Accuracy and consistency

[J!m]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

To clarify the point of 'out of spec/in spec' from the point of view of a watchmaker. -2+2 is the average of 5 positions (crown right is excluded) throughout 24 hours of a watch that started the day fully wound.

The reality of this 'tolerance' is your watch will gain or lose more than this from time to time and still be considered working in tolerance.

I could regulate your watch to show +-0 on my witschi but that doesn't mean you will see that on your wrist every single time you wear it.

This, guys.

You send in that watch that shows 0.5 second “out of spec” using the “I timed it!” Method and that may not go well.

Accuracy does not only apply to the test result, but also to the test METHOD. It may go through the full process of test and regulation (per the factory method) and end up worse on your wrist.

If you want accuracy, get a good Eta Quartz, and have it regulated. I had a Tag Heuer Formula 1 chronograph that was within one second a month after regulation.

Otherwise, “quit yer bichin “. It’s a mechanical device exposed to all sorts of things outside the control of the maker. Be glad you have the opportunity to enjoy a fine watch many will never have the pleasure of owning. Be thankful for what you have. Don’t make a Rolex up to be more than it is. It’s a mass produced item and nothing more.

[ashokleyland]

Originally Posted by padi56

Have to agree just cannot see the point of all this accuracy checking obsessions we seem to have today on forum.Lets be honest for any mechanical watch to be within a few seconds a day out of 86400 is truly a mechanical marvel.

All Rolex movements have great accuracy and have done so over the past 50 years, but have we progressed in timekeeping mechanically all that much in today's age.Most all mechanical movements made today can be fine tuned with a bit of patience to run to or inside the COSC standard.So guys next time your watch is perhaps a few seconds fast or slow just outside COSC spec, just think about John Harrison's watches made almost 320 years ago.No computer aided graphic designs no machine robots to cut the precision parts. Only his bare hands and by today's standards very primitive tools.And a watch that was tested in one of the hardest environments around today on the open sea.John Harrison's son William set sail for the West Indies, with the Harrison newly made H4 marine chronometer, aboard the ship Deptford on 18 November 1761. They arrived in Jamaica on 19 January 1762, where his watch was found to be only 5 seconds slow! in almost 2 months this accuracy three times better, than that required to win the £20,000 Longitude prize,in them bygone days £20000 must have been quite a massive sum of money.So next time when your Rolex or any watch is just a few seconds out simply think of John Harrison who made a mechanical watch almost 320 hundred years ago that was more accurate than most mechanical wrist watch today,better than some quartz.

every time a thread like this pops up (accuracy obsession, is it safe thread)
i admire padi's effort to criticize constructively, and the use of witty sarcasm.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Pauln

Since you asked, I’ll oblige. You’re nuts.

He was pulling your leg Paul.


I think?

[Andad]

If a few seconds really bothers you then borrow or buy a Timegrapher.

Find the best position to correct you watch.

I find the ‘positional correction sheet’ does not relate to the modern movements.

Padi’s mate John Harrison certainly had an accurate watch on that journey but I believe he had also just purchased a Seiko Astron for the trip.

[Annan]

I'm OK with my watch being within COSC (-4/+6) but consistency is an important indicator that all is well with the movement. My DJ41 recently drifted to -6s/day over a several weeks period. Watchmaker at an AD verified it was running slow but noted it had "low power" even when fully wound and sent it off to RSC two weeks ago. Some here on TRF belittle concerns about a few seconds lost but do pay attention to consistency.

[skiahh]

Originally Posted by Cubdrick

Do they have daylight savings time in Washington? You’ll have to set it twice a year for that.

True, but since it's a GMT, I don't have to actually set the watch to change the hour hand.

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

I don't think half a second is worth a service, since Rolex specs allow for a loss of 2 seconds anyway. That said, if the loss bothers you enough that you would seriously consider it, you would be well advised first to follow 2-reef's advice in post #2 and experiment with positional variance. FWIW, I find my 116610LN is most accurate when I lay it flat, crystal up, overnight and wear it daily (within +1/day). I do notice it loses a bit if I let it run down to the point where the power reserve is low, so you could also try winding yours nightly to see if that makes a difference.

Or you could just wear it, set it weekly or monthly, and enjoy it.

O/T, but how do you like your X-33? The current gen has been on my list of definite maybes for some time, but I got a bit concerned when I read that it has to be sent in to Omega for a battery change, and that the change might also require a minor service each time.

Watch is 4 years old now, so out of warranty. I'm not going to sent it in for service for this; that's why I was asking for tips or tricks on how to position it to possibly speed it up just a bit. I can - and do - reset it very often, but don't obsess over it. I think since I last reset it on 9/2, I've checked accuracy 4 or 5 times, just dividing the seconds slow over the days passed.

I love the X-33. It was a squadron purchase almost 20 years ago now. You don't have to send it to Omega to change the battery, but you do need to use a good watchmaker. I had one not seal it correctly, apparently, and had some water intrusion.

I also just found out that military purchased watches get serviced for free. I've had a few services completed and no one had mentioned that aspect until the last one!

When I fly, I'll wear the X-33 because it is more accurate and because it has more functionality. Every so often I think I ought to just sell the BLNR because the X-33 is so good. But then I put it on and its look and feel quickly disabuse me of that notion.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by skiahh

You don't have to send it to Omega to change the battery, but you do need to use a good watchmaker. I had one not seal it correctly, apparently, and had some water intrusion.

Thanks for the feedback. I should clarify: I know technically you don't have to send it in to Omega, since anyone with an appropriate screwdriver can attempt to crack the case and change out the battery. I've just read that the watch is quite a bit more complicated than a lot of quartz watches, and is therefore easily screwed up, including by a number of watchmakers (as your experience confirms). Hence, Omega is the safest bet. Since I live in Portland, a battery change might give me an excuse to drive to Seattle every couple of years. I keep meaning to call the Omega service center to see if they would take care of it on a drop-in basis, and if they would do battery only, rather than the recommended change service.

I can totally see why, on a practical level, you'd favor the X-33 over the BLNR. Then again, if we were basing these decisions purely on practicality, we'd probably all be wearing G-Shocks. I've got one that tracks every time zone in the world, labeled by city; all I have to do is program UTC, and it takes care of the rest. Additionally, it's got time, day, date, month, annual calendar to the end of the century, chronograph, countdown timer, multiple alarms, vibrating alert, is lightweight, tough as nails, and cost me around $100. Game over on the practical front, but my Sub is COOL!

Originally Posted by skiahh

Watch is 4 years old now, so out of warranty. I'm not going to sent it in for service for this; that's why I was asking for tips or tricks on how to position it to possibly speed it up just a bit. I can - and do - reset it very often, but don't obsess over it. I think since I last reset it on 9/2, I've checked accuracy 4 or 5 times, just dividing the seconds slow over the days passed.

Understood regarding warranty. Has positional variance had any effect?

[skiahh]

I haven't tried any different positions. I found online a while back that to try and gain time - or keep it from losing more - I was supposed to lay it flat on it's back overnight. So that's how it "sleeps" every night. And off days.

Reset it tonight. Think I'll try face down when not wearing it and see what happens. Can't imagine it'll be different from face up, but what the heck?

[joli160]

This whole story about a half second here and there
I never check, perhaps I am the oddball here

[Andad]

Originally Posted by skiahh

I haven't tried any different positions. I found online a while back that to try and gain time - or keep it from losing more - I was supposed to lay it flat on it's back overnight. So that's how it "sleeps" every night. And off days.

Reset it tonight. Think I'll try face down when not wearing it and see what happens. Can't imagine it'll be different from face up, but what the heck?

I can.

[R!$]

Originally Posted by joli160

This whole story about a half second here and there
I never check, perhaps I am the oddball here

I never check as well