Joe Michaels
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Location
- Shandaken, NY, USA
I have been wearing Hamilton 992 railroad pocket watches for many years, carrying them in the watch pockets of my pants. Recently, one of my Hamilton watches, which I wore most often, began to keep time very erratically. I had had this watch worked upon by Historic Timekeepers, Inc- a shop I recommend highly. Dewey Clark, the horologist, had made some new parts for this Hamilton 992 (after my wife accidentally dropped it on a hard ceramic tile floor, breaking the balance wheel and staff). The watch was in first class running order when I got back from that repair, but soon began keeping time erratically. My other Hamilton 992 was not far behind it, and ceased running altogether. I sent both of these watches to Dewey Clark, the owner of Historic Timekeepers, Inc. Aside from some other issues (like a local watchmaker who put the wrong sized jewels during a previous repair and glued jewels in), Dewey Clark emailed me to ask if I was working around strong magnetic fields. He had found parts of the watches had become magnetized to the point that it affected how they kept time.
The idea of strong magnetic fields is a given as I had worked for many years in a large hydroelectric plant and was around energized generators and transformers and high voltage switchgear and bus work. However, I had retired over 4 years ago. This got me to thinking as to what else might have caused the magnetization of the watch works. I realized I do a good bit of DC SMAW (stick) welding, and the power source is often an old Lincoln engine-generator set. This has a DC generator with plenty of copper in its windings. I am not one to drag welding lead any more than I have to, so keep leads short and weld close to the machine when fabbing stuff on the bench. I also have a few turns of short leads coiled on the ground, so this would be another source of magnetic fields. I did not think occasional exposure to the magnetic fields from dial indicator bases and a surface grinder chuck were enough to cause the problem.
In any event, Dewey Clark has repaired and adjusted my two railroad watches. They are now "in Rolex territory" to use Mr. Clark's terms for their accuracy. He advised me to keep the watches clear of strong magnetic fields in the future. The result is I will not be wearing my Hamilton railroad watches when I am doing shop work, particularly welding. I pass this along to anyone who wears a mechanical watch and is either doing welding, around welding, or around anything else which might have a strong magnetic field. Things like larger generators, large motors, transfomers and heavy power conductors all would be likely sources of this sort of magnetic field that would be strong enough to affect the works of a watch.
My own solution was to buy a cheap electronic pocket watch on Amazon. For 25 bucks, I have a smaller open-face pocket watch in a plain stainless case. It keeps excellent time and I am not concerned about exposing it to magnetic fields. I am keeping the Hamilton Railroad watches to wear when going out and about.
Those are heirloom watches, and finding competent watchmakers to work on them was getting impossible. Thanks to this website, I was referred to Historic Timekeepers, Inc. Mr. Clark has a micro machine shop and does some incredible work, making parts as needed and doing first class work. I am fortunate in finding Mr. Clark to fix and service my railroad watches. No sense risking them around strong magnetic fields. As an interesting twist: Mr. Clark asked if I was around "diesel electric locomotives". I am, but only occasionally to do some repairs. However, it set me to wondering if locomotive engineers who wore mechanical watches on the job ever had this sort of problem with their watches. For that matter, how about the engineers who ran the heavy electric locomotives like the GG-1's ? Clearly, the Hamilton Railroad watches dated to steam days, when strong magnetic fields were not present.
The idea of strong magnetic fields is a given as I had worked for many years in a large hydroelectric plant and was around energized generators and transformers and high voltage switchgear and bus work. However, I had retired over 4 years ago. This got me to thinking as to what else might have caused the magnetization of the watch works. I realized I do a good bit of DC SMAW (stick) welding, and the power source is often an old Lincoln engine-generator set. This has a DC generator with plenty of copper in its windings. I am not one to drag welding lead any more than I have to, so keep leads short and weld close to the machine when fabbing stuff on the bench. I also have a few turns of short leads coiled on the ground, so this would be another source of magnetic fields. I did not think occasional exposure to the magnetic fields from dial indicator bases and a surface grinder chuck were enough to cause the problem.
In any event, Dewey Clark has repaired and adjusted my two railroad watches. They are now "in Rolex territory" to use Mr. Clark's terms for their accuracy. He advised me to keep the watches clear of strong magnetic fields in the future. The result is I will not be wearing my Hamilton railroad watches when I am doing shop work, particularly welding. I pass this along to anyone who wears a mechanical watch and is either doing welding, around welding, or around anything else which might have a strong magnetic field. Things like larger generators, large motors, transfomers and heavy power conductors all would be likely sources of this sort of magnetic field that would be strong enough to affect the works of a watch.
My own solution was to buy a cheap electronic pocket watch on Amazon. For 25 bucks, I have a smaller open-face pocket watch in a plain stainless case. It keeps excellent time and I am not concerned about exposing it to magnetic fields. I am keeping the Hamilton Railroad watches to wear when going out and about.
Those are heirloom watches, and finding competent watchmakers to work on them was getting impossible. Thanks to this website, I was referred to Historic Timekeepers, Inc. Mr. Clark has a micro machine shop and does some incredible work, making parts as needed and doing first class work. I am fortunate in finding Mr. Clark to fix and service my railroad watches. No sense risking them around strong magnetic fields. As an interesting twist: Mr. Clark asked if I was around "diesel electric locomotives". I am, but only occasionally to do some repairs. However, it set me to wondering if locomotive engineers who wore mechanical watches on the job ever had this sort of problem with their watches. For that matter, how about the engineers who ran the heavy electric locomotives like the GG-1's ? Clearly, the Hamilton Railroad watches dated to steam days, when strong magnetic fields were not present.