Watch Guide

The Lost Art of Automatic Watches

With the widespread adoption of smart watches, and the general availability of quartz watches, the knowledge, use, care, and maintenance for mechanical and automatic watches has fallen by the wayside.

Lone Star Watch Group is committed to re-establishing the tradition of automatic watches to its supporters, while also providing the education and resources, necessary to ensure their timepieces stay functioning for a long time.

What is an Automatic Watch?

Automatic watches are a subcategory of mechanical watches. Unlike a quartz watch, mechanical watches use springs and gears to track time. No batteries are required for automatic watches and they charge through the movement of your wrist.

Watch Sizing

How a watch fits on your wrist depends on the shape of the watch, your wrist size, the case diameter and the lug to lug. The most important factor when considering the size of your watch is the lug to lug and your wrist size. In general, a watch is considered too big for your wrist if the lug to lug is longer than the width of your wrist.

Case Diameter - the length of the watch across the case not including the lugs or the crown
Lug to Lug - the length of the watch going from the end of one lug to the end of the other lug
Lug width - the length between 2 lugs on the same side.
- most useful when searching for a new strap for your watch.

Please note; watch dimensions are standardized and measured in mm.

Watch Anatomy

Bezel - a outer portion of the watch which surrounds the crystal. May be fixed or rotating.
Bracelet - the metal band of the watch
Case - the housing portion that protects the watches internal components
Chapter ring - a feature that encircles the perimeter of the dial which often has demarcations for minutes and seconds
Crown - a knob used to change the day, date and hands of a watch
Crystal - the transparent cover of the watch's face. typically made of acrylic, mineral glass or sapphire
Dial - the face of the watch which displays the time and design
- Subdial - a smaller face within the watch which displays different information from the main dial
Day Date Window - the aperture of the dial which shows the day and/or date
Hand - the part of the watch which points to the time
- GMT Hand - a 4th hand which moves at 1/2 the speed of the hour hand. Used to track a separate time zone
Indices - markings on the dial which indicate time
Lug - the protruding part of the case which attaches the strap or bracelet is attached to
Pusher - button(s) on the side of the watch which activate additional watch functions
Strap - made of leather, canvas, rubber or other non-metallic materials

Basic Care and Maintenance

All automatic watches require similar care and maintenance, for the best performance out of your watch:

ensure the crown of your watch is fully screwed in to prevent water leakage

screw down your watch with gentle pressure in a controlled manner to avoid cross-threading the crown
screw down the crown of your watch to the first amount of resistance, avoid overtightening the crown. Overtightening may damage your watches water resistance.

keep your watch away from strong magnets which may alter the function of the watches movement

If you noticed recent change to the performance of your watch, you may have accidentally exposed your watch to magnetization. L.S.W.G or any horologist can easily demagnetize and re-regulate your watch, but non-commercial use demagnetizers can also be readily purchased online for under $10.

Rinse off all watches with fresh waster after they have been exposed to sea water
Enquire about regular maintenance with L.S.W.G or a certified or trusted horologist
Avoid adjusting watch complications between 2100-0300 (9 P.M to 3 A.M)

"complications" refer to any function of a watch beyond displaying the time. These complication include a day/date window, chronograph functions, moon phase, other calendar functions, and GMT hand.
adjusting a complication between the times above can cause damage to the movement.
Set the time on your watch to 0630 or 1830 prior to changing a complication to avoid the watches danger zone.

Ensure watch is properly secured to your wrist to avoid physical shock damage from unnecessary falls or drops
Avoid adjusting the watches time or other complications while on wrist

Changing your watches setting while your watch is on wrist can put unnecessary pressure on the stem of the watch which may result in a stem break.

Seiko NH34

4 hand movement with date

Seiko NH35

3 hand movement with date

Seiko NH36

3 hand movement with day-date

Seiko NH38

3 hand movement only

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