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Some rookie questions regarding my Speedmaster...

  1. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Jul 7, 2015

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    Background:

    I am the new owner of a new Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch (1861) that I received as a birthday gift in April of this year. This watch is my Grail watch. It was purchased new from an Omega AD that is in a different part of the U.S. from where I reside. When I first received the watch, it was running about +6 to +8 seconds per day (cool beans). After about a month, it was about +2 to +4 seconds per day (cool beans). Currently, it is at about -1 second per day (starting to flip out a little). The published Omega tolerances for the 1861 are +11/-1 seconds per day. Winding/wearing/storage (dial up) routines have remained consistent since receiving the watch...although outside air temperatures are generally much warmer now than they were in April.


    Questions:

    1. Is there a 'break-in' period regarding a new mechanical watch as to how it keeps time? If there is a 'break-in' period, how long is it?

    2. Now that the watch is -1 second per day, I have noticed that if I gently rotate the watch about the axis of the movement, I can immediately speed up the watch +1 second to get it to match the USNO clock. Is this method of speeding up the watch OK to do...in other words, am I possibly hurting the watch? This rotation method of speeding up the watch is much easier to do than re-back hacking the watch.

    3. Should I have my watch professionally regulated and if so where should I go for this?


    Goal:

    1. To have the watch run within Omega's tolerances of +11/-1 (which it currently does at -1) but preferably be about +2 to +3. I am sort of nervous about it currently being at -1 since it is at the bottom of the tolerance...also, I like watches to run slightly fast.

    Thanks for reading and I appreciate the input in advance.

    Collin (Mad Dog)
     
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  2. Darlinboy Pratts! Will I B******S!!! Jul 7, 2015

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    My non-expert thoughts....

    1. There can be a "break-in" period, although I wouldn't expect it to be significant.
    2. Not exactly sure what you're describing, but a simple rotation of the watch shouldn't make the time jump up one second.
    3. If it is still under warranty, any problem should be addressed by Omega through an authorized dealer.

    It's easy to be off a second or two on measuring the watch's performance manually. Also possible that a different storage position would change the outcome plus or minus.
     
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  3. flyingout Jul 7, 2015

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    I think I've experienced some break-in change, but it's been ages since I've bought a new watch and the ones recently back from service I didn't monitor closely enough. There are a lot of variables. But going from +7 average to -1 does seem like a lot.

    Going forward, assuming all is well, you might want to play with storing it in different positions. I've found, nicely, that my Speedy is a few seconds fast dial up and a few slow crown up. So I have kept it nicely accurate by checking before bed and laying it down for the night accordingly.

    The rotating trick doesn't sound good however.

    Cheers
     
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  4. Mothra Jul 7, 2015

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    Set it 30s fast once per month. Not really seeing the issue. I know slow is worst than fast but I'd take 1 over 11 even if its - vs +
     
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  5. repoman Jul 7, 2015

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    I'm not a watchmaker, just an enthusiast, but my experience has been:

    1. yes, my new Omega watches have experienced a bit of a break-in period, and my local Omega technician has confirmed the same that you should give a new watch a month or two to see what kind of "settling in" takes place.
    2. Given the effects of gravity, I'm fairly sure you could play all kinds of tricks with the position of the watch which would result in small changes in timing; this is why a proper timing is done across many different positions. For me, the real world is what matters the most, so if I really want to know the accuracy of my watch, I wear it for 24 hours and see how it does. No way you could hurt the watch just by rotating it to counteract its slightly slow timing... it went to the moon and back afterall.
    3. You can take your Speedy to any Omega boutique and they will perform a simple timing and regulation at no charge.
     
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  6. Andy K Dreaming about winning an OFfie one day. Jul 7, 2015

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    My first two cal. 1861s were never better than +10, and my current FOIS is closer to +7. I personally wouldn't worry about -1, in my opinion that's pretty good.
     
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  7. jordn Wants to be called Frank for some odd reason Jul 7, 2015

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    Speaking to your state mind, there's no need to flip out! Nothing you mentioned is a cause for alarm. It's a great watch, so it's only right that you treasure and care for it, but too much paranoia can get in the way of enjoying the watch :p. This watch isn't meant to run like a chronometer, but if you suffer from ocd, one thing you could try is figuring out your regular wearing habits and having an independent watchmaker regulate the watch emphasizing those positions. From what you described, it sounds like the watch is running well, so I would just set it a few minutes fast and not worry about it
     
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  8. Canuck Jul 7, 2015

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    I don't ascribe to a "break in" period in the sense of the term as it relates to some devices (cars for example). But mechanical watches for the most part, do share one characteristic. Once you have the watch running with a degree of accuracy that pleases you, take it off for a few months, and don't wear it, when you put it back into service, you may just well wonder why the expected accuracy is no longer there! The variation my not be huge, but it will likely be there. Wear it a while and don't fuss over the change in rate, and it may well return to the rate you expect.

    Back when I worked for a Rolex dealer, we would send a watch back to Rolex to be regulated for, say, a 2 second per day gain. Invariably, the watch would come back with a cryptic note that "a two second per day gain from a Rolex chronometer is within specification". They had made no attempt to regulate for the two second gain. My point being that some of these companies use the expected accuracy figures to hide behind, using these figures as a reason to do nothing when the watch goes back. With a new watch, It was entirely possible at the store level to improve on that rate. I did it regularly.

    If spot on accuracy is imperative in a person's book, buy Quartz!
     
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  9. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Jul 7, 2015

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  10. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Jul 7, 2015

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    @STANDY...holy smokes...I DO check my watch WAY TOO OFTEN! How did you know? Good advice/info...thanks.

    Also, many thanks to all who have responded...good advice/info as well.

    I'm learning a lot...and have much more to learn.

    :thumbsup:
     
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  11. CanberraOmega Rabbitohs and Whisky Supporter Jul 8, 2015

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    Question. Do you check the TIME, or just admire your watch?
    If its the second, then it doesnt actually matter if it is set to the correct time! Use your iPhone for the time, and just admire the artwork on your wrist!
     
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  12. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Jul 8, 2015

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    @Darlinboy...holy smokes...overnight I stored Speedy Gonzales in the crown up position for 12 hours and it was +5 seconds for that period...interesting.

    Keeping a log now...
    image.jpg
     
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  13. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Jul 8, 2015

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    @CanberraOmega...I do both...but since it's my fairly recently acquired Grail watch, I'm probably more guilty of checking it to admire it.
     
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  14. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Jul 8, 2015

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    Also temperature so you have to add that to you checking way to often.

    So just to work it out your using a timer to check what you (wife and kids) got you to time stuff and tell the time. And your not using that present to do what you are actually supposed to use it for your using something else. :whistling:
     
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  15. Canuck Jul 8, 2015

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    If you are obsessive about monitoring the seconds variations on your Speedmaster, make certain that you choose a time reference you know to be consistent and accurate as your only standard to compare to. If you were to compare several sources of correct time, at any given moment, you may find these references may vary by as much as ten seconds, one to the other. I usually use our Canadian Weather Channel as my time source. I just compared the time on that channel with the clock on my iPad, and there's a 15-second difference. There's a 13 second difference between the Official U S Time and our weather channel. I didn't bother to check with WWV. You'd drive yourself crazy unless you stick with only one time source. Our Dominion Observatory in Canada is 7 seconds ahead of our national Weather Channel. Any one of these time sources would be accurate as a time source for comparison purposes. But a decision must be made as to which one to stick with.
     
    Edited Jul 8, 2015
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  16. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Jul 8, 2015

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    @STANDY...not quite sure I'm following you. I use my Speedy Gonzales to know what time it is...especially at work. I noticed a trend that it may be losing time...and since I'm the sort of dude that likes things to work correctly (within advertised tolerances), I thought it would be prudent to monitor it.
     
  17. alam Jul 8, 2015

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    Some of you guys definItely have lots of free time on your hands.. :)
     
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  18. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Jul 8, 2015

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    @Canuck...you bring up a valid point. I have noticed various time differences between the aircraft ACARS clock, the USNO clock and the iPhone clock...usually they're all the same...or 1 or 2 seconds difference...but I did see a 30 second difference between the aircraft ACARS clock and the USNO clock while parked at the gate the other day. I always use the USNO clock (refreshed) as a base.
     
  19. Canuck Jul 8, 2015

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    Is there no communication regarding time between air traffic control and all aircraft in their sector at any given time? It would seem to me that a uniform time standard would be far more important than that of a railroad, considering aircraft speed and distances traveled. Is GMT, GCT, or CUT not used?
     
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  20. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Jul 8, 2015

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    @Canuck...other than the published airline schedule, I'm not sure what specific clock is used...there's probably some sort of time clock standard somewhere...all I know is that we want to leave the gate at a specific time (to the minute on the aircraft ACARS clock) and fly the speed that the company (Delta) or ATC tells us to fly...aircraft speed (KIAS - knots indicated airspeed) is used for sequencing...ATC will say fly 300 knots, or 250 knots, or enter holding at this fix...especially going into high density airports like ATL, JFK, ORD etc. Also, before each flight, we are assigned a target landing [time] window by the company which we accommodate via the company assigned speed...but ATC assigned speeds have precedence once airborne (which could have us land outside the company assigned target landing [time] window). Generally, we use GMT and/or local time.
     
    Edited Jul 8, 2015