M
MECHANICALS
GUIDE to
AFFORDABLE MECHANICALS
I’M CERTAIN I’VE GIVEN
THESE WARNINGS BEFORE
BUT LET’S REVISIT A COUPLE
OF PRACTICES ENDEMIC TO
MECHANICAL WATCHES.
DATE CHANGE DEBACLE: extra running time, and can stress the keyless works as well as the
Roll the time FORWARD until you see the date automatically change, mainspring and spring barrel assembly.
then continue past the 2:00 position. Go to the quick set position on
the crown and adjust then adjust to the current date. This will avoid a WHEN TO SPEND:
problem as some watches may have the automatic date change gears On to service; there are a couple of schools of thought here. One is that
engaged between 10:00 and 2:00am. the typical mechanical watch should be serviced every 3-5 years, and
that’s what most instruction manuals will stipulate. This may make sense
YOU CAN’T GO BACK IN TIME: for an extremely expensive exotic that you want to keep pristine until
Don’t set the time by going backwards. Most watches are somewhat your great grandson sells it at auction to buy a house in the Hamptons,
protected against damage from doing this, but not all are. And again, but at the AboutTime price points, it might be worth waiting until there
form good watch habits and you won’t get caught by surprise if and when is a pressing reason for service that can cost $150-$400 or more. Hav-
you end up breaking a watch that is not prepared for that type of abuse. ing had more than a few mechanical watches over the last 30 years, I
have never taken a watch for service that did not show some symptoms
TAME THE TORQUE: or need. Whether accuracy, noise, or another situation, I let my more
Don’t over-wind your watch. Whether a manual-wind only, or an automatic affordable mechanical watches work until they beg for service. My apolo-
that can also be manually wound via the crown, wind until you feel the gies in-advance to all the watchmakers out there that I’m sure I’m going
sudden resistance and stop. Forcing it from there will not get you any to hear from!
12 | AboutTime Magazine