Horological Meandering

I am curious to find out from fellow Purists members who own perpetual or annual calenders,especially the manual wind versions, what their wearing and winding patterns are like.This should exclude the honeymoon period when obviously more attention will be paid to it.

Here are some combinations:

1. Kept constantly on a winder (for automatics) when not worn,thus keeping date and time current.

2.Winding(manual) daily and wearing daily or frequently - date and time up to date.

3. Winding daily but wearing in rotation with others or occasionally - date & time kept up to date.

4.Winding only when watch is being worn and setting time and date each time.

5. Winding when watch is being worn and only setting to current time.Date is not current.

6.Others. Pls. elaborate.

It would be interesting to see your responses and if a common pattern exists for owners of these complications.Pls. include a picture of your beauty if possible.Thank you very much and look forward to your posts.

As for me, my one and only gets very little wrist time,which I am ashamed to say and I am guilty of no. 4 and even no. 5.

Here's a quick pic.

Cheers

Fernando

I have two perpetuals -- PP 5050G and 5140G. Both of them are on their respective winders when not worn. However, I do try to wear them as often as possible.

Reason why I keep them on the winders -- I am compulsive when it comes to indications on watches. All indications must be correct when I wear them. So even for my "simple" watches with date function only, I always set the correct date on them even though I may only be wearing them for one day!

Thanks for your feedback

Fernando

I own 2 perpetual calendars.

The JLC Skeleton:



The UN Perpetual Calendar GMT:



Things are very simple because the system is simple.

I can set the date very easily on the JLC because I only have to use the pusher to synchronize all the datas, and it is even simpler on the U.N because the setting of the date can be done with the crown.

So, no need of a winder, and the setting is not a pain at all!

If I often wear them?

No, maybe once or twice a month, for some days.

Best,

Nicolas

Always good to hear from you and to see these two beauties of yours.I was looking also at another perpetual but my thoughts went to how often will I wear it and will it be on a winder or set each time like the way you do it?Complicated thoughts for a complicated watch.

Best

Fernando

But don't you think it is part pof the pleasure we have to own such complicated watches?

Making the effort to set these Beauties is nothing compared to the difficult task for the watchmakers to conceive and release them, no?

It is like a reminder of the importance of these watches, to me.

In a certain way...

Best,

Nicolas

Should you have the time, I would appreciate it if you could post a review of the JLC skeleton
And of course, enjoy them
Cheers

And I do more than thinking, I found it!



It is here...

jlc.watchprosite.com

Best,

Nicolas

As they all happen to be automatic watches. I also wind my annual calendars every day/every other day.

This pattern may change as a manually-wound perpetual is coming along...

Cheers

Sam

 

its not often worn so i set the time and date, give it a shake and put it on.

 

i have worn it since then, this just happens to be one of the best pics.

Graham

Thanks for you invaluable feedback.Have always enjoyed your posts.

Best

Fernando

I guess that is the correct and logical approach as they should exhibit the real time and date perpetually which is their raison d'etre.However, with collectors like yourself and Nicolas ,sufficient wristimes must be given to others ,so either it's left on the winder or manually wound daily to keep it current, which could be enjoyable or a chore depending on how you see it.

The Lange Dato Perp. - I would definitely find winding that a real pleasure!

Cheers

Fernando

my perps on winders, but when I ran out of room in my safe I ended up leaving them in pouches like my other complications and winding/setting them every 4 to 6 months.

Not sure if this is an aberration, but the watches I had in the winding boxes ended up needing servicing before the ones in pouches even though I purchased them later.

Now, I don’t keep any watches on winders. Instead I spend an afternoon every 4-6 months and wind all of my watches and set their complications.

Your watch, Fernando, looks familiar to me for some reason:

O
This message has been edited by O on 2009-06-09 09:09:37

I also don't have any watches on winders after weighing the pros and cons of it.Yours is an interesting insight regarding maintenance.A varied array of responses so far, most importantly what works for each of us in giving us pleasure.Thanks for the response and nice watch BTW.

Fernando

Allow me to start off, I do not have a perpetual calendar. But personally, if I had one, especially a thin Patek 5040 or 5140, I'd try to wear it as often as possible, even as a casual watch. You've still got to pay for the servicing, so why not wear the watch!

A Patek Perpetual calendar watch is a special watch to behold. And it's probably true that you have other special watches in your collection, but I personally would try to offer more wrist time to the Patek 5040. We all travel extensively, spend a large amount of time away from our watch collections, etc, but we've got make time for the watch!

And when I'm not wearing it, I would leave it on a Scatola Del Tempo watch-winder.

A PC is indeed a special watch and as Amanico so kindly pointed out, a lot of blood ,sweat and tears goes into the process of producing one.We should appreciate and marvel at its capabilities and give it a chance to perform its duties by wearing it regularly.That is why I hesitate owning another because it won't be fair to have it sitting idle most of the time and is not doing it proper justice.

I can imagine the day when I will say enough is enough and find myself the ultimate grail which will most likely be a perpetual or some other grand complication and wear it 24/7. The others will probably go to the auction block! I wonder how that would feel and if anyone else has also considered it? Not for the immediate future though.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Cheers

Fernando

The most I have had was four watches at one time, and I found myself wearing one of them 95% of the time.  Granted, we all have different financial capabilities, but I found out for myself that I would rather keep upgrading that one watch and enjoy it every day, rather than having multiple pieces in the safe.  Don't get me wrong, beside that one watch, there has to be at least one Rolex for the garden, playing with the kids, beach, ect.

Later, Adi

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I own 3 perpetuals, a UN Perpetual GMT+/-, IWC Portugiese and a JLC Master Perpetual with possibly 2 more on the way. The beauty of a perpetual is the fact that you can pick up the watch and go and not worry about the day/date. I keep the UN on a winder and try to keep the JLC wound as it is a hand wound but it has a 8 day power reserve (I do admit that I have not been that compulsive recently). The IWC I will keep wound either by hand or by putting it on a winder. IMHO I think that a hand wound perpetual (or moon phase for that matter) with a typical 40 hour power reserve defeats the purpose of the watch. To put the watch to full use, I think that it needs to be kept fully wound.

Mitch

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a PP5396. The RD I always put it on winder if not in use but this also speed up the wear and tear. The PP5396 is still sealed and occassionally I swing it to maintain her fitness. The service issue and the cumbersome setting process (you have to remember which push button for which functions) also discourage me from getting more perpetuals though I am still looking 1 manual perpetual chrono (uou guess which?). Cheers.

which manual perpetual you are talking about(5970?)which I think is everybody's favorite at the moment.It is also mine and this issue of setting , winding and the practicality of it has crossed my mind many times.I have finally come to terms with it and given the opportunity would probably say 'yes' for its sheer beauty alone and wear it as a time only watch if I find setting or winding it daily too cumbersome.This may sound blasphemous to some but I'm sure they will understand. There are many examples in modern society where acquisitions far exceeds anyones needs and are really superfluous to say the least.

Thanks for your post

Fernando

. . . and I kept all four of them running on winders until a few years ago when one seized up after years of continuous operation. Now, I only set them when I feel like wearing them, but strangely, I don't feel like wearing them quite as often now. A good portion of the mystique is lost when a perpetual is allowed to relax . . . cordially, Art

PM coming
Cheers

There isn't a perfect solution unless as I said it's your only watch ( plus a beater maybe) and you wear it daily.

Thanks and cheers

Fernando