Patek Philippe

Dear All - I have a question about movement and reliability of my Patek Aquanaut:  As a regular reader/contributor, it can hardly escape our attention that there have been some issues with this aspect of our favourite watches.

But my story is odd, and has never happened with any other watch I have owned (Rolex, Omega etc). My 5167 is relatively new, purchased this year. For the first few months with normal wear, without any intervention, it lost approx 1.5 seconds per day. Then after approx 2 months, it suddenly lost 5-10 minutes a day. I reset the time, in order to get a more precise idea of the problem, and the issue immediately went away (it now seems to lose about 1 second per day).

This is an automatic watch and there is presumably a fault of some kind, but I noticed that when screwing in the crown following re-setting the time that there is an automatic winding process (have others noticed this?). Could it be that the watch needs re-winding occasionally?

Any comments on this would be most helpful - thanks!

P

Hi,

I don't see what could have happened with your watch.

Do you wear it constantly or not?


I don't understand what you mean by:  "This is an automatic watch and there is presumably a fault of some kind, but I noticed that when screwing in the crown following re-setting the time that there is an automatic winding process (have others noticed this?)."

Cheers

Dje

Paulus,

A sudden and dramatic rate change could be a sign that the movement has been magnetized.  If so, it is a quick and simple fix to demagnitize it.  Although computer speakers, electronics, and airport devices are frequent suspects, you may never know the source.

Park

 

Magnetized.....

Cheers

Inspector Clouseau, no doubt you have examined this topic.
Please, enchant me with your wisdow

Inspector Clouseau is not the most intelligent person in the world...
So I doubt it that he would have found a solution ( so I could steal it... lol)

I think that the JLC boutique in Paris has a mashine that can demagnetize a watch....

I will try to find out....

Cheers

... of intelligence by having a great instinct and lots of luck. He always stumbles by accident on the right solution.

And because I was so impressed by your detective work in the case of BH90210, the impolite fraudster with the double personality, I knew you would have an answer.
But unfortunately it is not the answer I need because I am live far from Paris. Therefore, can you share the secret with me of how to magnetize a watch at home. There must be a simple trick, I like to think.
Thanks in advance Pink.

Very true.....

Thank for the compliment...
And to think that the fraudster uses the second id as a rereference so he can sell his watches here...
Sad....

I will try to find out about how to demagnetize....

HAGWE

Cheers

... of this great site would take the right actions to ban fraudsters. It it just like real life. Only the dumb low lifes go to jail

I understand you live in Paris? I hope for you it is Paris, France and not Paris, Texas
If so, you should not have any problem to have an exciting weekend, n'est ce pas?
I wish you a great weekend too. Au revoir.

not Paris...

Germany...



Cheers

.... Deutschland auch ein tolles Wochenende haben, doch?
Ganze Spaß in Paris ist schließlich langweilig, nicht? Oder?
Ich wünsche Ihnen ein schönes Wochenende.

Hi,

A magnetize watch does not de-magnetize itself AFAIK! 

And the watch is now apparently working normally.

Cheers

Dje

If you have sedentary lifestyle and/or in fornt of a computer and TV most of the time, the watch may not move enough to rewind itself. This is true for all automatic watches. Pateks with 240 (mini-rotors) may be more prone to this issue, not as much with 315 or 324 calibers.

All calibers must now made with non-magnetizable materials. Stainless steel cases can always be magnetized, but that should not affect the caliber. At this day and age, I cannot imagine a reputable manufacturer still produces watches that can be influenced by moderate magnetic fields. Obviously if you put your watch in a MRI machine, you can inflict magnetization related harm. But, I am sure no one would do this. Jim 

    ...a workmate has just had a replacement 5167 last month because of the same problem, patek tried to fix the first one twice until my friend told them he wanted a replacement, he had bought a rose gold 5711 6 months previous and that also had issues but in my opinion not as noticeable because of limited use he had been wearing the 5167 all the time when it gained 15 minutes in a month, I had also been looking at 5167 but this has put me off patek, I did but an ellipse as a bit of a test piece from Jeff Hess and I am happy with that as (dare I say it) its quartz! and every time I get it out of the safe it's keeping perfect time but when I bought a new strap from my local AD there was a guy in there complaing about his patek gaining 10 minutes a month so what goes on at patek.

I think there are several things that contribute to the problems some folks are having.  It is disturbing to read, not only issues of this sort, but the number of problems folks are encountering. Because of my loyalty to the brand, I don't want to believe that PP would make watches just to get them out there for the sake of money, but it seems that  may be the case.

Twenty-five years ago, production levels were 8-10,000 pieces per year, 2008 saw 40,000 pieces produced.  I don't know the exact numbers but I think it would be safe to estimate that within the past ten years PP has produced some 350,000-400,000 pieces.  I believe the total production from 1839-1989 had not reached the 1,000,000 piece mark.  I can't help but think these production numbers have contributed to many of the problems folks are encountering with the newer pieces.  Maybe there is something about the way watches were made 30+ years ago  which makes the pieces more desirable and bring these incredibly high prices... the philosophy where it is built until it is right.

Evidently, the learning curve for Patek's increased production is something they are having a tough time getting under control.

Reliability,  performance, attention to detail, certainly the perception of value (with respect to record setting auction prices) etc. are some of the factors which brought PP to the apex, not the marketing of being a family owned business.  It would seem that it would be prudent for the family to stay in the office and get these issues solved before things really get out of hand.  As quickly as Patek's popularity came, it can go.

..I love the brand and had every intention of buying 2 new Pateks this year 1 for everyday wear and 1 for special occasions but after the problems my friend has been having and judging by all the patek free gifts on ebay other people have been having I am now right off the idea.

You are right! It seems that the high production numbers and a not so perfect "final inspection" of these incredible number of watches has caused the problems.

Patek obviously risks some "replacement issues" instead of rising their efforts on final quality checks... but this can turn out to be a "boomerang"!

When I have got a little more time I will post an incredible issue which happened to me, but PP had been very generous... 

kind regards

erich

...their pateks all the time as all of us know most people who buy them only wear them every now and again meaning you would never detect a fault, I am going to go for an automatic vintage calaltrava and maybe a world time from the 1990's instead of new, I must add patek have been very good with my friend and I am waiting to hear about if his replacement Aquanaut is running well.