Accuracy and Power Reserve - if OCD offends, please stay away :-)

[ArcticMoose]

I had a feeling that a few of my watches were acting a little flaky so I conducted this very unscientific investigation into the accuracy and power reserve of a handful of them.

I also included enough coins to guarantee authenticity of them all, and a Sleeptracker for reference. I set them all and spent the first five minutes getting them started and fully wound.

5 minutes

Everything looks fine, but obviously the Oris was let go a second too early, and the LV and YM about half a second.



11 hours

The PAM has fallen behind by two seconds. The Oris is already 13 seconds fast. The YM is two seconds fast. The LV is over six seconds fast.



23 hours

The PAM is almost five seconds slow. The Oris is almost 30 seconds fast, the LV 15 and the YM five.



31 hours

The PAM is more than six seconds slow. The Oris is 40 seconds fast, the LV is 20 and the YM five.



45 hours

The Oris has expired after 41.25 hours.

The LV is approaching 30 seconds fast. The YM has lost its previous pace and is now almost 10 seconds slow, falling behind the PAM.

The Explorer II and Sub-C are are still hardly deviating at all.



49 hours

The YM couldn't muster another date change and gave up after 46.35 hours.

The LV gave up after 47.25 hours. The Sub-C managed ten more minutes to 47.35, and the Explorer II wins (not counting the PAM) making it to 47.42 hours.



54 hours

The PAM is now ten seconds slow, but has another five days of power reserve. I want to wear it now, so this is the end of it.



I had a feeling the Explorer II and Sub-C were rock-solid, and this seems to confirm it.

I think the YM will be the first one off to service, but more due to the fact that winding and setting feels a bit "grindy" than the results of this messing about.

[2th Dr]

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing! I LOVE it!

[dooder202]

Nice read!

[Willgotthepower]

Nice one! Thanks for the time and effort!

[buke45]

Nice, Thanks for that !!!

[rolexsweep]

wow... great comparison and observation

[Director EDTF]

Thanks! Nice experiment

[RRGHOST1]

I am glad the Sub TT came out well, as thats my next watch. Very interesting.

[nauticajoe]

Interesting read. Well done.

[ArcticMoose]

Thanks for the kind comments, everyone!

Originally Posted by rolexplorer2

I am glad the Sub TT came out well, as thats my next watch. Very interesting.

Considering all the abuse I've put that one through, I'm surprised it is running at all, not to mention almost faultlessly. I never cease to be amazed at what these tiny bits of mechanics can do.

[thepurze]

You made my day after 6 different rolexs in the last year im back where i started with a explorer 2 i too have found satisfaction with the watch now please no more great reviews all youl do is kick the price up jack

[George Ab]

Keep in mind that for the mechanical watches the position of the watch will effect timing considerable due to the effect of gravity on the the balance wheel.

For a watch to be right on the mark. It should be about 1.5 seconds fast in the face up position and a delta (difference of greatest drift in six positions) within 5 to 10 seconds.

Just love the collection. The TT in blue, a YM, LV and Exp II polar, and I'm a PAM fan. Just really, really nice!

[JUSTROLEXES]

Well done David

[broncophil]

wow.. so does that mean the LV needs a calibration.. the reason why i ask is that my black milgauss that i once had was about a minute fast a week..

[George Ab]

Originally Posted by broncophil

wow.. so does that mean the LV needs a calibration.. the reason why i ask is that my black milgauss that i once had was about a minute fast a week..

A minute a week = something is not right.

Take it to a watchmaker. He will perform the following: first he will degauss and then put it on a timing machine. From there he may have to regulate. Often just degaussing will alleviate the timing issue, then regulation; else, it is more serious.

I should read more carefully... operative word is "once" had.

[broncophil]

Originally Posted by George Ab

A minute a week = something is not right.

Take it to a watchmaker. He will perform the following: first he will degauss and then put it on a timing machine. From there he may have to regulate. Often just degaussing will alleviate the timing issue, then regulation; else, it is more serious.

I should read more carefully... operative word is "once" had.

hahaha.. its cool.. very informative..thanks.

[bkandj2000]

Great post!

[Dan2010]

I love unscientific investigations.....................

[Watchvirgin]

Nice post!! Enjoyed it very much, thanks for sharing!!!

[usbzoso]

awesome!

[hdrazor251]

Very interesting read. Thanks for posting.

[threemonkeys]

Very nice.

And just a year ago I could never imagine that I would read a post like this in a watch forum and thoroughly enjoy it. Glad I finally joined the darkside with all of you clowns.

[rabbithole88]

Awesome work.

[boogiebot]

great post. im a person that would mess around with my watches just to see something like this.

[Andad]

Wow.

[Puffy]

cool stuff! can't go wrong with a bit of COSC testing action...

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Puffy

cool stuff! can't go wrong with a bit of COSC testing action...

Well not really when the bare uncased movements are tested at the COSC they are manual wound each day by a machine to maintain full power reserve.Plus they are tested in 5 different positions and temperatures.And as the power reserve depletes most movements would in general speed up.

[joeyk]

Cool stuff mate :)

[evanvito]

Nice read. TFS

[swatty]

Well done