# Pocket Watches - Bigger Movement, Longer Power Reserve?



## Andy the Squirrel (Aug 16, 2009)

Do pocket watches which have full size movements generally have longer power reserves than the typical 40 hours of a mechanical wrist watch?


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

Hi Andy,i know you can buy eight day pocket watches..perhaps more?

All the pocket watches i have lasts about the same time as my watches,so no real difference,at least in my collection.

You thinking of buying one Andy.


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## Andy the Squirrel (Aug 16, 2009)

I have my eye on this 1970s pocket watch, the movement looks similar to a unitas 6497 I have in another watch but looks larger than a 6497?


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi Andy & Sam,

The bigger movement usually means better accuracy as the balance is bigger, also usually the rolling friction of the wheels is reduced due to smoother meshing....

I know wrist watches may seem more accurate, but these are usually the ones running at 28,800 Beats Per Hour

I would wager that the pocket watch at 18,000 BPH would be as good if not better regarding accuracy than a watch at 18,000 BPH

Just my viewpoint.........


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## ValvesRule (May 20, 2009)

Andy the Squirrel said:


> Do pocket watches which have full size movements generally have longer power reserves than the typical 40 hours of a mechanical wrist watch?


No. Not generally.

I suppose that it is simply technological development. Full size antique Movements (excluding Hebdomases) could "only" go for 36 hours because that was the technology of the day; nowadays we can fit 36 hours in a Wristwatch. I do not know why Pocket Watches have not taken advantage of the greater power density; perhaps it is simply the convienience and simplicity of winding-up every day, and not forgetting whether or not you wound it up yesterday.


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

harryblakes7 said:


> Hi Andy & Sam,
> 
> The bigger movement usually means better accuracy as the balance is bigger, also usually the rolling friction of the wheels is reduced due to smoother meshing....
> 
> ...


Interesting info Harry,certainly sounds logical.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Bill (AKA watchnutz) on the forum here has done an interesting item on the "Waterbury long wind" watch, an article for the NAWCC stateside, but although the mainspring was around 9 1/2 feet long - yes - nearly three metres and took 128 turns to wind - it still only ran for about 30 hours. Waterbury was a precursor of Timex.









:weed: ldman:


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

Andy the Squirrel said:


> I have my eye on this 1970s pocket watch, the movement looks similar to a I have in another watch but looks larger than a 6497?


Looks like a nice movement in there Andy,and as you say not quite the same as the 6497,i can see numbers where the balance wheel is spinning,i cant make out what they are though.


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## ValvesRule (May 20, 2009)

mel said:


> Bill (AKA watchnutz) on the forum here has done an interesting item on the "Waterbury long wind" watch, an article for the NAWCC stateside, but although the mainspring was around 9 1/2 feet long - yes - nearly three metres and took 128 turns to wind - it still only ran for about 30 hours. Waterbury was a precursor of Timex.


Is a longer spring less susceptuble to breaking - less tension per inch sort of thing?


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Well that particular Waterbury movement was only a two wheel train, and the entire movement rotated every hour, thats why it needed a long spring, gearing was similar to Epicyclic, usually the front is skeletonised so you can see the movement rotate every hour. I think it was more of a gimmic and cheaper manufacturing rather than a highly sophisticated accurate Karrusel or Tourbillion movement

But the USA did some great and beautiful Pocket watches :yes:


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## Andy the Squirrel (Aug 16, 2009)

sam. said:


> Andy the Squirrel said:
> 
> 
> > I have my eye on this 1970s pocket watch, the movement looks similar to a I have in another watch but looks larger than a 6497?
> ...


The seller has got back to me, its an ETA 6445 - same as a Unitas 6445 but with a modern balance wheel. So is this better than the smaller 6497?


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