What can affect a watch's accuracy over time?

A watch's accuracy can be significantly influenced by various environmental and mechanical factors, particularly temperature, magnetism, and wear.

Temperature variations can cause the watch’s materials, such as metals and lubricants, to expand or contract, which may affect its movement and timing. For instance, extreme heat or cold can lead to either a speeding up or slowing down of the movement.

Magnetism can also disrupt the balance wheel’s oscillations, leading to inaccuracies in timekeeping. Watches, especially those without anti-magnetic protections, can be adversely affected when exposed to strong magnetic fields.

Wear is another critical factor; as watches are used over time, components may experience friction, wear down, or even misalign, all of which can lead to a decline in accuracy. Regular maintenance and servicing can help mitigate these effects, but they illustrate how external and internal factors can compromise a watch’s timekeeping capabilities.

In contrast, noise levels in the environment, the age of the owner, and the design of the watch do not directly correlate with the mechanical operations that maintain time accuracy. While they may influence the experience of using the watch, they do not impact the watch's fundamental ability to keep accurate time over extended periods like the aforementioned factors do.