Monday, December 1, 2008

Pocket Watch Care and Maintenance

CARE OF THE WATCH. This was originally written for the old key wind pocket watches of the day. However, much of this information is worth noting today as it relates to the general care and maintenance of pocket watches in general.

Originally distributed by the Elgin Watch Company.

It is also interesting to read towards the end of the article where reference is made to the wonderful machinery made by American companies at the time.

1. Do not make a toy of it for yourself or the children. Never open it except for necessary purposes.

2. It should be regulated to about mean temperatures, and always kept as near the same temperature as possible.

3. It should not be allowed to stop. Better that it be kept running all the time.

4. Keep it in as uniform position as possible. If in the pocket, better that the pendant ring be upright.

5. Out of the pocket, if it hang on the wall, let it be upon some soft surface. Never allow it to lie upon bare marble or other hard surface. It is lie on any surface, let it be with face up, and pendant ring turned under, so as to keep the upper part most elevated.

6. Let your key fit exactly, and be kept perfectly clean. By the former, you may save breaking chains, mainsprings, ratchets, clicks, etc.; by the latter, prevent introducing much dust.

7. Wind, if possible, at the same hour each day.

8. While winding, hold your watch steadily in your left hand. Turn only your key, and that firmly, evenly, avoiding all quick motions or jerks.

9. Set your watch with a key; never turn the hands by any other way. You may turn the hands either way without danger, if they do not move very hard.

After a period the small quantity of oil applied to a watch becomes disposed of by drying away, and also by uniting with the atoms of the wearings. It must be remembered that a watch, in general use, is ticking day and night, being the only piece of mechanism, besides a clock, which is subject to such a continuous duty of service. Most, if not all, other machines are frequently attended to, repaired, cleaned, and oiled to ensure the precision required, and the durability expected; but in the case of the watch (which is made use of for observing and checking other machines of undoubted importance), these operations are thought little about by the majority of those who make use of them. The watch being wound up daily for two years, is supposed to go even longer by the application of a little fresh oil. This little instrument for small it is in comparison with others produces on average 17,000 ticks every hour; all its parts are in motion, and all its pieces are being pressed and worn. Therefore, at the expiration of two years a little attention is necessary to remove the dirty oil, and if required, have some of its rubbed and worn parts made smooth, and thus ensure the smoothness and freedom of the acting surfaces, for if the acting parts become rough by wear, although the watch may still continue to go, there cannot be expected from it that regularity, when some of its parts have become defective, as when in good condition. It must be understood that any watch having been constantly going for two years and upwards, requires cleaning, and if not so attended to will result in costing for repairs when cleaned, an amount which would have been avoided had it been attended to at about the period named.Most watches are so constructed that when wound up fully, they continue to keep going during thirty hours, and this period of thirty hours is decided upon in order that the more equal force of the mainsprings shall be made use of, for there are very few mainsprings the force of which is equal through the period of thirty hours, but the mainspring will transmit its force very equally in unwinding during twenty-four hours, and as most persons are accustomed to rise, and also to retire to rest with some degree of regularity, it is thought better to have six hours for the spring still to remain for action to secure the regularity of force during its twenty-four first hours, leaving the remaining six hours to keep the instrument going in the event of the winding being forgotten. Thus it is necessary that the watch be wound as near as possible at the same time daily, to ensure good going. The key ought to fit the winding square in such a manner that it does not rock about.During the act of winding the watch, it is not an uncommon practice for persons to have both hands in motion, moving the watch in one direction and the key in the opposite one, as might be supposed, to abridge the time of winding. Such a practice is to be condemned, because the motion of the balance is thereby accelerated, causing the bankings to be struck, and in some instances causing the escapement to overbank, which often results in damage of the escapement-wheel or verge pivots. Therefore the watch should always be held quite still during the act of winding-up.

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