Clock accuracy

[lreppond]

I took my ‘71 out for a Sunday morning spin while wearing a new watch.  First time driven in two weeks.  When I checked the clock against my iPhone and watch all were within a minute of one another.  Really remarkable for a 53 year old electromechanical clock!  Jeffrey Read from Houston cleaned and calibrated it two years ago.

[mmizesko]

Wow.  remarkable.  mine is right on....twice a day.

Mike

[mdsalemi]

Would not be too difficult considering modern miniature technology to have a dead-nuts accurate quartz clock WITH a sound chip that plays that electro-mechanical sound that so many purists love!

[AdelaidePagoda]

Great to see the Merc’s clock is working perfectly. I can’t see all the detail but I think someone may have sold you a fake Rolex?

[Cees Klumper]

Ouch! My Rolex I bought new in Palm Beach in 1991 (for $2,500 at Mayor's) was once accused of being a fake, by a Dutch Mercedes club official, but Peter van Es had my back.
A few years ago I decided to put a fake ceramic bezel on it though, since I really like the look of those.
I've had to have it serviced only once in those 33 years, but recently I noticed it is starting to run a bit slow again, so I think that means it's time for another cleaning.
My Pagoda clock is more accurate since I replaced it with a quartz example ... 

[Jordan]

My clock has always run 1 minute slow each day since I bought the car in 2009.  So every time I get in the car for a drive I reset it and know exactly how many days it's been since my last drive.

[lreppond]

Great to see the Merc’s clock is working perfectly. I can’t see all the detail but I think someone may have sold you a fake Rolex?

That’s the great thing about Rolex watches…everything thinks they’re a fake.  With all the theft of watches lately, I hope others think it’s fake too.

[mdsalemi]

...I've had to have it serviced only once in those 33 years, but recently I noticed it is starting to run a bit slow again, so I think that means it's time for another cleaning.

For my 45th birthday [quite] a few years ago, I received a NEW (from the dealer), TAG Heuer Chronograph style watch. Don't know if it meets the specs for a true chronograph, but it is a true TAG Heuer. It's quartz with a battery. After about a year, the battery died. So I took it to the dealer. The dealers are not authorized to change batteries in TAG Heuers; they have to go to the importer's service center. It takes about six weeks and as I recall, something like $150-$200. I was infuriated. I said, let me get this straight: every year, I need to give you my watch for six weeks, along with $150-$200 in order to keep it running in batteries? Silence from the dealer.

...and then I took it to a regular jeweler, and for $7.50 he changed the battery. He said TAG likes to re-seal the watch in case I take it scuba diving. Um, no.

SO, Cees my friend--expect a nice invoice from the Rolex dealer!

[Peter van Es]

I have a Tag Heuer Carrera mechanical watch, and I did swim with it, and once, on my racing bike, got drenched wearing it. I've owned it since 2004 but it has had two services, both at Tag Heuer. When you do get it under water it appears they do need more service. The shaft of the winder knob was rusted and broke about 2 years ago.

I now have it on a winder as that keeps the mechanicals in much better condition. But mechanical watches do need to be used, and need maintenance. Just like Pagodas, I suppose.

Peter

[lreppond]

I collect mechanical watches and clocks too. (I think there’s a strong correlation between those who love vintage cars and mechanical watches.)

As Peter points out both require regular maintenance for them to operate at peak level.  The Kienzle dash clocks have points that go bad roughly every 10 years.  In mechanical watches and clocks, it’s typically old oil and disintegrated gaskets that cause issues, also at 10 year intervals.  Repair work on our cars or watches is expensive. 

I also collect vintage fountain pens and typewriters.  Anything mechanical holds a particular fascination to me.  I wonder if others here feel the same way?

[Bonnyboy]

Watches and mechanical things seem natural to me to go hand in hand, however I am finding fewer and fewer people into mechanical things (and old cars).   Many of the younger people at my work don't even own a car and if they need one, they car share.   Part of this is the price of real estate / renting but the other part is much of the younger generation seems to be more interested in 20 second tik toks on their iphone.

I also collect mechanical watches (inexpensive ones) and am always looking for an Omega Speedmaster at garage sales as it gives me a good excuse to strike up a conversation.  Many times I'll meet an older guy with a mechanical watch and very quickly the conversation turns to old cars.  Conversations with younger people not so much. 

[AdelaidePagoda]

Len, great to know your watch is the real deal, always hard to tell from photos 😀

Bonnyboy, you are obviously in a very good neighbourhood if your local garage sales include Omega Seamaster watches!

[zoegrlh]

I agree with prepping, vintage cars and mechanical watches go hand and hand. My VDO clock stopped and I was desperate to find a repair shop for it. However, before I took the clock out of the dashboard, I checked the fuses in the firewall fuse box. Well low and behold, that #1 8A fuse had blown. Replaced the fuse and clock starting working again along with the map light, entrance light, signal light, and socket hand light.  Did notice another blown fuse, the #8 8A fuse for left tail light, parking light left, license plate left, fog lights right and left. So since I do “very little” night driving, I have not noticed the left tail light not working as well as the other lights on the fuse. Now what really is a shock, is that some 15 years ago I was replacing new tail light gaskets/seals a (with my SL being European, DOT at that time of import, required side marker lights, so the company that did the changes from European specs to American specs wired the side marker lights into the rear light female sockets.) well as I finished the job of new gaskets/seals I reversed the polarity of the wires, which blew the fuse when I turned on the lights. This blow must have happened years ago. And I don’t check the fuse box but rarely. Anyway all okay now. So I have an Omega Seamaster for everyday use and it gets a restoration every 5 to 6 years. Also just had my classic Rolex in the shop for it’s maintenance. Can’t send to Rolex any longer, watch is too old, so had to find a shop that is (1) reputable, and (2) is an authority of older mechanical watches. The generation Z will not be wearing machanicals, they all have Apple Watches that can be thrown away when their usefulness is over. I think that why it’s hard to get a generation x,y & z wanting to purchase this cars. They have no relation to them.