The watch thread: pocket, wrist, sporty, showy? You name it!

[Still]

This is embarrassing - just remembered I have four watches!
Forgotten as it is stashed deep in my archives.

It's a Casio G-SHOCK GDX6900MNM-1 (link), which was a collaboration (aka cash in) with Eminem.
I was lucky to get 1 of imsmc 50 units that came signed by big E and were auctioned for charidy through his website.

 

[windhoek]

Here's a question for people who own more than one manual and/or automatic watch: do you make sure all such watches you own are always wound and ready to wear, or do you allow one or more of such watches to run down completely so that you have to reset the time (and date where appropriate) when you next want to wear such a watch?

I've got two automatics and one manual wind and so far, I've always ensured they're wound and and ready to wear, but I do wonder whether that just means they'll need to be serviced sooner and more often.

 

[doctorf]

Here's a question for people who own more than one manual and/or automatic watch: do you make sure all such watches you own are always wound and ready to wear, or do you allow one or more of such watches to run down completely so that you have to reset the time (and date where appropriate) when you next want to wear such a watch?

I've got two automatics and one manual wind and so far, I've always ensured they're wound and and ready to wear, but I do wonder whether that just means they'll need to be serviced sooner and more often.

I keep my GMT2 in an automatic winder because it's a pain to adjust the fourth hand when it stops.
I'm also fairly sure automatic watches do better continually working than if stopped for prolonged periods.

 

[MichaelC]

Cough, cough. Well, having questioned in the past the whys and needs for a watch I have bought myself a very plain and simple Bulova dress watch. I admit, I rather like it, particularly so because I chose it over a selection of other watches, predominantly Swiss, which cost considerably more.

 

[flatpopely]

Ive been mechanical all my life but I bought this after seeing a post on here about it.
Uber accurate and I just love the pragmatic thought process behind it's design.

Casio G Shock 5610-1ER.

 

[Yomanze]

Here's a question for people who own more than one manual and/or automatic watch: do you make sure all such watches you own are always wound and ready to wear, or do you allow one or more of such watches to run down completely so that you have to reset the time (and date where appropriate) when you next want to wear such a watch?

I've got two automatics and one manual wind and so far, I've always ensured they're wound and and ready to wear, but I do wonder whether that just means they'll need to be serviced sooner and more often.

I just let mine run down, but I don't use watches with a date...

 

[SteveG]

I let mine run down and then can't be bothered adusting the date when I use them again. Really must get around to getting some of those winders.

 

[windhoek]

I read online a few days ago that some automatics don't have a robust manual-wind mechanism because they're, well, automatics, whereas self-winding watches tend to have quite robust winding mechanisms because that's the only way of generating power. It makes sense me. The question is, do my two automatics contain robust or semi-robust winding mechanisms? I'd like to think they're robust, but even so, I reckon I'll keep them wound anyway.

My manual-wind Timex might have to stay wound for another reason: it doesn't have a quick date-set feature. This means if I want to move the date forward by 10 days, for example, I'd either need to spin the hands round and round and round a whole lot more to catch up with the actual time and date or let it run out of power and lie dormant till it's back on track. Either way is a pain as one is tedious while the other is useless.

p.s. nice G-Shock btw

 

[venton]

All automatic watches will require servicing due to mechanical wear. I think it's daft using an automatic winder for watches that will be worn infrequently. If you are rotating a couple of watches regularly then fair enough.

 

[stevec67]

I read online a few days ago that some automatics don't have a robust manual-wind mechanism because they're, well, automatics, whereas self-winding watches tend to have quite robust winding mechanisms because that's the only way of generating power. It makes sense me. The question is, do my two automatics contain robust or semi-robust winding mechanisms? I'd like to think they're robust, but even so, I reckon I'll keep them wound anyway.

I have a Seiko with a 7S26 that doesn't have a manual wind option at all. If you are bothered about winding them, don't bother. Just give them a shake and put them on your wrist. Provided you are then reasonably active, by which I mean not asleep, they will self-wind as required. One of those 10-minute brisk walks that we are being told are good for our health will more than do it.

My manual-wind Timex might have to stay wound for another reason: it doesn't have a quick date-set feature.

Are you sure? It may be that the half-out setting is hard to find, I've had that before, but once found you can click it round to where you need it.

 

[windhoek]

I just had another look at my Timex and there's nothing between normal operation and time adjustment. I guess that's not surprising as it was, I'm sure, a cheap watch from 1973.

When I asked in the beginning of whether automatic users keep their watches wound, I meant in general, whether by movement or by actual winding, and whether keeping it running all the time would speed up the need for servicing. The manual-wind mechanisms itself can, as you say, be circumvented simply by moving the watch around.

At any rate, I've decided to keep my Timex wound all the time whereas if either of my two automatics run out of power, that's cool because both have a quick date-set feature.

 

[stevec67]

whether keeping it running all the time would speed up the need for servicing.

Inevitably. The more it runs the more it wears.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

I've just taken a peek at the Casio G-Shock website. Gulp, £2,400........

 

[doctorf]

Inevitably. The more it runs the more it wears.

Have a look at some watch forums Steve.
There is no consensus on what is best.

Simon

 

[-alan-]

Here's a question for people who own more than one manual and/or automatic watch: do you make sure all such watches you own are always wound and ready to wear, or do you allow one or more of such watches to run down completely so that you have to reset the time (and date where appropriate) when you next want to wear such a watch?

An alternative..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WtpqEfvMDQ

 

[windhoek]

An alternative..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WtpqEfvMDQ

I take it that's a watch with radio-controlled time? It's a great way of making up time for sure.

 

[Rockmeister]

This is not aproppo of much, but I bought a Citizen Eco Drive Commando thingy last year to replace my ageing, wear everyday seiko. Tough as old boots, but I post to mention that, unlike my other watches it's astonishingly accurate. I last set it on my birthday (April) and I checked moments ago. In 5 months it's lost 2 seconds. So 5 seconds a year.
Much better than that out there from an ordinary quartz?

 

[windhoek]

That's superb! It isn't radio-controlled is it?

 

[Rockmeister]

no, and I think it's no better made than any decent seiko or other citizen.
My (daft) theory is that watches settle down to YOU and your vibes(man), your routine etc and this one is both well made (production line win) and just harmonises with ME.
Whatever, it's a great watch. Tough as boots and not bad looking an all.

 

[-alan-]

I take it that's a watch with radio-controlled time? It's a great way of making up time for sure.

It's actually an automatic of sorts -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_quartz

Automatic quartz is a collective term describing watch movements that combine a self-winding rotor mechanism (as used in automatic mechanical watches) to generate electricity with a piezoelectric quartz crystal as its timing element. Such movements aim to provide the advantages of quartz without the environmental impact of batteries. Several manufacturers employ this technique.
A rotating pendulum inside the case is attached to a relatively large gear which meshes with a very small pinion. As the wearer moves, the pendulum turns and spins the pinion at a very high speed - up to 100,000 rpm. This is coupled to a miniature electrical generator which charges a storage device which is a capacitor(s) or a rechargeable battery. A typical full charge will last between two weeks and six months

If the watch isn't worn for a while, it goes to sleep until such time as the little generator is brought into action - at which point the mechanism is fast forwarded to the correct time. Clever little beast - which never ceases to amuse me when I pick it up. Only problem with my one is that while it knows whether to set the watch to the correct time in the 24 hour format, it doesn't reset the date automatically. I dunno if they're all like that.