Watches keep great time except for when I walk?

[orangejuicy]

Hello Tech-sperts,

Here's the deal. I just got a slightly used green ceramic sub, which is keeping great time when I'm asleep, puttering around the house or at the office. However, I've been noticing that it gains a bunch of seconds, 10+, when i walk to and from the train (about a 15 minute fast walk) and it only does it during this time. Am I swinging my arms to fast or something?

I can take to RSC but I'd rather know what the problem is first. I had a watch repair guy put it on a timer and he said it was running +1 a day, which is great but again, when I walk it's jumping ahead quite a bit. If anyone can offer any insight I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,

Jordan

[rmfnla]

Can't tell you what the problem is but I can tell you swinging your arms fast or slow should not effect how your watch runs.

Service time...

[MoBe]

Originally Posted by orangejuicy

Hello Tech-sperts,

Here's the deal. I just got a slightly used green ceramic sub, which is keeping great time when I'm asleep, puttering around the house or at the office. However, I've been noticing that it gains a bunch of seconds, 10+, when i walk to and from the train (about a 15 minute fast walk) and it only does it during this time. Am I swinging my arms to fast or something?

I can take to RSC but I'd rather know what the problem is first. I had a watch repair guy put it on a timer and he said it was running +1 a day, which is great but again, when I walk it's jumping ahead quite a bit. If anyone can offer any insight I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,

Jordan

Apparently this is a documented anomaly known to happen to runners as well as guitar players and your watch will give up the gained time and return to normal on it`s own without any need for sevice.

This is not from personal experience but rather what I have read on this forum as well as Timezone.

[Rikki]

Only thing that comes to mind is possibly the balance is out of poise or balance so one side of the balance wheel is slightly heavier than the other so when you swing your arms fast the heaveier part of the balance wheel my hang longer causing the time anomaly and lowering your amplitude enough to gain time. Just a thought it seems to be gaining about 3/4 of a second per minute or there abouts. Rikki

[orangejuicy]

Thanks all for the replies. The update is that the watch was spot-on this weekend, hardly a second lost or gained but again this morning (sometime during my train ride, or my swift walk to the office) it gained another 10 seconds. Is it worth it to send to RSC? It bothers me but should I wait to see if it gets better first?

[rmfnla]

No offense, but how do you expect it to "get better..?"

[orangejuicy]

None taken. Didn't you catch the stink of desperation in my comment? Seriously though, I guess I'm just confused as to how it can run so great during a mostly active weekend and then as soon as I start my commute it gains all these seconds. I guess the only answer is to get it looked at by RSC. Sigh.

[rmfnla]

Originally Posted by orangejuicy

None taken. Didn't you catch the stink of desperation in my comment? Seriously though, I guess I'm just confused as to how it can run so great during a mostly active weekend and then as soon as I start my commute it gains all these seconds. I guess the only answer is to get it looked at by RSC. Sigh.

I suspect something inside is worn to the point that when the watch is jostled the movement skips ahead.

No way to be sure until someone qualified opens it up.

Good luck!

[Tylden Reed]

For what its worth, I suggest the watchmaker checks the balance amplitude. It may be that the mainspring is too strong causing the balance to 'kick' when the wrist is swung violently. Either a weaker mainspring or a change in barrel lubricant (the spring may not be slipping as it should!) would correct the fault. Tylden.