When we service a watch movement we use a range of different specialist oils and greases. Lubrication is needed on moving parts to reduce friction which may lead to them wearing out. The more extra functions (or complications) your watch has, the more points in the movement which will require some form of oil or grease. As each movement is different, the type and quantity of oil or grease can vary.
Some modern movements are very sensitive to a lack of lubrication. After a period of 4-5 years a watch will need to be serviced, whereby the movement is completely disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, oiled, adjusted and tested. Certain movements are more hardy and may continue working despite lubricants being past their best. Notable “bulletproof” movements include some vintage Omega calibres. It should be stressed it’s a risky game to play by running a watch beyond its recommended service interval, especially if it’s a vintage model. If parts wear out, they may be rare or need to be made. This would significantly increase the cost of the repair. We strongly advocate looking after your watch and sticking to regular service intervals!
Each watchmaker will have their own personal preferences in regards to the oils and greases they use. Influences can include the age of the watchmaker and where they trained. For modern calibres a watchmaker’s servicing technical sheet will provide details of the manufacturer approved lubricants to use. In the absence of a technical sheet, there are some broad guidelines for lubricant use.
For metal to metal we use grease. There are various different types on the market and the exact type we use depends on the situation. A basic “general purpose” grease is Moebius 8200. When servicing a 7750 chronograph, we use a grease called Molykote DX on the chronograph work.
For low speed high torque applications we use a thicker oil. Our preference here is Moebius HP-1300 – this is often specified on the technical documents of many modern watch calibres. The more “old school” watchmakers may use D5 for this application.
When oiling anything high speed low torque, we use a thinner oil. The industry standard here is Moebius 9010. Examples of where we use this oil include the pivots of the escape wheel and when oiling the end stones of the balance.
On top of these “basic” lubricants there are many others for very specific areas of the watch movement. Specialist lubricants include P125 – a braking grease used on the barrel walls of automatic watches. This lubricant is specified by many big manufacturers. Others include Moebius 941 and 9415 which are only used to oil the teeth of the escape wheel. V105 is used on reversing wheels, and V106 for rotor bearings, Then there’s epilame – a surface treatment used to prevent oils from spreading.
As you can tell, oils and the correct oiling of a watch really is a broad topic! Rest assured when your watch is in our care we adhere to the manufacturers technical documentation where appropriate and otherwise use industry standard best practices, as taught in leading horological institutions such as the British Horological Institute.
Yours sincerely
David Clark PJDip PJGemDip CertGA
Managing Director