Hi, an online seller posted a list of

"Recommendations for the owner of vintage watches". One of these recommendations was "When adjusting the hands of your watch, move them in a clockwise direction only. Counter-clockwise adjustments may damage the movement. If you must adjust counter-clockwise make it for small adjustments only (i.e. for minutes, NOT hours)."

I would very much like to know whether there is any truth to this statement? Thank-you, Greg

Hey Greg this has been discussed previously Earlier post

Thanks for the link Robert. Very interesting! Greg

So let me see if I have this correct. This only pertains to single roller watches and there is absolutely no harm in adjusting a double roller watch counter-clockwise?

Greg, properly adjusted single and double roller watches with no "complications" (alarms, timers or chiming hours, quarters and minutes, etc) can be time set either direction.

Most are better set clockwise, but a few are better set counter-clockwise, depending on the setting wheels under the dial which had many different layouts which "suffer" some backlash either one way or the other.

The only risk with single roller watches may come from a pallet fork safety pin a little out of adjustment, allowing the watch to easily "overbank" for any number of reasons including setting the time counter-clockwise.

Lets look at it another way

Go ahead and adjust them clockwise and get in the habit of it, in fact while you are about it, run them thru 24/36/48 hours, that would be 2 complete rounds for every 24 hours. Slow down at the seconds bit and let the hour hand and the seconds hand pass one another, check with your loupe for enough clearance between the two hands.

All your old time watchmakers would have told you to set your time clockwise and some would even say not to back wind when winding the watch I know because I have personally heard it many times and because I'm an old guy



regards,
bb

Thanks very much David and Buster. I think I'll play it safe get into the habit of setting all my watches clockwise.

Greg, I totally agree with Buster. I was referring to the HUMONGOUS number of parts some watches used in setting mechanisms which dO from time to time have reverse backlash meaning the hands would have to "wait" a few minutes for the wheels and gears to catch up to them after setting. This Elgin is a prime example . . . even though it ends up liking to be set clockwise anyway . . .