# Goldiwatch And The 3 Vintages



## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

It's a long time since I ran a test on any of my watches, so I thought I would have a bit of fun with these three.










Long time Vintage watchers will recognise these as being some of my favourite watches. We have the 1961 gold plated Omega, the 1964 9ct Smiths Astral, and the 1966 18ct Longines.

My normal pattern of wearing these watches is to wind them, wear them for a day and let them run down and sit in the box until the next time. However, I have been aware that they all keep fairly good time, so I thought I would run a little test to see which is in fact the most accurate. I will set them as close as possible tonight, beginning the test at 21:00 hours BST. They will sit dial up in the box and be wound every night, and I may wear one or more of them if I feel like it, so it will be totally unscientific! As they do not hack, I will set them to the nearest minute fast or slow according to what I think their rate is. I will try to provide a nightly update, so do tune in.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

Ooh, I love this kind of test - I do it on my little lot all the time. It's not always the best "marques" that give the best results!

Out of curiosity, have they all been cleaned/serviced to a similar level?


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

Interesting question:

Omega - serviced by Michlmayr of Norwich in 2011

Longines- bought from Black Bough in Autumn 2013, so serviced by them

Smiths - bought from a forum member early 2013, so not sure when it was last serviced.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

Three to one on the Longines staying best longest...


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

Omega starts at +57

Longines starts at +21

Smiths starts at -25

Same time tomorrow.


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

23/6

(Difference from time.is website / 24 hour result)

Omega +55 / -2

Longines +19 / -2

Smiths +6 / +31

The Smiths is doing fine. I am perfectly happy with a 50 year old watch that is accurate to about half a minute per day. I didn't think it would live with the other two. It seems that they are going to slug it out. As I just adore all of them I don't really mind which one wins, though I do have a soft spot for that Omega as it was my first Vintage watch!

Update posted slightly early before the footy starts.


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

24/6

(Difference from time.is website / 24 hour result / net gain or loss / daily rate)

Omega +45 / -10 / -12 / -6

Longines +14 / -5 / -7 / -3.5

Smiths +34 / +28 / +59 / +29.5

Still not a great deal in it between Omega and Longines. Very acceptable!


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

They're looking very good indeed.


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

You predicted the Longines would do well!


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

25/6 - results after 72 hours

(Difference from time.is website / 24 hour result / net gain or loss / daily rate)

Omega +38 / -7 / -19 / -6.33

Longines -1 / -15 / -22 / -7.33

Smiths +41 / +7 / +66 / +22

Interesting day! The Smiths did much better and the Longines rather worse. Right now the Omega is looking the most consistent of the trio. Not much in it between the Longines and the Omega, however.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

Fascinating. Given the daily rate of change, looks like the Omega might just stay righter...


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

26/6 - results after 4 days

(Difference from time.is website / 24 hour result / net gain or loss / daily rate)

Omega +32 / -6 / -25 / -6.25

Longines -9 / -8 / -30 / -7.5

Smiths +36 / -5 / +61 / +15.25

Weird result for the Smiths! It was today's best performer, but the rates on the other two seem much more stable and consistent.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

What's the end date for the trial?


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

One week test â€" finishes Sunday 21:00 hours.


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

27/6 - results after 5 days

(Difference from time.is website / 24 hour result / net gain or loss / daily rate)

Omega +20 / -12 / -37 / -7.4

Longines -18 / -9 / -39 / -7.8

Smiths +68 / +32 / +93 / +18.6

Two days to go.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

It's a close race!


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

28/6 - results after 6 days

(Difference from time.is website / 24 hour result / net gain or loss / daily rate)

Omega +11 / -9 / -46 / -7.67

Longines -36 / -18 / -57 / -9.5

Smiths +83 / +15 / +108 / +18

So after a week it looks as though the Omega will come in at less than a minute, the Longines will just fail to break a minute, and the Smiths will come in around two minutes. Not bad.


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## chris.ph (Dec 29, 2011)

really enjoyed this thread avo :thumbup:


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

Thanks Chris & Will

Final day today. I set or at least check every mechanical before I wear it, so a 2-minute drift over a week would not be an issue. It is good, though, to know that I could take the Omega or Longines away for a week and rely on it.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

I'll be playing guitar and tenor guitar in a local session this evening, and I always chill with the computer for about 10 minutes after I get back, before I go up to bed. This will be the first post I check - about 11.30pm... 

PS: I see from your profile you blow on sax - shame you're not down here in Sussex tonight! And I do believe that we share the same birthday... but I'll bet I'm older than you (70 in August). :blush2:


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

I was born on the day you became a teenager! And I just blow on the sax â€" occasionally my fingers find a position to produce some kind of note. I'm a singer really.


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

29/6 - results after 7 days

(Difference from time.is website / 24 hour result / net gain or loss / daily rate)

Omega +6 / -5 / -51 / -7.29

Longines -54 / -18 / -75 / -10.71

Smiths +84 / +1 / +109 / +15.57

Game over. A stunning day for the Smiths but the overall winner by a comfortable margin is...










I have to say that I'm very pleased with all three. The winner can have a day at work tomorrow and it won't even need to be reset!


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## Muddy D (Nov 16, 2013)

good post, enjoyed following it. I feel like doing the same with some of mine now.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

Congrats to Mr. O'Mega - the Irish always win in the end! :yes:


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## chris.ph (Dec 29, 2011)

there was never any doubt


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