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Thread: Regulation and "Running In"

  1. #1
    Master
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    Regulation and "Running In"

    I've been wearing my new PRS-18A almost full-time for a week now, and it is consistently ~15seconds/day fast. I would like to get it regulated.

    I have heard about "running in" and am wondering if this really does happen. If so, when is the earliest you'd have a watch regulated after purchase from new?

    Does anyone know someone in the Wrexham/Chester area that can regulate "on the spot"? A local jeweller has let me down re-sealing an old Seiko [given up after 3 months] so I'd like to try somewhere else.

  2. #2
    Master
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    I'm still not sure about all this running in stuff. I own 10 watches, nine were bought new. Some have slowed down marginally over a few months, others haven't changed at all. I regulated all of them within a week or so , apart from two which didn't need it. If all the bearings are running as free as possible and there isn't excessive lubricant affecting rate I don't see the slowing down syndrome should be significant. I imagine that a movement built with more care and to closer tolerances would stay more consistent than a crudely finished one. However, my Russian Vostok Europe watch, after regulation, is my MOST accurate mechanical watch, within a second a day or so. Consensus
    seems to suggest that Russian quality control is very poor, but as my Vostok is so accurate, I don't know what to say?
    Cheers,
    Martin

  3. #3
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Do you feel confident enough to try this Nik?

    http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 1&start=30

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  4. #4
    Thomas Reid
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chisholm
    ...
    However, my Russian Vostok Europe watch, after regulation, is my MOST accurate mechanical watch, within a second a day or so. Consensus
    seems to suggest that Russian quality control is very poor, but as my Vostok is so accurate, I don't know what to say?
    Cheers,
    Martin
    Quality control isn't getting one to run wonderfully. That could be an accident, or an individual effort. Quality control is making sure that each one going out the door meets a certain specification.

    Best wishes,
    Bob

  5. #5
    Master
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    I never believed this running in concept either, but what I realized was that most of the watches I had bought were chronometers. My experience with them was if they were fast out of the box, they were the same fast 2 months later, and I got them regulated.

    My PRS-14 surprised me though. It was around 15 sec fast when new, but it seems to have settled to around +8. I had never experienced that. Maybe blasting regulated it :lol:

  6. #6
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne
    Do you feel confident enough to try this Nik?

    http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 1&start=30

    Eddie
    Got to admit, I was hoping someone would recommend someone fairly local to me to get it done. I know a jeweller that would do a good job but he'd send it away, and from what I read it's only a 10 minute job so why wait?

    Still, I have some Blu-Tak to hand so let's see if I can get the back off - if so, may as well adjust the screw whilst I'm in there.

  7. #7
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by thenikjones
    Still, I have some Blu-Tak to hand so let's see if I can get the back off - if so, may as well adjust the screw whilst I'm in there.
    How do you take a back off with blu-tak Nik?

    :)

    Alan

  8. #8
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by rfrazier
    Quote Originally Posted by Chisholm
    ...
    However, my Russian Vostok Europe watch, after regulation, is my MOST accurate mechanical watch, within a second a day or so. Consensus
    seems to suggest that Russian quality control is very poor, but as my Vostok is so accurate, I don't know what to say?
    Cheers,
    Martin
    Quality control isn't getting one to run wonderfully. That could be an accident, or an individual effort. Quality control is making sure that each one going out the door meets a certain specification.

    Best wishes,
    Bob
    I must confess that of the five or six Russian made items I have owned, they have all been made from good materials, but have been generally poorly assembled and nearly all were copies of outmoded Western kit: Binoculars, cameras, watches etc.
    As for getting the watch back off with blu tack, why not try one of these?

    Cheers,
    Martin :wink:

  9. #9
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thenikjones
    ..............

    Regulation and "Running In"
    "Running In" ... is the time it takes to decide if you?ve got a keeper or a flipper.

    And, "Regulation" ... is what wives do. :twisted:

    * * *

    Unless a movement is grossly misbehaving I would not attempt to regulate for at least 3 months ... although running-in periods are not truly needed ... it takes time to bond with a movement and understand its quirks and behaviour.

    After 'regulating' give it at least two weeks before touching it again. It is very easy to get lost in regulation and forget what you are doing. And remember, watches are people too. :shock: :lol:

    john
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by cricketer
    Quote Originally Posted by thenikjones
    Still, I have some Blu-Tak to hand so let's see if I can get the back off - if so, may as well adjust the screw whilst I'm in there.
    How do you take a back off with blu-tak Nik?

    :)

    Alan
    Right, I appreciate Ming might have been taking the p1ss, but I refer to the post here http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... hlight=blu

    Now, assuming he's being serious, a new 300m WR watch might not be ideal, in which case ther comment of KCampbell on the same page is quite apt.

    I'm more worried about the affecting the WR of the watch than damaging the mechanism, so probably better to get a tool to make sure it goes back on tight enough.

  11. #11
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thenikjones
    ............

    I'm more worried about the affecting the WR of the watch than damaging the mechanism, so probably better to get a tool to make sure it goes back on tight enough.
    Putting a back on a watch ... is like putting the top back-on a bottle of fizzy drink. Before taking the back off make a line with a felt-pen across the separation so you know how far to go.

    Many are often surprised to find their prized desk diver's backs have actually been lose all along. :twisted:

    ... and be careful not to cross-thread.

    john
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  12. #12
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    I tried getting a caseback off with blu-tac, couldn't get it to work :?
    Dave E

    Skating away on the thin ice of a new day

  13. #13
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E
    I tried getting a caseback off with blu-tac, couldn't get it to work :?
    Some casebacks NEVER come off. :(

    john
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  14. #14
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    Regulated my first ever movement this week-end, after reading the previous thread, 2824-2 was running +20 now at +2 (and counting.......)

    Much easier than I thought, but doubt I do the same on my vintage Rolex :shock:

  15. #15
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cbh
    Regulated my first ever movement this week-end, after reading the previous thread, 2824-2 was running +20 now at +2 (and counting.......)

    Much easier than I thought, but doubt I do the same on my vintage Rolex :shock:
    Congratulations and well done!
    Dave E

    Skating away on the thin ice of a new day

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas
    Quote Originally Posted by thenikjones
    ............

    I'm more worried about the affecting the WR of the watch than damaging the mechanism, so probably better to get a tool to make sure it goes back on tight enough.
    Putting a back on a watch ... is like putting the top back-on a bottle of fizzy drink. Before taking the back off make a line with a felt-pen across the separation so you know how far to go.

    Many are often surprised to find their prized desk diver's backs have actually been lose all along. :twisted:

    ... and be careful not to cross-thread.

    john
    Good points, John, thank you.

  17. #17
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cbh
    Regulated my first ever movement this week-end, after reading the previous thread, 2824-2 was running +20 now at +2 (and counting.......)

    Much easier than I thought, but doubt I do the same on my vintage Rolex :shock:
    Good job. Well done. The easy ones are easy ... it's the hard ones that you need to look out for. :lol:

    john
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  18. #18
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E
    I tried getting a caseback off with blu-tac, couldn't get it to work :?
    Some casebacks NEVER come off. :(

    john
    I agree with that.

    There are those hex casebacks I can never shift and some early '70's Omegas that have gaskets that act like superglue. :lol:

    I use Blu-tack to replace casebacks, it is so much easier to pick up the back with a lump and then you can really feel the threads when you are replacing it. Then just nip it up with the caseback tool. :)
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  19. #19
    Master lysanderxiii's Avatar
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    Hex-type case backs should only be removed with a matching wrench, otherwise your begging for a scratched case back.

    As to running in, when a watch sits for a long period without running, the oil pools and changes the friction on the bearings, after running a while the oil re-distributes itself and the rate will change.

    As an experiment to prove why they are usually fast out of the box, after your watch of cleaned and reassembled, but not oiled, measure the rate. Then oil it, the movement will slow up due to the drag on the bearing due to the oil.

    Automatics usually require less "break-in" time as the moving of the watch during shipping and the occasional handling, keep the movement running and the oil properly distributed.

    Oh, and when regulating watches, be careful, brand new ETAs can show up to 20 seconds positional variation (dial up and crown down) in the elaboré grade and 30 seconds positional variation in the standard grade. (from ETA's spec sheet)

    So, if you regulated your watch to +2 on the table over-night, you might find it running -12 on your wrist.

  20. #20
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by cbh
    Regulated my first ever movement this week-end, after reading the previous thread, 2824-2 was running +20 now at +2 (and counting.......)

    Much easier than I thought, but doubt I do the same on my vintage Rolex :shock:
    Don't ever try that on a Rolex. It uses a totally different method of regulation involving fiddling with the balance wheel.

  21. #21
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leif
    Quote Originally Posted by cbh
    Regulated my first ever movement this week-end, after reading the previous thread, 2824-2 was running +20 now at +2 (and counting.......)

    Much easier than I thought, but doubt I do the same on my vintage Rolex :shock:
    Don't ever try that on a Rolex. It uses a totally different method of regulation involving fiddling with the balance wheel.
    Don't worry I'm not that brave (or stupid) :wink:

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