Vintage Manual Watch - winding
Discussion
tomw2000 said:
Do you really need to 'fully wind' it?
I've a '72 1680 sub (also recently serviced) and when I'm wearing it after a period of time when its been left to run down, I just give it maybe 15 or so turns and stick it on my wrist.
It only lasts an hour or so....the watch repairer wound it and it lasted for 36 hours. Maybe it's my winding technique...I've a '72 1680 sub (also recently serviced) and when I'm wearing it after a period of time when its been left to run down, I just give it maybe 15 or so turns and stick it on my wrist.
Yeah, I'dd fully wind. Torque available will change as the watch winds down, especially when the watch is very low on power. This will make a small difference to accuracy.
As for why it isn't winding easily, I'd take it back for your guy to have another look at, the winder could be slipping.
As for why it isn't winding easily, I'd take it back for your guy to have another look at, the winder could be slipping.
If it has just been serviced, I would take it back. If you are never getting to the point of resistance when you are winding it then either it is an automatic with a slipping bridle or there is likely to be a problem with the main spring. With the power reserve being so low I would suspect a damaged main spring that has enough friction against the barrel or arbor to keep a little tension but slips when wound. Either way it needs the attention of a watchmaker.
Assuming that by "winding forever" you mean more than 20 or 30 "good" winds, it's almost certainly a broken mainspring. The fact that it ran for 36 hours after the repairer wound it means that it won't be a case of mis-hooking (where the mainspring fails to hook onto the barrel).
To be fair to the repairer, mainsprings can break at any time and without warning. It's rare, but even new ones can just let go - they're very thin and very highly stressed steel.
Try winding it while holding it up to your ear. You'll probably hear a little "snick" sound after a few winds, which is the broken end of the spring slipping against the rest of it.
Some repairers will cover this under guarantee (there's no real reason not to) but some specifically exclude mainsprings. If the place you went do that then at least try for replacement at cost - the spring itself will be around £10 - £12 to them, and will take about 20 minutes to change in a manual wind, so if they won't do it as guarantee and quote silly price then go elsewhere!
To be fair to the repairer, mainsprings can break at any time and without warning. It's rare, but even new ones can just let go - they're very thin and very highly stressed steel.
Try winding it while holding it up to your ear. You'll probably hear a little "snick" sound after a few winds, which is the broken end of the spring slipping against the rest of it.
Some repairers will cover this under guarantee (there's no real reason not to) but some specifically exclude mainsprings. If the place you went do that then at least try for replacement at cost - the spring itself will be around £10 - £12 to them, and will take about 20 minutes to change in a manual wind, so if they won't do it as guarantee and quote silly price then go elsewhere!
marcosgt said:
Depends what you mean 'forever'.
My Omega Seamaster takes about 20 180 degree winds, whereas from dead, the Speedmaster Pro needs more like 40-45.
If it's taking more than that, I'd agree that something is very amiss.
M.
With my manual ones - its 40ish finger winds for a day and anything between 60-80 for a full wind.My Omega Seamaster takes about 20 180 degree winds, whereas from dead, the Speedmaster Pro needs more like 40-45.
If it's taking more than that, I'd agree that something is very amiss.
M.
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