The Washington times., 1915-01-25
Testing American Watches to
See Il They Come Up to
Proper Standard.
By J. r. H1LDEBRAND.

Uncle Sam has launched pure watch
movement Henceforth II your time Is
adulterated It 10 your own fault.
Out at the Bureau OF standards a
unique series OF tests of watches has
been going on for months. but the first
results have Just been tabulated and
the announcement that any watch may
| he tested at Uncle SANS timepiece
laboratory has just been made.
And lest any friends grow suspicious
over your missing watch. while the
bureau experts are putting 1t In cold
storage. In a hot house. and placing 1t
on its back, upside down and In other
unusual positions to SEQ II II stays on
receipt for i. After the test is com
pleted he will hand you a certificate to
show whether your watch is in Class A.
Class b, or whether IT iails TO- class
Certificate With Purchase.
Better yet. It soon will be possible.
according to bureau plans. to ask for
a certificate when you buy q watch.
Manufa cturers already are arranging to
| send higher priced watches to the
Bureau of Standards. so that they may
use the certificates thus gained as an
inducement to customers.
But this is strictly a proletarian
cerned. He 10 not trying to improve
the breed of watches at the expense OF
the average man who must have one
SO his next step will be to collect a
how they stack up with the more ex-
pensive kind.
"A cheap watch has the advantage OF
being less liable to injury" explained
bureau. who has been conducting the
tests. mot only a fall. but a Jar may
injure a more delicately made watch
To drop 1t the length Of the chain, or
to throw IT aside IN ones vest rh whes, 81
one Of the delicate parts.
Keep Better Time.
"Of course. the more expensive
watches. being Of more DELICATE mechan-
ism, usually keep better time. but We
hope In our next tests to see just how
nearly the cheaper watches come UP to
our standards."
Not only will Uncle Sam test your
watch. but he Is about to publish and
distribute a circular, entitled Measure.
ment Of Time and Tests Of Ttmepieces.
setting forth results Of recent tests, and
giving careful directions about the care
rying. adjustment. placing when not In
use. and even suggesting which pocket
Is best to carry your watch In.
For example. In discussing the proper
carrying Of watch, the bulletin states
''1he pocket in which one carries his
| watch, the size of the pocket, and the
kind Of watch chain or fob used have
a more important effect on the uni
fcrmity of a watch's rate than is gen
orally realized. The temperature OF
the watch in different pockets will vary
considerably and the amount Of mo-
tion and jar to which the watch would
be subject would differ. For instance.
watch carried in the upper coat
pocket would generally be at a lower
temperature and would be more fire.
qrently disturbed, as we'll as being held
In more various positions irreYularly,
than in other pockets
Should Be Wound Regularly.
Among the other directions set forth
by this bulletin are the following:
Wind your watch regularly. Even
the delay of an hour In the time OF
winding may cause considerable varia-
| ton in the rate In some instances.
Do not wind your watch jerkily.
| Wind It, steadily and not too rapidly.
To insure proper time-keeping, q
| watch should be worn upright. This
can be attained by the use of a chamois
bag made to At the watch exactly.
At night, when the watch Is not II