Tag F1 Chrono accuracy
Discussion
My son has recently gifted me his two year old Tag F1 Chrono which had a propensity to lose time and stop. I have just had it serviced by Watch Doctors in Tring as recommended by PH. It now seems to be gaining well over a minute per day.
Obviously that's unacceptable, but as a matter of interest, what is the expected accuracy?
I have a Tag Aquaracer thats over 10 years old that keeps pretty much perfect time and whilst I understand that mechanical watches cannot be as accurate, gaining 90 secs a day is poor!
I'll be calling the repairer to have a look, but I'd like to understand what tolerances should be the norm.
Obviously that's unacceptable, but as a matter of interest, what is the expected accuracy?
I have a Tag Aquaracer thats over 10 years old that keeps pretty much perfect time and whilst I understand that mechanical watches cannot be as accurate, gaining 90 secs a day is poor!
I'll be calling the repairer to have a look, but I'd like to understand what tolerances should be the norm.
I took the watch back to the Watch Doctors re the watch gaining nearlt 2 mins per day.
They returned it after about 10 days, having assured me it had been on test and all was good.
Its kept perfect time for 3 days, put it on today to see it had gained a minute overnight, and 12 hours later its nearly 2 mins fast.
Any ideas as to the possible cause? Its not been dropped, banged or abused and seems odd that it's recreating the issue that caused it be returned last time after three days of being OK.
They returned it after about 10 days, having assured me it had been on test and all was good.
Its kept perfect time for 3 days, put it on today to see it had gained a minute overnight, and 12 hours later its nearly 2 mins fast.
Any ideas as to the possible cause? Its not been dropped, banged or abused and seems odd that it's recreating the issue that caused it be returned last time after three days of being OK.
A couple of reasons why a freshly-serviced automatic watch may run fast:
It's not getting wound enough when being worn. Either not on the wrist for long enough, or you don't move enough. A watch will run faster as the spring reaches the end of its wind. Try winding the watch manually every couple of days to "top it up" .
Positional errors when the watch isn't being worn. How a watch is placed when off the wrist will affect the rate. Try placing it differently on the bedside cabinet (or wherever you put it at night). Crown down rather than dial up, for instance.
The fact that it kept perfect time for the first 3 days suggests that it isn't getting wound enough when you are wearing it.
It's not getting wound enough when being worn. Either not on the wrist for long enough, or you don't move enough. A watch will run faster as the spring reaches the end of its wind. Try winding the watch manually every couple of days to "top it up" .
Positional errors when the watch isn't being worn. How a watch is placed when off the wrist will affect the rate. Try placing it differently on the bedside cabinet (or wherever you put it at night). Crown down rather than dial up, for instance.
The fact that it kept perfect time for the first 3 days suggests that it isn't getting wound enough when you are wearing it.
clockworks said:
A couple of reasons why a freshly-serviced automatic watch may run fast:
It's not getting wound enough when being worn. Either not on the wrist for long enough, or you don't move enough. A watch will run faster as the spring reaches the end of its wind. Try winding the watch manually every couple of days to "top it up" .
Positional errors when the watch isn't being worn. How a watch is placed when off the wrist will affect the rate. Try placing it differently on the bedside cabinet (or wherever you put it at night). Crown down rather than dial up, for instance.
The fact that it kept perfect time for the first 3 days suggests that it isn't getting wound enough when you are wearing it.
The watch might net be getting wound up, but I am, lol.It's not getting wound enough when being worn. Either not on the wrist for long enough, or you don't move enough. A watch will run faster as the spring reaches the end of its wind. Try winding the watch manually every couple of days to "top it up" .
Positional errors when the watch isn't being worn. How a watch is placed when off the wrist will affect the rate. Try placing it differently on the bedside cabinet (or wherever you put it at night). Crown down rather than dial up, for instance.
The fact that it kept perfect time for the first 3 days suggests that it isn't getting wound enough when you are wearing it.
Thanks for replying, thats an Interesting solution. I have wound the watch up ths morning and reset the time, so I'll keep and eye on it and see what happens. No idea what constitutes sufficient exercise to keep it working though.
Most people will move around enough in 12 hours or so each day. It can be an issue for desk workers, especially if their left arm isn't doing much for long periods, and they don't walk very far to the coffee machine, toilet, etc.
See how it goes for a week or so, manually winding it each morning. If that fixes it, you'll either have to keep on winding it, or buy a watch winder and put it in there at night.
See how it goes for a week or so, manually winding it each morning. If that fixes it, you'll either have to keep on winding it, or buy a watch winder and put it in there at night.
The rate will change depending on the orientation of the balance wheel, and it will be much less prone to changes of amplitude (angular rotation of the balance) when sitting on your bedside cabinet.
The higher the amplitude (up to a certain limit), the slower the watch will run. A run down mainspring, sitting at the "wrong" angle, and frequent sharp movements all reduce the amplitude, and increase the rate.
It's kind of a miracle that a mechanical wristwatch keeps going at all, let alone runs within a few seconds a day. It's taken hundreds of years of improvements and refinement to get here, from the first mechanical clocks 600+ years ago that could be a couple of hours a day out.
The higher the amplitude (up to a certain limit), the slower the watch will run. A run down mainspring, sitting at the "wrong" angle, and frequent sharp movements all reduce the amplitude, and increase the rate.
It's kind of a miracle that a mechanical wristwatch keeps going at all, let alone runs within a few seconds a day. It's taken hundreds of years of improvements and refinement to get here, from the first mechanical clocks 600+ years ago that could be a couple of hours a day out.
clockworks said:
It's kind of a miracle that a mechanical wristwatch keeps going at all, let alone runs within a few seconds a day. It's taken hundreds of years of improvements and refinement to get here, from the first mechanical clocks 600+ years ago that could be a couple of hours a day out.
It really does fry my noodle as to how something mechnical can be so accurate. Especially when it's a 8hz high beat movement ticking nearly 691200 per day.Hats off watchmakers don't know how you do it and that's why the jewerly part of watches is of secondary importance to me at least.
clockworks said:
Most people will move around enough in 12 hours or so each day. It can be an issue for desk workers, especially if their left arm isn't doing much for long periods, and they don't walk very far to the coffee machine, toilet, etc.
See how it goes for a week or so, manually winding it each morning. If that fixes it, you'll either have to keep on winding it, or buy a watch winder and put it in there at night.
See how it goes for a week or so, manually winding it each morning. If that fixes it, you'll either have to keep on winding it, or buy a watch winder and put it in there at night.
Looks like your advice has sorted the issue out. Many thanks, saved a load of hassle! Pistonheads comes to the rescue once more.
Cheers.
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