The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-11-26
Corvallis Gazette.
Watch Watching.


Having obtained really serviceable
article, you should, in order to produce
satisfactory results, follow out these
| rules: Wind up your watch every day
at the same hour. This is generally
done at the hour we retire to rest; or,
perhaps better still, the hour we rise.
Avoid putting watch on q marble
slab or anything excessively cold. The
sudden transition from heat to cold
contracting the metal may sometimes
cause the handspring to break. In
deed, the cold coagulates the oil;
and the wheel work and pivots
working less freely affect the regularity
Of the time keeper.
When we lay our watch aside we ought
to slope it on watch case, SO as to keep
it nearly in the same position as it has in
the pocket. In laying aside your watch
be sure that it rests on its case, as by sus-
pending it free the action of the balance
may cause oscillation, which may con-
siderably interfere with its going. If
you would keep your watch clean you
must be quite sure that the case fits
firmly, and never put it into any pocket
but one made of leather. Those pockets
which are lined with cloth, cotton or cal
leo give. by the constant friction, a cer-
tain quantity of fluff, which enters most
watches, even those the cases of which
shut firmly.
If the watch is not stkeyless" one,
the key should be small, in order that
we may feel the resistance of the stop
work; then we can stop in time without
forcing anything. It is also necessary
that the square of the key should cor
respond with that of the watch. If it
be too large, it may in 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. It is,
however, always better to move the
hands forward to ADJUST your watch to
correct time.
A skillful matchmaker one day thus
reasoned with customer who complained
of his watch: sYou complained" said he,
~that your watch gains minute in
month. Well. then, you will congratu-t
late yourself when you have heard me.
You are aware that in your watch the
balance, which is the regulator, makes
five oscillations every second, which is
four hundred and thirty-two thousand
day; SO that your watch exposed to all
the yicissitudes of heat and cold, the
varying w light of the air, and the shak-
ing to which it is subjected to, has not
varied more than q minute month, or
two seconds q day. It has only acquired
with each vibration of the balance va
ration of the two hundred and sixteen
thousandth part of a second. Judge,
then. what must be the extreme perfec-
ton of the mechanism of this watch.
A watch cannot go for an indefinite
period without being repaired or clean
ed. At the expiration of a certain time
the oil dries up, dust accumulates and
wear and tear are inevitable results to
the whole machinery, the functions be-
coming irregular, and frequently ceas-
ing to act altogether. A person pos,
sessing a watch of good quality. and
desirous OF preserving it as such, should
have it cleaned every two years at least.
But care should be taken to confide
this cleaning or repairing to careful
hands; an incapable workman may do
great injury to a watch even of the
simplest construction.