Nautilus gaining 30 mins in 24 hours...

[DemonSlayer]

After having owned about 25 reps overall, I get my first one with a dodgy movement, and it happened to be in one of my favourite reps ever, the Nautilus 21J version.

I know more or less how to regulate it (move the arm with 2 pins towards the one with one pin) however I have one question, must the crown be pulled all the way out to hack the movement first before attemprting to regulate?

[andreww]

Regulating wont fix. 30 mins goes beyond the minute or two that regulation will cover. What has likely happened is that two coils on the spring have stuck together, thus shortening the spring and speeding up the movement. Try holding the watch face down in your palm and giving it a slap on the caseback. I've seen this fix this problem many times before.

[freddy333]

What has likely happened is that two coils on the spring have stuck together, thus shortening the spring and speeding up the movement. Try holding the watch face down in your palm and giving it a slap on the caseback. I've seen this fix this problem many times before.

You are probably right about the spring coils, but I would not recommend slapping (or hitting, knocking, banging, etc.) any mechanical watch. You may do more serious damage.

Demon - Most likely the hairspring is either magnetized or dirty. If you have a tape head demagnetizer, you can try this or have a watchmaker deal with it.

[DemonSlayer]

Thanks Andrew and Freddy for your suggestions. I actually tried slapping it! even though I read a post by The Zigmeister where he strongly recommended you don't, the 30 min gain was bothering me.

It did nothing, still the watch is gaining 30 mins in 24 hours. I'll try your suggestion Freddy, hopefully that should sort it.

[Fidestro]

I had a gen Omega that became magnetized in shipping, it gained nine minutes every hour! Take it to a watch smith, they most likely will not charge to attempt to de-mag it. That is what I did and it kicked out fine.

[Shundi]

Someone suggested using the demagnitizers on the counter at any of the big retail electronics stores (Best Buy, etc) I guess just buy some cheap CD and put your watch squarely down on the counter?

Anyways, good luck.