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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”

#21

Post by opan »

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 get a similar satisfaction watching people fix up old Game Boys and similar.

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

#22

Post by jaggederest »

jakespencer wrote: post #20
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…

It’s funny because I know of Marshall from the fact that he hosts one of the most popular Magic: the Gathering podcasts and I knew he had a wristwatch channel on YouTube but I’ve never seen anyone who knew him primarily from that.

Damn I knew I recognized the voice from somewhere! Never connected the two. Wild stuff. He does great work all around though.

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

#24

Post by Ancapistani »

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.

“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.

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

#25

Post by qup »

dclowd9901 wrote: post #19
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…

It sounds like you just like the process. There are several good car restoration channels for this too.

Plug for Hand Tool Rescue, one of the better restorers in the tool category. A lot of them out there, now. Also like "Perfect Restorations"

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

#26

Post by NhanH »

ferongr wrote: post #9
snitty wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rolex are +/- 2 seconds per day.

That's terrible. Hacking prevention would make sense if they were ±2 seconds a month.

+- 2 seconds per day is their worst case specifications (watches being stored in weird orientation, with high temperature etc.). It is common for standard usage watch to be within 10 secs monthly.

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

#27

Post by throw0101a »

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.

> 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)

Rolexes have a hacking mechanism, but it's usually only activated when you pull the crown out to the furthest/third stop, which is where you set minutes. The changing of the hour for timezones generally happens in full-hour increments (with exceptions, e.g., Newfoundland).

The original Rolex GMTs did not have hacking, but it was added later; 1971, AFAICT:

* https://www.analogshift.com/blogs/transmissions/guide-to-rol...

This hacking/non-hacking functionality is fairly common on GMT/dual-timezone watches.

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

#28

Post by tuatoru »

75w wrote: post #18
ggm wrote: post #2

One might well ask why "Hackneyed" has it's meaning of commonplace.. And if you do, you will see that Hackneyed comes from a "Hack" horse, the commonplace (often hired) horse you use for more ordinary riding tasks, you don't care if its a bit spavined or mouthed, it's not your best hunter. In other words Hack -> Hackney -> Hack A Hacking jacket likewise: its workday hard wearing cloth like Tweed. undied or dull dye.

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

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

#29

Post by wrp »

hinkley wrote: post #10
griffinkelly wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in the Air National Guard, and its very much a thing. Typically at the beginning or end of a brief/meeting when you're about to go out and do something.

But it's not a thing in movies, so nobody wonders why they say that in movies. Because nobody says that in movies. It's been 'synchronize watches' since WWII movies became a thing.

I've seen practically every B-grade and up WWII movie made in English, and I don't remember ever seeing the use of "hack". Anybody please point to movie references if they know any.

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

#30

Post by ksaj »

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.

Nice. I was reading the comments because I knew someone would explain the purpose of it. I have both hacking and non-hacking watches. I know what they do, but I never knew why it was something people would even care about.

Changing TZ when travelling is definitely a perfect use case for non-hacking movements. Also before and after DST.

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