Precision of SS GMT II - C

[Derek Leung]

I would like to share this experience and observation with you. I have a SS GMT II - C and recently noticed this. I re-set the watch on October 1, I beleive most of us did that becaue September was a short month. Anyway, I did the following:

1. Pulled the crown all the way out when the second hand was at the 12 o'clock position getting ready to set it at exactly 00 second;

2. Let say I was going to set it at 8:30:00 am and the current time was 8:28:15 am; when I pull the crown all the way out the second hand was at 00 second already, now I set the watch to 8:30:00 second and wait for the "real time" the arrive. When 8:30:00 am arrived, I pushed the crown all back in then watch started to run. Everything is simple.

3. I checked the time everyday, in term of accuary it is very good so far, today it is October 17, based on the scond hand, the time on the watch was only 2 seconds behind. However, when looking at the minute hand, it was about half a minute behind, i.e. when the second hand reaches the 12 o'clock position, one would expect the minute hand to be exactly at the "minute mark". In fact it is in between 2 "minute marks". I think this is "quality" of the running gears, because I would expect the minute hand is geared to the second hand likewise the hour hand is geared to the minute hand, so when the second hand goes around once, i.e. for one minute, the minute hand goes to one minute marking, i.e. 6 degrees, similarly for the hour hand.


Does anyone has this kind of experience or observations. Please share with us.

P.S. I took the watch to RSC, the service person could not explain and said it should not happen this way.

[ZROLEX]

It is similar situation with my DateJust. I had to set minute hand a tiny bit ahead so it will sync with second and will be right on the mark for next minute, however on my GMTIIC this is not the case. I did the same as I did on my Datejust with GMT and minute hand was ahead of the minutes marks. So no, on my GMT I do not have to set the minute hand a bit ahead to match next minute to the marker. Hope this helps.

[Ivy League]

First and foremost, Welcome aboard!
Yes Derek, your observations are exactly what I have also experienced with my 6 week old GMT IIc. At the beginning, I noticed that the minute hand was not perfectly alligned with the minute markers. So I posted this question on TRF and one of the members here was kind enough to advise me that If I set my second AND minute hand precisely at the 12 position, I could establish the "real time" exactly as you did with your watch. I guess the only difference was that you started at the half hour and I started mine on the hour.

I'm sure that you will get more advice on this matter as all the members here are quite helpful and willing to assist with questions like these. Good luck and please let us know how this ends up. Great Watch !!!

[jnewell]

Happens all the time with my 3185, which has a lot of slop in the movement when pulled all the way out for adjustment. I would have thought this wouldn't happen with the 3186 based on what I've read about the "wiggle test," but obviously that's not right. It sometimes takes me a couple of tries to get the minute hand correctly centered on the minute mark. Fortunately, my GMT II runs so well that it's only an issue once a month or so.

[Derek Leung]

Thank you for the responses and advices. I will try to set it again with both second and minute hands at the 12 position

[Moto]

I have this issue with my GMT IIc as well, and I am finding it incredibly annoying. There is a ridiculous amount of slop when setting the minute hand, and the minute hand does not track consistantly across the dial. No matter how the minute hand is set it inevitably ends up in between the markers. I am stunned that I then have difficulty telling the exact time on a $7K watch.

Can anyone add anything to this issue before I walk over to RSC NY?

Thanks.

[ROLEXUS]

Stop the second hand dead on the 12 mark (pull out crown) and then wind the minute hand about ten minutes past where you want it to be in a clockwise direction. Then wind it back to where you want it to be, thus taking up the slack (only in anti-clockwise direction). When it's time, click the crown in and your ready to go. I use this method every time and the minute hand stays dead on.

[Moto]

Originally Posted by ROLEXUS

Stop the second hand dead on the 12 mark (pull out crown) and then wind the minute hand about ten minutes past where you want it to be in a clockwise direction. Then wind it back to where you want it to be, thus taking up the slack (only in anti-clockwise direction). When it's time, click the crown in and your ready to go. I use this method every time and the minute hand stays dead on.

When I wind it past the mark and then go back, the minute hand springs forward a little after I stop, so it becomes a guessing game of how much will it spring forward to get it on the mark. Mostly after playing with it I get it to where it runs on the mark correctly, for awhile, then it drifts off again.

It's getting pretty frustrating, but I'm going to continue to play with it before I resort to bringing it to RSC NY. I would hate to have to leave my watch with them for any length of time. :/

[fmalloy]

I have found the IIC to me more inconsistent in its minute tracking than my other watches. Using the "turning past and rolling back" method of setting, it becomes close but not perfect.

I think it does have to do with inexact printing of the markers.