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Watch hands alignment.


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Morning, all.

What a lovely day.

Here's something that has been causing quite a lot of problems. (Well............ it has for me!)

When refitting watch hands, how can you be certain that the  hands will land accurately on the 

minute markers and not (As is so often the case) in-between?

You just cannot keep removing them and trying again and again.

I swear that it's easier to fit a gear train bridge on a Timex, than it is to align watch hands!

Anybody got advice, or tips on the subject?

Thanks.

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Not just the seconds hands on quartz watches, but any watch.

You know the sort of thing I mean.

 You get them fitted exactly on the 'seconds marker,' then once powered up 

(Or wound) they end up in-between!

 

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Of course they end up in between. On mechanical watches hour, minute and seconds hands rotate in a continuous sweeping motion.

I'm a little confused...  Are you saying that you want the hour, minute and seconds hand to ALL be in the exact perfect condition all the time ?

Such as if the time is 9:30:30 seconds then the hour hand should be between 9 and 10, the minute hand should be at 6 and the seconds hand should be between the 30 and 31 markers ?

You can do that easily with the hour and minute hands but with the seconds hand I believe you won't be able to have it that precisely all the time. Some people don't even notice it. It helps to have a movement with a hacking feature.

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Morning, all.
What a lovely day.
Here's something that has been causing quite a lot of problems. (Well............ it has for me!)
When refitting watch hands, how can you be certain that the  hands will land accurately on the 
minute markers and not (As is so often the case) in-between?
You just cannot keep removing them and trying again and again.
I swear that it's easier to fit a gear train bridge on a Timex, than it is to align watch hands!
Anybody got advice, or tips on the subject?
Thanks.

Make sure the watch is not running. Then align the hour hand to 12. Then stick the minute hand with rodico half way down the hand place it in position. With your other hand press it down all the while slightly adjusting it holding the ridico. This will work.


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Thank you,  jdrichard, that sounds like just the job and absolutely spot on.
Why didn't I think of that!
Excellent. 10/10

Took me Two Years to figure how to hold the hand steady while pushing it into position.:)


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If you have a watch with date or day-date it's even trickier to get it right. Turn it around until the date flicks over at 24 00 . Then i place the hour hand on a little loose. But not pressing it all the way home. Then i test that it actually change at the right time some turns. Then press it all the way down flush with the hour wheel top. Then do the same with the minute hand. And make sure they are aligned at 6 a clock also. If there is some misalignment i can adjust it a little by slightly moving it very gentle with a pegwood or similar . But only if it's not pressed all the way down. 

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