The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Hello everyone, have a question. Just bought a breitling colt a few months ago and a wolf watch winder. Problem is that my watch doesn't stay wound. I can wear it for a few days and its good, but after its been worn and placed on the winder it stops after 48 hrs. I thought a watch winder is supposed mimic your hand movement? Is there something I'm missing?

Welcome aboard.
You need at least 650 TPD and direction could be both ways for your Colt.
Just scroll a bit... http://orbita.com/2010_web/NEW/Database-Br-Bz.htm

I have the wolf designs module 2.0. It has 600tpd. It's hard to believe that 50 more tpd will fix my issue. I have it set for bi-directional. Not sure what's going on.

Anyone else with any ideas.

Over time, 600 TPD will eventually wear down to a stop. Some straight math will give you the answer. Using the simplest explanation is the most likely explanation - do you occasionally give the watch a full hand wind - 40 cranks? Try that and see how much longer it keeps running on the winder. If you leave it on there long enough, 12 days or so it will run down and stop if fully wound.

Let us know how it works out. Most Breitlings require at least 650 TPD. Before buying a winder, always check the Orbita database and ensure the winder you are getting is sufficient - it is worth a few extra bucks to get an adjustable winder like Wolf makes which goes as high as high as 1200 TPD.

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SHARKMAN

Yeah, but he siad that it stops within 48 hours which sounds a bit odd if it's fully wound when it goes on. I would put it on the winder after manually winding it fully and see if it still stops within 48 hours.

Roff, you're right on the money. I wind the watch, 40 turns, put it on the winder and 48 hrs later its out of reserve and not ticking. I have a feeling it's the winder. The watch keeps excellent time and works perfectly. Even if its not wound I can pick it up and it will start ticking.

Well if it stops that quickly from a full wind then it is effectively getting no reserve from the winder - leave it on a table and it will run for around 42 on a full wind.

So options are:

1) That the winder isn't working at all - which I assume that you would have noticed
2) That it is not winding correctly, which with a regular Colt is unlikely as that winds in both directions so even if the winder were set only in one direction it would be fine. With a Chrono Colt it's possible as that is unidirectional, but you said that the winder is set for bi-directional so it should still be getting 300 TPD which would extend the reserve more than 6 hours (48 - 42)
3) That the automatic winding is not working on the watch, which would impact winding while wearing
4) Something more complex is going on.

I guess that 4 is the most likely based on the facts and all that I can guess is that the watch needs servicing resulting in a very low power reserve. You mentioned buying it a few months ago but didn't say if it was new.

Tests that I would do are:

1) Wind it fully and leave it on a table until it stops and then see the reserve.
2) Wind it fully, wear it all day and then leave it on a table until it stops and then see the reserve.

That will provide a little more information on what's going on with the watch and we can establish whether watch or winder is the issue.

Yeah; it sounds like a repair is in order. No way a measly 100 less turns in 48 hours leaves the watch stopped.


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SHARKMAN

Thanks for the help. Roff the winder does work so we can eliminate that. Ive tried winding and leaving it on my night stand, and it stays wound for about 40+ hours. The watch stays wound while its in my wrist and if I pick it up after it stops. Shark man do you think that the watch needs repair or the winder? I'm thinking its the winder because the watch works fine it's just that when the winder is thrown into the equation the watch stops.

We need more data yet.

Wind it in the morning, wear it all day and then see what the reserve is - we want to make sure that it is 40+ hours after you take it off and not 40+ hours after you wind it.

Obvious question, but worth checking...... the watch is vertical when it's in the winder right?

Ill do the test you mentioned Roff. A far the position, does it reall matter? I mean the winder spins so it can be at any direction vertical, horizontal, etc......
I bought the winder second hand it is a wolf winder but it didn't have any instructions. Maybe I'm doing something else wrong when using the winder or maybe I bought a winder that spins and appears to work but internally the winder isn't calibrated. Be cause like I said, when the watch stops I take it out of the winder case and just by that slight movement it starts ticking.

Of course it matters - if the watch sits horizontally in the case then there is no gravity acting on the watch to sping the rotor - it could be turning 10,000 times a day and it won't wind the watch!

I see what your saying. Your talking about the angle of the case. It's on a 10-20 degree angle. Should I have the glass facing vertically? Now it's facing the ceiling!!! I will feel really silly if that's the problem.

I never used a winder, but as far as I know, the crystal of the watch should be facing the front of the winder, not up. You should be able to see the dial of the watch when looking at the winder straight on. Here's a photo I found online of the correct watch position.

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Regards,

Peter

BREITLING for Bentley Motors T & Mark VI, Aerospace
ROLEX Submariner Ceramic116610LN
OMEGA Plantet Ocean 8500 42mm Orange arabics
OCEAN7 LM-3

That makes sense I'm going to try positioning the winder differently. Thanks for all your help.