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Horology 101: the 5 Most Influential Automatic Wristwatch Calibers

  1. sdre May 27, 2018

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    Interesting to see it from a watch maker POV. So GP's marketing of 39 jewels is all hot air?
     
  2. Gurn May 27, 2018

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    Agreed
     
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  3. Tony C. Ωf Jury member May 27, 2018

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    I'm not going to quibble with the five movement that are the focus of Dennis' original post, but given the attention given to the GP Gyromatic, I would like to make an additional point or two.

    Yes, as Dennis pointed out, Longines also developed an HF automatic caliber. However, GP stands alone in at least a couple of respects. First, they produced 600 serial production Chronometer versions of the HF movements that were sent to the Neuchâtel Observatory, and they recorded an extremely impressive record, including at least 40 that gained "Observatory" status. In other words, instead of being classified as mere chronometers, those 40 movements passed exceptionally rigorous testing, and recorded remarkable results. In fact, Girard-Perregaux received the very first "Centenary Award" given by the Neuchâtel Observatory, to honor the company for the consistently high achievements of these movements. These HF Chronometers were all subsequently sold to the public.

    This is very different from sending a handful of specially adjusted watches to an Observatory, as Longines would have done, and reflects the extraordinary potential for accuracy intrinsic to the HF movements. In 1970, to use another example, they took the first five places Neuchâtel:

    [​IMG]

    No other manufacturer, to my knowledge, can claim to have accomplished anything remotely similar during that period with high-frequency movements, and I would say that they may belong in the group just outside of Dennis' core group.

    I have owned several of the above-mentioned GP Chronometers, including one Observatory version. Here is the special box that the latter were sold in:

    [​IMG]

    Oh, and as Al suggested, the (ruby) "Gyro-wheels" were actually designed to be lubricated:

    [​IMG]
     
    Edited May 27, 2018
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  4. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 27, 2018

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    I've not looked at all the locations that are jeweled to determine if the use of a jewels is an advantage or not. But certainly the use of jewels in those reversing wheels is given more value than it actually has - that's the role of the marketing department after all. All brands do it to one level or another.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  5. JimInOz Melbourne Australia May 27, 2018

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    Well, I got that snippet from a very reliable source Al, the manufacturers advertising copy.
    ;)

    GPGL.png


    I think you hit the nail on the head there Al.
     
  6. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 27, 2018

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    Like I said I found it hard to read. However I would not consider advertising copy to be very reliable, considering the tech guide calls for oil on these. :rolleyes:
     
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  7. Professor May 28, 2018

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    Did all automatic movements use Incabloc shock protection, if not which was the first?
    I ask because some of the images on this thread don't seem to show the standard Lyre shaped spring catch I've seen on incabloc jewel caps.
     
  8. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 28, 2018

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    There are probably 50 or 60 different shock absorber types, not no not all use Incabloc...
     
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  9. Professor May 28, 2018

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    Since the Incabloc is the most common, and possibly exclusively the system used by watches manufactured in recent years would the first automatic to use it be considered as important in the context of this thread?
    The West End Sowar Prima was the first watch to be manufactured with Incabloc, but I suspect it was a manual wind.

    My Russian watches don't have Incabloc, and my Benrus BB4 movement uses a flat spring shock absorber. I think the cyma used a flat spring as well.
    I suppose very early self winders may have need no shock protection to speak of. Considering how some owners of self winders shake the begeezus out of their watch to start it running if it has no hand winding option, I suppose shock protection proved a necessirty.
     
  10. ulackfocus May 29, 2018

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  11. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 29, 2018

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    Not exclusive in recent years at all - there are various systems that are still widely used, some made by shock absorber companies like Incabloc and Kif, but others that are brand specific like Seiko and even Omega's latest is I think their own design. As to their importance from a collector point of view, that is up to collectors to decide, but I've not met a collector yet that is focused on collecting various shock protection systems, but that doesn't mean there aren't people out there that are.

    I would caution that the article is not exactly accurate and in some cases contradicts itself. Not written by someone with any technical knowledge certainly, since they call some things out as shock protected when they are most certainly not.

    But in general to give some idea of the variety of systems out there, here's a taste...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    And here are some common cap jewel retaining systems that are used for train wheels - not the same as shock protection, but often confused as being that as in the article above:

    [​IMG]

    Cheers, Al
     
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  12. Professor May 29, 2018

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    Thanks. A mountain of information to digest. Looks like many of these are distinguished only by the shape of the cap jewel retainer.
     
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  13. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 29, 2018

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    No worries - as to the differences just being in the springs, appearances can be deceiving. This is a tool primarily for identification purposes, so the shape of the spring is the first step in determining what the system is, but the difference certainly go beyond that.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  14. Seaman May 30, 2018

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    This forum should have more threads like this. Thank you to all for the info shared.
     
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  15. ulackfocus May 30, 2018

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    You're quite welcome.... and there will be. One or two at a time.
     
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  16. ANALOGUE May 30, 2018

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    Very interesting! Thanks for charing!
     
  17. ulackfocus May 30, 2018

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    charo-color-70.jpg
     
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  18. zr4484 Jun 10, 2018

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    Thanks for taking the time to put this discussion together, appreciate everyone’s input.
     
  19. gostang9 Jun 10, 2018

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    This is a great informative thread, but it’s missing the conflict, debate and shenanigans we all expect from you around here. I’m eagerly awaiting your list of “Five iconic watches everyone should own”. That’s the thread I’ll open some ::popcorn:: for and hopefully get to read all the posts before it erupts and vanishes...

    :cool:
     
  20. ulackfocus Jun 10, 2018

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    I wouldn't hold my breath awaiting that thread. ;)