Obsessive, Compulsive Wristwatch Rituals

BlackTalon · Feb 10, 2023

If it is one of the very few watches that has a date, I quickly glance to be sure it did not magically transform into a no-date. Sadly, none have. Than I set the time to within a minute or so of the actual time, wind the watch (or wind a few turns and then shake a few times) and put it on. During the day I periodically look at the watch to get an idea of the time.

Engee · Feb 10, 2023

Not me, but my son wears his watch upside down in order to force himself to think and mentally note the time when he looks at it. He's been doing this for years now, so I suspect he has fallen into the habit of looking at his watch and immediately forgetting the time, just as we all do.

Jones in LA · Feb 10, 2023

TexOmega
My ritual?

1. Wind/set time

2. Is it attached to my wrist?

3. Let's go.

4. Look at iPhone calendar for day/date....and peruse the posted & lengthy "honey-do" list.

Sometimes I forget point #2 and s

BlackTalon
If it is one of the very few watches that has a date, I quickly glance to be sure it did not magically transform into a no-date. Sadly, none have. Than I set the time to within a minute or so of the actual time, wind the watch (or wind a few turns and then shake a few times) and put it on. During the day I periodically look at the watch to get an idea of the time.

I wish my twisted mind would permit such simplicity.

Spruce · Feb 10, 2023

Very frustrated when the date on my Eterna 3003 kept getting out of sync recently and I spent an age turning the crown 1200-9-1200 to re-set the date.

Given that the date on the watch was ‘10’, and the actual date was ‘9’, it took an age.

I’d got all the way to ‘5’, when I remembered that the watch actually had a quickset date advancer similar to the Omega 565.

I think the lesson here is that if you are ocd about the date, as I am, try and remember which watches have a quickset functions.

Jones in LA · Feb 10, 2023

Alex Cheers
Thank you, so I'm not alone then 😁

Especially 1) is very important, how could you not care about that!? 😲 Pure joy when it's just perfect, at least it should be in +/-5s 😁 And yes you have to remember how to wiggle the hands to achieve that on every watch individually...
I'm more easy on 3) and 4) can be annoying since I don't photoshop my WRUW pictures...

Ha! That's my tolerance for seconds hand/minute hand synchronization also! +/- 5s

Jones in LA · Feb 10, 2023

Spruce
Very frustrated when the date on my Eterna 3003 kept getting out of sync recently and I spent an age turning the crown 1200-9-1200 to re-set the date.

Given that the date on the watch was ‘10’, and the actual date was ‘9’, it took an age.

I’d got all the way to ‘5’, when I remembered that the watch actually had a quickset date advancer similar to the Omega 565.

I think the lesson here is that if you are ocd about the date, as I am, try and remember which watches have a quickset functions.

Yes, I did the same with one of my wife's watches -- rolled that tiny crown forever to change the date, then discovered months later that it had a quickset feature.

Canuck · Feb 10, 2023

Jones in LA
...and only a relative handful of watch enthusiasts can service their own watches. Bravo!

Being able to service and maintain my own stuff is a mixed blessing. If I had to subscribe to the services of someone else, I wouldn’t have ended up with about 130 watches! I say about, since I have bought some and sold some since I last counted them.

One decided advantage of doing my own work is I can take a basket case bought for next to nothing, and end up with an excellent collectible watch. Some people will spend more on one watch than I have invested in my entire collection.

Duracuir1 · Feb 10, 2023

I sold most of my watches to buy the flightmaster. And I have been wearing it almost everyday since December 29th. So no watch rituals any more. But I do open up OF to check the jokes pretty much first thing in the morning. I then send the ones I like to some friends.

Jones in LA · Feb 10, 2023

Duracuir1
I sold most of my watches to buy the flightmaster. And I have been wearing it almost everyday since December 29th. So no watch rituals any more. But I do open up OF to check the jokes pretty much first thing in the morning. I then send the ones I like to some friends.

Definitely worth a selloff, what a marvel!

BlackTalon · Feb 10, 2023

Spruce
I think the lesson here is that if you are ocd about the date, as I am, try and remember which watches have a quickset functions.

If you are OCD (CDO?), wouldn't you already have a written list that has that info? 😜

ken_hodson · Feb 10, 2023

If I'm wearing an automatic, I feel the need to shake my wrist a few times every time I look at the time and evey hour or so, just to make sure it's definitely winding up. From an outside perspective, it must look like I have some kind of nervous tick...

Dsloan · Feb 10, 2023

I'm lazy about setting dates and the like, but I'm kinda obsessive about having and picking watches for specific activities:

◘ A field watch for hiking, a GMT for travel, and a diver for the pool, etc.
◘ Regatta timer or similar for when I'm working out, to track rest between sets.
◘ On a really busy filming day at work, I'll try to wear something with both a timing bezel and a chronograph to track 2 things at once.

I'm constantly timing things to keep a running tally of how long different activities will take and ... oh no... I've just realized that I'm an insufferable control freak.

Twocats · Feb 10, 2023

My wife does not care if her watch is displaying the correct time or not. She always has two or three in her jewellery box and wears them depending on her outfit that day. I can't even have the Chrono second hand on my speedy at 12 o'clock because it covers the logo.

Aroxx · Feb 10, 2023

Jones in LA
Ha! That's my tolerance for seconds hand/minute hand synchronization also! +/- 5s

It’s more like 3 for me. 😀

I also currently lume mine up before bed every night so I can check the time in the middle of the night or early morning if needed.

cej2007 · Feb 10, 2023

Aroxx
It’s more like 3 for me. 😀

I also currently lume mine up before bed every night so I can check the time in the middle of the night or early morning if needed.

I do the exact same thing. Much less jarring looking at the lume than the clock on a charging phone.

Jonathan40 · Feb 10, 2023

Nothing like what we’ve read so far but every time I take a watch off in rotation I give it a quick clean wearing a pair of soft white gloves before putting it back in its resting place. My other one is always take it off at work if I have to put my hand inside a rack of equipment. I don’t care if it’s £200 or £15000 on my wrist.

kohster · Feb 10, 2023

I'm big on getting the minute hand properly aligned with the second hand, as well as having the date be correct. And yes, the bit about having the minute hand jump a bit when I push the crown back in (hacking watch or not!) annoys me.

TimeODanaos · Feb 10, 2023

Jones in LA
The Confessional is now open.

Thanks for this. I'm right with you on 1) and 4). For me, so far so good on your others. For me, when I see Roman and Arabic numerals together on the same dial, I have to throw myself into my work, or watch sports or something, until both my brain and my retinas have acquired healing layers of distraction.

Canuck · Feb 10, 2023

Obviously not a fan of 19th and early 20th century American-made pocket watches! I like them!

Larry S · Feb 10, 2023

My collection and continued obsession with these little machines is the very epitome of OCD. I however have no desire to get under the hood. I have plenty of other things to fix.

Obsessive, Compulsive Wristwatch Rituals

BlackTalon

Engee

Jones in LA

Spruce

Jones in LA

Jones in LA

Canuck

Duracuir1

Jones in LA

BlackTalon

ken_hodson

Dsloan

Twocats

Aroxx

cej2007

Jonathan40

kohster

TimeODanaos

Canuck

Larry S

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