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Paid my watchmaker a visit...

  1. mrs_LA Aug 11, 2019

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    763C48E1-350D-45DD-A5BE-5583D87265AE.jpeg

    And his was on his wrist. I don’t come across original pieces like this much, so I asked if I could take a picture.

    The “James Bond” submariner ref 6536 if I am not mistaken. This had just passed its 2-year water pressure test. The owner flew in from Hawaii to get it done. Perhaps an OF member?
     
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  2. MMMD unaffiliated curmudgeonly absurdist & polyologist Aug 11, 2019

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    Ah yes, the final wrist-worthiness test... the mark of a competent watchmaker.
     
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  3. mrs_LA Aug 11, 2019

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    Ha! Funny - I’m not sure if this is serious, but my watchmaker says it is usually the final step before handing it back!
     
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  4. watch3s Aug 11, 2019

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    a second hand watch dealer I know does that too, just wears the watch that he buys in and before he sells to make sure it works
     
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  5. UncleBuck understands the decision making hierarchy Aug 11, 2019

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    Not unusual to see a watchmaker with a dozen on his wrists.

    I like it!
     
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  6. oinkitt Sep 14, 2019

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    It worries me when I see multiple watches on watch repairers wrists. Its a good way to scratch them!!
     
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  7. COYI Sep 15, 2019

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    Last year I got a vintage Smiths military watch serviced and the watchmaker told me he'd been wearing it for a week to test it and it was running really well. I was a bit surprised when he told me he had been wearing it but it looked great when I received it back.
     
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  8. Syrte MWR Tech Support Dept Sep 15, 2019

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    Mine only wears two at a time, one on each wrist.
     
  9. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Sep 17, 2019

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    Wearing a customer's watch is not needed, and generally considered a bit of a no-no...
     
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  10. ilayd Sep 17, 2019

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    Glad to hear that is not a generally accepted practice. If I had a rare watch that I sent for service and the watchmaker lost it, damaged it, or even scratched it slightly.... to just wear test it, I would have been quite upset. There is no need to do that these days I would imagine. Tools and testers exist that can track the watches performance without having it on your wrist for a week.

    For a watch dealer, I have no issue them wearing it before the watch is sold as the buyer can make a decision based on how the watch looks at time of purchase compared with the asking price. Including all scratches, dings, etc that the dealer may have inadvertently added to the watch.
     
  11. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Sep 17, 2019

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    Yes, for testing a watch there are specific tools for this - this is the final test winder:

    [​IMG]

    It is designed specifically to test the effectiveness of automatic winding watches under controlled conditions - this one turns at 1 rev/min but there is another style that turns at 4 rev/min. I also use it for manual wind watches to check performance over various positions, and even for quartz watches to ensure that hands don't catch each other as clearances on some quartz can be very tight.

    Unlike wearing a watch on the wrist, this is very controlled in terms of how much winding is done in a given period of time. This means results between different watches of the same caliber can be compared and repeatability in testing can be ensured. It also doesn't risk anything happening to the watch in the process.

    Wearing a watch doesn't tell you as much since it's not as controlled, and also when you have a dozen watches in testing, wearing them all is just not possible without the potential for damage.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  12. gostang9 Sep 17, 2019

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    Pffftt.... I hear regular Speedy Pros fail that test ALL the time...
     
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  13. Syrte MWR Tech Support Dept Sep 17, 2019

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    @Archer, what about for those of us who mostly wear handwound watches? I realize the OP watch is an automatic.. but I thought the various positions on the timeographer cannot totally emulate the effect of wrist motions on a handwound movement and its time keeping.
    So while I have a tolerance for a watch being one minute off, I prefer to avoid going back for regulation adjustments once I pick up a watch from service.

    I also understand my watchmaker wearing my watch will not be the same as me wearing it, but I still prefer him wearing it if he thinks it helps. Of course those are not highly valuable vintage Rolexes and I might feel different if those were expensive watches.
     
  14. JwRosenthal Sep 17, 2019

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    I had an intermittent problem with my GMT. Only after my watchmaker wore it for a week (I’ve known him for years so he’s like an old friend), did he realIze when it would do it. Knowing the when was the trick, not just the what.
     
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  15. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Sep 17, 2019

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    In my previous post...

    Just to clarify, my business is not based on local people who can pop by for a quick adjustment, as most of my customers are remote to me, and watches are shipped in. This means that when I ship something back, sometimes 1/2 way around the world, I need to be sure that it's going to run right. The key to this is controlling as much as possible the amount of positional variation the watch has.

    So just to summarize what I do, I test all mechanical watches I service over 6 positions on the timing machine, no matter if they are only supposed to be checked over just 3 or 5 by whatever company standard is being applied. When the watch is assembled, I repeat those same 6 tests in each of the 6 positions but instead of just for a minute in each position as you would on a timing machine, they are in each position for 24 hours each (this also brings in the effects of isochronism). I note the gain or loss in each position tested each day, and then the watch goes on the final test winder for a day to simulate somewhat random positioning and movement, and lastly there is also a power reserve test done.

    When that process is finished (which takes approx. 9-10 days to complete) if adjustments are needed in the timing, I make those and do the tests all over again until I'm satisfied with the results. In the documentation I send back that shows every step of the service, I include a summary of the timekeeping. In there I note the average daily rate in my testing, and tell the owner what positions run faster or slower so if they see variation and choose to correct it by storing the watch in a specific position overnight, they know what position to use.

    When a watch leaves my shop, there's very little left to chance regarding how it's going to run on someone's wrist. To me as a watchmaker if you have to test it on your wrist to confirm it's not going to have some wild variation, you aren't very confident in your work/numbers.

    The problem with your watchmaker testing it on their wrist is, as I've said, it's not a repeatable form of testing. Also as you note, your wearing of the watch could be very different - an easy one to point out is that if you are right handed and wear the watch on your left wrist, and you stand a lot in the day with your arm at your side, the watch will spend a lot of time crown pointing down. If your watchmaker is left handed and wears it on his right wrist, any time he stands with the watch at his side it will be crown up. If those two positions are very different, then the results he gets will be nothing like yours over the course of a day.

    Also keep in mind that a watch running within a minute off (I assume this means per day?) is such a loose standard that if there's a chance a watchmaker isn't going to meet that spec, you need a different watchmaker unless the watches you are buying are complete basket cases...

    There was a time when there was a watchmaker on every corner, and the equipment available for testing and timing isn't what it is today, when "timing to the wearer" was common, so after service the watchmaker would tell you to wear it for a week, and bring it back and let them know how much it gained or lost, then they would adjust to suit your wearing pattern. Not the same as them wearing the watches, but a similar idea that they will adjust to meet your specific wearing patterns. This really isn't done anymore in modern watchmaking - can you imagine a brand servicing a watch and telling you this, or suggesting that their tech in the service center are wearing your watches? It's just not how things are done, even though it may seem quaint or a nod to "the good old days"...

    It the end, wearing a customers watch is IMO, not taking proper care of their property. In particular since it's not needed.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  16. Syrte MWR Tech Support Dept Sep 17, 2019

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    @Archer, my first reaction is « wow » when I see your impressive description of your testing process. Clearly there are huge cultural differences - my watchmaker indeed is probably much more «old style »— or rather, a style that is very much his own.
    Best regards
     
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  17. lpestre Sep 24, 2019

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    I just wanted to say that it's rare to see people like you who still care about their jobs. Also agree with you If I had seen my watchmaker wearing one of my watches I would have been quite annoyed.
     
  18. Gprotein Sep 25, 2019

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    concur as well.
     
  19. mrs_LA Sep 30, 2019

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    Hi Archer,
    Thanks for that. My words may have been taken too seriously. Yes, this is the final test winder for my watchmaker as well. He was ready to hand it off to his customer (who was scheduled after my visit) and so he had it on his wrist.
     
  20. Verdi Oct 11, 2019

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    That watch is very valuable. Maybe the owner keeps it in a safe and doesn't wear it.

    I wouldn't be happy to see some new scratches or dings on my watch after a service....