Thanks, this is very helpful..

Sep 17, 2015,04:08 AM
 

to answer your questons..

Does the watch keep the correct time?

   Yes

Does the minute hand miss the markers by its own width or less?

   More! 25 minutes around from original setting it will be sitting in the middle of the minute markers (having been set exaclty on one). The same is true if I set the minute hand in the centre of the minute markers as described in your other forum quote, 25 minutes later the minute hand will be roughly on the minute marker. So it is out by half the width of a minute marker at its worst case.

Does it change if you place the watch on its side with 3 o'clock up, or 9 o'clock up?

  I will test this tonight

There are lots of reasons that might contribute to what you are observing - the dial slightly out of center from the arbor (shaft where the hands fit), the dial out of level slightly, the hand's pipe slightly out of center with the hand, a bent pipe, parallax distortion on the edge of the crystal, and so on.

   Well there were allegedly issue with the dial production on the 5235

With your particular watch the minute hand is thin, the scale is on the extreme edge of the dial, you are watching it like a hawk (no doubt), and all the variables can stack up to give you an aggravating "miss" on some markers.

I found this on another forum about a similar, large-dial, fine-hand watch:

"have found the minute hand and the second hand align if you set the watch at 0 on the second hand and the minute hand precisely on the center of the minute mark. I use a 5X magnifier to align the minute hand. I suspect that I am overly compulsive about this ..."

     Y
es it is aggravating (to me) and yes I am also likely overly compulsive about it smile

At the Patek level you have a good chance that they will examine your watch and take your comment seriously.

     Many thanks again


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Minute Hand Alignment to Dial (PP5235)

 
 By: hashluck : September 16th, 2015-12:46
This is a general question but leading to a specific question. If you set up your watch such that at a beginning of a minute the minute hand is exactly aligned with a minute marker on the dial, would you expect the minute hand to be exactly aligned to the... 

Well, from what I can understand

 
 By: Mark in Paris : September 16th, 2015-14:27
if you mean that when the second hand makes a tour of its dial, the minute hand should arrive at the next marker, then I would say yes. I can't see what could cause a delay leading to a growing gap between the second hand arriving at its "0" position and ... 

Thanks Mark, yes you understand correctly...

 
 By: hashluck : September 16th, 2015-15:22
and it seems to me something is wrong. I hope PP agree! As you can imagine I have looked at many pictures of the 5235 and it seems not many people care that the minute hand is aligned to a marker when the second hand is at '0' when they set the time, even... 

Well, the second point you're mentioning is different

 
 By: Mark in Paris : September 16th, 2015-15:36
You're talking about the fact the second hand can be at "0" and the minute hand not be at the marker's level. It depends when the second hand was stopped or how the minute hand was set. This is normal. What is not is that once both are "synchronized", the... 

Indeed

 
 By: hashluck : September 16th, 2015-15:45
Yes I understand that. Of course with the 5235 stop second hand feature it is very easy to set the minute hand exactly where you would like it corresponding to a particular point for the second hand, it is just that mine does not stay that way :)

We agree! [nt]

 
 By: Mark in Paris : September 16th, 2015-15:58

This is a fairly common complaint about some watches

 
 By: cazalea : September 16th, 2015-16:40
and I think that it isn't always resolved to everyone's satisfaction. Does the watch keep the correct time? Does the minute hand miss the markers by its own width or less? Does it change if you place the watch on its side with 3 o'clock up, or 9 o'clock u... 

Thanks for the valuable input Cazalea

 
 By: Mark in Paris : September 17th, 2015-04:02
It is indeed something to remember. Cheers, Mark

Thanks, this is very helpful..

 
 By: hashluck : September 17th, 2015-04:08
to answer your questons.. Does the watch keep the correct time? Yes Does the minute hand miss the markers by its own width or less? More! 25 minutes around from original setting it will be sitting in the middle of the minute markers (having been set exacl... 

I have the answer....

 
 By: hashluck : September 29th, 2015-06:05
For those with an interest in this thread I now have an official answer from PP. In summary it is considered 'normal' behaviour. The variation is plus or minus 15-18 seconds due to tolerances of the gear cutting. More likely to be noticed on a stop second... 

Thanks a lot for the feedback, we appreciate it.

 
 By: Mark in Paris : September 29th, 2015-14:24
I guess many of the mechanical watches have something working that way indeed. Good news it is normal then! Cheers, Mark

Some comments...

 
 By: SuitbertW : October 5th, 2015-08:15
Hi, the issue you describe is one of those which could well be at the top of a FAQ for watch lovers. And, as with many other technical imperfections of mechancal watches, can have several different reasons. As a standard procedure you should first make su... 

Can you tell me please what CCW stands for?

 
 By: Mark in Paris : October 5th, 2015-08:46
Thank you for your explanations on that amtter Suitbert, much appreciated Cheers, Mark

Thanks Suitbert. [nt]

 
 By: Mark in Paris : October 5th, 2015-12:27

Well.....

 
 By: hashluck : October 5th, 2015-13:07
Indeed one of the first questions PP in London asked was if I was setting the hands CCW. I was, I learned this before when setting a JLC Master Control. the deviation was still there. From my own tests and the answer from PP Geneva I too very much suspect... 

Hi, hashluck,

 
 By: joenghenry : November 23rd, 2016-22:35
My 5235 behaves as your described. The minute hand is adjusted exact to the minute index, with second hand at 60. But it will gradually deviate, and only reached minute index when second hand is already +5sec. The deviation will then go away when the minu... 

Thanks

 
 By: hashluck : November 24th, 2016-03:51
Thanks Henry, yes the time keeping of this calibre is indeed excellent, I think the best of all my watches in fact