Saw this tip awhile back and couldn't believe it would work, and the disclaimer said "Use only if the watch is otherwise junked." Figured there's no way I'd ever try it; besides, I never had a quartz freeze up on me after changing the battery. But then the old Caravelle/Seiko 5 copy I recently bought stopped running late last week. Figured it was the battery, as it is 99 times out of 100, so I ordered a new one, installed it. Watch would not start. Tapped it, shook it, set it and reset it, let it sit for hours, got mad at it. Nothing helped. It was good as dead and I already wrote it off. Then I remembered the tip: a tiny amount of WD-40 could help add some lubrication to the movement and might get it running again. So I opened it up, added a drop or two from the end of the applicator straw, and let it soak down into the movement away from the side with the battery. About an hour later, I checked and the watch was running fine. That was 2 days ago; it's still going without a hitch. Just did the same with a lady's white G-Shock my 11 year old wears. I'd put in a new battery but it wouldn't start so it's been sitting for a few months, and she's been bummed out about it. Tried the same trick. Lo and behold, it's running again too. If you've got a stuck quartz that otherwise will be a lost cause, and you know it ain't the battery, give it a shot. Nothing to lose. One last thing: I did not have WD-40 on hand (I know, I just heard you gasp) so I got a little can of Dollar Tree spray lube. MSDS shows it has fewer ingredients than WD does, so I figured it's...maybe...less likely to harm the plastics inside the watch if it should decide to run. If it wasn't going to run no matter what, then such damage wouldn't matter. Anyway, that's a tip for the day. Have a better one.
Excellent to know Quartz watches can be revived. But, WD40 would be the last thing I would use on a watch. Only because WD40 will creep, will dry up, and get gummy. They make watch specific oils that will not creep, or dry up, and are pretty inexpensive.
Agreed, which is why I didn't use WD. Didn't have any, and commonly accepted info that it's an all-purpose lubricant isn't quite true, as we know. Squeaky bike chains, hinges, okay in a pinch. Anyway, I looked at watch oils on eBay but then researched it and found out a lot of them may not be what they're purported. Since quartz movements are not intended to be serviced, it didn't really make any difference. Worth a shot.
If you need an alternate lube try LPS #1, spray it on it dries and leaves a nice dry film and it won’t collect dust.
I use a couple drops of pneumatic tool oil every couple of years on my pendulum clock after a gentle cleaning. It keeps time within 2 minutes a month after 7 years, so I can't complain. I'm just too lazy to track it and adjust the pendulum.
wd40 is also good for anywhere that a permanent marker or crayon may have been used when it shouldnt have been. like a kid using one on a dry erase board or a computer screen or whatever non porus surface it was used on.. It will take it right off....
The downside is that the watch now takes 30 minutes to move through an hour and there's a small electro-magnetic vortex forming over the second hand. But, otherwise....
Your key will push that to the back of the lock, so when you use that more often, a lump will form a keylength inside the lock. This will obstruct inevetably, which is why my locksmith refuses to sell it.
I did the same thing about 10 years ago to a watch my wife was about to throw away and it's still running well. Still waiting for the works to gum up. I figure if they do stop again I'll just blast it with WD40 again. But again, I wouldn't do that to my Longines 5 Star automatic in a million years. But for a watch that's otherwise going to landfill or not worth fixing, absoLUTEly. EDIT: This is the video I saw that showed the WD40 trick. Funny enough I completely forgot I also did it to a Skagen watch which I am wearing at this very moment, two years ago.
