I've since switched to a smart watch, but I keep getting tempted to go back. I generally use my smart watch as a very gentle alarm, and for fitness tracking. I just don't want to be the geek who…
The Swatch brand was founded 1983 by ETA CEO Thomke and his Engineers. ETA is a watch movement manufacturer.
Speaking of Swatch and mechanical watches: the Sistem51 is an interesting watch, since it's the only mechanical watch ever fabricated in a 100% automated production line. The parts are welded together and held by a single screw. https://www.swatch.com/en-us/sistem-51.html
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#160Earlier quoted context omitted.
Given that is minutes off even after demagnetizing, makes me wonder if there has been water intrusion, or it is old and the oil is starting to gum up.
Put it one a timegrapher and check amplitude, beat rate & beat error in different watch positions (watch dial up, dial down, crown up, crown down etc.). There are timegraphing apps on the iOS/Android app stores (using the microphone for detecting beat signals) for a very quick test. The watch's tick signal may be a bit on the weak side but i usually get some data in a reasonably silent environments with direkt contac…
Can you recommend any (Apple or Android). A quick search on the Apple store only returned things that looked scammy or terrible.