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What is YOUR process for setting time on Speedy

  1. ilayd May 2, 2019

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    Hey all,

    As you may have noticed in my other thread, I just received my new Speedy yesterday, and spent a few hours getting acquainted to the way the watch works. Following directions in the paper and video manuals, I attempted to set the time, but noticed that the second hand and the minute hands were not aligned. Read some info here on the forum and watched a few videos on YouTube and learned that you have to set those in sync (if you want to). I then went ahead and started to tinker more trying to match them up. I was eventually able to match the hands while matching the time to the atomic clock. That being said, it was quite difficult. I then practiced more, and although I was able to get them aligned sooner, it was still a process.

    With that in mind, I wanted to see if you had any tips and tricks and the actual order of steps you take to set your time on the Speedy.

    Here is a list of some of the things I noticed in my process of trying on the watch and what I found online:

    1. It's a mechanical watch so it will differentiate itself from the atomic clock fairly soon - I understand that completely, but would like to at least start with the correct time, and then periodically adjust as the time difference increases.

    2. When the crown is pulled, the second hand does not stop because the watch does not have a hacking mechanism - that's just how its made and works, no changing that

    3. You can "hack" the second hand by applying slight backwards pressure on the crown - I tried this and was able to do it, but that pressure is super sensitive and at times the second hand would actually jump back (which I read is bad) so I stopped messing with trying to do that too much.

    4. A lot of people have mentioned that the second dial is small and it doesnt really matter if it lines up with the minute hand - personally, I am not expecting it to be 100% on the dot, but I dont want the second hand at 20/30 seconds when the minute hand hits the minute mark. A few ticks is ok, but I would like it to match somewhat.

    5. I noticed that even when the crown in pulled, the minute hands continue to move. From what I was able to find, that is ok as the mechanism is still moving and pulling the crown is to adjust the minute and hour hands, but does not stop the mechanism - is that right? This is what makes it hard to match the seconds and minutes if they started off not aligned.

    6. I also noticed that sometimes when I would move the time backwards (since it was closer to go that way), the second hand would stop for a bit or move backwards as if I was doing the "hack" trick. I noticed that going slow backwards was more likely to cause that than if I moved the hands quickly - I think I'll just always move the hands forward to avoid causing the mechanism to go in reverse

    OK, so with all that stuff said, I think I've come up with a good strategy on setting the time that can get it close to actual time and the hands aligned. Keep in mind, I havent had a chance to test it on the watch as its still not sized and at home.

    First, match the seconds hand to your reference time. This will obviously require "hacking" the second if its off the actual time. I dont know of any way to advance it. Second, move the crown to set the hour and and then the minute... when I get to the minute, setting just short of the one thats about to turn, I would then slowly advance the minute hand to land on the minute marker as the second hand passes the 60 second mark. Push the crown in. This sounds like the best way to avoid inadvertently stopping the second hand or making it bounce backwards.

    So, whats your process like? And how often do you calibrate the time to account for the normal variance of the watch?
     
    superfly likes this.
  2. M'Bob May 2, 2019

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    Wake up. Pull out watch. Look at desk clock. Set time. Repeat as needed.
     
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  3. SpeedyD May 2, 2019

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    Don’t think it took as long to buy my speedy as it did to read the OP :D
     
  4. Duckie May 2, 2019

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    It's not hard to do.
    I see from the other thread you have an 1861 movement.
    Moving the hands back or forward is not a problem. (IT'S ONLY A PROBLEM IF YOU OBSERVE THE SECONDS HAND RUN IN REVERSE). If the seconds hand runs in reverse you simply need to have more power wound into the Mainspring. With the Seconds hand running in reverse, the movement can be damaged.
    Simply apply a little backward pressure(just enough)on the Winding crown to stop the Seconds hand for as long as you need to match your reference time.
     
    Edited May 2, 2019
  5. MRC May 2, 2019

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    Asleep at work again, eh?
     
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  6. 3nicewatches $100 well spent May 2, 2019

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    Wow!
     
  7. Matty1 May 2, 2019

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    Define run in reverse. I agree with original poster even setting time in reverse and make the second hand go backwards for a short while. Is that running in reverse?
     
  8. Evitzee May 2, 2019

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    As previously posted......wind the watch, look at time on the DVR, set time, strap on, go. If I'm really into it I'll set the time via time.is website, but it's way past the time where I fret about alignment of minute and second hands as they pass the minute mark.
     
  9. Duckie May 2, 2019

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    Running in reverse is defined by the Seconds hand going in a counter clockwise direction.
    This is opposed to winding the Minute hand backward(counter clockwise) which is not an issue.
     
  10. Matty1 May 2, 2019

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    Got that. Winding minute hand backwards does make second hand go into reverse slightly I’m guessing that is ok
     
  11. Donn Chambers May 2, 2019

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    My method is to ignore the running seconds hand and just set the time based to the hour and minute ignoring the seconds. When I notice it is too far off (a minute or two) I repeat the process.

    Life is too short to worry about precise time setting on a watch that gains or loses up to 10 seconds a day.
     
    nmttd2, lando, chiswick and 5 others like this.
  12. ilayd May 2, 2019

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    Well it took me 6 months to pick the Speedmaster over the Seamaster. ;)
     
  13. ilayd May 2, 2019

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    So when I move the hands in reverse slow, the seconds start to move backwards, at least a few ticks. Don’t know if it would keep running backwards, as I would stop and turn the hands forward, at which point the second hand starts to move forward. Don’t want to risk and see if it stops.

    There isn’t much info online that I’ve been able to find that shows what is just the second hand moving back a bit and stoping, or if they started moving back they’ll keep that until moved forward.

    Also couldn’t find much on the threshold of what amount movement backwards on the second would be minor versus potentially causing damage.

    I was also setting the time with the watch fully wound, and it was super easy to make the second hand move backwards, at least I though the amount of pressure needed to do that was small. So much so that sometimes moving the minute hand backwards (again, if I went slow) caused the second to stop and then reverse. Again, I wouldn’t let it keep doing that for worries of damaging the mechanism.
     
    AveConscientia likes this.
  14. Duckie May 2, 2019

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    No.
    Briefly is risky.
    Prolonged is very risky.

    The problem relates to how lucky are you?
    With the movement running in reverse as indicated by the Seconds hand going in a counter clockwise direction, one is actually risking chipping the tip of the teeth on the Pallet jewels.
    A few seconds may be inconsequential depending on how lucky one is. Longer is more problematic. Eventually, it's possible damage will occur but if it's a regular practice or prolonged damage becomes more likely.

    Best to avoid it if it ever occurs.
    Assuming all is as intended with the movement simply having more power in the Mainspring will prevent this from happening.
     
  15. Duckie May 2, 2019

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    I think a couple of ticks backward is deemed to be within normal expectations and is acceptable and expected when fully wound. It's probably deemed to be normal.
    Prolonged running backwards is problematic.
     
  16. Ssunnylee24 May 2, 2019

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    Omg...
     
  17. ilayd May 2, 2019

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    Yeah, when I was first setting it and then I was trying to adjust the minute hand back slightly, and moved it just a tad... the second hand started to move backwards. I instantly assumed that was bad and stopped, pushing it forward to make it go the right way. Then went online and found that it moving back is not good. Then got freaked out as it is a pricey watch, and I did not want to damage it.
     
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  18. larryganz The cable guy May 2, 2019

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    Wow, why make it so complicated? You don't need to put back pressure on the crown to hack the seconds hand.

    Wind the watch, pull out the crown all the way so that hour and minute can be set, but place the minute hand over a marker next to a time that is about 1 minute fast (or less, depending on the position of the seconds hand which may only be 20-30 seconds behind) and wait for the second hand to reach 60, then move the minute hand back to the marker and push in the crown so the minute hand starts moving with the seconds hand.

    This also ensures that the time on the watch is within a minute ahead of atomic time, and not within a minute behind atomic time.
     
    Edited May 2, 2019
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  19. larryganz The cable guy May 2, 2019

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    PS: if the watch runs backwards on it's own, then it was due for a service anyway. I've owned (still own) several Speedy's and never had one run backwards on it's own.
     
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  20. Rman May 2, 2019

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    Funny thread. I’d rather have my watch read up to a minute fast and have the seconds zeroing and minute hand strike synched up. Surprised others don’t bother with the seconds, but I suppose you could sync more easily with atomic time on a non-hacking watch by only using the minute hand.
    Backsetting the seconds hand gives me the creeps but I’m a vintage guy.