Question on date change!!!
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Starting my journey with loving watches!
Dunedin, New Zealand
Member since
Last active: 5 hrs ago
6.69” / 17.00 cm
Actually it's between 9PM and 3 AM and it most certainly does.The mechanical aspect of the "instant date change at 12"actually starts well before 12 and ends a couple hours after. You only seee it snap over but there's stuff going on under the hood to bring that about.
Not all watches have a built in instant change at 12, either way good rule of thumb not to change it between 9-3, or at least 10-1. Better yet, just buy no date. :-)
I feel like the 9-3 O'clock issue really only applies to ETA movements.
I once used the quick set by accident on an ETA 2824, which has an instant change. Nothing appears to have been broken by that but after that incident the date didn't move for 48h (instead of 24) afterwards, so it definitely did "something" to it.
Generally as a rule, I set the date when hour and minute hands are in the bottom half of the dial. That way you are 100% safe on any movement I can think of. I set it to the day before and then turn the hour hand forward until I hit the time I am looking to set.
Actually it's between 9PM and 3 AM and it most certainly does.The mechanical aspect of the "instant date change at 12"actually starts well before 12 and ends a couple hours after. You only seee it snap over but there's stuff going on under the hood to bring that about.
Oh wow thanks!!! Really appreciate that explanation!! I never knew that. ! 🫡
Yeah, the power to spring that date wheel forward is built up over time. The mechanism is engaged for a decent amount of time. The 9pm-3am thing is intentionally very conservative and generalized to keep people from damaging their watches, sort of regardless of what movement they have. I like margins of error and simple rules, so I just avoid 9pm-3am date changes. Plus, if I really want to change the date ahead a day or three at the end of the month, I can just change the time. For one day, just set the time forward 24hrs. For more than one day, set it forward a few hours until it's safe, set the date ahead, and then finish setting the time.