Accuracy - How do you know? How much do you care?

[tyrantlizardrex]

Having spent a lot of time around my fellow watch collectors, I'm always interested in the different things that we individually obsess about.

I for example, love a story that goes with a watch, or learning something interesting about a particular movement or model. Possibly unsurprising that the guy who loves telling and sharing stories is interested in stories.

I have never been hugely interested in the accuracy of my watches (excluding the Omega Marine Chronometer, because accuracy is what that's all about!).

Nearly all of them are mechanical, many of them are between 50 and 70 years old, I tend to get everything serviced, and I honestly couldn't tell you if any of them are out by anything less than 5 or 10 minutes a day.

So, for the folks that are super interested in accuracy (I know we have more than a few of you here):

How do you know that your watches are +/- a few seconds a day?

How are you keeping track of that?

How much do you care?

Why?

I ask these questions not to be a dick (there has to be a first time for everything), but because I am genuinely curious.

So, as the guy who doesn't get it - can those of you who obsess over accuracy share your thoughts?

Cheers!

 

[Donn Chambers]

When I get a new watch I set it to an official time (like time.gov), then check it again in a week. I then divide the time difference by 7 to get an average deviation by day. May do that a few times to make sure it’s consistent. Then I forget about it and just wear it.

You can also do it daily and keep the values in a spreadsheet to track minute differences, but that’s just a too much work for me.

 

[Jones in LA]

I am obsessive about tracking accuracy, but very tolerant of inaccuracy when it comes to vintage and/or non-chronometre certified watches. Any non-chronometre watch that runs +/- 30 sec/day is fine by me. I always keep watches that I wear set fast with respect to the correct time, and will tolerate up to 2 minutes fast before considering re-setting. On any given day I check the accuracy of 3 to 6 watches using the WatchTracker app on my phone.

 

[Duracuir1]

I keep track by going to Hodinkee homepage. Top right (indicated by my blue arrow) is a little dial. It gives me exact time and for those who have moonphase watches, the moon. Every Sunday night I use the same procedure for my clock. This past week it had not gained or lost a single second. The clock is dependant on temperature and humidity, I think.

Most of my watches are serviced and gain a few - up to 15 seconds - daily.

I guess I do care or I would not be doing this. Is it really important? None of this is. It’s a hobby.

 

[Jones in LA]

I don't currently own every watch shown here, but this should give you a sense of my tracking obsession 😀

 

[Canuck]

The only time I ever re-set this one is when I forget to wind it. I can’t tell you the accuracy in seconds ‘cause I don’t watch it that closely. But it is never as much as a minute out.

 

[tyrantlizardrex]

@Canuck come on man, this is a family forum, you can't be showing filth like that here! 😉

Oh and for the record... hubba hubba. 🥰

 

[YY77]

Do I have a problem👎

 

[dscoogs]

I always wanted a high accuracy watch for my daily wearer to help me not to be late to any commitment. I started with the Omega Constellation Quartz (+/- 1s/day or so) in the early 90's ...



then switched to the Credor GCAR045 about 8 years ago because of the claimed accuracy of +/- 10sec/year which I can confirm ...



after ~8 years of daily use (approx. +10 seconds/year). At DST time change in March (or November) I set my watch to be 4 (or 2) seconds slower than the gov time - https://timegov.boulder.nist.gov/ - so I know I won't be off more than 4 (or 2) seconds at any time (from -4 in late March to +4 in early Nov during DST, or from -2 in late Nov to +2 in early Mar during standard time) .

Edited: Mar 8, 2022

 

[SkunkPrince]

I used to care more than I do now. All of mine gain a bit, so I set it 10 to 20 seconds slow and by the time it's fast, I've changed watches.

For a new-to-me watch, I look closer in case it needs adjusting.

 

[Spacefruit]

As long as it’s beautiful to my eyes, and as long as it gets the time right twice a day, that’s good enough for me.


I’m not even joking.

 

[Pun]

I was very particular about the accuracy in my watches. I sent my JLC Geophysic 1958 to the brand just because it was running 2 spd more than stated by the brand.

Now I don't care as I rarely wear a watch for more than 2 days. I enjoy my watches for their quality, beauty and smiles they bring to my face when I pick them in morning to wear...

For accurate time, we all have our cell phones with us.

 

[Om3ga321]

Never check the accuracy.
They generally get 1 to 2 days on the wrist and I do a watch change.
Too many people obsess about the seconds in life.
Does it matter?

 

[tyrantlizardrex]

Spacefruit

As long as it’s beautiful to my eyes, and as long as it gets the time right twice a day, that’s good enough for me.


I’m not even joking.

The other extreme! I like it. 👍

 

[Spruce]

Pun

I was very particular about the accuracy in my watches. I sent my JLC Geophysic 1958 to the brand just because it was running 2 spd more than stated by the brand.

Now I don't care as I rarely wear a watch for more than 2 days. I enjoy my watches for their quality, beauty and smiles they bring to my face when I pick them in morning to wear...

For accurate time, we all have our cell phones with us.

+1

 

[Anthony Lane]

My iPhone is for telling the time, my watches are for visual/mechanical enjoyment. Basically.

I have one modern watch and the rest are all 50+ years old. I'm OCD about certain things and I do care that they tell "good enough" time, and for met that's +/- 45-60 seconds per day. Given none of them hack, it's a crapshoot anyway. Anything beyond a minute per day and I'll be obsessive, and also concerned. I like to do random time checks agains the atomic clock just to see. That involves setting the time as close to the clock as possible (non-hacking makes it a little trickier) and checking it 24 hours or so later.

 

[Evitzee]

I'll check a new to me watch for a few days just to make sure it isn't wildly off, but other than that I just wear it. I usually don't wear a watch for more than a week so it doesn't really matter.

 

[Paedipod]

If it’s NEW, not just new to me, and has a promised accuracy I will track it for a while. Actually had one with a UN base movement promising +/-5 spd and it went back “home” a couple of times gaining more than a minute a day (no, not magnetized). After a change in their watchmaker, they finally got it back within spec.

Otherwise, the only watch that I wind every day has no seconds hand so can’t tell. Although it is a moonphase and I guess if it gets too out of whack and a clear evening I might notice……

 

[aphexafx]

In the U.S.? Here: https://www.time.gov/

I don't check often, but it's nice to know now and then.

 

[Walrus]

I just go by others reactions when I show up for things that are scheduled for a certain time. If I arrive and everyone is cool I figure my accuracy is with in normal acceptable social norms