On the verge of giving up on the Speedy Pro

Omegafanman · May 8, 2019

I read that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results...….. It might be coincidence but I do worry there could be an underlying issue and if this happens a third time you will be even more frustrated and none the wiser. I would push to get a factory fresh watch which has had zero time at the AD to eliminate / minimise any variables from them. Check up on the other watch you sold (as suggested above) and meantime why not buy a cheap $200 or less mechanical and wear that for a few weeks / see if you can break it. I would also say wear the new Speedy watch a while before you use it when playing etc - if you get a few months happy running under your belt before you introduce guitars and amps that will reduce the variables. I don't think you should have an issue and life does present strange coincidences but not that often. I hope it works out / there are so many happy speedy wearers it sucks and is really odd you have had a bad run twice.

redzer007 · May 8, 2019

While I get how frustrating this would be, and it could just be incredibly bad luck, I'm fascinated to know if there is something in the music setup that is the cause. When you get it back and if it happens again pop a message in the thread and let's see if we can track down the issue. I wonder of there is some magnetic Bermuda triangle being created by mutliple different magnetic fields. I'm assuming you have other watches are any of them comparable from a mechanical perspective?

redzer007 · May 8, 2019

Thinking a little more about it, I wonder if it's to do with the position of the watch while playing? I'm assuming you are right handed and wear watch on left wrist. While the position should not cause this issue perhaps it's a contributing factor.

arcentaur · May 8, 2019

In response to the last 3 posts above, I’ve worn my other watches while jamming - rolex sub, seamaster, hamilton KF, zenith EP chrono, etc. I sometime even wear a nomos tangente, which is a manual watch, and I’ve never had any issue whatsoever . If it’s the music set-up then at least one of those watches would have suffered the same fate. Seems unique to the speedy, at least in my case. In one occasion, it stopped while doodling in front of the tv and away from my rig, totally unplugged.

Strange things happen in this hobby, which can drive some of us to insanity. But I have just the right amount of mental stability for it LOL. When I say I’m not giving up on it yet, I mean it like it’s coffee. I really like it but I can live without it, especially since it triggers my acid reflux. See, the trick is, one needs to compartmentalize their emotions especially on such things as trivial as owning a faulty speedy, when there are tons of other stuff out there that can fill the void. Yes, it’s frustrating but if it happens again, no one can fault me for trying to make it work just like I can’t blame them for gibes like defining insanity (wasn’t it Einstein who said that?) in such a way that can also be attributed to watch-collecting (aren’t we all, in this context?). I’ll simply return and ask for a full refund and go on my merry way with my sanity intact.

Thanks again for all the comments. Have a good one.

Swissmister · May 9, 2019

I'd like to know the ending of this story. Two brand new cal 1861s that were running, fully wound, then simply stopped. Did they start running again? Did they never run after they stopped? If you gave that info, I missed it, sorry. The hour/min recorders and sweep hand can have imperfect behaviors, for sure, but one thing I don't expect from Speedmasters, 321, 861, 1861 is inexplicable and intermittent stopping. Did you wear the watch for any period of time without subjecting it to the daily morning guitar session? Did it spend any time on your wrist without having problems? If you wore it for several days, and it only had issues when you played, one might be able to conclude that there might be a magnetic issue. That wouldn't explain why your other watches have not problems when subjected to the same conditions. Be sure to post any updates. And congrats on the mortgage?

arcentaur · May 10, 2019

Here's a link to the short clip I took:

There's no ending to this saga yet, but here are my answers the questions posted above:

Did they start running again? - Yes (see video).

Did they never run after they stopped? - Both watches ran again after pushing the chrono several times (see video).

Did you wear the watch for any period of time without subjecting it to the daily morning guitar session? - I wore the first watch in rotation for seven months, then I started wearing it while playing the guitar and it did stop a few times. The second watch was not even a day old when it decided to ruin my day.

Did it spend any time on your wrist without having problems? - Yes, for the first watch, for seven glorious months.

I contacted the guy who bought the first watch to see if he's had any issues with it like I did. He said the watch is just fine, but then again he doesn't play guitar and has a desk job, and he wears the watch sparingly and in rotation with others. He did take it to the service center but they didn't find any issues at all. Weird stuff.

Swissmister · May 10, 2019

So, if I'm understanding this, it only stops while you play guitar, and it will not begin to run again until you press the chrono buttons? It's very unlikely the movement of your arm while playing is the culprit. If you wear it for periods of time without playing and it runs without issue, I'd have to believe it is, as some noted, a magnetism-related problem, though I've never experienced anything at all similar. Maybe just don't wear it while playing? I know, that's lame, but this is interesting. I have no more wisdom.

madjestikmoose · May 10, 2019

Sorry... going to pick up the magnetism possibility again if you'll indulge me... what wrist did you wear it on? Fretboard or strum/pluck? If the latter... electric guitar pickups generate magnetic fields...

redzer007 · May 10, 2019

Facinating

when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?

Said someone once, (wearing a funny hat and smoking a pipe)

Any chance we can all come around some morning with a full rig of measuring equipment? You won't even notice we are there.

ioaniro · May 10, 2019

I vote for going unplugged for a week and see what happens. If with a normal acoustic guitar it runs fine we blame the speakers. And maybe we shoot two birds with one stone and find out why nirvana made that unplugged album. Does anyone know if they bought Speedmasters around that time? 😀

arcentaur · May 10, 2019

madjestikmoose
Sorry... going to pick up the magnetism possibility again if you'll indulge me... what wrist did you wear it on? Fretboard or strum/pluck? If the latter... electric guitar pickups generate magnetic fields...

Fretboard

arcentaur · May 10, 2019

ioaniro
I vote for going unplugged for a week and see what happens. If with a normal acoustic guitar it runs fine we blame the speakers. And maybe we shoot two birds with one stone and find out why nirvana made that unplugged album. Does anyone know if they bought Speedmasters around that time? 😀

As I mentioned previously, it also occurred while I was totally unplugged.

Lurk41 · May 10, 2019

I could be wrong but if it was magnetism, it shouldn't restart as if nothing happen just by pressing the chonograph buttons, right? It should at leas have erratic behaviour, and could get stuck again later without playing.

Did you try to play without the chronograph started?
Did it happen only when the chronograph was started?

I am not an expert but here are my 2cts...
If both answers on question belows are yes, then I'm going more for an issue with the chronograph. Something blocks its wheels, preventing the whole watch to work as the clutch is engaged. Playing with the start/stop button somehow manage to put the faulty piece back in its place and the watch restarts. As just a single press of stop button is not sufficient for the watch to restart, 1st guess will be the coupling wheel itself...

jankymutt · May 10, 2019

A arcentaur
As I mentioned previously, it also occurred while I was totally unplugged.

Sorry if you already answered this, but did you ever try the exact same routine but with an acoustic guitar without electronics? Even if you play an unplugged electric guitar there are still magnets in the pickups.

arcentaur · May 10, 2019

Lurk41
I could be wrong but if it was magnetism, it shouldn't restart as if nothing happen just by pressing the chonograph buttons, right? It should at leas have erratic behaviour, and could get stuck again later without playing.

Did you try to play without the chronograph started?
Did it happen only when the chronograph was started?

I am not an expert but here are my 2cts...
If both answers on question belows are yes, then I'm going more for an issue with the chronograph. Something blocks its wheels, preventing the whole watch to work as the clutch is engaged. Playing with the start/stop button somehow manage to put the faulty piece back in its place and the watch restarts. As just a single press of stop button is not sufficient for the watch to restart, 1st guess will be the coupling wheel itself...

I vividly remember the first watch stopping without the chronograph being activated, while this second one did with the chrono on in both instances.

arcentaur · May 10, 2019

jankymutt
Sorry if you already answered this, but did you ever try the exact same routine but with an acoustic guitar without electronics? Even if you play an unplugged electric guitar there are still magnets in the pickups.

Funny thing is I don’t have an acoustic guitar (at least nor anymore) due to the genre. And I do have a James Tyler Variax that can serve the purpose but it’s still an electric guitar.

I of course know there are magnets in the pickups but here’s the thing. I never had the same experience with my other watches, even with the manual Nomos tangente with open/transparent caseback. Funny thing is that I was actually thinking of getting the sapphire sandwich version of the speedy this time around, but I opted for the closed caseback hesalite thinking it would fare better against magnets. Not that I’m definitely saying it was magnetized since I didn’t get the chance to test it myself, and I was hoping the service center would be able to tell me if that was indeed the case. I’ll know in a few days since the watch is being “observed” at the moment, whatever that means.

jankymutt · May 10, 2019

A arcentaur
Funny thing is I don’t have an acoustic guitar (at least nor anymore) due to the genre. And I do have a James Tyler Variax that can serve the purpose but it’s still an electric guitar.

I of course know there are magnets in the pickups but here’s the thing. I never had the same experience with my other watches, even with the manual Nomos tangente with open/transparent caseback. Funny thing is that I was actually thinking of getting the sapphire sandwich version of the speedy this time around, but I opted for the closed caseback hesalite thinking it would fare better against magnets. Not that I’m definitely saying it was magnetized since I didn’t get the chance to test it myself, and I was hoping the service center would be able to tell me if that was indeed the case. I’ll know in a few days since the watch is being “observed” at the moment, whatever that means.

I’m a recovering guitar player so maybe I’ll bust out the old strat with my speedmaster and see what happens...

Kevzep · May 10, 2019

madjestikmoose
If you play a lot of metal on the guitar I'm guessing you have a fairly big amp setup? I'm just speculating here but might the magnetic field generated by powerful loudspeakers cause issues such as these?

I don't buy that, I also play the guitar, a lot. A couple of hours most days and I have a lot of speakers and guitars in my music room, I play with my Speedy on and I have never encountered any issues with it at all.

I just checked my second vs minute sync, and yes the minute hand "starts" moving at 59.6sec, but does not come to fully rest at 1min until the second hand reaches 60sec.
Its a mechanical watch, sorry but I don't see the issue?

If you want millisecond accuracy and movement, buy a Seiko 7A28 series chronograph, I have one, and it is so damn accurate its boring!!
I set the time once a year if that. they are a nice watch, nice looking analogue movement but quartz. They have a similar vibe to the speedy, but thinner and lighter.
Its my "work" watch, so I don't damage my speedy.

Kevzep · May 10, 2019

A arcentaur
Funny thing is I don’t have an acoustic guitar (at least nor anymore) due to the genre. And I do have a James Tyler Variax that can serve the purpose but it’s still an electric guitar.

I of course know there are magnets in the pickups but here’s the thing. I never had the same experience with my other watches, even with the manual Nomos tangente with open/transparent caseback. Funny thing is that I was actually thinking of getting the sapphire sandwich version of the speedy this time around, but I opted for the closed caseback hesalite thinking it would fare better against magnets. Not that I’m definitely saying it was magnetized since I didn’t get the chance to test it myself, and I was hoping the service center would be able to tell me if that was indeed the case. I’ll know in a few days since the watch is being “observed” at the moment, whatever that means.

Its not the guitar dude, my Les Paul's one which is a Custom with 3 pickups, the G&L ASAT and the Fender Tele I play, have never affected any of my watches.

Archer · May 10, 2019

A arcentaur
Here's a link to the short clip I took:

.

First question is do you wind it daily? As much as people keep saying in another thread that the watch has a 48+ hour power reserve, if you try using the chronograph at 48 hours there won’t be enough torque left in the mainspring to keep the watch running. So if by chance you forgot to wind it that may be a possible factor.

In your video, I noted that the constant seconds hand is under the hour hand when the watch is stopped. Next time it stops, pay attention to the position of the hands and in particular if any subdial hand is under the hour hand. Ignoring all the stuff about playing guitars, magnetism, etc. when I watch that video the first thing that comes to mind is that there is a very slight interference between the seconds hand and the underside of the hour hand that is occasionally causing the watch to stop. When you start and stop the chronograph several times, it’s causing enough of a disturbance to let the seconds hand tick forward enough to clear the hour hand.

Cheers, Al

On the verge of giving up on the Speedy Pro

Omegafanman

redzer007

redzer007

arcentaur

Swissmister

arcentaur

Swissmister

madjestikmoose

redzer007

ioaniro

arcentaur

arcentaur

Lurk41

jankymutt

arcentaur

arcentaur

jankymutt

Kevzep

Kevzep

Archer

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