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Anyone else into automatic wristwatches?
- Thread starter HeavyDuty
- Start date
People with automatic watches, do you keep them on an electric winder? That's what's stopping me from getting one; I probably won't wear it every day and I don't want to re-set it every time, especially if it has date etc.
Resetting a watch is one of the most satisfying aspects of owning a mechanical time piece. My wrist is the only winder I need.
I have 2 and I don't. I simply wind them up and re-set before wearing. Don't know the pros/cons of that approach even if there are any
If you wind it before putting it down it should go well over 1 day. If you are moderately active it won't even need winding. Fully wound they go 40 hours, or more for the spendy ones.
Sounds like date only would be your banana.
Date (and day/date) windows are a real nuisance. They are also very easy to damage if you don't set them at the right time of day. One of my favorite analog watches has a broken day and date window, but that doesn't stop me from wearing it.
I have a few mid grade and low end Automatics.
Took this gorgeous 66-6000 hand winder out of the box the other day...not currently functional, needs a bit of work, but it keeps calling out to me to drop a bunch of $$$ on it that would otherwise be spent productively on bass gear...
I eventually took a gamble on a vintage automatic, a 1972 Tissot Seastar day date that I liked the look of.
I still like the look of it but it is in need of care, to an uneconomic extent. Oh well, I can wear it and it will keep the time. But the day date doesn’t work properly for one thing.
I still like the look of it but it is in need of care, to an uneconomic extent. Oh well, I can wear it and it will keep the time. But the day date doesn’t work properly for one thing.
Did your option include swapping out the entire movement for a new mechanical one made by a generic brand?
I think a good quality one can be found for around $50. Then it's just a matter of installing it.
Yeah, tested it yesterday and last night. The crown push quick change for the date doesn’t work and it lost about 3 minutes overnight!
It's very easy to break the day and date changers. If the "quick" set is done too close to midnight, it WILL break. Even on a brand new watch.
Actually, it sounds like it's not in too bad of shape. A lot of watches have broken dates but work fine otherwise.
If it's losing only 3 minutes a day, I would say that's fairly accurate. It's a lot more accurate than the Timex pin-lever watches that were less accurate than that even when new. Most people used to wind and set their watches in the morning. So if you can live with that, it's really not too bad.
If it's losing only 3 minutes a day, I would say that's fairly accurate. It's a lot more accurate than the Timex pin-lever watches that were less accurate than that even when new. Most people used to wind and set their watches in the morning. So if you can live with that, it's really not too bad.
That very much depends on what was in it in the first place...for something that age you might have to see if you can find a donor watch with a working movement.
Well I tried a guy about 4 years ago and he wanted $659! Mind you he has 3 Porsche 924s that he races... maybe he wanted me to fund that activity ? I have taken 3 watches to him and can’t remember getting a result. So I’ve scratched him.
This morning I remembered another guy that serviced my Mums old 77 Felicia manual watch for me that I then gave to my daughter to wear at her wedding. He is not in a convenient location but not too bad on a weekend I guess. I had a chat and he reckons likely $170 - $200. All prices are in Aussie dollars. So agreed to come over in the New Year, he starts back on Jan 5. I said up to $200 just do it, if it’s going over that then call and confirm first. I think that’s reasonable.
$659! phooey. I’d go buy a new one for that money.
This morning I remembered another guy that serviced my Mums old 77 Felicia manual watch for me that I then gave to my daughter to wear at her wedding. He is not in a convenient location but not too bad on a weekend I guess. I had a chat and he reckons likely $170 - $200. All prices are in Aussie dollars. So agreed to come over in the New Year, he starts back on Jan 5. I said up to $200 just do it, if it’s going over that then call and confirm first. I think that’s reasonable.
$659! phooey. I’d go buy a new one for that money.
I’ll just add that I don’t know if no. 1 was going to do water pressure tests and the like. Could be the cause of the cost blowout... maybe ? But he never presented any options apart from ‘pay this or take it away’.
I told no. 2 not to worry too much about that as it looks like a dress watch and I have it on a leather band. I’m not planning on diving or swimming in it even if it is called Seastar. He said he will give it a new rear ? Main ? seal anyway so it would be fine for general use. He knew about the date wheel usual issues, said could be quite simple or could require him to make a part, or it may not be worth fixing that - won’t know til he opens it up.
I feel more at ease talking to no.2.
It's definitely a challenge to find the right person to service old stuff. My go-to guy now is Invalid Link Removed in Adelaide...yes, that is how hard it is to find someone to do quality work on non-Swiss watches in Hong Kong!
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