HOW ACCURATE ARE YOUR MECHANICAL HIGH END WATCHES??? I’d be interested to know how many seconds a day your high end watch gains or loses, I’m assuming that you wear the watch daily. Also, does the watch stay consistent or do you need to get it adjusted every few years?. Thanks, Dan.
Mechanical watches can be accurate to less than a second per day. After the quality of the movement, the quality of the servicing is critical.
I recently bought a Rolex Submariner that was made in 1984. It was never serviced and before I got it serviced, it measured approx 3 seconds per day. Now it’s around 1 second.
But if accuracy takes first position, nothing beats a quartz movement.
I have some that are 5 minutes slow or fast per month, these tend to be the larger slower beat movements in my experience.
Like Ron I have some that are a second per day or better on average. The best I ever had was a Sea Dweller from the late 90s early 2000s that I couldn’t detect any fluctuation over 2-3 days at a time.
Of all the mechanical watches I have or have had I never sent one in for service because timekeeping was unacceptable, its usually for other things that may be broken or its just been to long.
I think most movements from the 50-60s (of good manufacture) on, are excellent timekeepers. I have a 50s Omega Constellation that I had serviced 6-7 years ago (probably its only service ever) and it keeps very accurate time.
I’m wearing this today. I saw it in the used case in a Vegas shop years ago and immediately regretted not buying it. Earlier this year I found another one with all docs and boxes in pristine condition and didn’t make the same mistake twice. IWC Portugieser boutique edition 8 day power reserve. The 8 day reserve is a wonderful feature when you wear more than one watch.
One of my favorite watches. It’s been on my “want” list for quite awhile. Enjoy!
Dear vkennedy61, please tell me the accuracy of your IWC Automatic (and is it the 3hz movement or the 4hz movement)? I ask because my 2008 IW500109 does not keep consistent time, it gradually runs faster and faster so that after a year or two of adjustment it is running ten seconds a day fast.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that movement. Running fast is telling you that it needs servicing.
Have always been a fan of IWC, especially Portuguieser and Pilot series. Someday…
Surely having to service an IWC movement every two years is excessive (current cost £730 and all the bother of getting the thing to IWC and getting it back). I’ve yet to meet a Rolex owner that’s not entirely happy with their watch. Hopefully someone who wears their 3hz Portuguese Automatic daily can tell me that their watch keeps constant time such that it doesn’t need a service every two years.
Hi - I think you misunderstood my comment. I was trying to say that it’s a watch that I have wanted to own for a long time.
I do however have a collection of Speedmasters. Other then the X-33 which has had several problems the rest all run like they are new, and don’t loose more than a few seconds every few days to a week. Never anything much more than that.
If you love your watch, just get used to setting it periodically. And service every 10 years. You wouldn’t believe all that has to go right inside that little thing.
Maybe I’ll buy the new Accutron - 5 secs a month. I could sell the IWC, buy the Accutron and buy 1/3rd of a dac.
I had several early Accutrons with the tuning forks. Not that accurate but loved the “revolutionary” movement.
Highly sought after watches–for the very interesting, creative tuning fork design.
I always had a soft spot for the Accutrons but never had one. Jaeger made a nice little “Mecha-Quarz” movement that IWC used in one of their Ingenieur lines but I never had one of those either.
If you are a stickler for accuracy and want to give up on the IWC and a new DAC, take a look at the spring drive model from Grand Seiko.
Or an Apple “watch”
Count me in the Bulova Accutron fan club. Have owned two. Of the various lines in the three major Japanese brands, Accutron consistently stands out for me style-wise. Increasingly hard to find locally to look at and try on before purchase, though. You’d think living 4 blocks from the Magnificent Mile, I’d have a stocking dealer. Nope.
I’m a big Hamilton fan. And Omega. And Grand Seiko. 
Me too.
I quite like the Grand Seiko Spring Drive ‘Omiwatari’