OILING

Oiling, or Lubrication, is the operation consisting of precisely depositing Oil or Grease at the friction points of a Movement. This is a decisive step in the Assembly and servicing process: correct oiling reduces wear, stabilizes friction and thus timekeeping, and extends the lifespan of the Calibre. Each point receives a Lubricant suited to its speed and load: fine, fluid oils for the fast pivots of the Train (wheel train) and the Escape wheel, thicker oils or greases for the Barrel, the winding and hand-setting components, cams and sliding surfaces. The quantity is critical: too little, and lubrication is insufficient; too much, and the oil spreads, migrates and attracts dust. The Horologist (watchmaker) applies calibrated drops using an oiler (a metal tip) or an Automatic device, often onto oil sinks or into oil holes designed to retain the lubricant by capillarity. An epilame treatment can delimit the oiled areas. Careful oiling directly determines precision and reliability.

Long derived from animal fats (neatsfoot oil, whale oil or oil from cetacean organs, prized for their stability), watchmaking lubricants are today exclusively synthetic: oils based on polyphenyl ether or silicone, formulated to resist oxidation and maintain their viscosity across a wide temperature range. Each manufacturer offers a range graded by viscosity and use (fast trains, escapement, barrel, complications), which careful oiling must respect point by point. Because oils age — they oxidize, dry out and lose their lubricating properties over time — a movement must be periodically serviced and re-oiled, generally every four to eight years depending on the calibre and conditions of use. To learn more: H. Moebius & Fils.