I've covered this topic many times...
In the 1960's, I'm sure making a column wheel (the individual part) was much more complex than making a cam. Today, with modern CNC machining, making a column wheel is as easy as making a cam.
Vintage parts are generally priced at much higher prices than modern movement parts are, so keep that in mind as you read below...
The 321 column wheel is under $100 to purchase as a spare part. A column wheel for a 3313 is under $40, as is the column wheel for the 3300. The two parts of the cam (upper and lower) for the 861/1861 cost more than either of the column wheels for the 3313 or 3330, but are a little less than the column wheel for the 321.
On the new 3861, the two parts of the cam (what they for some reason call the upper and lower wig-wag on this movement) cost more than the column wheel for the Cal. 321.
So all in if we are talking about a part that ranges from less than $40 to around double that, is this really a significant thing in the cost of making the movement?
Note that the remainder of the parts to make either system work is about the same in number...there's really nothing in it between the two.
People have been lead to believe that cams are somehow inferior, and are less complex than column wheels. Like most good stories, there's a kernel of truth there from the past. The cam on the 861/1861/3861 is fairly simple, but here is probably the most ubiquitous cam there is, from a 7750:
From the top shot above, what you would see on the movement if there weren't parts in the way, is that the cam is made in 3 layers, all with very different geometry. The underside is more complex:
Excuse the stains - I haven't cleaned this one up yet. But it's anything other than simple in design...
Cheers, Al
