Speedmaster Pro Gains Time during Winding?

OmegaOwner2019 · Jan 13, 2020

I have recently purchased a new Speedmaster Pro and noticed something very curious.

Initially I noticed that the bulk of the time gain occurs in the hours after I wind the watch. Intrigued, I measured the offsets right before and after I wind the watch everyday. Over the past month, I find the watch gains anywhere between 1-2 seconds immediately after I wind it everyday.

I use the Watch Tracker app, and I always sync the app with the atomic clock before I use it. It's present and reproducible enough that I don't think it's a human error on my part.

It this a known property? Or a previously reported issue?

Bp1000 · Jan 13, 2020

It isn’t a known issue.

If this is about your curiosity as to why it happens I would also suggest you rule out the app.

Ultimately if you want to monitor accuracy I would always choose to allow at least 24 hours minimum.

In fact so much can affect timing that a week is more realistic and consistency is a very good thing providing you are in or under +/- 5 sec - in my book anyway

PS congratulations on your new purchase and welcome to them forum!

OmegaOwner2019 · Jan 13, 2020

Thank for your warm welcome.

I guess I raised the question because I worry if it is something I did when I wind the watch.

Is it mechanically possible for the watch to gain time when you wind it? Be it normal functioning or a malfunction?

Archer · Jan 13, 2020

OmegaOwner2019
Thank for your warm welcome.

I guess I raised the question because I worry if it is something I did when I wind the watch.

Is it mechanically possible for the watch to gain time when you wind it? Be it normal functioning or a malfunction?

Sort of...

It's not unusual for modern Speedmaster Pro's with the Cal. 1861 to have quite high balance amplitude. Balance amplitude is the amount that the balance wheel sings in each direction, and for example I have one here with the amplitude in the high 330 degree area - right on the edge of what is known as "rebanking". Rebanking is a condition where the balance rotates too far in each direction, so the impulse pin strikes the outside of the pallet fork horn. These details aren't terribly important but the effect is that the balance bounces back faster than the balance spring would return it, and this cycle continues - it causes a temporary rate increase.

This is most likely to happen when the watch is fully wound, and it may stop fairly quickly after that. So yes it's possible that this is happening not as you are winding, but right at the end of winding.

This is more likely to happen with the watch dial facing up or down, so if you wind it with the dial in a vertical position, it will likely take enough amplitude off to not let this happen. You could also make sure that when you reach the end of winding, that you don't try to force the crown one more click.

Cheers, Al

OmegaOwner2019 · Jan 13, 2020

Thanks Al.

I think you might have it.

I am pretty religious about giving the watch a full wind everyday. Sometimes I give it a gentle twist at the end to ensure I have hit the end, because it stiffens up in the last 1/3 of the wind.

I guess I should not be doing that...? 😕

Bp1000 · Jan 13, 2020

Take archers advice as he’s got way more watch working experience than most of us put together.

but from my point of view, try not to overthink it. You are doing nothing wrong and your watch is more than likely totally fine.

Omega as I recall do advise against overwinding. It’s hard to overwind a speedy, some force is required.

For me 19-22 full turns gets me to fully wound on an already running watch, this helps me know when to start slowing so I don’t aggressively force it at full wound

OmegaOwner2019 · Jan 13, 2020

This sounds like good advice.

It takes me about 30-35 twists to fully wind the watch daily. Given what Al said, I will test winding it just short of a full wind daily and see what happens.

zrleopold · Jan 13, 2020

Archer
Sort of...

It's not unusual for modern Speedmaster Pro's with the Cal. 1861 to have quite high balance amplitude. Balance amplitude is the amount that the balance wheel sings in each direction, and for example I have one here with the amplitude in the high 330 degree area - right on the edge of what is known as "rebanking". Rebanking is a condition where the balance rotates too far in each direction, so the impulse pin strikes the outside of the pallet fork horn. These details aren't terribly important but the effect is that the balance bounces back faster than the balance spring would return it, and this cycle continues - it causes a temporary rate increase.

This is most likely to happen when the watch is fully wound, and it may stop fairly quickly after that. So yes it's possible that this is happening not as you are winding, but right at the end of winding.

This is more likely to happen with the watch dial facing up or down, so if you wind it with the dial in a vertical position, it will likely take enough amplitude off to not let this happen. You could also make sure that when you reach the end of winding, that you don't try to force the crown one more click.

Cheers, Al

Out of curiosity, is this the same sort of thing going on when you put counterclockwise pressure on the crown allowing the 1861 to “hack” or even reverse?

Archer · Jan 13, 2020

zrleopold
Out of curiosity, is this the same sort of thing going on when you put counterclockwise pressure on the crown allowing the 1861 to “hack” or even reverse?

No, not related...

Speedmaster Pro Gains Time during Winding?

OmegaOwner2019

Bp1000

OmegaOwner2019

Archer

OmegaOwner2019

Bp1000

OmegaOwner2019

zrleopold

Archer

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