Bonehead Question No. 73

[Strange]

Fortis once had a watch with a pin that popped up through the dial and stopped the hands.

Seriously? That’s insane. 8^0

[Matt]

Seriously? That’s insane. 8^0

It gets worse:

https://timeandtidewatches.com/omega...m-hardy-story/

The Weems watches didn't hack. instead you hacked the bezel and fixed it in place, allowing you to the second accuracy without hacking. I'd give my right arm for the Omega, but I do have the earlier version:

[Samanator]

The Zenith El Primero does not hack either.

[Strange]

The Zenith El Primero does not hack either.

That’s a pretty spendy movement to be lacking such a basic function.

[Dan R]

That’s a pretty spendy movement to be lacking such a basic function.

The problem boils down to how does one keep from damaging the pieces parts. I am sure you saw the video of the lever coming out and stopping the balance wheel. That would take more effort on a high speed balance wheel such as on the EP. Also, as you push on the balance wheel to stop it, the pivots at each end get pushed against the jewels. This way of hacking a watch is common. I have a Hamilton 4992B pocket watch from WWII that has a steel wire that stops the balance wheel, poising screws and all.

[Strange]

You’d think someone would invent some kind of clutch that would disengage the balance wheel from the mainspring to facilitate hacking, rather than having something directly impinging on the balance wheel.

[Dan R]

You’d think someone would invent some kind of clutch that would disengage the balance wheel from the mainspring to facilitate hacking, rather than having something directly impinging on the balance wheel.

You would think. I wish I had taken pics of my UN and how it worked. The thing is, these movements do not have a whole lot of torque involved. You could put an interrupter almost anywhere in the chain of gears, but it is easier to make a cut in a plate than something more complicated. If you think about the pallet fork or the other gears, having a pin that comes up might hit a spoke of the gear. Sadly, the balance wheel seems to make the logical choice.

[OrangeSport]

VC feels the same way as Patek--my Overseas does not hack, either. It can be annoying, but it also is pretty handy if you're traveling, since you can just reset the hours without having to worry about the seconds hand.

Yes, it has its benefits. Speedmaster don't hack either (well at least the hand wound ones). In fact, only 2 of my mechanical watches do.

[Fantasio]

I've never understood the obsession for hacking mechanicals. They're off some seconds anyway already by the next day.

That’s a pretty spendy movement to be lacking such a basic function.

[Samanator]

That’s a pretty spendy movement to be lacking such a basic function.

Seiko has a hacking mechanism on their hi beat movements. So it seems like something Zenith should have addressed by now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro