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A Few Questions about a Speedmaster from a Paranoid (New) Owner
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Nobel Prize
·What is the significance of this? Did I say something wrong?
But I insist, there is NOTHING wrong with doing anything to your watch. It's your watch. We just caution you as to the consequences both towards the watch and towards the perception any buyer may have from your practices.
I know it's all coming off as a beating but we're trying to help.
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ffej4
·Meaning once you state you consider these easy breezy adjustments and you have the case opener and the drivers it's difficult to believe you're not doing what you yourself say you are. That's what I mean. Same as its difficult to believe that case is opened twice when it was set and running -10 then +10 then 3 and now 1.
But I insist, there is NOTHING wrong with doing anything to your watch. It's your watch. We just caution you as to the consequences both towards the watch and towards the perception any buyer may have from your practices.
I know it's all coming off as a beating but we're trying to help.
That makes more sense. People can believe what they like to believe, but, when it all comes down to it, I've always been honest when selling, and that isn't going to change. If I do something to the watch myself, that will be noted. 😀
I wouldn't want to buy a watch without certain things about it being disclosed, and I certainly wouldn't want to sell a watch without disclosing something to another person before selling it to them.
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Canuck
·Some high performance mechanical watches that are in good order and are regulated to a close tolerance and are to be put aside for a period of as little as a few weeks, there is a real chance that the rate will have changed over the time they were parked. It may only be a seconds per day variation, but it often happens. Return to wearing the watch continually for a period, close observation my reveal that the accuracy has returned. Such is the mechanical watch! My Speedmaster Professional has never kept the time that you say you expect out of yours. On the other hand, my Speedmaster automatic is among the most accurate mechanical watches I own! I don't check to the point I can state seconds per day, but it is consistently within one minute per month.
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Canuck
·Further to my last post, my Speedmaster loses 12 seconds in 24-hours. And the sweep seconds hand has the same slightly "jerky" motion that you describe. Mine has behaved like this for a long time, but I don't sweat it. Every watch I own has its own quirks, and I would go crazy worrying about all those watches and all those quirks.
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VetPsychWars
·I've had it opened twice. They can't take two openings?
I can get it replaced when I get home, if need be. Surprising they are that delicate!
Some of them are, some of them aren't. Al will tell us for sure, but most of the time you're supposed to change them every time the watch is opened.
Tom
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ffej4
·Some of them are, some of them aren't. Al will tell us for sure, but most of the time you're supposed to change them every time the watch is opened.
Tom
Well, in that case (no pun intended), I'll have the case reopened and a new gasket put in just to be safe. I'll do that when I get back in a couple of weeks. For now, I'll make sure not to subject it to any water. It might get a little sweat, but that should be all!
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Canuck
·Further to my last post, my Speedmaster loses 12 seconds in 24-hours. And the sweep seconds hand has the same slightly "jerky" motion that you describe. Mine has behaved like this for a long time, but I don't sweat it. Every watch I own has its own quirks, and I would go crazy worrying about all those watches and all those quirks.
Actually, this report was based on having mis-read my accurate time source when I set the Speedmaster Professional. I re-set it later that same day (3 or 4 days ago), and since then it has picked up 5 seconds! These may not be rated as chronometers, but I am pleased with the time mine keeps! The "jerky" seconds hand, however, persists. I know the solution for that, but based on a 1 to 10 severity rating, this problem is worth about a .05 in my opinion.
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WatchVaultNYC
·Actually, this report was based on having mis-read my accurate time source when I set the Speedmaster Professional. I re-set it later that same day (3 or 4 days ago), and since then it has picked up 5 seconds! These may not be rated as chronometers, but I am pleased with the time mine keeps! The "jerky" seconds hand, however, persists. I know the solution for that, but based on a 1 to 10 severity rating, this problem is worth about a .05 in my opinion.
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VetPsychWars
·What causes the "jerky" seconds hand?
It's part of the design. Sweep seconds on most older Omega movements are indirectly driven, so there's a little slack in the train. Omega uses a tension spring on the pinion but the tension has to be just right or you get that jerky movement of the seconds hand.
Tom
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·Oh oh, now we'll have a bunch of people freaking out because the tension in their pinions is not just right. It's like something out of a proctologist nightmare
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Canuck
·"I know the solution for that, but based on a 1 to 10 severity rating, this problem is worth about a .05 in my opinion."
I reiterate!
I reiterate!
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerNote that this "jerky" sweep hand is a completely different issue from the one described by the OP.
My view is that although it's not something that will cause damage, it's certainly not right if it's jerky. It's not something I would live with for sure (it means the chronograph can't be used accurately) but again it's not something that will damage the watch, so it's not urgent in that way...
Cheers, Al
My view is that although it's not something that will cause damage, it's certainly not right if it's jerky. It's not something I would live with for sure (it means the chronograph can't be used accurately) but again it's not something that will damage the watch, so it's not urgent in that way...
Cheers, Al
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerWell, in that case (no pun intended), I'll have the case reopened and a new gasket put in just to be safe. I'll do that when I get back in a couple of weeks. For now, I'll make sure not to subject it to any water. It might get a little sweat, but that should be all!
If the O-ring is new, and has been properly lubricated before tightening, then it might be fine. The key is lubrication for a new gasket - the lubrication is not there to help seal the watch, but to make sure that the O-ring does not bunch up or get stretched when the case back is tightened down - this is what can ruin a new gasket. Of course over time they can be flattened, loose their elasticity (so they turn brittle), and eventually turn to black goop.
A hard plastic case back seal is a different animal - these are found for example in the Speedmaster automatic watches with the 7750 based movement, and the case back presses on. These gaskets rely on deformation to provide the tension to hold the case back in place, and they are one time use only.
Cheers, Al
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Nobel Prize
·If the O-ring is new, and has been properly lubricated before tightening, then it might be fine. The key is lubrication for a new gasket - the lubrication is not there to help seal the watch, but to make sure that the O-ring does not bunch up or get stretched when the case back is tightened down - this is what can ruin a new gasket. Of course over time they can be flattened, loose their elasticity (so they turn brittle), and eventually turn to black goop.
A hard plastic case back seal is a different animal - these are found for example in the Speedmaster automatic watches with the 7750 based movement, and the case back presses on. These gaskets rely on deformation to provide the tension to hold the case back in place, and they are one time use only.
Cheers, Al
Is this lubrication something one can do at home with vaseline or cooking oil?.... Just anticipating possible issues. 😎
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerIs this lubrication something one can do at home with vaseline or cooking oil?.... Just anticipating possible issues. 😎
Only if you want the O-ring to disintegrate...silicone grease is the proper lubricant. I personally use Fomblin grease.
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ffej4
·Note that this "jerky" sweep hand is a completely different issue from the one described by the OP.
My view is that although it's not something that will cause damage, it's certainly not right if it's jerky. It's not something I would live with for sure (it means the chronograph can't be used accurately) but again it's not something that will damage the watch, so it's not urgent in that way...
Cheers, Al
It's weird - when it jumps forward at the beginning by, say, 1/2 of a second, it freezes for the same amount of time it jumped forward (or so it seems), so I think it actually is keeping accurate time.
When I get home, I'll film a slow motion video with the iPhone and attach it!
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Nobel Prize
·It's weird - when it jumps forward at the beginning by, say, 1/2 of a second, it freezes for the same amount of time it jumped forward (or so it seems), so I think it actually is keeping accurate time.
When I get home, I'll film a slow motion video with the iPhone and attach it!
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ffej4
·I did notice that on the first video you posted. It's a little jump and then it's like it waits the equivalent time to catch up
Exactly. Not sure if it's exactly proportional, but there's definitely noticeable lag time until it starts to tick again.
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Canuck
·If you need a chronograph which is supposed to give you accuracy to 1/100s of a second,then you need a 3 or 4 register Quartz chronograph. But by the time you introduce the human factor (i. e. reflex time), I imagine your Speedmaster will be accurate enough. There has to be a bit of "lash" in the gear train of a mechanical chronograph to enable it to function. A lot of stuff happens in that gear train when you operate it, and if everything was tight enough to prevent lash, the thing wouldn't work.
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