Does anyone know anything about analog watches?

Does anyone know anything about analog wrist watches? Resources?

My wife got me a Puma branded watch a year and a half ago, because it looked somewhat like a tachometer. I know it's on the cheap end of "decent" wristwatches, but I don't want to get rid of it.

Anyways, a few days ago, I noticed that it was about 5 minutes slow. So I set the time. A couple of days later, it was 2 minutes slow again. I checked it yesterday and today, and each day it was 2 minutes slow.

Could it be the battery, or is there something actually wrong with the watch?

batteries are cheap.... go to a watch store and ask them to replace it

yea, Mickey's little hand is for the hours and his big hand is for the minutes...

Year and a half? If it has a battery in it, I'd figure on replacing it. I had one of those Swiss Army watches, and it kept perfect time, but after a year, the battery calls it quits.

I'm not familiar with analogs, because, before this, I've always had a digital. Those seem to last years on a battery.

So, it sounds like it's the battery going out?

There's a watchmaker here who I'm sure will chime in (no pun intended) but yes, that sounds like a dying battery. Even if it's not, they're cheap enough to replace that you should do that first anyway.

I have a Timex Ironman going on its 6th year on the same battery. Its right twice a day everyday.

They have hands that go round and I am good at breaking them.

When you take it to the repair shop, refer to the battery as a "cell".

The smoking hot chic at Kay replaced the battery in none for free. Of course I've bought stuff from her for my wife.

I know that analog watches don't have batteries.

^^ This

My Citizen EcoDrive is going on 9 years with no maintenance, just have to get some sun once in a while and it's all set.

40 years ago (cripes, did I just feel old), I had a Seiko "kinetic-action" watch. It was a self-winding, analog watch that was sopposed to be wound by the action of your arm moving (as you walked?). Apparently, I was not an active enough person as it never kept time but instead it would lose a minute or so every few weeks.

BTW, no battery involved. I understand Seiko still markets these self-winding watches at several times the $70 I paid in 1971. Good looking watch, crummy timepiece.

Dr. Hess wrote: I know that analog watches don't have batteries.

I believe you are confusing drive and display. My quartz/electric powered watch with cool gears driving the calendar is definitely an analog watch. Its not an automatic, or wound spring drive... but you have to know what the big and little hands are for to read it.

scardeal wrote: Does anyone know anything about analog wrist watches? Resources? My wife got me a Puma branded watch a year and a half ago, because it looked somewhat like a tachometer. I know it's on the cheap end of "decent" wristwatches, but I don't want to get rid of it. Anyways, a few days ago, I noticed that it was about 5 minutes slow. So I set the time. A couple of days later, it was 2 minutes slow again. I checked it yesterday and today, and each day it was 2 minutes slow. Could it be the battery, or is there something actually wrong with the watch?

I am going to assume that by Puma, you mean as in the shoe company. Given that, I am 99% sure that what you have is a quartz movement (engine for a watch) with an analogue display. Voltage from the battery, pulses a quarts crystal and voila, you have a tachometer for that crystal that is read in seconds. They are pretty much a go/no go operation. A low battery will have low voltage and the watch will run slow. Change the battery, boowah, pretty perfect time again.

Now if you had a mechanical movement in that thar watch (HIGHLY HIGHLY unlikely) then yes, there could be a bunch of things wrong.

Get the battery replaced, or buy some jewelers tools, and do it yourself. However for the 15 bucks; it gonna be hard to beat outsourcing.

I miss the last windup watch I had...

DING: I'm the watchmaker.

A quartz watch: can have an analouge display (hands that go round and round) Usaly characterized by a second hand that moves once a second. It will have a gear train inside. OR It can also be digital with numbers displayed in usually arabic numbers eg- 12:00:01 thats one second past noon or midnight. It will usually have a liquid crystal display or LCD showing the numbers. Old ones from the 70's will be light emiting diode or LED. There are variations on all of the above.

A mechanical watch will be driven by a spring with a geartrain inside. It also will usually be analouge having hands that go round and round with a smooth motion (NOT ticking ever second). It can be either wound daily by hand or from the motion of your wrist. The latter being automatic, perpetual, or selfwinding depending on who made it. Again there are variations on all the above.

To the original posters question a watch with the puma name on it will most likely be quartz, if it is running slow a competent watchmaker can test the existing cell (fancy word for a battery) and the movement to determine where the fault lies. If it is an inexpensive watch it isnt really financially worth the money you would pay a watchmaker to test it, figgure $10.00 to $30.00 depending on your market. You could throw a battery in there and see what happens. Most likely it wil continue to loose time.

HEY WAKE UP!!! I'm getting to the point.

The Puma fall into the inexpensive category. The movement or "works" are not servicable. It is cheaper to replace the movement if it is available. It is only worth that if you have a sentimental attachment to it. I hope that wasnt too hash.

On more expensive quartz watches the second hand (if the watch has one) will tick every other second covering two seconds then rest for two seconds or do the same thing in four second steps. This happens at a battery voltage of around 1.35 volts. 1.55 volts is nominal for a new battery.

Are you still awake?

It's not too harsh. Based on your answer and everyone else's, I'll try and get the battery replaced.

I have no reason to believe it has been mechanically damaged, unless it's possible that it has worn significantly in less than two years.

You will be happy it was just a battery. It cost me 150.00 to have a broken mainspring fixed in mine. I love my daily watch and no its not worth 150 but to continue wearing it that's hat it cost me.