How accurate to expect?

Untame · Feb 25, 2022

I have worn my first vintage Omega now for half a week, and it is gaining 10 seconds per day. (1973 Omega Geneve w/ calibre 1012) It was serviced last year.

1. Is this typical for this caliber / age?
2. Is it normal for watches to run faster or slower as they age?
3. What sort of wear would cause a watch to run faster?

I am inquiring out of curiosity. I didn't expect more accuracy than this. Just have to dial it back a minute per week or so.

(BTW... the movement has an unusual sound to me. Almost like a "tinking" rather than a "ticking.")

DON · Feb 25, 2022

10 seconds is fine. Every 6 days if you want. Reset or wait every two weeks

If you start buggering around to shave a second or two off the timing. Could end up causing more problems

When I restored and sold. 10 seconds or less was fine

DON

bonzodog · Feb 25, 2022

My 2639-13 has just been serviced ,two secs a day out.

Dan S · Feb 25, 2022

It depends ...

gbesq · Feb 25, 2022

I have a number of vintage Omegas that are anywhere from 25 to 70+ years old. They are all regularly serviced. The best of them keep time to +/- 2 seconds per day and the worst of them are +/- 15-20 seconds per day. 10 seconds per day is fine for a mechanical watch. If you need split second accuracy, spend $20 and get something with a quartz movement.

MRC · Feb 25, 2022

You can join the excessively anal chapter of OF by finding the variations across the six normal positions the watch can lie in and use those results to compensate while the watch is off the wrist overnight. This is for a new watch, but ICBA to be careful how I put it down, it is normally only worn for a few days then left to run down.

sleepyastronaut · Feb 25, 2022

You might also check it with a compass for magnetism. I've received some very magnetized things through the mail.

Dan S · Feb 25, 2022

sleepyastronaut
You might also check it with a compass for magnetism. I've received some very magnetized things through the mail.

You know, this doesn't happen often to me but I did actually receive a magnetized watch in the mail recently. A 1960s Orient diver. It was running 2 minutes fast per day and showed as strongly magnetized using the Lepsi app. I ran it through a Chinese eBay demagnetizer three times and it was no longer magnetized according to the app. After that, it ran at about 20s fast per day.

I don't find a compass to be a very reliable way to test for magnetism, but there's no harm in demagnetizing a watch, so if you have a demagnetizer, just try it.

shaun hk · Feb 25, 2022

MRC
You can join the excessively anal chapter of OF by finding the variations across the six normal positions the watch can lie in and use those results to compensate while the watch is off the wrist overnight. This is for a new watch, but ICBA to be careful how I put it down, it is normally only worn for a few days then left to run down.

Love the way you have put them into a spreadsheet, I completely get it. I have been known to keep notes on pieces of paper but found I rotate watches too frequently to keep accurate records.

Untame · Feb 25, 2022

Dan S
You know, this doesn't happen often to me but I did actually receive a magnetized watch in the mail recently. A 1960s Orient diver. It was running 2 minutes fast per day and showed as strongly magnetized using the Lepsi app. I ran it through a Chinese eBay demagnetizer three times and it was no longer magnetized according to the app. After that, it ran at about 20s fast per day.

I don't find a compass to be a very reliable way to test for magnetism, but there's no harm in demagnetizing a watch, so if you have a demagnetizer, just try it.

Thanks for this tip! I will have one in a few days.

sleepyastronaut · Feb 26, 2022

Dan S
You know, this doesn't happen often to me but I did actually receive a magnetized watch in the mail recently. A 1960s Orient diver. It was running 2 minutes fast per day and showed as strongly magnetized using the Lepsi app. I ran it through a Chinese eBay demagnetizer three times and it was no longer magnetized according to the app. After that, it ran at about 20s fast per day.

I get bracelets arriving magnetized moreso than watch heads. I first noticed when a Omega Geneve I had ran better on a leather strap than a bracelet.

Dan S
I don't find a compass to be a very reliable way to test for magnetism, but there's no harm in demagnetizing a watch, so if you have a demagnetizer, just try it.

I've been using Physics Toolbox Magnetometer ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chrystianvieyra.android.physicstoolboxmagnetometer ) but it's just a fancy compass.

@Untame FYI the inexpensive demagnetizer design will magnetize your item if you touch them together, so you never want your piece closer than 20mm or so when running demag cycles

(mm typo corrected)

BAJJ · Feb 26, 2022

If you consider that there are 86400 seconds in a day, to gain 10 seconds is not a lot for an 49yo bunch of cogs and wheels and springs. I would say, from my experience that that is not too bad, yes it could probably made more accurate but is it worth it, I'm not sure.
Regarding the "tinking" rather than a "ticking." my watches all sound different to each other and different depending on what ear I'm listening with, some certainly tink rather than tick and one even tonks.....but that may just be my age😁

BAJJ · Feb 26, 2022

shaun hk
Love the way you have put them into a spreadsheet, I completely get it. I have been known to keep notes on pieces of paper but found I rotate watches too frequently to keep accurate records.

Mmmmmm, me too😁😁 ::facepalm1::

but also once I got over 10 regularly rotated watches I pretty much stopped checking too.

Donn Chambers · Feb 26, 2022

The 1012 is not a chronometer movement, so your level of accuracy is perfectly fine for it.

Dan S · Feb 26, 2022

sleepyastronaut
@Untame FYI the inexpensive demagnetizer design will magnetize your item if you touch them together, so you never want your piece closer than 20cm or so when running demag cycles

The device can be used to magnetize or demagnitize depending on how it is used. You demagnetize an object by bringing it close to the device (without pressing the button), then pressing the button to activate the device, and moving the object away from the device before releasing the button. This simulates the gradual weakening of an oscillating magnetic field used in more sophisticated demagnetizers. You can magnetize an object by holding it close to the device while depressing the button and then releasing the button, all while keeping the object near the device.

There is nothing to actually "touch", since the device has a plastic housing, so that's not a concern. When demagnetizing, I generally start with the object very close to the device, certainly within 1-2 cm. If you don't bring the object within 20cm, it won't be as effective, since the field is quite weak already at that distance.

sleepyastronaut · Feb 26, 2022

Dan S
When demagnetizing, I generally start with the object very close to the device, certainly within 1-2 cm. If you don't bring the object within 20cm, it won't be as effective, since the field is quite weak already at that distance.

My bad, I meant to write 20mm.

How accurate to expect?

Untame

DON

bonzodog

Dan S

gbesq

MRC

sleepyastronaut

Dan S

shaun hk

Untame

sleepyastronaut

BAJJ

BAJJ

Donn Chambers

Dan S

sleepyastronaut

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