Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-10-28
Wahhes-How to Select and How to
49,. -- Care of Them.


buying a watch. In most cases, and fol
very obvious reasons, this piece of busi.
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 may 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 he 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 a watch: First, while adhering to
taste and elegance, choose watch thick
enough. In 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
space already too limited; though here
it may be observed that complicated
watches, such as chronometers, repeat
ers, etc., are now brought to high
state of perfection, at, of course, 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 60 well. A watch procured
for the design of its case may be covered
or set with chasing or gems; it is then
simply jewel; but that whichis bought
for It's utility ought to be as plain as
possible, and this plainness itself is, as a
rule, a 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 a 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 watch on a mar
BILE slab or near anything excessively
cold. The sudden transition from heat
to cold contracting the metal, may
sometimes cause the handspring to
break. Indeed, the cold coagulates the
oil and the wheel-work and pivots
less freely, affects the regularity
OF the timekeeper. When we lay our
watch aside we ought to slope it on
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-
5iderably interfere with its going. If
you would keep your watch clean, you
must be quite sure that the ease fits firm
y, and never put it in any pocket but '
one made of leather. Those pockets I
which are lined with cloth, cotton or !
calico give, by the constant friction, a l
pertain quantity of fluff, which enters 9
most watches, even those the cases of :
which shut firmly. If the watch is not :
! "keyless" one, the key should be !
mail, in order that we may feel the re- 7
istance of the stop-work then we can
top in time without forcing anything.
t is also necessary that the square Of =
he key should correspond with that of =
he watch. If it be too large, it may in =
, short time cause the wind-up square Il
o suffer from undue wear and tear, the II
ectifying of which is rather expensive, !!
The hands of an ordinary watch can be y
urned backward without much risk. o
t is, however, always better to move D
he hands forward to adjust your watch It It
0 correct time. D
Watches, by reason of their fragile P
obstruction, and the variations to 81
yhich they are liable, can, after all, only u
btain q limited perfection in their per {,
therefore we must not be as u
1nished to find them subject to certain =
ariations. These variations, which are II
asy to correct, need not prejudice the a q,
uality of watch, as will be proved by v
le following example: Two watches, Il
e will suppose, have been put to the
lme time by an excellent regulator.
t the end of month, one Of these
atches is a quarter of an hour too fast; Y
le other is exactly right to time. To S
hich of these two watches would we W
i've the preferenceP Perhaps to the W
ne which is exactly right. But in ol
laking such a choice, we nevertheless ct
cur the risk of abandoning a good tt
atch for bad one. The first watch gi
rs, we assume, gained thirty seconds "
ay; and according to this rate, it has in
aimed quarter of an hour in thirty tn
ays What must be done to make this in
ateh 90 wellP Alter the regulator in sa