Rob1 Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 I'm fairly new to mechanical watches and was wondering how sturdy they are during sporting activities like skiing? Are they able to withstand lots of flinging of arms around and occasionally getting bounced around when gravity gets the better of my limited ski technique! Could I knock something out of line by being too violent with my watch? My new Steelfish certainly looks sturdy, but I wouldn't want to do anything silly to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythingape Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 Don't limit yourself.. ..it's just a watch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoman Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 mechanical watches are NOT ment to take that kind of damage with hard core flipping and throwing - for example my father screwed up with Gen Chronomat playing golf. Wear Quartz to do some sort of crazy activity with lots of hand jerking i don't think that came out right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythingape Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 Pho.. if done right, you'll get a good charge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoman Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 Pho.. if done right, you'll get a good charge! I'm not saying if you whip your hand real fast it will fall apart but its a precision instrument that runs on gears and oiled jewells - All mechanical watches are subject to gravity hence, the need for tourbillion - counteract gravity repeated beating can have an effect on your watch and if its asian who knows right could have some chicken and rice in the movement to begin with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertk Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 I can say for sure you can drive your car with it on.................but playing hockey??? These are rep movements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HauteHippie Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 Just got back from snowboarding all day while wearing my Frankensub. I've done this for years with rep mechanicals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoman Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 Just got back from snowboarding all day while wearing my Frankensub. I've done this for years with rep mechanicals. never snow boarded, but doesn't seem to be lots of arm action cross country skiing - lots of arm wrist action and jerky movements - different story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luisik Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 I think everything will depend in the way you make sport. I have used my reps for years while sporting and had no problem at all with them, but I am not a professional sportman taking things to the limit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWP Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 Let's just say that before quartz came out mechanicals made it through almost everything, including two world wars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
who Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 I would not wear a rep especially with mechanical movement to do any exotic sports. A Casio G-Shock is always my choice !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest avitt Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Here's a general rule of thumb: When subjected to violent movements, a mechanical movement will likely die before you do, while a quartz movement will probably outlive you. Does that answer your question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Rob 1, I had this same question myself, especially after reading some of the things The ZigmeisterZumba wrote about mechanical watches. On one hand, I read that many adventurers/explorers like mechanical watches because they feel they are more reliable in extreme conditions than quartz. I also know there are certain models, like the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon, which can withstand a 7500 xG impact w/o damage. Then, I read a "The Zigmeister" article where he says slapping a watch into your wrist is like taking a sledgehammer to your cars engine!! Personally, I don't consider slapping a watch into my wrist as a lot of abuse. Dropping it from 30 feet, yes. Hitting it with a hammer, yes. A 2-foot swing into padded flesh, no. Same goes for the golf scenario. I don't consider golf to be a very abusive sport ... if a watch can't handle a swing of the arms, it's pretty darn wimpy IMO. I'm still getting mixed messages about the toughness of mechanical watches. Nanuq & epoch say their tough. Who, Phoband & robertk say they're fragile. (Note: if you can't play golf in it, it's fragile IMO. My quartz watches could handle slapping on my wrist & golf easily). I'm really glad I bought a rep. If I paid $3000 for a real SMP chrono and broke it, for example, skiing (snow or water) I'd be really ticked off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWP Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Should we not make the distinctions between mechanical movments ? Otherwise, its all apples and oranges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob1 Posted February 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Should we not make the distinctions between mechanical movments ? Otherwise, its all apples and oranges. The watches that I might want to ski with are the new Steelfish with an eta 2824 movement or my Navitimer with an eta 7750. I don't know what the restrictions of wear are for a gen watch, but I guess that if I owned either a gen Steelfish or a gen Navitimer I would be surprised and very disappointed if either stopped working because I'd skied with them. Does anyone have a high quality replica watch which has stopped working because of mechanical damage from sporting (or similar) wear & tear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 I don't consider golf to be a very abusive sport ... if a watch can't handle a swing of the arms, it's pretty darn wimpy IMO. One day, when you finally hit a ball, you'll understand what the jolt of impact feels like. That's what can cause problems. Still, Tiger wears a TAG in adverts, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nietzsche0904 Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 generally they aren't made to withstand more than a drop from your hand to a solid floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Category 5 Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 I asked Omega about shock resistyance regarding my Gen PO and was told that "barring stupidity" there were no sports or activities that I would engage in that would sufficiently shock the watch enough to cause damage. They said golf, tennis, baseball, etc should all be fine. The most likely type of damage that could be caused would be a cracked crystal. The movement has incabloc shock protection and will be fine. As far as reps, I guess it's how much you trust the watch but with our HQ reps, with ETA movements i wouldn't be inclined to worry too much. If you do, pick up a beater quartz rep for those occasions. I have Joshua's Formula 1 TAG that I use as a beater watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoman Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 I asked Omega about shock resistyance regarding my Gen PO and was told that "barring stupidity" there were no sports or activities that I would engage in that would sufficiently shock the watch enough to cause damage. They said golf, tennis, baseball, etc should all be fine. The most likely type of damage that could be caused would be a cracked crystal. The movement has incabloc shock protection and will be fine. As far as reps, I guess it's how much you trust the watch but with our HQ reps, with ETA movements i wouldn't be inclined to worry too much. If you do, pick up a beater quartz rep for those occasions. I have Joshua's Formula 1 TAG that I use as a beater watch. They are trying to sell you a watch!!! I'm telling you my fathers breitling i think the rotor fell off, not sure but its F-ed up. And - for those that don't think golf is violent - they have never played golf - nor have they thought much about the physics of it. Remember, the amount of turn your shoulders do is magnified because its farther out in the circle - you know, like riding the flying chair at the circus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWP Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 The watches that I might want to ski with are the new Steelfish with an eta 2824 movement or my Navitimer with an eta 7750. I don't know what the restrictions of wear are for a gen watch, but I guess that if I owned either a gen Steelfish or a gen Navitimer I would be surprised and very disappointed if either stopped working because I'd skied with them. Does anyone have a high quality replica watch which has stopped working because of mechanical damage from sporting (or similar) wear & tear? Your gens will not stop working because you skied in them You could pull a Bono and they would come out alive. Do you think Breitling would have made it this far if they could not take such abuse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Tracy Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 I'm also in agreement with Nanuq, mechanicals, if well put 2gether, are much tougher than most think.. My son's and I have played rough sports, martial arts,..stick fighting, kendo, hiked, and fell in raging waters, banged them,...all reps mind you without a problem... Lastly...Believe it or not... plastic spacers act as shock obsorbers....so I was never one to complain about them.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 People get worried about dropping a watch from standing height onto a tile floor. Heck, you could throw it at the floor and likely not hurt it. I doubt chronographs fall into this category of sturdiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piratedzeus Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 I wear mine for mountain climbing, skiing, diving, hockey, mtn biking, carpentry, you name it. They're tough little buggers. How tough? Check out a little "study" I did: How Tough is a Rep Submariner? next time i will be there, catch the sub from that bridge and ruuuuuun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Roger that! With all the delicate little parts chronos have, I'd exercize a lot more care with them. They're still mostly "incabloc" or derivate on the main shafts, but why risk boogering it? It's hard to beat a good solid shock protected design. That's what bugs me about the TAG advert. Tiger Woods is wearing the Link Chrono and expects us to believe that his eyeball-searing drives won't hurt it? thonk! "Hello, TAG Heuer? I just broke another ..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 One day, when you finally hit a ball, you'll understand what the jolt of impact feels like. That's what can cause problems. Still, Tiger wears a TAG in adverts, right? dude, if you feel that much shock at contact, u ain't hittin the ball right.. or so i am told.. not that i am ther resident expert givin that i too frequently feel the shock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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