Mechanical alarm/alarmdate complication maintenance
One watch I am aiming forward to get is a Technos Alarmdate Automatic (not the one on the picture of the post but it got a similar dial), and I have been interested since after doing a bit of research. From what I understand, the alarm, or generally the "alarmdate" complication on automatic watches popped around the early 70s, just before the Quartz era came along, and only few models nowadays have watches that perform like this.
But after talking with some users about buying vintage watches, I had a realization: maybe I am risking something that is not an easy fix, especially since they aren't commonplace anymore. My questions about maintenance:
- If I happen to need to service one Alarm/Alarmdate automatic watch, is that something that any watchmaker could work around, or it would need a watchmaker that specifically knows how to repair them?
I have seen some disassembly videos on mechanical alarm watches, and (although I don't get much the engineering details) they do have a clear different design inside their movement to regular models, and I fear this could be intimidating to the watchmakers at my reach to even attempt to open and repair them; - Can I be assured that they have equal, or similar enough, care requirements like any standard automatic watch, or do they have any sort of hidden caveats about how to maintain them?
I am curious about collecting watches with unique features, may it be a function packed monster - like Casio digital models - or features that are not obvious to find around. Still, I am still new to...
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Best advice? Get to know a local watchmaker.
That said, most watchmakers are mechanically inclined enough to know how to put back together the thing they just took apart.
The biggest issue with maintenance of a vintage piece isn't the experienced watchmaker never having seen a particular non-ubiquitous movement, it's the potential lack of parts.
This is why the in-house movement craze right now is so frustrating to a good chunk of enthusiasts.
All of us men need this watch to show our wives.
"Sex day, hon. Watch said so."
All of us men need this watch to show our wives.
"Sex day, hon. Watch said so."
I love those Portuguese day abbreviations...too bad there aren't 69 days in a month 😉
All of us men need this watch to show our wives.
"Sex day, hon. Watch said so."
Aw come on, folks! 😂 "Sex" stands for "Sexta-feira", Friday. I will never escape the silly jokes from you English speakers...
(Thinking about it, "sex day" on a Friday just makes the jokes worse 😭)
Best advice? Get to know a local watchmaker.
That said, most watchmakers are mechanically inclined enough to know how to put back together the thing they just took apart.
The biggest issue with maintenance of a vintage piece isn't the experienced watchmaker never having seen a particular non-ubiquitous movement, it's the potential lack of parts.
This is why the in-house movement craze right now is so frustrating to a good chunk of enthusiasts.
Luckily for me, the watchmaker I wanna buy the watch from is the watchmaker I got some friendship with, at least enough interaction that I can ask some more geeky collection requests. I can ask if he would be comfortable to tinker with it if I ever need to service, or if other watchmakers are inclined to service it as well
Aw come on, folks! 😂 "Sex" stands for "Sexta-feira", Friday. I will never escape the silly jokes from you English speakers...
(Thinking about it, "sex day" on a Friday just makes the jokes worse 😭)
Brilliant! Love that!!