The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1892-09-28
TfEial1Ig$sss%nLE).e
WEDNESDAY. SEPT %. 1892.
A SPRING IN A WATCH
AN IMPORTANT BIT OF STEEL THAT
FREQUENTLY BREAKS.

watehmakers Say That Sudden Changes
of Weather Are Dangerous to These
Uncertain Pieces of BTechanism--Main-
springs In Expensive Watches.
"Mainsprings are very much like peo-
pie" said Broadway matchmaker the
other day. They are as susceptible to
extreme degrees OF heat and cold as
human beings. When the thermometer
is lowering around the freezing point or
dancing away up in the nineties the lit
tie handspring will give up in disgust
and uncoil itself and die, just as men
succumb to freezing or sunstroke"
This uncertain piece of mechanism is
supposed to be adjusted to meet the
various degrees Of temperature, but
when the change is very great and
comes with short notice there is nothing
that can prevent them from swapping
They are made in Switzerland Of the
very finest quality Of steel, absolutely
fawless. Very often the matchmaker
can detect bad spring before putting
It In the watch, either by its color or
the softness Of its spring. These have
been too highly tempered in the making,
and instead OF being subjected to merely
red beat the fire has been brought to
White heat, thus weakening the strength
od the metal. The finest watches that are
handled by reliable dealers are put
through cooking and freezing" proc
% before they are sold, Cor the purpose
= tssting their reliability In all temper
kkures.
Tho wstch Is first placed In little
anetsl bog, which is made alright.
Thcn a strong gas fame Is turned ON
the under surface OF the box and Il kept
there Cor two or thres hours, 30 that the
ysbch is so hot at the end OF that time
that q could not be touched with the
bare hand. From this 1t is immedi-
steiy taken and put into another mo-
tellic box which is buried In ice There
the costly watch Is allowed to freeze
for an equal length of time, when its
torture ceases and the examination Is
made. II during this excessive test the
watch appears to have licked merrily
% without deviating q fractional part
q second 1t Is placed back In the case
apd marked guaranteed for two years"
The handspring is the first piece Of
nechaniEm that succurnbs to the test
Fit survives nothing else need be feared.
Mainsprings are, however, about the
oply part of watch that the jeweler
cannot successfully diagnose. They can
guarantee any of the numberless little
wheels or pivots or balances that go to
make up the anatomy of the watch, but
the handspring has as yet baffied the
most skilled makers of watches of all
countries. 1t Is not so much the severe
extremes Of the weather that prove fatal
to the spring as 1t is the process of
changing from hot to cold, or vice versa
Like the human frame, If the ribbonlike
little coil Of steel can Withstand the eff
fects of this change 1t may be considered
proof against breaking when the change
TO normal weather comes.
Many people who have been possessors
OF new watches but short time come
into the dealers with blood in their eyes,
declaring that they have paid an enor-
nous price for the timepiece and the
handspring has broken after only a
weeks use
THAT is Hothing, remarked the jewel
er. 1--WE have them snap in our case
before the watch has ever been shown
for sale" Others imagine that they
might have wound the watch toe. tight.
but this does not harm 1t. 1t Is rather
the jerxy, hurried winding that will
eventually tell on the temper of the
metal. Every good stem winder has q
stop placed In the stem, which prevents
the winding too tight.
Damp weather has an Ill effect on
mainsprings, and In England they do
not as rule last as long as in this coun-
try. A severe thunder and lightning
storm also frequently proves disastrous
TO the durability Of the spring. A dealer
who took In seyenty-ntne watches on one
day said that one summer on day i'm
mediately following q terrific electrical
storm there were twenty-one watches
brought into his store withinrive hours
for new mainsprings. The cost Of new
handspring Is the small part Of making
such repair. II Is the putting them In,
ne labor expended, that costs. Il costs
from twelve to fifteen dollars to put
fhainstrins In the Jurgensen watch and
; Little Less IN Patek Philippe, while
b cheaper American make Il may
cost only fifty cents or dollar.
A man purchased $500 Jurgensen
from leading dealer several years ago,
and shortly after be left for tour
sfound The world. He was gone year,
snd when he returned he went back DO
De dealer with his watch and CON-
plaaned: "Here's Q watch paid ron
600 for o year ago, and while was
travelling abroad 1t lost two minutes.
You guaranteed Il, and ! want you to
mako Il good" The watch was placed
b the window with this card be-
sfds II; es4aa.
This watch lost only two minutes in
t Il 81, tp . sTaH8a Il 1A So %nrld pqe
It is said that one bar Of iron costing
q win produce e25o, 900 worth Of main.
springs
Some springs are made In this country
b the manufacturers Of cheap watches
: These springs are several feet long and
take nearly two minutes to wind up. =
New York World.
His Excuse.
Patient-Great Scott, doctor, that's
:. ~ 49, Iii =