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How Often Do You Reset Your Time?

D
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Hello again, everyone!

I'm new to the world of mechanical watches, and just purchased my first Seamaster 300 No Time to Die. My questions is...

Since these watches are known to gain a few seconds per day, how often do you need to reset the time on the watch before it becomes too inaccurate?

This is something I didn't quite realize before purchasing a mechanical watch, but from what I've heard from people on this forum, it is normal and common for a mechanical watch to gain time.

Thanks for reading/answering!
 
YY77
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just work out which position to store overnight will counter the gain and you only have to reset twice a year.
 
Dan S
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Depends on how accurate you feel the watch should be for your needs. Within 30 seconds, within 1 minute, etc.
 
Jones in LA
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I'm rather obsessive about time setting: here's how I approach it.

First, I get an idea of whether a particular watch is (over a period of a few days of use) a 'gainer', a 'slow loser (-1 to -4 sec/day), or a 'fast loser' (-5 sec/day or more). For watches that are 'gainers', I set the watch to the correct atomic time, then let it go (for as long as I'm using it or keeping it wound) until it is up to two minutes ahead of the correct time before re-setting. For 'slow losers' I set the watch one minute ahead of the correct time, and two minutes ahead of the correct time for 'fast losers', then let it go (for as long as I'm using it or keeping it wound) until it reaches the correct time, before re-setting.
 
Canuck
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Easy! September, April, June, November, and February! Five times per year, at the end of the months that don’t have 31 days! 😁
 
SkunkPrince
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Depends on the watch, but I will set 10 to 15 seconds a day slow and reset it when it's 10 to 15 seconds fast... but I usually change to a different watch before that happens. 😀
 
YY77
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Jones in LA Jones in LA
I'm rather obsessive about time setting: here's how I approach it.

First, I get an idea of whether a particular watch is (over a period of a few days of use) a 'gainer', a 'slow loser (-1 to -4 sec/day), or a 'fast loser' (-5 sec/day or more). For watches that are 'gainers', I set the watch to the correct atomic time, then let it go (for as long as I'm using it or keeping it wound) until it is up to two minutes ahead of the correct time before re-setting. For 'slow losers' I set the watch one minute ahead of the correct time, and two minutes ahead of the correct time for 'fast losers', then let it go (for as long as I'm using it or keeping it wound) until it reaches the correct time, before re-setting.
If you don't mind me saying this is what I call amateur level obsessive, here's pro level obsessive😗;
IMG_20220114_180407.jpg
 
Jones in LA
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YY77 YY77
If you don't mind me saying this is what I call amateur level obsessive, here's pro level obsessive😗;
IMG_20220114_180407.jpg

Yes, yours is "other-league" obsessiveness, and I love it!
 
Jones in LA
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But responding again to @YY77 , I'm not Little League obsessive either, more like Minor League 😀

IMG_2002.PNG
 
Dan S
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When I put on a watch, I set it to within a minute of the correct time. The next day, I put on a different watch.
 
YY77
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Jones in LA Jones in LA
But responding again to @YY77 , I'm not Little League obsessive either, more like Minor League 😀

IMG_2002.PNG
You're on the right path to the major league grasshopper.👍
 
YYTIN
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I'm actually changing watch everyday... So I end up setting the time everyday when I put it on 😉 but I'm clearly very far from the time obsessive guys here 😀
Computer and phone reminds me very well of my time schedule of the day 😗 and the watch is more for oblivion of time / contemplation or for measuring things as important as cooking, how long my kids spend to get ready to go to school, those kind of things 🤨
 
G
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I usually do mine about once a week or so. For me, it's part of the fun of engaging with my watch. Just like winding it every morning. I have the 2021 Speedmaster Professional, so it makes it easier knowing it won't be slow. I just have to pull the crown out for a few seconds, and I'm good to go.
 
TheGreekPhysique
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Since I tend to rotate my watches to where I am wearing basically a different one every day when I get back to a watch its almost always not running anymore so I am pretty much setting the time every day.
 
Doc Savage
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Every time I wear it.

I have more than a dozen watches, and they sit in winders. By the time they get back on the wrist, they can be a minute fast .
 
Leviathan
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YY77 YY77
just work out which position to store overnight will counter the gain and you only have to reset twice a year.
^ This. I can’t stress this enough. You can, with a lot of effort, gain perfection (or close to) using this method.

OP, a mechanical watch is like a padlock with a code. You need to experiment with different overnight storing positions that will counter the loss/gain throughout the day.

Personal examples: My SMP 8800 gains 2 seconds on my wrist, and loses the 2 seconds overnight (with intense testing, I found the goldilocks night position). My PO gains 2 seconds regardless of the position, which I’m happy with. Non-COSC watches, I have a harder time cracking.
 
Donn Chambers
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I change it only if I notice it is more than ±1 minute off compared to the clock on my computer. To me, that’s “good enough.” And all of my watches run fast, so when I reset them, I set them about 15 seconds behind so they will catch up over time.
 
hansmaulwurf
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Hm,

not often enough to know that exactly 😎

…not even with my 1861 and 3861 Speedys!

BR
Hans
 
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