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Setting Patek's heritage perpetual calendar watches (e.g. 1526 / 1518)
I am very fascinated by the design and the function of the early Patek perpetual calendar watches (e.g. 1526 / 1518).
At the same time I am wondering how "practical" they really are.
I suspect nobody is wearing such a watch on a daily basis and even winding it every 24 or 48 hours or so will often been forgotten/impossible due to travel etc.
It is my understanding that the perpetual calendar can only be set by a watchmaker.
So what do owners typically do?
Just wear it with the outdated perpetual calendar indication?
Is it possible to advance the time over many days with many rotations of the crown until the date matches the current date again or will it destroy the movement if one goes past midnight or so?
Do people use watch winders for manual watches such as these: www.prestigetime.com
? Suspect this might increase wear on the watch ...
I must give credit to JLCs Atmos clocks with perpetual calendar as there this is a non-issue given the clock will always run.
But for vintange manual watches, the perpetial calendar function seems really like a complication in the true sense of the word...
Very curious to hear from collectors fortunate enough to have this "problem".
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Setting Patek's heritage perpetual calendar watches (e.g. 1526 / 1518)
I am very fascinated by the design and the function of the early Patek perpetual calendar watches (e.g. 1526 / 1518). At the same time I am wondering how "practical" they really are. I suspect nobody is wearing such a watch on a daily basis and even windi...
Old tech was amazing for it's time. Thankfully there is progress.
One of the reasons i gave up on the 3970er, setting it was a 'careful ritual'. Love the Rolex Sky-Dweller. Hopefully, PP can engineer something truly new as Rolex did with their Sky-Dweller. Plus the Rolex is really solid and very reliable, with 100m WP r...
complicated watches and their repair by donald de carle-section 6 calendar watches page 111
try and get yourself a copy of this book page 117 onwards has the patek philippe perpetual calendars.
Yes, the really old models
which can only be set through the movement were a real challenge I would think. The 3970 was the first to use outside correctors I believe making it a very practical watch. What did folks do, I guess they largely had only one watch, I know crazy, or they ...
Thanks to all who answered so far ...
... I will definitely try to pick up a copy of that deCarle book. Does anyone know if it is safe to advance time over midnight if just off by a day or two and will that move forward the perpetual calendar? Guess that could be a pragmatic although time-con...
I will try to clear up some misconceptions regarding how to set the functions of a vintage Patek perpetual based on my experiences and the
excerpt pictured from an original Ca 1980s Patek instruction manual. You will notice that there are instructions on how to set a 3448, 3450 and 2499. As pictured there are 3 correctors on the case to set the date and day, day only and moon phases. Correct...
My pleasure. Presumably: the date and day button will eventually get you to the leap year and February with 29 days. Then keep
pressing some more until you are in the correct year (if necessary) in the leap year cycle and correct month within that year. Then keep pressing some more. Once the watch has the right date, press the day only button to get to the right day. See the manu...
Watch winders are a good choice
This mainly depends on the mode you set. As long as the watch model is set to the corresponding watch winding mode, then the watch winder will not only not increase your wear, but also help you keep the watch running better faster, and longer. The followi...