zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: John,
: Would you happen to know if it is really
: possible for a watch that runs a bit slow in
: the beginning to speed up after settling in?
: I thought that it's usually the other way
: around.

My own experiences with my watches has been that they have all slowed down a bit after settling in. Some have run exactly the same since day one, while others have slowed down if they initially ran a bit fast. However, my watchmaker tells me that it is certainly possible for some watches to gradually settle in and gain time, mainly as the lubricants begin to loosen up. It all depends on the watch, the movement, and the degree and type of lubrication, but the example he gave me was this:

Consider a roller coaster at an amusement park. Early in the morning the rails are still covered with grease to keep the ride running smoothly. As the day wears on the grease spreads out more evenly over the rails (as the coaster continues to run all over the track all day). By the end of the day, the coaster will move a bit faster since the grease is now more evenly spread out along the entire rail path, not coagulated in one or several particular areas. The same thing can happen to a watch that needs to have its lubricant "broken in".

: It's really a shame that there's no moderator
: for this forum anymore. I just hope that
: Andy will get tired soon.

I totally agree that we need a moderator to keep these idiots from being a nuisance. I will say, though, that it says a lot about the great people on this forum that we have "moderated ourselves" since Derek's unfortunate departure.