Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-21
HOW TO TREAT A WATCH.
Hints for Keeping Your Timepiece I'm
Good Order.
From Chambers Journal.

From Chambers Journal
Having obtained q really serviceable article
you should, in order to produce satisfactory re-
suits, follow out these rules: Wind MP 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 q watch on marble slab, OF
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 works and pivots working less
freely affect the regularity of the timekeeper.
When we lay our watch aside we ought to
slope it on a watch case so as to keep it nearly
in the same position it has in the pocket In
laying aside your watch be sure that it rests on
its case. BY suspending il free the action of
the balance may cause oscillation, which may
considerably interfere with its going
II you would keep your watch clean you must
be quite sure that the fits firmly and never
put it in any pocket but one made of leather.
Those pockets which are lined with cloth. cot
ton, 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 il not "keyless" one the kew
should be small, in order that we may feel the
in time without forcing anything. 1t is also
necessary that the square of the key should
correspond with that Of the watch. II it be too
large 1t 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. II is. however
always better to move the hands forward to ad-
Just your watch to correct time.
A skillful watch maker one day thus rea-
sonsd with customer who complained Of his
watch: You complained" said he, that your
watch gains a minute a month. Well, then.
you viii congratulate yourself when you have
heard me. You are aware that in your watch
the balance, which is the regulator, makes i've
oscillations every second, which is 4S2 900 a
day, so that your watch, exposed TO all the
vicissitudes which heat and cold occasion it,
the varying weight OF the air and the shaking
to which is is subjected, has not varied more
than q minute Q month or two seconds day,
It has only acquired with each vibration of the
balance q variation Of the two hundred and six
teen thousandth part Of a second Judge.
then, what must be the extrems perfection of
the mechanism of this watch"
A watch cannot 20 for an indefinite period
without being repaired or cleaned. At the ex-
piration Of . certain time the oil dries M, dust
accumulatss, and wear and tear are inevitable
results to the whole machinery, the functions
become irregular, frequently ceasing to act al
together.
4 person possessing watch Of good quality
and desirous OF preserving il - such should
have 1t cleaned every two years at least. But
care should be taken to confide the CLEANING or
repairing TO careful hands; an incapable work
man may do great injury TO Q watch even of
the simplest construction.