# Why do tuning fork watches hum?



## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

I assume they don't know the words.

Later,
William


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

They are all made in Twin Forks?

Mike


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## SBryantgb (Jul 2, 2015)

William_Wilson said:


> I assume they don't know the words.
> 
> Later,
> William


 Because they don't know how to whistle?

or they simply don't know the words :thumbsup:

Did I win?


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2015)

because they smell bad?


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

SBryantgb said:


> Did I win?


 I always thought you were a winner. :biggrin:

Later,
William


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## DJH584 (Apr 10, 2013)

William

I have no doubt that in your tender years dear boy, that one of your teachers tapped a tuning fork on a hard object and made it hum so that you could hear it.

It is, basically, the frequency of that hum that makes the Accutron and others work so that the time can be told accurately.

If you would like further education on the matter, then visits Paul's site (Silverhawk) on this link http://electric-watches.co.uk/

All of the above said tongue in cheek of course :toot:

Regards

David


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

I attended a rather small country school. Tuning forks were for the POSH kids in town!

My first and only experience with a tuning fork watch was before Christmas 1968. The neighbour to the south of us was a security guard at Bulova's warehouse. He received an Accutron that year from work, so of course the watch came off his wrist so that I could hear it go "eeeeeeeeeh" instead of "tick-tick". :yes:

Later,
William


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

I use a tuning fork to check for sensation in my ankles and feet - diabetes of course. It is a 128C by Prestige Medical. Can't tell the time from it... :sadwalk:

When I first bought my Bulova Accutron, I kept it on my wrist day and night (new toy, you understand). However it was soon banned in bed as it kept the Boss awake with its humming..

Mike


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

We're currently renting in Dorset as our house purchase goes through. It's a lovely place but small.

Tomorrow, my son and daughter come to stay for a few days...and one of them (son probably) has to sleep in the bed in my workshop (one of the bedrooms). He doesn't know what's in store for him :laugh: ... the whole room is humming artytime: .


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## streety (Jan 17, 2009)

Silver Hawk said:


> We're currently renting in Dorset as our house purchase goes through. It's a lovely place but small.
> 
> Tomorrow, my son and daughter come to stay for a few days...and one of them (son probably) has to sleep in the bed in my workshop (one of the bedrooms). He doesn't know what's install for him :laugh: ... the whole room is humming artytime: .


 Maybe a plug in air freshener will help! Failing that, blaming it on the previous tenants could be an option.

(happy christmas Paul :laugh: )


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

Happy Christmas Paul

Mike


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

I bought a new accutron in the late 60's. a nice watch, railroad approved, nice dial and an annoying hum. when you put it on the "night stand" it would rattle. no woman would put up with that noise !! and it was too heavy - back to the pocket watch..


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

dobra said:


> I use a tuning fork to check for sensation in my ankles and feet - diabetes of course. It is a 128C by Prestige Medical. Can't tell the time from it... :sadwalk:
> 
> When I first bought my Bulova Accutron, I kept it on my wrist day and night (new toy, you understand). However it was soon banned in bed as it kept the Boss awake with its humming..
> 
> Mike


 My endocrinologist used to do that occasionally. He said it was a middle C, he was one of those former guitar playing hippie types. :laugh:

Later,
William


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## DJH584 (Apr 10, 2013)

William_Wilson said:


> My first and only experience with a tuning fork watch was before Christmas 1968. The neighbour to the south of us was a security guard at Bulova's warehouse. He received an Accutron that year from work, so of course the watch came off his wrist so that I could hear it go "eeeeeeeeeh" instead of "tick-tick". :yes:
> 
> Later,
> William


 I remember the occasion when I first heard one as well and it was the very very early 70's. The son of our next door but one neighbours had bought him one as a 21st birthday present. He put it up to my ear to listen to it. What a beautiful sound!!!!

David


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## Thimo2 (Mar 6, 2019)

vinn said:


> I bought a new accutron in the late 60's. a nice watch, railroad approved, nice dial and an annoying hum. when you put it on the "night stand" it would rattle. no woman would put up with that noise !! and it was too heavy - back to the pocket watch..


 I've started to put my Dynabeat on a cigar box on my nightstand to amplify the weird noise that it makes...I'm thinking that I might be a bit obsessive, on the other hand I'm thinking that I must get an Accutron, hmm!


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I remember Roy telling me he had a box of Accutrons under his bed when he lived with his parents, and how unpopular it made him. :laugh:


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I`m not allowed to wear an Accutron on my left wrist while Caroline & I are watching tv. Mind you, I`m also banned from wearing a loud pin-pallet under the same conditions :laugh:


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## Bob Sheruncle (Aug 28, 2013)

William_Wilson said:


> I attended a rather small country school. Tuning forks were for the POSH kids in town!
> 
> My first and only experience with a tuning fork watch was before Christmas 1968. The neighbour to the south of us was a security guard at Bulova's warehouse. He received an Accutron that year from work, so of course the watch came off his wrist so that I could hear it go "eeeeeeeeeh" instead of "tick-tick". :yes:
> 
> ...


 I first heard one last Wednesday. I went on a "twitch" to try and see Hawfinches, and got talking to a fellow birder about watches. He then showed me his Accutron. He said it kept good time for a 40 year old watch.

Have to say it sounds like my Tinnitus though!


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> I`m not allowed to wear an Accutron on my left wrist while Caroline & I are watching tv. Mind you, I`m also banned from wearing a loud pin-pallet under the same conditions :laugh:





mach 0.0013137 said:


> I`m not allowed to wear an Accutron on my left wrist while Caroline & I are watching tv. Mind you, I`m also banned from wearing a loud pin-pallet under the same conditions :laugh:


 My sense of smell and my eyes are pretty lousy these days but my hearing seems quite good (according to my Quack), pin pallets are a problems for me as they are quite thinly cased, as are some quartz watches.

A good dense case and crystal can mask a noisy watch movement, Casio has that figured out. :biggrin:


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

For the musically-minded among you, my Omega f300 hums at a pitch in between D and Eb above Middle C.

Paul - are you still in Dorset? I wasn't sure if you were intending to stay in the Sussex area when you moved house.


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## Mr.D (Dec 23, 2012)

When I let people gently hold my watch up to their ear and listen to my F300 Seamaster Chronometer I also tell them the whole history of the watch.

Its from 1972 , electric but not quartz , tuning forks , used by Nasa ....oh and its powered by a chip of plutonium so you shouldn't hold it next to your head!


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

I still lust after one o' those ƒ300 watches you guys have.


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