It's Alive!

[Colin]

I got a Swiss Army quartz watch for my 10 year award (1996) from the company I work for and I wore it a lot. After years and a couple of batteries or so, it finally wouldn't work even with a new battery in it, so I threw it in a junk draw and forgot about it
After many years,I ran across it again (probably a year and a half ago) and decided to throw a fresh battery in it just for kicks... still nothing. But this time I'm getting old and nostalgic (and still with the same company - 29 years in June), so I decide to put it in the watch box (bottom draw - back row) even though it's broken and not worth fixing.

Then, a couple of months ago out of the corner of my eye while getting something else out of the box, I see the seconds hand move!



I'm thinking, "This won't last long." but I set the time on it anyhow and put it back in the box.

Fast-forward to Boston GTG yesterday and, while pulling out goodies to bring with me, I notice the Swiss Army is not only still ticking but the time is spot on! On Easter Sunday, I'm heading to work for half a day or so, so I just throw on sweats and sneakers and this watch is perfect for sweats and sneakers:




So,,, do you think I should try setting the date on it or leave well enough alone? (I don't usually set the date on my watches anyhow.) I'm at a loss to explain why it died for so long and finally came back to life on it's own. My son suggested maybe it had some moisture in it and if finally dried out. It's a good explanation but I don't recall ever seeing any fogging under the crystal.

I realize it has no value (except to me of course) but at 38.8mm it's actually a good little grab-and-go watch for things like heading to the lab in my sweatpants.

I should probably leave it alone, but I know me... In short order I'll set the date even though I don't need it because I just have to know... :-(

[wschofield3]

Leave it alone! See, a good GTG can bring old watches to life!

[iyonk]

sometime when you live a quartz run empty, there're some steps to 're-boot' or reset the electronic when you put fresh battery in it.. but since this one seem get up from its sleep by it self, i bet it would work just fine.. but dont let the battery totally drain again next time =)

i have an old quartz from more than 25 years ago and it still working and keep excellent time =)
it was a very cool watch back then, but obviously silly and dated today..

[Vincent Vega]

Leave it alone! See, a good GTG can bring old watches to life!

... That and a good lightning bolt.



Great post!

[whatmeworry]

Great story. I'd leave it be and enjoy it

[Colin]

OK, so it's 3 to 1 to leave it alone. I'll wear it here-and-there for a couple of weeks, check that it continues to work time-wise, and then make a decision. .

Thanks for the replies!

Oh, and the lume almost works too!



I said, "Almost."

[happyscrappyheropup]

If you like it why not take it in for a service? Can't be expensive for a watch shop to open it up.

Since you're coming up in another big milestone with your company, what do they give for the 30 year anniversary?

[Nokie]

Agree, that a good tune-up can't hurt.

[Colin]

If you like it why not take it in for a service? Can't be expensive for a watch shop to open it up.

Agree, that a good tune-up can't hurt.

You know, I'll give it some thought. Maybe I will.

Since you're coming up in another big milestone with your company, what do they give for the 30 year anniversary?

Crap. Well, not really crap, but the service recognition thing went away during the Great Recession and when it came back it was much smaller and everyone, whether you are there 5 years or 50, picks from the same stuff.

So for 25 years, instead of something like this:



I received:



:-( But I must admit they are very nice sunglasses.

30 years was probably up in grandfather clock range back in the day.

Time related, my 15 year was:



Unfortunately it's a bit small for me at 35.5mm.

And 20:



Of course I'd really like it if they just gave me a big wad of cash!

[Colin]

Wore it once every weekend for a few weeks, set the date and a week later advanced it, and 10 days after that it's still spot on!

I've never named a watch before but I'm going to call this one "Lazarus".