The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-11-06
Watehes-HOw to Select and How to
Take Care of Them.

we nave always observed the embar-
rassment under which persons labor in
buying watch. In most cases, and for
very obvious reasons, this piece of bust
ness assumes serious proportions. In
fact it is not a mere jewel or toy, which
fashion or caprice may cause us to con-
tinually change. but rather faithful or
devoted servant, which is long to be
attached to our persons.
The matchmaker to whom we NAV 90
when purchasing watch should possess
two essential qualities = honesty and
knowledge; honesty alone affords no
sufficient guarantee. In fact, the ven
der who has not the requisite experience
to be a judge of watch is compelled to
trust to others, who may deceive him;
thus ne may deceive you while deceiving
himself.
The following advice may prove SER
viceable to those who have to rely on
their own unassisted Judgment in select
ing watch: First, while adhering to
taste and elegance, choose watch thick
enough. In a watch too thin or too lit
tie, the parts are too feeble, and have
not sufficient space to work well.
Watches as large as a penny piece, or
those that are about as thin as four
penny piece, are mere experiments of
skill, which should rather be regarded
as masterpieces of patience, from which
there is more vanity than utility to be
derived. Second, avoid in watches that
construction which fashion has often
prescribed, but which good sense con-
demns-such as those that point the
days of the month, and so forth. These
extra pieces necessitate additional parts,
which occasion friction, and incumber a
space already too limited; though here
it may be observed that complicated
watches, such as chronometers, repeat
ers, ETC., are now brought to a high
state of perfection, at, of course, a cor
respondingly high cost. Third, do not
allow yourself to be attracted BY the
supposed advantages of new escape
ments. In watches for ordinary pur-
poses, the lever and the horizontal es-
opponents are generally adopted as
giving the best results. Fourth, the
matchmaker who is conscientious will
point out to you the limits beyond which
a watch ceases to have the qualities
necessary to go well. A watcn procured
for the design of its case may be covered
or set with chasing or gems; it is then
simply a jewel; but that which is bought
for It's utility ought to- be as plain as
possible, and this plainness itself is, as a
rule, distinguishing characteristic of
its good quality.
We will now say few words as to
what we ought to do, and what we
ought to avoid, to preserve watch in
good condition. Having obtained
really serviceable article, you should, in
order to produce results, follow out
these rules: Wind up your watch ev-
cry day at the same hour. This is gen
orally done at the hour we retire to rest
or perhaps, better still, at the hour we
rise. Avoid putting a watch on mar
bic slab or near anything excessively
cold. The sudden transition from heat
to cold contracting the metal, NAV
sometimes cause the handspring to
break. Indeed, the cold coagulates the
0l; and the wheel-work and piyots
working less freely, affects the regularity
OF the timekeeper. When we Law our
watch aside we ought to slope it on a
watch-case, so as to keep it nearly in
the same position as it has in the pock-
ct. In laying aside your watch be sure
that it rests on its case, as by suspend
ing it free, the action of the balance
may cause oscillation, which NAV con-
siderably interfere with its going. If
you would keep your watch clean. YOU
must be quite sure that the case fits firm
ly, and never put it in any pocket but
one made of leather. Those pockets
which are lined with cloth, cotton or
calico give, by the constant friction, a
certain quantity of fluff, which enters
most watches, even those the cases of
which shut firmly. If the watch is not
a "keyless' one, the key should be
small, in order that we may feel the re-
sistance OF the stop-work; then we can
stop in time without forcing anything.
1t is also necessary that the square of
the key should correspond with that of
the watch. If it be too large, it may in
a short time cause the wind-up square
to suffer from undue wear and tear, the
rectifying of which is rather expensive.
The hands of an ordinary watch can be
turned backward without much risk.
1t is, however, always better to move
the hands forward to adjust your watch
to correct time.
Watches, by reason of their fragile
construction, and the variations to
which they are liable, can, after all, only
obtain limited perfection in their per-
formance; therefore we must not be as
tonished to find them subject to certain
variations. These variations, which are
easy to correct, need not prejudice the
quality of watch, as will be proved by
the following example: Two watches,
we will suppose, have been put to the
same time by an excellent regulator.
At the end of month, one Of these
watches is q quarter of an hour too fast;
the other is exactly right to time. To
which of these two watches would we
give the preference? Perhaps to the
one which is exactly right. But in
making such choice, we nevertheless
incur the risk of abandoning a good
watch for bad one. The first watch
has, we assume, gained thirty seconds a
day; and according to this rate, it has
gained quarter of an hour in thirty
days. What must be done to make this
watch go wellP Alter the regulator in
side from fast to slow, or get a careful
matchmaker to do it for you, thereby
altering its daily rate. Let us now adj