Watches

My Date Just runs +- 3 seconds/day if I wear it constantly. If I switch out with another watch for a day the Rolex is usually way off. My Omega Seamaster coaxial is slow no matter what I do with it. I'm convinced that right out of the box any mid grade Japanese timepiece is equal to most Swiss products. I have an Orient Mako like the one getawheel has above and it runs and runs and doesn't care what I do to it.

One of the things with automatic watches is that most are regulated to assume they spend a good portion of the day fully wound and don't necessarily go more than ~12 hours without at least some winding. In theory, watches rate the same at the beginning and end of a wind(isochronic) but there are some subtle things that affect this also. In general, overcoils, which AFAIK every Rolex outside the Explorer has(for sure the Datejust does), improve isochronism but they're not perfect and can also introduce some weird properties when the amplitude drops below the designed value(as opposed to just uniformly speeding up like a simpler hairspring).

The Coaxial is certainly an interesting one, and Omega is on what, something like the 3rd or 4th generation now. I know at least one watchmaker who's been to Switzerland more than once for training on them-pretty much every time they updated their service procedure(no, don't oil the pallet jewels, okay do it, no wait only put a tiny amount on, no you're still using too much) and finally just refused to accept them since he says he can never get them to run as well as a lever even following what the factory trained him to do.

At least among American watch collectors, there can be some resentment toward the co-axial because George Daniels managed to talk his way out of a prior art claim on the patent despite the fact that it's basically a tweaked version of Fasoldt's escapement. There's a lot of split opinion as to whether Daniel's patent was really legitimate or not. Still, though, he managed to get it into mass production, whereas even though Fasoldt did sell some watch, his production numbers were in the hundreds at best.
 
Originally Posted by fixitpete
Had a G-Shock that was incredible. the bands keep breaking but that thing never dies.


Agree. Best watches i've ever owned.

I got a G-shock as a present from my BIL. Not sure about you guys but that procedure to setup the darn time is one of the dumbest things ever. Give me the knob that you pull out to adjust the time anyday.

Anyhow I no longer wear watches. I have a phone close by. I no longer look at my wrist to tell the time. ;)
 
One of the things with automatic watches is that most are regulated to assume they spend a good portion of the day fully wound and don't necessarily go more than ~12 hours without at least some winding. In theory, watches rate the same at the beginning and end of a wind(isochronic) but there are some subtle things that affect this also. In general, overcoils, which AFAIK every Rolex outside the Explorer has(for sure the Datejust does), improve isochronism but they're not perfect and can also introduce some weird properties when the amplitude drops below the designed value(as opposed to just uniformly speeding up like a simpler hairspring).

The Coaxial is certainly an interesting one, and Omega is on what, something like the 3rd or 4th generation now. I know at least one watchmaker who's been to Switzerland more than once for training on them-pretty much every time they updated their service procedure(no, don't oil the pallet jewels, okay do it, no wait only put a tiny amount on, no you're still using too much) and finally just refused to accept them since he says he can never get them to run as well as a lever even following what the factory trained him to do.

At least among American watch collectors, there can be some resentment toward the co-axial because George Daniels managed to talk his way out of a prior art claim on the patent despite the fact that it's basically a tweaked version of Fasoldt's escapement. There's a lot of split opinion as to whether Daniel's patent was really legitimate or not. Still, though, he managed to get it into mass production, whereas even though Fasoldt did sell some watch, his production numbers were in the hundreds at best.
I have a Yacht Master that I almost never wear because it has a silver face and silver hands. There is very little contrast and I can't read the time easily so I do like the above poster and check my phone instead. I'm thinking of trading it for a Seiko Spring Drive which has a much more innovative movement. Mechanical watches are all about the movements otherwise just get a quartz and forget about it. Citizen makes a quartz watch now that is claimed to be the most accurate watch in the world. https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/citizen-eco-drive-caliber-0100-review
 
I like watches but my requirement is minimal action on my part (like winding) and very accurate time. And I like technology. My main watch is a Seiko solar watch that gets time updates at 2 AM over the air.
 
Will never be a collector, just wanted a fairly nice everyday watch. Love square faced, mechanical watches. I prefer a metal band so had a custom Tag Monaco made with the strap from the LS. Nothing fancy, uses a modified Eta movement. As far as I know, it is the only one in existence like it.

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Bonus, the watch is the same colour as my summer baby.
 

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I just have a 42mm Apple Watch series 3, but I love the engineering behind mechanical watches. Loved listening to the earlier “Watch and Listen” podcast with Matt Farah and Cameron Weiss.
 
I have so many watches that I can't keep track of them. Somewhere I have a Bulova Precisionist and a couple Seikos. . . .

Second favorite is my Submariner model 5513 (1978), it's nearly perfect and I still have the box and paperwork. Plastic crystal has a couple light scratches which could be polished out. At some point I'm going to attempt to have it regulated, it gains about 8 seconds an hour right now.
View attachment 29094
That was my first Rolex. In '98 I was living in Denver and making really good money for the first time. I happened to stop into an authorized dealer, one that sold pre-owned models. "We have an estate Sub coming up next week; we're refurbishing it now." "Call me," I said.

The next week I went over to see it. Domed crystal, a little wear about the 4:00 point on the black bezel but only enough that it looked like it had been through some adventures since ca. 1978. They adjusted the bracelet, I wore it around the store for a few minutes, and I said, "I've wanted one of these for years. Let's do it."

I still wear it every evening and on weekends. It's been a few years since the last tune-up, and it still runs about +3 seconds a day.

The other Rolex is a Date from about 1971. I happened to see it at the same dealer about 2 years later, a grey dial and engine-turned bezel on a black strap. Several times that year I was in the store, and it was still for sale -- like the kitten nobody wanted at the pound. At Christmas 2000 I said to myself, "Self, if it's still there and they'll deal, go get it."

It was, and they did, and I did. In 2006 I had Rolex Dallas replace the grey dial with a sapphire blue -- best move I ever made. This one loses about 3-4 seconds a day and is due for a service again soon. It's my office and daytime watch, now on an aftermarket Jubilee-style bracelet (the one with the small links).

I've thought about replacing both with a single more modern Rolex, perhaps a GMT with the quick-set date. But the prices scare me away; and I've had these two for 20 years. They are part of me.
 
I think I posted this before but this is my favorite watch I own. I have a few including a grand seiko, glashutte original and a few omega. I also have a lot of tuning fork watches. Bulova, omega and IWC.

JDM citizen. Face is made of paper. Looks great in person.

IMG_20200920_110626.jpg
 
One of the things with automatic watches is that most are regulated to assume they spend a good portion of the day fully wound and don't necessarily go more than ~12 hours without at least some winding. In theory, watches rate the same at the beginning and end of a wind(isochronic) but there are some subtle things that affect this also. In general, overcoils, which AFAIK every Rolex outside the Explorer has(for sure the Datejust does), improve isochronism but they're not perfect and can also introduce some weird properties when the amplitude drops below the designed value(as opposed to just uniformly speeding up like a simpler hairspring).

The Coaxial is certainly an interesting one, and Omega is on what, something like the 3rd or 4th generation now. I know at least one watchmaker who's been to Switzerland more than once for training on them-pretty much every time they updated their service procedure(no, don't oil the pallet jewels, okay do it, no wait only put a tiny amount on, no you're still using too much) and finally just refused to accept them since he says he can never get them to run as well as a lever even following what the factory trained him to do.

At least among American watch collectors, there can be some resentment toward the co-axial because George Daniels managed to talk his way out of a prior art claim on the patent despite the fact that it's basically a tweaked version of Fasoldt's escapement. There's a lot of split opinion as to whether Daniel's patent was really legitimate or not. Still, though, he managed to get it into mass production, whereas even though Fasoldt did sell some watch, his production numbers were in the hundreds at best.
In theory, watches should rate the same at the beginning and "end" of a wind (lets say 24 h interval). Ideally a positive isochronism ( +1 in the small balance amplitude when +0 in the big ones) is desired to compensate with the oils thickening over time and increasing friction to the gear train. In real life industrial production watches the tolerances will be bigger tough...Rolexes may be the exception, great precision (do not confuse accuracy with precision, 2 different things) very smart movement construction.
No affiliation, just watchmakers point of view.
 
In theory, watches should rate the same at the beginning and "end" of a wind (lets say 24 h interval). Ideally a positive isochronism ( +1 in the small balance amplitude when +0 in the big ones) is desired to compensate with the oils thickening over time and increasing friction to the gear train. In real life industrial production watches the tolerances will be bigger tough...Rolexes may be the exception, great precision (do not confuse accuracy with precision, 2 different things) very smart movement construction.
No affiliation, just watchmakers point of view.
Maybe you can help me understand the behavior of one of my watches. I have a Ball Engineer II that uses an ETA 2836-2 COSC. It's worn daily.

When I purchased it I was told that it would likely run erratically for a few weeks. It ran a bit fast for the first few weeks and began to slow down. After a month it ran essentially dead on for two months then began to slow again. Over several months it slowed to losing 4 minutes a month. It ran for 7 years losing 4 minutes a month within a second or two each month.

I had it serviced this spring and was thrilled to see that it was running within a second a day. That only lasted a week and it began to slow and once again over a period of months is now losing a consistent 3.5 minutes a month plus or minus a few seconds. What would cause this behavior?

Ed
 
Weird, the swiss chronometer certification test is esentially focused to regularity of rate.
I would take it to a shop and have it demagnetized. If magnetisme is not the problem then you take it back
to the person that serviced it last. Did you get any service warranty?
 
I had an Omega Constellation.

It was purchased in Charlotte Amelie, USVI in 1995. $1200 duty free. It even had the the days-of-the-week dial on it...beautiful, regal simplicity. Silver w/gold trim.

I left it in the pocket of my jacket in my truck overnight. Someone broke in and stole my special timepiece.

I will never get over this. Priceless. Irreplaceable. Oh the beautiful memory of that romantic trip to Caneel, since ravaged by hurricane.

My dad had some watches. My nephew got the Hamilton. I got the Elgin. LOL.
 
I had an Omega Constellation.

It was purchased in Charlotte Amelie, USVI in 1995. $1200 duty free. It even had the the days-of-the-week dial on it...beautiful, regal simplicity. Silver w/gold trim.

I left it in the pocket of my jacket in my truck overnight. Someone broke in and stole my special timepiece.

I will never get over this. Priceless. Irreplaceable. Oh the beautiful memory of that romantic trip to Caneel, since ravaged by hurricane.

My dad had some watches. My nephew got the Hamilton. I got the Elgin. LOL.
A Constellation with the pie-pan face is my dream watch.
 
I had an Omega Constellation.

It was purchased in Charlotte Amelie, USVI in 1995. $1200 duty free. It even had the the days-of-the-week dial on it...beautiful, regal simplicity. Silver w/gold trim.

I left it in the pocket of my jacket in my truck overnight. Someone broke in and stole my special timepiece.

I will never get over this. Priceless. Irreplaceable. Oh the beautiful memory of that romantic trip to Caneel, since ravaged by hurricane.

My dad had some watches. My nephew got the Hamilton. I got the Elgin. LOL.
That bites. I lost an expensive SLR camera that way years ago in San Francisco. The vermin are everywhere. Nowadays my expensive watches are either on the wrist or locked up in a safe keeping time for my firearms. ⌚
 
New seamaster I got to give as a wedding present. Thinking about keeping it instead :)

IMG_20201120_103149.jpg


My Sinn that I have been wearing lately

MVIMG_20191231_100734.jpg
 
I’ve never been big into watches. I would have to take them off too many times a day to do things. But it was cool seeing some of the ones here that are collected by people. I do prefer analog over digital for sure I hate digital watches and clocks.
 
BeerCan that's a very tasteful Omega. My Seamaster is that style but has a deep blue face. It runs slow and an experienced watchmaker explained that it probably has dried up oil so that the balance wheel doesn't make a complete arc anymore. At least it seemed what he said. Also advised an overhaul would be ~$600. I'm going to spend that on a new Hamilton Khaki or Tissot Powermatic instead.

I figure that since I don't wear most of my watches more than one day at a time even the slowpoke Omega will never be >20 seconds behind anyway. ⌚
 
I’ve never been big into watches. I would have to take them off too many times a day to do things. But it was cool seeing some of the ones here that are collected by people. I do prefer analog over digital for sure I hate digital watches and clocks.
Since you are immersed in mechanical things, get yourself an automatic watch. Seiko, Citizen and Orient make some excellent high quality yet affordable watches. Get one with a display back so you can admire the tiny engine on your wrist.
 
Since you are immersed in mechanical things, get yourself an automatic watch. Seiko, Citizen and Orient make some excellent high quality yet affordable watches. Get one with a display back so you can admire the tiny engine on your wrist.
That is a good idea have never heard of those.
 
BeerCan that's a very tasteful Omega. My Seamaster is that style but has a deep blue face. It runs slow and an experienced watchmaker explained that it probably has dried up oil so that the balance wheel doesn't make a complete arc anymore. At least it seemed what he said. Also advised an overhaul would be ~$600. I'm going to spend that on a new Hamilton Khaki or Tissot Powermatic instead.

I figure that since I don't wear most of my watches more than one day at a time even the slowpoke Omega will never be >20 seconds behind anyway. ⌚
Thanks, I think it is a beautiful watch but slightly big for my taste. For me 39.5 is the perfect size.

It might be expensive to service if it has a coaxial movement. I would make sure the watchmaker has experience with those before I trust them. omegaforums.net would be a good place to get info.

Today I busted out one of my vintage Seiko watches. King Seiko from the early 70's, still keeps excellent time. Has a very nice silver linen type face.


PXL_20201121_145836571.jpg
 
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