It depends on where you started. If you put it on without winding at 19:00 yesterday and wore it for 30 minutes and it achieved more than 16 hours, you should be happy.
Try winding it by hand, 50 or 60 turns, set the time and leave it in dial up until it stops. Is it above 38 hours?
I did this, around 20:30 yesterday, put it in the box dial up. The watch had stopped around 00:15 - I noticed this around 02:40, and as I moved it a little it started going again. It is now still going, seemlingly without stopping more times, so it is now going on 21 or so hours I guess, minus those 2 hours of being stopped. It worries me that it actually stopped around 00:15.
What could be the cause of something like that happening?
When was it last serviced?
Seller says it was recently serviced. I don't know any more than that honestly.
What calibre is this? The 550 series have some variation in date or no date.
It might just be hand interference so, take a photo when it stops again. On the other hand, it probably needs a service, unless you are sure of the service you've been told about.
Cheers, Chris
I don't know about the service, only the word of the seller.
Unless the seller provides real proof of a recent service (invoice with serial number or something like that), done by a watchmaker that is understood to do good work, you should assume it's going to need a service when you get it.
Ok. I guess it needs service then, thanks. What are some usual suspects for a watch to suddenly stop like that?
... full disassembly, cleaning and rebuilds.
As a relative novice here may I ask what a simple service in this example might entail? The local watchmaker near me only does full disassembly, cleaning and rebuilds. He currently has an 8+ month waitlist. As a result he says just wear and enjoy your watch; if it stops working, then come in.
I’m wondering if that’s what “service” normally is composed of, or if this is more extreme. For a recently purchased vintage watch, what’s your view of this philosophy?
Don’t mean to hijack this thread, seems relevant to this posting.
Thanks!
If you are talking about a decent watch, that's what you want done ... period ... nothing less. "Wear it until it breaks" is one philosophy, but not one I personally subscribe to. Watches are meant to undergo maintenance at regular intervals. By the time a valuable vintage watch stops working properly, you may find yourself looking for hard-to-find replacement parts.
If it's an old Timex, and you want to try something half-hearted to get it going, knock yourself out.
There was a good thread or two a short while ago about this topic, I’m running around now, but look around the forum for that thread. When I find it, all will be revealed.
Thank you, I’m sure it’s not an original question. The long wait list is my next challenge.
