Ian Y. Thow
30
Re: New JLC Chronograph
Please read my previous post at:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=234648&messageid=1096020186
Anyone here seriously think that one will use a chronograph to time something measuring seconds under water? Can things move that fast under water (pardon my ignorance) to govern designing a chronograph that can be use under water?
IMHO, a chronograph able to measure land and air speeds make more senses than that measures split seconds under water. Hence, no compression keys please! The Master Compressors series (exp. Master Compressor Automatic which published water resistance of 200m) with compression keys published water resistance is at 100m. Supercharged water-resistance gasket and total of 4 gaskets but only 100m water resistance? 100m? What good is the compression keys doing then? Can someone please help me? I am hopelessly at lost on this! Other watchmakers can do much better in water resistance without the chunky compressions keys but why not JLC? Marketing gimmick perhaps? It reminds me of the solar powered torchlight (which can ONLY be use if there is a light source, that's superfluous!) If I want a watch with good water resistance I would buy a Br***ling!
Since JLC and A Lange & Sohne are under one roof (Jaw, please correct me if I am wrong ok? Thanks!), why not look at some of their designs to get some inspirations (read "not copying")? The big date on the Datograph and the small power reserve indicator (look so similar to the one found on the new JLC Master 8 days Perpetual, isn't it? I smell someone is secretly mixing bloods!) on the new Double Split are some of the examples. Take a peek at the A Lange & Sohne's Forum or http://www.lange1.com
I mentioned only two sub dials (60 secs and 30 mins totalizers) in my previous post, which leaves a lot of room on the main dial for other complicated functions (big date? power reserve indicator? moon phases? 12 hours totalizer? day/night indicator? second time zone?).
Finally, the Reverso Gran'Sport Chronographe's Calibre 859 (hand wound, column wheel, 28,800vph, 317 parts, 38 jewels, 60 secs totalizer and 30 secs retrograde totalizer) is a damn good movement! I really hate to see it go wasted. JLC put a lot of efforts into developing this movement, why not take the movement and add in more functions? Turning a rectangular movement into a round movement to suit the new Master Chronographe round case shouldn't be much of a challenge to JLC, right? Correct me if I am wrong, by looking at the column wheel design, isn't Calibre 859's chronograph function accurate only to 1/6 of a second, why not take it further to 1/8 of a second or even 1/10 of a second? It will be difficult but I didn't say it will be easy at the beginning or did I?
That's my two cents! Comments are very much welcomed! In the meantime, please keep this thread hot! Let's show JLC (hope they are listening) that we are REALLY serious about having a Master Chronographe! Happy posting!
Regards,
Ian