Since mechanical watches have been used to keep time since the 17th century, it is natural to assume that they will continue to function indefinitely. Not all situations are like this, though. Like the engine in your automobile, the parts inside of your mechanical watch need to be cleaned, oiled, and adjusted (COA) regularly for optimal performance.
Many people overestimate the difficulty of repairing a watch. To avoid damaging the watch's inner workings, all you need is a steady hand, the patience to work under magnification, and the proper instruments.
When was the last time you had your watch serviced?
Answering this question can be challenging, but think of it like you would your car. The typical service interval for mechanical watches is every five years. This is the approximate amount of time it takes for the watch's oils to degrade or dry out, or for dirt to accumulate to the point that a cleaning is necessary, under regular conditions of use.
If your modern watch cases suddenly stop being accurate, it may be time to have it serviced. The most common manifestation of this is a watch that loses time no matter how often it is wound. Let's take a peek at a high-level overview of the components of a certificate of analysis.
Dissecting the Social Change
WARNING: if you are not skilled or careful when disassembling and reassembling your watch mechanism, you may permanently damage your timepiece.
A watch must be taken apart before it can be serviced. The mainspring's tension is initially loosened. After that, we can cut off the top and bottom of the plant. Then, the watch's movement can be removed with minimal effort from the case. As a next step, the watch is inverted so that the hands can be taken off.
After detaching the hands, we flip the mechanism over to access the dial feet or screws. The watch face is removed carefully, without damaging the screws or warping the metal. We may now take out the minute and hour gears and pinions from the face of the movement.
Now we may start dismantling the movement by taking out the individual gears and springs. Extreme caution and safe storage are required for each component before it can be reassembled.
Fixing a mechanical problem by washing and oiling the gears
It is time to clean the watch and its mechanism now that they have been taken apart. The inner workings of the watch and its housing are given a thorough cleaning using either an ultrasonic cleaner or a naptha solution. Naphtha is a hazardous chemical that poses health risks if not handled appropriately. Once you're done cleaning the components, set them out to dry on a lint-free cloth or paper towel. It would be counterproductive to try to clean the mechanism at this time only to have lint and dust blown back into it.
When the watch has been completely disassembled, cleaned, and dried, the next step is to apply oil. There is a tight line to walk when oiling a movement between using enough oil to give lubrication and applying too much oil, which will attract dust and create a mess inside the watch. Because only a tiny amount of oil is used for each gem or pivot hole, oil consumption is minimal. The hairspring is a very sensitive place that should be protected against oil. The watch will stop working because the grease will cause the spring coils to clump together.
Repairing the timepiece's broken parts
After a thorough cleaning and oiling, the watch movement can be reassembled. Simply said, assembly is the opposite of disassembly. Extreme caution, however, is required. Screws holding each gear in place should be able to be tightened with minimal effort, and each gear should simply slip into place. If there is any binding or tightness, fix it right away or the watch will stop working.
Assembling the watch again allows us to return it to its clean case, where the dial and hands will be installed.
Closing Out
There is a great deal of complexity and variation in the time and expertise needed to service a watch. Though I have no trouble dismantling a basic mechanical watch, my confidence wanes as the design complexity rises. I've always been fascinated by timepieces, even after learning how to repair them from experts like the now-retired Dan Gendron.
There are still many skilled watchmakers active today, albeit the quality varies greatly amongst individuals in the field. Richard Tromba, from Jewelry By Morgan, is a personal favorite of mine. For many years, Richard has been Kansas City's most trusted source for watch repair. The best part about working with Richard is that you don't have to be in Kansas City to do so. Jewellery By Morgan accepts watch repairs from customers all over the world.