Do You Value Accuracy?
Discussion
When picking out a new watch for the day or week setting it either goes two ways. If I can't be bothered, it goes by the hall way battery clock i.e. not accurate at all.
Or if I have the time/inclination it's set to the second using the talking clock.
This week I've had one watch on which I set to the second and found that it's lost three seconds over the space of seven days, which I find incredible when you read about accepted tolerences.
It'a Christopher Ward C65 with a Sellita SW210 hand wound movement by the way.
Pretty sure no other watch I've scientifically tested like this has done this well.
So, do you value accuracy? Especially for some of the high prices paid on this forum.
Or have I got too much time on my hands for such nonsense?
Or should I wear a quartz watch?
Or if I have the time/inclination it's set to the second using the talking clock.
This week I've had one watch on which I set to the second and found that it's lost three seconds over the space of seven days, which I find incredible when you read about accepted tolerences.
It'a Christopher Ward C65 with a Sellita SW210 hand wound movement by the way.
Pretty sure no other watch I've scientifically tested like this has done this well.
So, do you value accuracy? Especially for some of the high prices paid on this forum.
Or have I got too much time on my hands for such nonsense?
Or should I wear a quartz watch?
Use your phone, or smart watch or radio time signal linked casio for the correct time.
I have a casio 5610 which i set my (relatively inaccurate) mechanical watches to.
If you want something stand alone to set your watches to get a Citizen quartz 0100 +/- 1 second per year, or a Longines VHP +/- 5 seconds per year but about a 10th of the cost of the Citizen.
I have a casio 5610 which i set my (relatively inaccurate) mechanical watches to.
If you want something stand alone to set your watches to get a Citizen quartz 0100 +/- 1 second per year, or a Longines VHP +/- 5 seconds per year but about a 10th of the cost of the Citizen.
Most of my watches are accurate enough for me,as long as they're within about a minute a day. Ironically my most inaccurate watch is my daily Seiko 5, but after what I've put it through I'm not surprised.
I'm still amazed at some of my old Seiko quartz watches, they can be shut away for over a year at a time, I get the urge to wear one and it's still spot on apart from the date.
I'm still amazed at some of my old Seiko quartz watches, they can be shut away for over a year at a time, I get the urge to wear one and it's still spot on apart from the date.
Uncle John said:
My new Bulova Moonwatch is rated at 10 seconds a year.
All of my mechanicals pricey to non pricey have been within COSC tolerances when measured.
Accuracy for me is pretty important in a watch although concessions would be made for a vintage.
It still surprises me when you get a vintage watch that's not been serviced in years, you dig it out, get it going and is still really accurate. All of my mechanicals pricey to non pricey have been within COSC tolerances when measured.
Accuracy for me is pretty important in a watch although concessions would be made for a vintage.
Been wearing an old early 70's Zenith Defy the last few days, not worn it for ages, not been serviced for at least 30 years, yet it's within a few seconds.
eccles said:
Uncle John said:
My new Bulova Moonwatch is rated at 10 seconds a year.
All of my mechanicals pricey to non pricey have been within COSC tolerances when measured.
Accuracy for me is pretty important in a watch although concessions would be made for a vintage.
It still surprises me when you get a vintage watch that's not been serviced in years, you dig it out, get it going and is still really accurate. All of my mechanicals pricey to non pricey have been within COSC tolerances when measured.
Accuracy for me is pretty important in a watch although concessions would be made for a vintage.
Been wearing an old early 70's Zenith Defy the last few days, not worn it for ages, not been serviced for at least 30 years, yet it's within a few seconds.
vixen170 said:
Do you value accuracy? Especially for some of the high prices paid on this forum.
Or should I wear a quartz watch?
I always think, if a mechanical watch is really accurate it adds to the ownership experience and satisfaction, particularly if it’s a less-expensive model.
On the other hand, something expensive AND inaccurate is likely to leave me cold.
Having said that, it’s not all about accuracy and power reserve, otherwise we’d all be wearing Citizen EcoDrive.
Jasey_ said:
Once got a Ratio watch from Creation Watches and it lost 3 hours in 4 hours.
Impressive! I quite like COSC rated watches for the additional quality control checks and ‘man hours’ required to complete the watch build process e.g. JLC’s 1000 hour control tests!
However I’m not that bothered if my watch is out by 5-10 seconds a day. As long as it’s not 10 minutes slow/fast a week and as a result, detrimentally affects my work/social life.
I know some people who buy a watch and then immediately time it’s accuracy. I’m not that person. I might do it once, out of interest, on a grail watch that I obtain.
Watches with hacking seconds do tempt you to set it accurately and therefore check accuracy.
I have a (new) Rolex that loses 2 seconds a day, but left dial up overnight it picks up those 2 seconds and is accurate again.
I haven't adjusted it since December (other than for summertime and the watch doesn't need to be stopped for that) and it's absolutely on the pips. A small pleasure.
I have other watches that don't hack and their accuracy doesn't trouble me.
I have a (new) Rolex that loses 2 seconds a day, but left dial up overnight it picks up those 2 seconds and is accurate again.
I haven't adjusted it since December (other than for summertime and the watch doesn't need to be stopped for that) and it's absolutely on the pips. A small pleasure.
I have other watches that don't hack and their accuracy doesn't trouble me.
Similar to others above, i see accuracy as a bonus rather than a necessity. In normal times i commute to work by train. If i'm cutting it fine for a train will i look at my watch or my phone? I'll look at my phone, even if i had a watch that i new kept perfect time. The reason for that being, like many others i regularly switch between watches and in turn regularly have to set them. Occasionally i won't be thinking clearly and rather than setting it to, say, 22mins past the hour i'll set it to 27mins past or something like that. The phone has the perk of avoiding user error, hence that's what i'll check.
But then again, if you've spent a lot of a money on a watch it's certainly good to know that it does it's job well. I check that accuracy of my watches when i first get them as, for me, it's all a part of the charm of owning mechanical watches. So far they've all been fine bar my Zenith, which was so hilariously inaccurate I don't know how it ever got out of the factory.
But then again, if you've spent a lot of a money on a watch it's certainly good to know that it does it's job well. I check that accuracy of my watches when i first get them as, for me, it's all a part of the charm of owning mechanical watches. So far they've all been fine bar my Zenith, which was so hilariously inaccurate I don't know how it ever got out of the factory.
Edited by Snubs on Monday 4th May 08:52
Snubs said:
So far they've all been fine bar my Zenith, which was so hilariously inaccurate I don't know how it ever got out of the factory.
El Primero? My Zenith EP has been serviced more times than all of my others put together. I do value accuracy and send mine for service when they're out by more than 10 seconds a day.Somebody said:
Snubs said:
So far they've all been fine bar my Zenith, which was so hilariously inaccurate I don't know how it ever got out of the factory.
El Primero? My Zenith EP has been serviced more times than all of my others put together. I do value accuracy and send mine for service when they're out by more than 10 seconds a day.Nope, uses the Elite movement. A Zenith Captain Dualtime to use it's catchy name...
When I change my watch (twice a week on average), I set it by a radio controlled alarm clock.
After that I tend to check every couple of days but don't fret about a few seconds out.
Some of my vintage pieces lose or gain circa 30 seconds a day, so if they drift by a couple of minutes I might re-set.
After that I tend to check every couple of days but don't fret about a few seconds out.
Some of my vintage pieces lose or gain circa 30 seconds a day, so if they drift by a couple of minutes I might re-set.
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