Inherent Weaknesses In Watch Brand Components?

[WillFly]

I've had 3 or 4 Wittnauer and Longines watches from the 1940s/50s, of which some had the same weakness in the cannon pinion. They seem to be fragile by comparison with other vintage watches of the same era and - interestingly - Wittnauer was at that time a sister company to Longines. The story is that Longines bought Wittnauer and the two "factories" stood side by side in the same building - with no parts crossover, which I'm slightly sceptical about.

 

The cannon pinion symptoms are that they either often require tightening or replacing because the minute hand trails loosely behind the motion of the pinion. They're also very difficult to find in this country! I have a Longines and a Wittnauer with this problem at the moment. The Wittnauer is not particularly interesting, so I'm going to cut my losses and get rid of it, but the Longines was a present for Madame F., and I'll get that sorted.

 

However, I digress. The point of my query is whether, like some makes of car, other makes of mechanical watches are known for design or parts problems.

 

Just curious.

Edited February 5, 2014 by WillFly

[autowind]

I do not know the answer to your built in obsolescence question but I do know that tightening a cannon pinion is a very delicate operation.  Mark would know the correct way to do it,  when I've tried it was a very hit or miss affair.

 

RogerC

[WillFly]

Absolutely - I wouldn't even think of messing with a cannon pinion. I suspect I may have to lay the Longines before Mark in the near future... :bow:

[Mark]

I do not know the answer to your built in obsolescence question but I do know that tightening a cannon pinion is a very delicate operation.  Mark would know the correct way to do it,  when I've tried it was a very hit or miss affair.

 

RogerC

 

I use a canon pinion tightener made by Bergeon - I love this tool.

 

It's basically a pair of end cutters with a stop screw so you can only squeeze the tool so far. I use an old oiler to hold the pinion as I tighten it.

 

[Mark]

I've had 3 or 4 Wittnauer and Longines watches from the 1940s/50s, of which some had the same weakness in the cannon pinion. They seem to be fragile by comparison with other vintage watches of the same era and - interestingly - Wittnauer was at that time a sister company to Longines. The story is that Longines bought Wittnauer and the two "factories" stood side by side in the same building - with no parts crossover, which I'm slightly sceptical about.

 

The cannon pinion symptoms are that they either often require tightening or replacing because the minute hand trails loosely behind the motion of the pinion. They're also very difficult to find in this country! I have a Longines and a Wittnauer with this problem at the moment. The Wittnauer is not particularly interesting, so I'm going to cut my losses and get rid of it, but the Longines was a present for Madame F., and I'll get that sorted.

 

However, I digress. The point of my query is whether, like some makes of car, other makes of mechanical watches are known for design or parts problems.

 

Just curious.

 

I am sure that many modern calibers are built with materials that wear faster. I am a conspiracy theorist anyway lol.

 

But really - most swiss movements like the 2892.A2 and the v7750 use, for example, quite a complicated reversing wheel (two in the 2892), relatively speaking these will wear quite fast. The other issue is the ball bearing for the rotors - also, they are fast to wear (again, relatively speaking). 

 

Now take the good old workhorse, the Seiko 5 (7009 or similar) - a near perfect design that lasts for years and years. I have had these in when they have not been serviced for 20 years, mucky as anything, and they run perfect after a basic maintenance service - no parts changes.

 

Fantastic watches if you ask me, though many watch snobs would turn their noses up.

 

[autowind]

Not wishing to highjack this thread but I just wanted to say I can see how the cannon pinion tightener works now and as to the Seiko 5 it is practically bomb proof.  I beat the living daylights out of one for 10 years, eventually the only non jewelled train pivot hole elongated stopping the watch,  this would not have happened on the 17 jewel version,  mine was 15 jewel.  Seiko's method of auto winding is also remarkable,  it's a sort of double ended claw arrangement,  it must be made of a miracle metal as it does not seem to wear out.

 

RogerC

[WillFly]

I spotted a Seiko 5 7009 automatic on eBay this evening - non-runner - bagged it for a few quid. I'll get it done up and see how it looks. Might sell it on, might keep it...

[autowind]

Well done that man,  let us know what was wrong with it.

 

RogerC