Accuracy.

[olympus593]

Hi guys, am new to WRT and like what I see so far!

I was wondering how obsessed (or not) you guys get about the accuracy of your watches?

I have a very modest collection which consist mainly of ETA 2824-2 and Selita SW200-2 movements. They are all of a similar age. What degree of accuracy should I expect from these movements (s/d) and what sort of `settling` in period is normal (if any) before best accuracy should be expected?

Thanks in advance.

[perpetual92]

ETA 2824's are very capable of good time consistancy, especially if recently serviced.  They do have a tendency to drop off a bit when needing a service.

For instance, I have a new Elabore grade 2824-2 running +5 seconds a day, with similar numbers on a timegrapher, too.  With little positional variance.  That is very good.

This new watch worked into these #'s within a few weeks of use.  The watch is a Steinhart Ocean Vintage 1.

 

Accurancy is really a measure of how consistant it is.  If your new 2824 is running around ~ +/- 6-8 s/d day WITH CONSISTANCY that is very good for a basic or Elabore grade. 

 

If your watch has the upgraded chronometer grade than +/- 5-6 seconds a day is expected.

 

Keep in mind that a properly set up, regulated and serviced Elabore can give a Chronometer grade a run for its money.

Edited November 28, 2015 by perpetual92

[clockboy]

ETA 2824's are very capable of good time consistancy, especially if recently serviced.  They do have a tendency to drop off a bit when needing a service.

For instance, I have a new Elabore grade 2824-2 running +5 seconds a day, with similar numbers on a timegrapher, too.  With little positional variance.  That is very good.

This new watch worked into these #'s within a few weeks of use.  The watch is a Steinhart Ocean Vintage 1.

 

Accurancy is really a measure of how consistant it is.  If your new 2824 is running around ~ +/- 6-8 s/d day WITH CONSISTANCY that is very good for a basic or Elabore grade. 

 

If your watch has the upgraded chronometer grade than +/- 5-6 seconds a day is expected.

 

Keep in mind that a properly set up, regulated and serviced Elabore can give a Chronometer grade a run for its money.

Good response perpetual "accuracy is how constant a watch is". Rolex used to be +/- 3 secs a day, if excellent timekeeping is your real thing then quartz is the movement you require.

[olympus593]

Thank you perpetual92, the numbers pretty much agree with what my watches are running. The only exception is my Squale 1521 which is probably closer to +12 s/d, it is the newest of my collection, have to say it is very consistent so may get it regulated at some point.

Im right in saying getting it regulated is no big deal by a competent watchmaker?

[clockboy]

Thank you perpetual92, the numbers pretty much agree with what my watches are running. The only exception is my Squale 1521 which is probably closer to +12 s/d, it is the newest of my collection, have to say it is very consistent so may get it regulated at some point.

Im right in saying getting it regulated is no big deal by a competent watchmaker?

If it only needs regulating then yes no big deal but does take a while.

[Geo]

Welcome to the forum Olympus, that is good advice given by the guys.

Whatever you do, don't drive yourself insane looking for perfection with a mechanical wristwatch, there is no such thing. If I had a mechanical watch that was running at +12 sec and it was chronometer grade I would think about service, and or adjustment. If it wasn't a chronometer, I'd probably leave as is. Also remember that your watch will have to be ideally timed to you and your everyday movements to get the best result.

[olympus593]

Thanks Geo and yes your 100% right. Love my Squale, Was after a Tudor Black Bay but out of my price range, the Squale, I think, matches it for quality, has the same ETA 2824-2 movement for a quarter of the price:

 http://www.squale.de/en/47-squale-1521-series

[bobm12]

Welcome aboard Olympus. Hopefully you'll be lured into fixing watches too!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[StuartBaker104]

Oly593, I assume from your username you are an aviation enthusiast. So to put this subject into perspective, the Olympus 593 engine was controlled by a mechanical computer. This technology has essentially disappeared on modern engines and has been supplanted by digital electronics and software. The reasons for this range through cost, quality, performance, reliability, maintainability and of course accuracy. So why did we love to see the Vulcan fly, and what drove so many people to work on doing that? Passion, emotions, pride, inspiration? Pick your own reasons. With advances in manufacturing and measuring capability, the last few of those old mechanical computers which are still being made have been improved significantly, but mechanisms will always suffer from friction, wear, thermal expansion, etc., so there is a limit.

And so it is with mechanical watches. The quartz watch is a much more accurate timepiece, so why do we love our mechanical watches? Passion, emotions, pride, inspiration? Or is it just like the Vulcan - they make a great noise?

Unless you aspire to be a master watchmaker, as long as you don't have to keep resetting your watch, stop worrying about accuracy and enjoy it for what it means to you. Then as Bob says, buy an old watch, get your screwdrivers out, take apart, rebuild it, and you'll discover that you have a greater tolerance for inaccuracy!

S

[olympus593]

Well said sir. 
Thanks.

[svorkoetter]

FWIW, I have watches with Russian movements (6), Chinese movements (1), Japanese movements (2), and Quartz (2).

 

I regulate all my mechanicals to be within +/-2 to 3 seconds per day, adjusted to my wearing patterns. For instance, my one Chinese movement watch has an instantaneous rate that can vary anywhere between about -2s/d and +8s/d depending on how wound it is, and its orientation, but it averages out to very close to zero with my wearing patterns. I wear it about 16h/d on weekdays and 8h/d on weekends, and it has averaged +0.05s/d since November 1st.

 

So I guess you could say I'm a stickler for accuracy. Anything more than about +5s/d or -1s/d and I'll do something about it.

[JohnR725]

One of the things I find amusing with watch accuracy is the difference between what the watch company expects and the owner of the watch expects..

 

So at one time ETA on the same website that lists their technical guides also had the manufacturing information guides. I'm attaching the one for the 2824-2. The guide has all sorts of  interesting information regarding timekeeping  technical specifications etc. which are not found in the normal repair guides.

 

Then there's a little more than just putting a watch on the timing machine one time you also need to check it 24 hours later. The PDF found at the link below has all sorts of nifty calculations other stuff you need if you really want to Know if your Watch is keeping perfect time.

 

http://www.witschi.com/assets/files/sheets/Calculation%20of%20the%20values%20X-D-DVH-Di-Im-N.pdf

ETA-2824-2-Manufacturing-Info-Fr-Gr-En.pdf

[olympus593]

Many thanks JohnR725, much appreciated, need some time to get my head around all your attached info. Thanks again,