Watch Lubrication Guide: The Only 3 Oils You Need for Your First Service

When you start learning watchmaking, lubrication is often the subject that causes the most confusion. It isn't inherently complex, but the sheer volume of information (charts, technical codes, and conflicting opinions) can be overwhelming.

Beginners often find themselves asking the same valid questions:

- Do I really need a dozen different bottles to start?

- What happens if I use the wrong viscosity?

- What do professionals actually rely on for standard movements?

The reality is reassuring: for a first proper service, the requirements are far simpler than they initially appear.

Why lubrication is not about many oils, but the right oils

Inside a mechanical watch, not all parts behave the same way. Some pivots rotate at high speeds under minimal load (like the balance wheel), while others move slowly but support significant tension (like the mainspring barrel).

This is why watch oils are classified by viscosity:

- Too thin: The oil can run away from the pivot, leaving the metal unprotected.

- Too thick: The oil will create drag, reducing the amplitude and causing the watch to lose time.

Effective lubrication isn't about owning a large collection of Swiss fluids. It is about using a small selection of oils, chosen for the right physical properties and applied in the correct quantity.

The Essential Trio: What You Actually Need

For a standard mechanical movement (such as an ETA 6497), three specific lubricants are entirely sufficient. This setup allows you to service a movement correctly without overcomplicating the process.

1. The Light Oil: Moebius 9010

This is the standard for high-speed, low-torque areas.

- Application: It is used on the balance pivots (shock settings), the escape wheel, and the seconds wheel.

- Why: Its low viscosity ensures that these fast-moving parts encounter virtually no resistance.

2. The Medium/Heavy Oil: Moebius 9104 (HP1300)

This oil is designed for high pressure. It is thicker and more stable than the 9010.

- Application: It is used for the center wheel, third wheel, and barrel arbor.

- Why: These parts move slower but carry more torque. A light oil here would be squeezed out by the pressure, whereas HP1300 stays in place to cushion the load.

3. The Grease: Molykote DX

Unlike oil, grease is a semi-solid paste used for metal-on-metal friction areas involving sliding (rather than rotating) action.

- Application: The keyless works (setting mechanism), the clutch wheel, and the stem.

- Why: These parts endure heavy friction when you wind or set the watch. They require a thick barrier that oil cannot provide.

The Myth of Quantity: How Much Oil Do You Need?

A common misconception is that you invest in large bottles of oil to get started. In watchmaking, proper lubrication is measured in microscopic droplets.

We carried out a simple experiment using the same oil quantity included in our kits: 0.1 ml. While it sounds negligible, in practice:

- 0.1 ml is sufficient for approximately 1,100 individual oiling points.

- This translates to servicing roughly 40 to 50 complete mechanical movements.

For a hobbyist, this is more than enough to last several years. Purchasing larger quantities often leads to waste, as synthetic oils have a shelf life and may expire before you use even a fraction of the bottle.

 

When does a professional kit become useful?

As experience grows, expectations naturally change as well.

If you begin working on automatic movements, paying closer attention to escapement lubrication, or servicing watches for others, additional lubricants become relevant.

This is where oils such as:

- Moebius 9415: A thixotropic grease specifically for the pallet stones (the escapement). It becomes liquid upon impact and solidifies instantly, offering better performance than standard oil in this specific area.

- Moebius 8200: A grease designed for the mainspring itself.

- Moebius 8217: A high-resistance lubricant used for the braking wall of automatic barrels.

start to make sense.

They do not replace the basic oils, but complement them.
Their main advantage lies in improved long-term stability and optimized wear characteristics in very specific areas of the movement.

 

Final thoughts

For a first service, there is no need for an extensive collection of lubricants.
What matters is using a small number of high-quality oils, in the right places and in the right quantities.

Starting with a simple, well-thought-out setup is often the most effective way to learn and to achieve reliable, repeatable results from the very beginning.