It this possible? My brand new Constellation CO-AXIAL stops while on mounted on my watch winder. I was under the impression that a auto-mechanical watch would run forever when mounted on a watch winder.

Yes, the winder runs okay, i.e. spins both ways (CW, & CCW) for about nine minutes, then rests for about twenty minutes; cycle repeats. It appears the "auto" function as in auto-mechanical may be faulty

Comments appreciated.
Thanks, Don

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Someone will no doubt come along who knows more about your particular watch than I do. But the automatic systems on some modern automatic wind movements only wind in one direction! Does your winder reverse direction as it cycles? If it doesn't, chances are it is rotating your watch in the non-winding direction! If the winder does change direction as it operates, it would seem your watch may have a problem. You didn't tell us if you have the same problem when the watch is on your wrist.

 

If you can tell us the specific watch reference number of what movement I inside, it would be easier to help you...

Let's assume it's an 8500...please look here under Omega...

http://www.orbita.com/database-search/?letter=o

The 8500 requires 650-800 turns per day in both directions in order to maintain the state of wind according to Orbita. If you are putting the watch on the winder fully wound, and the watch is turning 650-800 turns per day in both directions, then yes there is something wrong with it. If your winder is not turning this much, then you need to increase the number of turns per day.

Cheers, Al

 

My watch is OMEGA Constellation, Calibre 2500, Ref 123.10.35.20.10.001 ....just purchased (assume mfg within last few years). Is it necessary or common practice to fully manually wind before placing watch on a winder box? Should I determine the number of winder CW and CCW turns/day? Thanks for your advice.

 

Manually wind the watch till it is at full wind, then wear it all day. Place it on the winder that evening. If the watch winder is set correctly, your watch should be ready to go in the morning. There is a chart on the Orbita site that tells you how to set the winder for your calibre. It's shouldn't need to be manually wound each day if the winder is set correctly.

 

650 turns per day in both directions should keep it wound. A winder is there to maintain the state of wind, not wind it up to full from nothing...

 

If I had a dollar for every time I saw a new mechanical watch owner mistakenly think a watch "winder" actually wound the watch instead of just maintained the state of wind, I might have been able to purchase a manual wind Reverso instead of quartz. I guess it's the name.

 

Winder box rotates both ways. My normal use is wrist during day, winder box at night. On two occasions the watch stopped during the night while in the winder box. I was disappointed the box let the main spring deplete. Observations continue....

 

Thanks....my winder box is an el-cheap-o without settings. I am now trying to count the winder turns/hour to see if it adequate. Thanks again...

 

How do you tell when an auto is fully wound?

 

Right....I'm new to Omega CO-AXIAL mechanical. My everyday watch is an Omega quartz. I bought-in to the hoop-la about the greater accuracy with the mechanicals (random deviation) verses quartz (same direction deviation). Accuracy is "nothing" with a mechanical if you must continuously reset/wind (chuckle-chuckle).

 

Al, you can correct me if I'm wrong about any of this (please do!), but here goes:

Any quartz movement will be about an order of magnitude more accurate than a mechanical movement, co-axial or otherwise. The real selling point for mechanical watches over the past thirty years or so has been the idea of the high level of intricacy and craftsmanship, trying to push the boundaries of what an old fashioned machine, driven by springs, wheels and gears, can achieve in timekeeping.

On another note, the cal. 2500 should have a power reserve of about 48 hours if fully wound. If you wind the watch manually one morning and you are a person of average daily activity, your Constellation should still be fully wound when you remove it in the evening before bed. It ought to remain running overnight, even sitting on the night stand without a winder. If it is running down each night, you may have a problem.

 

Well we are s-l-o-w-l-y- getting more information on how the watch is used and how it stops. There are still information gaps...for example when the OP says it has stopped overnight, does he fully wind it when he puts in on the morning, or does he assume it will wind itself fully during the day?

As has been noted already, the watch should be fully wound in the morning, worn all day, then even without putting it on a winder it should be fine until the next morning. How long exactly depends on what movement is in the watch. we know it's a 2500, but I have no idea what 2500 version it is. If it's a C or D version, then it would have a 48 hour reserve, but if it's an A (unlikely) or B, then it would be 44 hours. Still unless the OP is nearly paralyzed or in a semi-coma he should be able to keep it wound provided it was started off at some point with a full wind. If not then it could be that the watch is never reaching it's fully wound state.

And yes a quartz is typically going to be far more accurate than a mechanical...

As for how to tell if a watch is fully wound, well that depends on the watch. In this case since it's a modern movement and the inner barrel wall is notched, you should be able to hear the bridle slipping in the mainspring barrel when it's fully wound quite easily...

The big question here is this statement by the OP:

"just purchased (assume mfg within last few years)."

That is a big assumption - the watch might already be due for service.

To the OP - please read...

Please fully wind the watch using the crown, so wind it 70 or 80 full turns just to be sure. Listen for the watch to start clicking sort of randomly when you are winding it - if you hear that it's probably fully wound but wind it for 70 or 80 turns anyway. Set the time and date, lay it dial up on a table, and leave it there until it stops. If it has not run at least 44 hours, it's time for a service.

Cheers, Al

 

Boy, they saw you coming! The average quartz watch is MUCH more accurate than even a chronometer rated mechanical unless there's something very peculiar going on, and that's a one in a million chance. Secondly, there is deviation in quartz watches depending on temperature - which means it can vary depending on whether you're wearing it or not.

Here, read through some of this to get a basic understanding:

http://www.watchtalkforums.info/forums/thread22496.html

 

I am new to mechanicals so this is what I was told....First, the jeweler told me only 20 turns were necessary (that didn't cut it). Second, the Omega rep at Swatch HQ told me 45-50 turns. I notice when winding so many turns the crown, once released, has a tendency to reverse direction just a tad. I think ("thinking" is a problem in itself) that this tendency to reverse direction is an indication the watch is fully wound.

 

The crown backing up a bit when released after manual winding has nothing to do with how fully wound the watch might be. This is true for automatic wind watches, and with manually wound watches as well. There are exceptions, and those are with automatic wind watches that cannot be manually wound.

 

I'm with you...my everyday dependable watch is a Omega quartz. As you may know, Omega has plans the phase out the quartz watch as Rolex did fifteen years ago. The
mechanical fans argue the mech accuracy is greater over a long duration (random deviation, i.e. tendency to be self-correcting) whereas the quartz fans argue the accuracy over a short duration favors quartz (same direction deviation). And-so-it-goes.

 

Okay, I'm learning...
1. I was unaware an auto-mech should to be manually wound before wearing each morning. I had just assumed if it was running, it would stay running.
2. I did the "table test" and it stopped after 51 hours (51 h 21 m).
Thanks for the help and device, Don

 

"Advice" daHaaaa.