Forums Latest Members
  1. Clook Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    12
    Likes
    110
    I have a circa 1960 Constellation with 561 movement. I can adjust the date using the 8-12 movement and can also "hack" to set the second hand but only when the watch has run to a stop. My question - Is it OK to hack the movement? Is this how the watch was designed to be set accurately or just something that happens? I don't want to damage the movement.
    Thanks
     
  2. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    5,127
    Likes
    7,835
    Connies don't have a hacking facility
    It's one of those strange Omega anomalies for a supposedly super accurate watch
    Then again it was never meant to be a tool watch
    So not sure what you mean/how you are doing it
     
  3. Kja Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    538
    Likes
    511
    I think he means he let's it die then sets the time, then winds it? I bet its horrible for the watch to keep letting it die... And not accurate coming from a standstill.
     
  4. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    5,127
    Likes
    7,835
    Oh - I see what you mean
    I thought Hacking normally just refers to the second hand though (?)
    Anyway OP - further explanation required (to make sure you aren't knackering your watch)
    And pics of the Connie please!
     
  5. Clook Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    12
    Likes
    110
    By hacking I mean turn the crown backwards very slightly, this stops the second hand, but only when the watch has stopped or is low on power reserve, for instance after it has been off my wrist for maybe a day and a half. My gut feeling is that it is not something that should be done. No pics of movement but I have seen inside, 561 movement in a "Made in England" Dennison 886 case.
     
    image.jpeg image.jpeg
    ahartfie and peatnick like this.
  6. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    5,127
    Likes
    7,835
    Nice watch
    I think you are right - you're not meant to stop the second hand like that - even if you can
    Nice English case too
    Where did you find the watch?
    Retail / auction / inheritance?
     
  7. ChrisN Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    2,218
    Likes
    4,756
    It's likely that the cannon pinion is a little tight. If it only happens at very low power reserve, I wouldn't worry about it. The cannon pinion has the minute hand mounted on it so, essentially, the cannon pinion needs to be able to rotate when the watch is running so you can set the hands but it also needs to rotate when the movement is powering it. It does this by having a light interference fit on it's shaft which is powered by the movement. If it's tight, the resistance is too great and it's stopping the movement when you turn the hands backwards. When very tight, it can even cause the movement to run backwards and that's a major issue.

    Tell your Watchmaker at the next service and he can broach it to get it correct. No, as you suspected, you shouldn't do it but people do and a lot of watches are set that way.

    The problem is that these are set by feel... I tighten them with a pair of bits in this Horia tool and it's graduated in 0.02 mm increments. I know it looks big but it's only about 4 inches or 100mm high.
    cannon1.jpg

    Here's a shot of what's in the jaws. The cannon pinion is the part with the teeth. The steel bar that I'm not showing that would go through it is about 0.5 mm diameter and I put a dummy in there to stop collapse when tightening. You get the jaws parallel (they are even if it doesn't appear so) and tighten down a little to form the part that grips on the shaft. After tightening you refit to the movement and see if it feels right and that's the clever part, knowing how tight it should be...
    cannon 2.jpg

    One of the proper Watchmakers here might also comment.

    Cheers, Chris
     
  8. Clook Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    12
    Likes
    110
    Wow, interesting info, thank you both. I will refrain from any more hacking when setting the time from a complete stop.
    Peemagee, I picked up the watch from an AD, a good friend works there and was keeping an eye out for something like it. It came in as a "trade-in" and he tipped me off.
     
  9. BartH Follows a pattern of overpaying Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    1,770
    Likes
    7,685
    Wow, I like the bottom on that one ::love::
     
  10. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    5,127
    Likes
    7,835
    There's a Dennison cased .004 finishing on eBay shortly
    Nice watch
    But it looks like they haven't quite got the top of the observatory right ( and a very unfortunate ding below the left hand star)
    Can't see it staying at £1500 - but some folks aren't as choosy
     
  11. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    5,127
    Likes
    7,835
    Good catch - congratulations
     
  12. Clook Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    12
    Likes
    110
    Just had a look at that one. I see what you mean about the observatory, and an unusual place for a ding.
     
  13. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    26,343
    Likes
    65,049
    This technique is commonly called "pseudo-hacking" on some forums. I've seen it stated that in the Speedmaster Pro manual Omega tells you this is how to hack the watch.

    If this technique only works at low power, when the watch is almost run down, that's a good thing and I would not change the tension on the cannon pinion. Stopping the watch this way will not cause any damage, however what you want to avoid is having the watch run backwards - if there is enough tension on the cannon pinion to make the watch run backwards (I have even seen this sometimes when the watch is fully wound) then it's too tight. Running the watch backwards can cause damage to the pallet jewels on some watches, so not something I would want to see happen a lot.

    Cheers, Al
     
    GuiltyBoomerang likes this.
  14. Impondering Doesn't actually ponder all that much. Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    221
    Likes
    234
    "Connies don't have a hacking facility"

    Just got my caliber 505 back from watchmaker. Wanted to set and check time.

    Turned backwards slightly and minute hand stopped.
     
  15. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Feb 27, 2016

    Posts
    5,127
    Likes
    7,835
    I think Archer explained why
    AFAIK it's not an intentional feature
     
  16. flyingout Mar 13, 2016

    Posts
    693
    Likes
    700
    ::censored::

    OK, rereading this has calmed me down a bit. While springing forward this morning, not attempting the backward-hack maneuver, just naturally needing to back up a few minutes, my Speedy (321) started running backwards! I haven't needed to reset it in months of daily wear but have used the back hack in the past. This was just after a full winding today. I have no recollection of wind state in the past.

    So, do I have anything to worry about? It's been a year and change since servicing and it runs very well. Should I just avoid setting at full power or am I risking damage with normal use?

    Cheers

    Edit: I do have a two-year warranty on the movement work.
     
    Edited Mar 13, 2016