Since I do have the correct box for my E.M.T. British Navy Deck watch, I display it in a small glass dome case on my desk. I keep it running most of the time. When it is running there is a tiny but perceptible swinging back and forth in synchrony with the movement. It keeps excellent time, which I verify routinely against my to my N.I.S.T. generated computer time. My question is, is this constant counter motion to the movement in any way potentially harmful to the vintage mechanism?

Very interested to see replies to your post Walter,
I love to have several of my pieces hanging on a little board that I cobbled up and to watch them all "jiggling" around is quite something.
Thank you for posing the question.

In my experience a watch is not keeping time when hanging free. If it swings, it will tend to go faster. I'm not sure why, but I think that some of the momentum of the balance is transferred to make the whole watch swing, and that will cause a lower amplitude and/or higher frequency to the balance. I have this display case on the wall with small hooks for the watches to hang from, and almost every one of them swings more or less. It would be interesting to hear others experience on this matter.

Regards, Krister.

The movement will not harm the watch. And it's a nice way to display and enjoy your historic watch

Hi Walter,

I only have limited experience with watch repair and could stand to be corrected by a more learned collector, but what I have deducted during this time is the oscillations of the watch swinging when mounted the way yours is will cause wear to the bow (same as wear from carrying on a chain). When leaving them on a very smooth surface such as a bedside table, they will oscillate wearing the back of the case, naturally this occurs over a period of years. Also when laying flat on a smooth surface or hanging like yours' in the display case normally the watch oscillation tends to utilise some of the force created by the mainspring. Also the movement (or swinging) of the watch can cause a possible counteraction against the balance oscillation, which normally affects the timekeeping as well.

Bila

Thanks all!

Absent existing in a frictionless environment with zero gravity, I accept the fact that use will eventually cause wear. I also believe (and I think physics demands) that the energy diverted from the watch’s power source or oscillating mechanism that causes the watch to swing back and forth-- however slightly-- should, effect performance. My concern was that the persistent counter movement of swinging back and forth might eventually damage fragile or sensitively balanced parts; so Greg’s comment is the one I like best

On the other hand, Bila’s and Krister’s comments got me to thinking; boxed chronometers are gimbaled in the pitch and roll axis only, not the yaw axis. Chronometer user manuals warn transporters carrying running chronometers not to make quick left, right or circular turns, as doing so may actually stop the chronometer. So, does anyone know if-- in their development history (such as in military air craft) – if chronometers have ever been gimbaled in all three axis and if so, did they perform properly?

Mason

The way I think of it is that these watches were designed to withstand all kinds of shaking and swinging and jolting as they were being carried or while mounted on a ship or in an aircraft. A tiny bit of jiggling seems far tamer to me.

My bigger concern about running these antiques is to be sure they have had a recent professional cleaning and lubricating. Lubricants and microdust and micro metal shavings from gears constantly turning against each other can begin to turn into a nasty abrasive mix in a matter of a few years that will wear out your original parts more quickly than if you keep it in a proper cleaned/lubricated condition or if you do not run it at all.

Very good point Jim, I have them professionally serviced before running them for any period of time. For example, because I don’t know the last time it was serviced (and because I want to display it running) I am currently having a 19th century chronometer that I am fortunate enough to own professionally disassembled cleaned and reassembled. It’s a bit pricey, but worth it in the long run because there is something almost mystical about seeing (and hearing) these majestic old devices, once again, ticking away in the manner intended by their maker.