Movement Quirks

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iain
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Movement Quirks

Post by iain »

None of us on here will have owned every singe movement out there. In the interest of furthering all our knowledge, I thought it would be good to share all those movements we’ve owned with little quirks that are outside the norm.

These can be good, bad, or indifferent but should be part of the design. I’m not asking about flaws and failure rates here. So don’t mention sticking rotors....

I’ll start. My Zenith El Primero is a high beat movement which runs at 36000 vph, or 10 ticks a second. It’s a non hacking movement which isn’t a problem, however the strange quirk is the reversing of the time set and date set positions with the crown. Many a time I’ve pulled the crown out to the first click to set the date and adjusted the time instead. The date set is actually the second click on the EP.

So what movements have something unique about them that you want to share? I can think of a few others I’ve owned but won’t mention them to give others a chance to contribute.
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by RichM »

On Swatch's automatic Sistem 51 movement the crown winds anti-clockwise to get the watch going. I thought it was faulty when I wound it for the first time. Note to self: read the flipping manual.
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by iain »

No more? What about simple quirks that are just something that comes with a particular movement?

I’ve only owned one, but the valjoux chronograph movement in one of my Bremonts had the wobble. I didn’t know what it was when I read about it until I experienced it first hand but I quite liked it.
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by RichM »

^^ Definitely get the Valjoux wobble on my Bremont too!
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by watchaholic »

I’ll include a picture of my Zenith Defy high speed Chrono. This model has the Chrono that measures 1/100th of a second. With a completely separate barrel, movement and PR indicator for the chronograph. No date here, so the crown doesn’t pull out at all. Turning the crown clockwise advances the PR indicator for said chronograph. Turning it counter or anti clockwise winds the barrel powering the watch.
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by TheBeatles »

With reference to a couple of earlier posts. I’ve had a couple of Valjoux 7750 and can honestly say, I’ve never noticed/felt the “wobble”

So much so that quite awhile back in another thread, I had to ask someone to explain what it was. Even though I was the owner of one at the time. And currently own the C60 Trident Pro 600 Chronograph Automatic (The Beast)
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by RichM »

^^^ I really like the Beast with its 'breather' second hand! When I have the funds I'd love to track a second hand one down. It will be interesting to compare movements - wobbles, or lack of - considering it's the same as the Bremont.
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Ulysse Nardin San Marco GMT +/-

It’s a proper traveller’s GMT because you can advance or retard the independent hour hand via the pushers at 8 and 10. The clever bit is that if you take the hour hand back through midnight the date changes back as well with no damage. Good trick, though I’ve never had cause to use it in anger.

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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by jkbarnes »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 4:57 pm Ulysse Nardin San Marco GMT +/-

It’s a proper traveller’s GMT because you can advance or retard the independent hour hand via the pushers at 8 and 10.
Does the crown need to be pulled out to engage the pushers, or are they fully function all the time?
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

jkbarnes wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:07 pm Does the crown need to be pulled out to engage the pushers, or are they fully function all the time?
Crown stays screwed down, pushers adjust hour hand on the fly.
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by jkbarnes »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:16 pm Crown stays screwed down, pushers adjust hour hand on the fly.
That’s pretty convenient. Like you said, a true traveler’s watch.
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by nbg »

I wouldn’t call it a quirk, as it was designed to do what it does. :)

But on the basis that most chronograph dials/movements tend to follow one of a small number of formats, I give you something different.

The JLC caliber 859, as used in the Reverso Gran Sport chronograph. A rectangular 317 part movement (most movements are round, including those that most brands stick in rectangular dial watches).

Rather cool as the chronograph is a 30 minute retrograde, on the reverse of the dial, with an indicator on the front dial to remind the wearer when the chronograph is running.

Non chronograph side.
A6405E67-336A-47F3-A224-448B24CA7413.jpeg
Chronograph, just before it reaches the 30 minute retrograde reset.
15D85E6F-1A72-4508-A677-8EA08CE7DA66.jpeg
Chronograph, just after it has reached the 30 minute count and reset.
E54CF627-433F-4CEB-8AEC-E6FFFD279949.jpeg
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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by strapline »

^^ ^^
That a forum fav from me Neil. Just lovely.

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Re: Movement Quirks

Post by iain »

This isn’t really a quirk but is more a case of a watch doing what it’s supposed to do. Whereas almost every other watch I’ve owned doesn’t do it.

I’ve been scratching my head with my JLC Polaris whenever I set the watch. We all know how to set a watch, give it a few winds to get it going, pull the crown out when the second hand reaches 12 and set the watch. However I always move the hands to just past the time and then wind them back to remove any play in the movement. I’ve set hands exactly before and pushed in the crown only for them to take a while to start to move and the result being the minute hand is then about 30 seconds behind. I’ve even had user manuals that tell you this is how to do it.

So back to the JLC. I’ve been setting the watch the exact same way but every time I wind the hands back and release the crown, the minute hand either drifts back again or when it doesn’t drift, it jumps a minute when I push back the crown.

Anyway after some trial an error I decided to just wind the hands to the minute and push the crown back. Perfect, no jump, no drift and no slack in the movement.

It’s like the movement is so well made you don’t need to worry about playing with the hands to overcome things like play in the gears. It just works perfectly every time. Well done JLC.
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