Horological Meandering

MTF's Journian woes raised an interesting question in my mind, just how many new designs have actual flaws in them? There are some obvious ones: UN Freak 1 Escapement Chopard 4.96 Date Advance Patek 5004 split-second pinion For this I'm really only thinking of design flaws that have caused a redesign by the manufacturer, not just something that causes faster wear. I'm also not thinking about dial issues, like the Panerai color-changing lume or the like, only mechanical problems Which have I missed? A

from what I read development of the Opus 3 did not exactly go smoothly either. Early MIH watches apparently had problems with the second hand but that is not really a design problem per se since a Valjoux 7750 base was used?

Best

Andreas

 

I thought they held back on deliveries until they manage to solve the issue?

I have one, and I was initially apprehensive...but after a year of ownership, it hasn't caused any problems for me yet, though I must confess I have worn the watch less then 10 times.

At the recent Purists gathering, a fellow purist highlighted to me the date 4 has a small incision, never realized that!!

Best, Horo

talking to the representatives at the recent Munich watch fair. I did not mean to knock the Brand or model in any way, I think the watch is fantastic, you are fortunate to own one. Just thinking of examples where I read or heard they had to tweak the mechanism.

Best

Andreas

 

Of the problems they had. Names of vervain watchmakers were also dropped as those who came in and "rescue" the watch. But my desire for the watch, and I bought with seriously very little discount - the AD told me they have a wait list, as usual, overcame my usual worrisome self.

Best, Horo

It may not necessarily be a design flaw, but an unexpected material flaw. There was a flaw in the metal used to make a ratchet and date wheel in a number of Journe Octa RdM's built in 2001. This was acknowledged by the Manufacture and repaired under warranty.

Andrew

I've never met an Octa Chronograph which works... i think it was a too ambitious watch: the will from Journe to keep the same case thickness for a chronograph lead to a non-working solution...

I don't answer to your question which is very precise but I would like to take the opportunity of your "flaw" topic about a point of view I would like to raise.

Let's take this GO:



The seconds scale over the two subdials is a flaw for me: it doesn't improve the readability... but it brings a beautiful 3D effect on the dial.

Let's take this HW Midnight Chronograph:

The second scale is cut twice so you can't properly use the chronograph:



Yes, it is a flaw but it was also a will to dedicate the watch more to the Tourbillon than to the chronograph complication.

And so on...

Sometimes flaws bring charm... like the beauty spot of Cindy Crawford !


Fr.Xavier

This relates to a discussion I had recently with pplater on the distinction between 'sport' and 'dress' chronographs.

Click here to read .

Andrew

all Octas have problems?

Stunned.....

Cheers

For now, silicium or more commonly known as just silicon is used in escapement. While the benefits of its usage in watches are known ( low friction ect) not many know the flaws.

Silicium is very brittle and delicate. The cost to create a piece of silicium escape wheels is very much more than using metal.

Thus for now the cost of owning a piece of silicium watch might be expensive (taking in consideration repair cost especially after warranty)

Is it a flaw design? I think yes for now. But if silicium is able to be produced at mass economic price, it would be another story.

cheers

PAt

but not really a design flaw. It's a trade-off, the advantages of silicon upfront, but with an unknown lifespan.

A

You have to do a lot of crown rotating to rotate the date on a GMT II. I never liked this an stick to my GMT master because of this, which has no such issues. Also, the new ceramic GMT II has another issue, the bezel rotates in click increments (if you know what I mean) of one hour, which means you can't set a dual time which is something and a half hr, often the case when travelling. It always amazed me how Rolex allowed such basic faults into such a lovely watch........... that they had perfectly sorted out the first time round itself!

Rishad

I am convinced there is a movement problem - owned two, both had the same problem and was contacted since by other owners who also have had issues. I guess it is not a common watch and perhaps not too many owners but something is amiss with that movement, IMO.

No message body

You can add the Panerai 8 Dayq movement, the one on the Pam 233, " in house ".

But the thing, the most important, is to know if  the watch companies manage to solve these issues.

Best,

Nicolas