The Press., 1915-07-07
CARE OF A WATCH
Uncle Sans Experts Will Tell You
 All About It.
WINDING IS ALMOST AN ART.

1t Should Be Done Cautiously and With | the Strictest Regularity - Even the Size of the Watch Pocket May Affect
 the Accuracy of Timepiece. Do you know how to handle, carry and wind your watch properly? Do you know at what time of the day you should wind it, the pocket in which it is best to carry it and the position in which you should leave your watch at night or when it is not in use? | These are some questions which Un- cle Sam will answer for his 1OO,OOO,OOO nieces and nephews or such of them as are the possessors of pocket watches. Instructions as to the use and care of watches are given in publication is- sued by the bureau of standards. They are based on conclusions reached by scientists after careful tests and on the practical experience of some of the leading watch manufacturers of the land.
 The importance of handling a fine watch carefully and of winding it reg ularly is known to almost every one.
  watches always have varied greatly, and it is for this reason that the bu- reau of standards investigated the mat ter and prepared standard instructions which it advises owners of watches to follow.
 The bureau, in its set of rules, first cautions against allowing a watch to fall or receive severe jar, either of which is liable to injure the mecha- nism, especially in the bending of a pivot or the breaking of a jewel. The mere fall of watch to the end of its chain or the jar it may receive when the ar t1cle of clothing in which it is being carried is thrown down or dropped may cause serious injury to the move ment Even the sudden motions or jar of Jumping on or off a street car may injure it seriously.
 Likewise care should be taken to keep a watch from becoming magnet ized by proximity to electrical appa- ratus, although the troubles from this cause are being reduced by the pres ent type of construction of dynamos and motors. The watch case should be opened as seldom as possible and then only in places where there is little chance of dust getting into the move ment. A broken watch crystal should be replaced promptly, even if the watch has a hunting case.
 Concerning the importance of winds ing watch regularly the bureau, of standards states:
 h, af in fI,.a time of winding may cause considera- bic variation in the rate in some in stances Tie winding should not be done jerkily, but steadily and not too rapidly, and it's conclusion should be approached carefully to avoid injury to the spring or winding mechanism.
 'It is generally regarded as slightly better to wind the watch in the morn ing than at night, as the large varia- tions of the balance under the tight spring will perhaps give more uniform results with the movements and jar of the watch during the day than if the balance wheel were subjected to the lesser tension twelve hours after winding. The difference is, however, not so important as the regular wind- ing of the watch.
 "The 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 formity of watch's rate than is gen. orally realized. In a large pocket the watch is apt to turn to the right or left by various amounts, giving irregu- lar rates, unless one adopts some meth cd of holding it upright. Perhaps the best method to prevent watch turn ing in this way, other than actually pin ming it in place, is to keep the watch in a chamois or kid watch bag, such as may be obtained from jewellers, in correct size to fit ones pocket. The watch cannot turn in this if of tho proper size, and the friction of the bag in the pocket prevents it turning. The bug also protects the watch and keeps 1t cleaner"
 The care of the watch at night or when it is not in use is another impor- tant item concerning which the bureau of standards states:
 .'At night or when the watch is not Ill use it is desirable to leave the watch ill the same position as during the day, and preferably in some place where it will not be subject to any great temperature change. If it is de- sirable to leave the watch in a hori- zontal position during the night for the sake of compensating any considerable gaining or losing of the watch ill the pendent up position during the day the same precaution to avoid marked tenn perature changes should be observed, and the regularity with which such a change of position is carried out may be as important as regularity of wind ng.'-Washington Star.