Automatic watch and shooting?

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I have a fine seiko that will wind it self tight with me. And a Omega that just stop working on me. Any other family member can wear ether and they run fine . I'm better off with a timex. Even a great 100 years old waltham that will stop running in 10 minutes. Can't wear a good watch .

I use my cell phone for a watch now a days.
 
What you have are watches that need servicing. Automatics require a cleaning to remove oxidized lubricant that gums up the works. Factories generally suggest about every five years. The problem is that since most people wear electrics and digitals, an experienced automatic watch repairman is rare these days and charges appropriately for his labor.

We no longer have one in our Metro - the chain stores all send them to a servicing center. I have to drive to the county seat to find a knowledgeable watch guy who knows to replace the gasket when he regulates the watch - and has it in stock. He's not a clerk in the jewelry department at the local BigBox replacing batteries.

Good automatics in proper condition don't overwind themselves or stop running. Watches in need of service do - but far too many owners won't spend the money to do it. They could buy another shiny new digital that is the latest fashion. So, old watches go bad and wind up in a junk box.

Sadly, old guns and cars get the same treatment. "Economic cost of repair" kills off a lot of formerly valuable items.
 
I'm sort of in to watches (Omega 2254.5 on my wrist right now); depends entirely how the movement is mounted. Modern shock resistant watches will take a surprising amount of abuse. One of the more aggressive watch flippers I know is an honest-to-god career swim out of submarines, oft-times Groton resident. I don't think that there is a major brand of luxury/sport watch that he hasn't shot automatic weapons with.

That said, I still take off my watch before shooting scandium snubs or magnum anything weak hand only, but that's because I'm probably a wussy.

If you're worried, buy a Sinn U1. Very hard to kill.
 
Not an auto-winder, but back in 1979, I received a brand new quartz crystal digital watch as a graduation present. Wore it to boot camp at Ft Benning, and after firing the M2 machine gun with it on, it was toast- displayed incomplete numbers.
 
I have the problem of being ambidextrous, consequently I shoot right handed but also wear my watch on my right hand. I have shot everything from a 22 to a 44mag while wearing a Casio watch, the latest being the waveceptor. It keeps perfect time and has never had an issue. In fact, the instructions say it's vibration proof.
 
I wear a cheap Wally-barf digital, cost like 8 bucks and generally run for years being worn every single day.

When the battery finally dies, or the band breaks or I damage the face to the point I can no longer read it, I throw it away and buy a new one.
 
If your Rolex kept poor time, it needed to be serviced and/or regulated.
Or, it was magnetized and needed to be degaussed.
Or, your natural bodily magnetism was such that mechanical watches just won't work for you.

I wear my Seiko SKX007, Orient Blue Ray, and Vostok Amfibian dive watches to do everything, except at work. My job magnetizes mechanical watches.
Plus, the high amperage of motive batteries does not mix with metal watch bracelets/housings don't mix.
I wear Casio G-Shocks at work.

I also have a Casio Edifice solar watch. Very nice solar. Keeps great time. Don't wear at work. Stainless steel. Conductive.

Re solar watches: It's true they don't need service. Until the battery/capacitor/solar charger crap out. Then, they get rather expensive to repair.
My next solar will be a Citizen EcoDrive 300 meter.
 
Get a G-Shock and stop concerning yourself with this type of nonsense. You might not survive a skydiving mishap, but your watch will.
 
If your Rolex kept poor time, it needed to be serviced and/or regulated. Or, it was magnetized and needed to be degaussed. Or, your natural bodily magnetism was such that mechanical watches just won't work for you.


Or, much more likely, it is taken off at night and placed haphazardly in different positions on a nightstand, and left to change temperatures. Wearing one 24 hours a day keeps the movement at more or less the same temperature, and randomizes the position. Most people do not realize that mechanical watches change their rate in different positions. That's why a ships chronometer is kept in gimbals (keeps one position as a ship rolls and pitches) and why wristwatches ought to be worn (randomizing the positions tends to average the errors). A watch running with a small daily rate might change behaviour when switched to a left handed wearer. Chronometers, such as a Rolex, are adjusted to 8 positions. Cheap mechanical watches might only be regulated in two. If you remove a mechanical watch at night, try placing it into one same position on the nightstand to see how it does. if it runs fast or slow, try another position.

It's best just to wear it.... My 1970's era Sea Dweller keeps about a 1 second a day rate and always has. It only comes off in the shower (keeps soap away from the gaskets, and since I actually dive with mine that's a good thing, as well as not subjecting it to a serious temperature change.)


Willie

.
 
I wore it 24 hours a day, never took it off even to shower. Snorkeled with it too.

When I bought it in Geneva in 1970, there were choices, more expensive choices. I was backpacking through Europe, and could only afford the non-chronometer Submariner, no date.

It kept decent time, but certainly not a second a day. Any $2 street vender Chinese quartz watch keeps much better time.

Going long periods without servicing it no doubt did not help the accuracy. By the time I gave it to my son, it was losing at least a minute a day.

He won't tell me what he paid to have it serviced and restored, but I'm sure it was many, many times the $128 I paid for it new.

Part of the restoration included polishing the case and bracelet, and replacing the crystal.

The sad thing is, because of it's current condition, looks new, and the current value, he only uses it as a dress up accessory. I keep telling him it's an everyday watch, and meant to be worn, but he sees it differently. Maybe I would too if I knew what he'd spent on it. :D

In the '70's, I was working in NYC, and Rolex on 5th Ave. would adjust the timing, and fix your bracelet for free while you waited. Those days are long over.
 
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I've worn my Tissot Ballade III for years through several trips to the range and a lot of other activities, including golf, and it still runs just fine. It's been so reliable and accurate that I'll be quite sad when it needs a servicing. It "only" costs around $300-$400. So we're not talking a top of the line automatic with the ultimate in engineering. I am really happy with how pristine the sapphire crystal is on it still though - and i've tried to screw it up. Many times. Not a scratch :) I now demand sapphire crystals on all my watches because i run into stuff a lot (just clumsy I guess).

I suspect the explanations of watches failing due to golf/shooting/lunar phases are just a way to attribute the cost of a repair/cleaning to something other than part failure. Watches are machines, parts wear out, sometimes prematurely.

The human wrist does not always swing in the exact same orientation, so the watch is always subject to forces beyond any "normal path" for winding.

Just my perspective on the matter.
 
I have a Tissot T870/970 which has never skipped a beat after many lengthy range trips, bumpy offroad trips, or whacks. It looks pretty damn nice when I wear a suit, and takes a beating when I'm not. Change battery every 2 years just about, with no timing issues.
 
Few years ago I picked up one of those 'Officially Certified Swiss Chronometers' (#1142) at TJ Max for $249 which is a lot because most I paid for watch previously was $15 to $20. While playing with it for few days to my surprise I discovered it's consistently fast but only by 4sec per 24 hours that is whole lot better then Made in CCCP clunker that my father used to wear when I was a kid.
 
Willie Sutton said:
If your Rolex kept poor time, it needed to be serviced and/or regulated. Or, it was magnetized and needed to be degaussed. Or, your natural bodily magnetism was such that mechanical watches just won't work for you.


Or, much more likely, it is taken off at night and placed haphazardly in different positions on a nightstand, and left to change temperatures. Wearing one 24 hours a day keeps the movement at more or less the same temperature, and randomizes the position. Most people do not realize that mechanical watches change their rate in different positions. That's why a ships chronometer is kept in gimbals (keeps one position as a ship rolls and pitches) and why wristwatches ought to be worn (randomizing the positions tends to average the errors). A watch running with a small daily rate might change behaviour when switched to a left handed wearer. Chronometers, such as a Rolex, are adjusted to 8 positions. Cheap mechanical watches might only be regulated in two. If you remove a mechanical watch at night, try placing it into one same position on the nightstand to see how it does. if it runs fast or slow, try another position.

It's best just to wear it.... My 1970's era Sea Dweller keeps about a 1 second a day rate and always has. It only comes off in the shower (keeps soap away from the gaskets, and since I actually dive with mine that's a good thing, as well as not subjecting it to a serious temperature change.)


Willie

.
Click to expand...
Very educating post.
 
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