First time mechanical watch owner.. I have a problem! help!

[rexdapogi]

Dear Stowa Forum members,

First of all, I would like to thank you all for the wonderful community of Stowa lovers that you have built. Because of you, I am now very confident of the Stowa brand and very thrilled to be part of the Stowa family.

You see, I think I am in a unique situation. I bought an Antea 365 last month and the watch has been delivered at the end of October as suggested. It was sent to a friend in the U.K. who will be the one to bring the watch over to me, here in the Philippines. He won't be arriving here until December 21st.

I, as a budding watch enthusiast, do not have any problem reading every part of the documentation for the watch. In fact, at this point, I have read quite a lot for me to pass as an actual enthusiast amongst my friends. My friend however has very little interest in watches, and less for reading manuals of any sort. I know that breaking a mechanical watch in is vital upon receiving it but I don't know what to ask of my friend to fulfill this crucial task.

I hope you can help me build a list of things to do for this preliminary testing, specific to an Antea 365.

Best regards,
Rex

[stuffler,mike]

What tests do you think are necessary for a watch being tested before shipping ???

[robb01]

What tests do you think are necessary for a watch being tested before shipping ???

Id like to know as well

[powermaxi2000]

I think I have a problem understanding what you (and your friend(s) and whoever) did and what the problem is right now for you - anyway:

If it is about worries that anything could happen to the movement till you get the watch (again if I understood correctly) just ask yourself the question how long it may take for a finished movement to get from the very last position in ETA's storage building in Switzerland to the very first position in a watch makers storage and into your watch and if you found any stories describing problems related to such an issue...

Then I read "break in" - all I can say there's a fine line between qualified statements regarding brealing-in effects and urban legends....

And why then as it seems you're a bit of an anxious peron do you take the risk of the delivery method you described and did not have your watch shipped to the Philipines outright?

[stuffler,mike]

Id like to know as well

What I wanted to point out is: You don't need to test the watch. Just wind it up, set the date, let it settle down for a couple of weeks and enjoy.

If you wanna check

+ rate deviation
+ Amplitude
+ Beat error

buy a timing machine (Witchi, Elma) but be prepared: Those timing machines cost about 2000 Euro.

[rexdapogi]

Actually, the watch is with my friend right now. I just don't know what tests I should ask him to do so it can be returned if there is something wrong.

Sorry, I think I worded some of my sentences wrong. Fixed them now.

[Zoot Allures]

Hi Rex,

I hope you can help me build a list of things to do for this preliminary testing, specific to an Antea 365.

Maybe you could tell your friend :

1. don't dunk the watch in hydrochloric acid, in coca-cola
2. don't punch the watch with a hammer or anything that heavier than the watch
3. don't use the watch as a hammer, specialy on things that are harder or bigger than the watch
4. don't try to use the watch as James Bond do because it's not an Omega (maybe you can try some Jack Bauer's tricks but it's at your own risk because I don't know or even care what brand this SOB wear).
5. don't keep the watch and bring it to you gently in the Philippines.

Hope this helps.

[stuffler,mike]

Actually, the watch is with my friend right now. I just don't know what tests I should ask him to do so it can be returned if there is something wrong.

Sorry, I think I worded some of my sentences wrong. Fixed them now.

Let him wind it up, set the date, wear it, however they are controlled by Jörg`s team before shipment.

[Zoot Allures]

Let him wind it up, set the date

Is there a gap of hours not to set the date, between 23:00 and 1:00 or so maybe not to jam the date mecanism?

[redbike]

Why don't you get your friend to leave your new baby alone. It will be quite happy sleeping in its metal bed until December. There is an infinitesimal chance that your watch is not working absolutely perfectly, and given that your friend is not WIS, the less he handles it, the better for you!