Painninja
New member
I have a 30 yo mechanical watch that gains 7 secs a day. If I remember when I set it, I can work out the “right” time. Certainly good enough for my poor skills with a sextant.
Playing with mechanical deck watches
- Thread starter Kukri
- Start date
Buck Turgidson
Well-known member
Interesting thread. Iv'e just checked my watches which were set on the 23 June before my last sailing adventure.
Both are electric.
Breitling aerospace has lost 14 seconds. Casio 96H has lost 4 seconds.
nice.
Both are electric.
Breitling aerospace has lost 14 seconds. Casio 96H has lost 4 seconds.
nice.
Stemar
Well-known member
I've had a couple of them over the years. Great to be accurate to a fraction of a second, but would they still pick up that signal mid-Atlantic? If not, they probably won't lose or gain more than any other quartz watch, but you've no idea how much or which way. As for the battery, I think it's a standard coin battery (3032?), so not too bad, but most places that fit them won't guarantee it'll still be waterproof afterwards.
Juan Twothree
Well-known member
I've got a Casio G-shock, that is also set by a radio signal. Solar charged, so never needs opening.
I assume it wouldn't get the time signal mid-Atlantic, as it certainly doesn't in the Canary Islands.
newtothis
Well-known member
There are watches that will get their time signals from satellites, but if we're presuming a zombie apocalypse is preventing GPS from working, hence the need for old school nav, then they probably won't work either.
capnsensible
Well-known member
From experience, I can say that we all know gps will work, but the kit you got on board may wrap it's hand in. In mid middle of nowhere, a couple of handhelds to back the boat one is better than one handheld......?
mjcoon
Well-known member
Those 4-digit batteries have a size standard. <diameter in mm: 2 digits><thickness in mm x 10: 2 digits>. So 3032 would be much chunkier than any I've used...
mjcoon
Well-known member
And best have those that use all the different national constellations as well as GPS...
Kukri
Well-known member
I think the practical answer is to have a couple of hand held GPS receivers, possibly in the form of mobile phones, in a tin box, which will act as a Faraday cage in the event of a lightning strike. Or ,indeed, a zombie apocalypse...
But it can be fun to play with a sextant, a long wave radio receiver, a deck watch, plotting charts, almanac, tables and a Walker log!
But it can be fun to play with a sextant, a long wave radio receiver, a deck watch, plotting charts, almanac, tables and a Walker log!
Slowboat35
Well-known member
Surely given a radio (or any other device that can get a time signal (and almost any transistor radio does that unless mid ocean, in which case get a cheap short wave reciever) you need nothing more complex than a £15 Russian Zenith stopwatch or even an Argos noddy watch to extend your timekeeping 'til the time of the next sight.
When, in this day and age (or for the previous eight or nine decades) has there been a genuine need for a self-regulating on-board chronometer capable of weeks or months' independant accuracy on anything but an operational submarine in wartime?
ps.
Kukri, what a fabulous display of gorgeous precision instruments! I'm all envy!
When, in this day and age (or for the previous eight or nine decades) has there been a genuine need for a self-regulating on-board chronometer capable of weeks or months' independant accuracy on anything but an operational submarine in wartime?
ps.
Kukri, what a fabulous display of gorgeous precision instruments! I'm all envy!
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zoidberg
Well-known member
Intrigued, so had a peep on eBay...
A similar 'Ulysse Nardin' is in sale there for £2750.....
Unused Royal Navy Chronometer Deck Watch by Ulysse Nardin c1940 | eBay
You can get a boat for that.
penberth3
Well-known member
2032 is a common size.
Kukri
Well-known member
Mine cost a good deal less, because it’s owner had dropped it! These watches don’t have incablocs - they are not “shockproof”. I knew a watchmaker who could re-staff it, and he did, but he found that the balance spring had also been affected so I have been looking for a specialist who could do that - I have now found one. so it is off to him to get that sorted, after which it should behave itself once more.
The RN had three grades:
HS1 - box chronometers with detent escapement, eg Mercer, Hamilton Model 21.
HS2 - chronometer watches with lever escapement, issued to submarines, torpedo boats, etc., where the motion was too violent for box chronometers, as primary navigational time keepers, eg Ulysse Nardin, Hamilton Model 22
HS3 - deck watches proper, also called comparing watches, used to carry time from the chronometer to the deck where the sights were being taken, eg EMT, and Hamilton model 4992B
... and that’s far enough down the rabbit hole...?
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zoidberg
Well-known member
Quite fascinating.....
Thanks.
Thanks.
rotrax
Well-known member
Me too!
I have several clockwork watches from an Omega to a 1950's Seiko wind up, a direct copy of the Omega. I believe the Seiko to be superior. And a motorsports stopwatch used on classic long distance motorcycle trials. It is mounted in a waterproof casing.
First Mates father gave me his fathers Waltham gold pocket watch, English case, very fine and in perfect working order. This will be passed down the family line.
It has some pawnbrokers marks inside the case from the hard times of the depression.........................................
Birdseye
Well-known member
In a rush of blood to the head, I bought SWMBO a Rolex for a wedding anniversary. Not new but a "classic". I should have known better. Chronomtere - Ha!. Perpetual - Ha! . Just like the classic Omega Seamaster I have.
Anyway, its decorative. She is happy. And she is usually late for things anyway.
Anyway, its decorative. She is happy. And she is usually late for things anyway.
Kukri
Well-known member
The Seiko probably is superior! The marks in the case may be repairers’ “scratches” - repairers usually add these for their own reference when they next see the watch.
Are they something like this? This is the back of the inner case of a pair cased verge watch - the lion passant tells us it is sterling silver, the anchor tells us it was made in Birmingham, the style of the letter P tells us it was made in 1813, the case maker was “HW” and the repairer’s scratch, to the left of the anchor, reads (I think!) “MW 23-11”
Another example, added by a repairer to whom I sent this watch in June 2016:
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rotrax
Well-known member
I bought - perhaps more accurate to say allowed HER to buy - a Sexton Blake Rolex for First Mate from a 'looky looky' man on the esplanade in Torreveija. 15 Euros. Jeweled edges, gold not rubbed off yet.
Looks great, works great, after five years we can deep six it now and say it has been great value. Two cheap battery replacements in this time, one recently.
PS - Cockney rhyming slang.
Sexton Blake = Fake.
rotrax
Well-known member
I'll get it out of the safe and take a look.
FIL did assure me they were pawnbrokers marks. One from a Clapham Junction firm and one from a Brixton firm.
They would put secret marks inside so if the watch was a regular visitor they could tell they were not getting a Sexton Blake. Dodgy buggers would put a proper one in a few times, always redeem it and then slip in a worthless one and never be seen again.
The last bloke to clean and regulate them was Speedo Ken, the guy who did our chronometric speedometers.
Before he retired he was I/C the instrument shop at AWRE Aldermaston. Before electronics a Scientist would indent for 20 stop watches accurate to 100th of a second.
He would test and regulate a hundred and give them the most accurate twenty.
Sadly, poor Ken suffered a stroke and is unable to do watches any more.
Many Vintage Bugatti's are running around with Kens speedo's and Tacho's in their dashboards. A local guy would get replica Jaeger faces made and Ken would recondition and assemble the Smiths motorcycle ones into a very fair looking Bugatti ones.
We do miss his excellent work.
Praxinoscope
Well-known member
just a comment on this thread I thought I would try an experiment with my 53 year old Rolex Submariner, earlier this year during lockdown.
Left on bed-side with winder facing downwards, gains 3 seconds overnight ( 8 hours,)left with winder facing upwards, loses 3 seconds over night (8 hrs) worn 24 hours a day gains 1 second over 5 days. Checked using the time signal on Radio 4.
Left on bed-side with winder facing downwards, gains 3 seconds overnight ( 8 hours,)left with winder facing upwards, loses 3 seconds over night (8 hrs) worn 24 hours a day gains 1 second over 5 days. Checked using the time signal on Radio 4.
