Question for watch enthusiasts

[dj_mocok]

While looking at the specs of some watches, I find this:

Average gain/loss :

+25 sec/-15 sec per day
+/- 20 sec per year
+45 sec/-35 sec per day

Depending on the model of the watches.

I can live with +20 per year or per month, but per day is just too much I think.

The problem is, there are a few watches that I really like, but it has +25/-15 gain/loss per day, so mathematically speaking,

+25 sec per day, in a month is :

(25 X 30) : 60 = 12.5 min.

So that means, the watch will be 12.5 minutes different in a month's time ? That pretty much means that I have to adjust my watch every week or so.... It will be even worse for watches with +40 gain/day...

Now I don't know what's the logic behind this, but I think some Walmart watches are more precise than this, and why some 200/300 bucks watch can be so innacurate?

Or maybe I misunderstood the whole thing? Can someone explain to me please? Thanks.

 

[ls20]

walmart watches ARE more accurate than that -- its a given and accepted fact

quartz has intrinsic properties [constant oscillation???] that makes it suitable for this purpose ... mechanical watches rely on quality of gears cogs springs balances etc... (pardon my lack of technical snuff)


one shouldnt expect too much accuracy with 300$ mechanical watches... they improve with money... but even 20,000$ chronometers (have to meet performance specifications) are often not as accurate as 5$ wal-mart watches

people , myself included , value the craftsmanship, complexity, and engineering marvel behind mechanical watches and prefer them over quartz... i can live with +-10 seconds per day if i can flip my watch and observe parts swing around

 

[dj_mocok]

For me, the core usage of the watch is to tell time accurately. So if a watch gains 25 secs a day, it loses its purpose already (this is for me). I know some people who love watches are more concerned with the inner works of the watch.

One of the watches that I was looking at was Orient, it has that pretty see-through glass at the back as well. Too bad about that +25 sec/day issue. I think I'd be better off with Quartz then... But there are so many beautiful mechanical watches out there...

Orient brand is not that well-known around here. I think it's more popular in Japan only?

But is it safe to say that this kind of watches will outlast the regular (Quartz) watches?

 

[catachresis]

Quote:

But is it safe to say that this kind of watches will outlast the regular (Quartz) watches?

Not necessarily: you get what you pay for. You may well find with most of the obscure brands of Oriental and Russian watch makers producing new watches to fuel the current demand for classic automatic designs that the watch looks great for a couple of months but begins to perform erratically a bit after that. You may also find that, when you check to see if it can be repaired that the parts are more expensive than buying a new watch.

If you're thinking about getting a 'classic' watch, consider these factors:
1. If you buy it new from a jeweller, make sure that it is offering a decent warranty. Retail watches are sold either as fashion accessories (which are expensive) or as prestige luxuries (which are even more expensive), so make sure that you are getting something for the premium you pay going this route.

2. Buying a good used watch is not a bad idea, nor is buying from Ebay. Just as though you're buying high-grade stereo equipment, talk to the seller and make sure that he/she knows the provenance of the watch, whether or not it has been repaired (during his ownership) and whether any parts have been replaced (especially the crown/stem and the face/hands). If you're buying an old watch, you really want to be confident you're getting all original parts if you can.

3. Find a reliable guy in your area who can clean and repair old watches at a reasonable price (he may have some nice old stock he's willing to part with as well).

4. You don't have to get the highest premium brands to enjoy a classic watch. IWC, Rolex, Patek Phillipe are crazily priced even for junk watches. These days, even second-tier watches like Omega, Longines, Tudor, and Rado are usually quite steep. Try to get a watch that you're going to want to wear. A wind-up mechanical watch is not necessarily worse than a spiffing automatic (I'm wearing a 40s Nivrel mechanical right now, and it's been extraordinarily reliable for an aging wind-up).

5. Watch out if you start feeling like you want to collect the darn things. They're at least as addictive as headphones and stereo equipment.

 

[dj_mocok]

Ugh.... the headache... So many things to consider...
I think I might as well get a Walmart watch then...

 

[Tyson]

If a watch is consistently fast or consistently slow, just take it to a jeweler and have it adjusted to run slightly slower or slightly faster. You can get most mechanical watches very close to accurate as long as they are either consistently fast or consistely slow each day.

Also, Russian and Japanese movements are usually pretty good, and chinese movements are OK (not great), but the thing that tends to kill them is they aren't assembled in "clean room" conditions, so they will often have dirt and/or poor lubrication. Getting one of these properly cleaned and serviced will actually give you a very good running watch most of the time. The dirt and lack of lube is why these watches don't last as long, the movements get ground up and wear down. Swiss movements are usually much better "out of the box" in this regard, but they too need to be serviced every few years to keep running in tip top shape.

Not a big deal to me since I've got enough watches now that most run out of reserve and stop before I get around to wearing it again. The setting of the time and the winding of the watch has become a pleasant part of my morning routine.....