That is a really well written article. I did a review on the Magrette Moana Pacific Pro Black/Steel last year which was my first experience with the STP movement. My general observations from a layperson perspective are pretty consistent with this Nodus article. Here I was comparing first to the Miyota 9015 (previously used in the MPP lineup) but also referenced the 2824-2.
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For accuracy I have found my different instances of the STP can be as tight as 1-2spd up to 8spd. I don't think I have seen one in double digits. Strangely the one 2824-2 that I have (ticking inside a Deep Blue Daynight Recon II) runs at about +13spd. I don't get all knotted up about accuracy, but I do expect single digit variances. I have never had an issue with any STP movements nor my 2824. I also have Selitta movements inside two Oris watches: previous generation Aquis and 42mm Divers Sixty-Five. The Aquis runs into double digits (about +12spd) while the Divers Sixty-Five incredibly is less than +1spd.
The point Nodus makes about QC vs out-of-the-box performance is well taken. All of these movements are undoubtedly capable of exceptional accuracy and performance, but untouched you never know. I think there is something to be said for smaller brands (I loathe the term "microbrand") making the leap to ETA or higher-grade ETA given the fundamental history of performance/reliability but also given that not all will have the resources to fully inspect and/or adjust each movement. That extra materials cost up front may well pay off with fewer potential issues down the road. Future supply, of course, will be murky.
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- Subjectively there is slightly less rotor noise [with STP vs 9015]. More to the point the STP is like the ETA 2824-2 in that rotor movement is more controlled/damped and comes to a stop pretty quickly, whereas the 9015 will continue to spin freely.
- Date transition is much quicker [with STP vs 9015]. On the STP it will start to shift just before midnight, although still not as precisely as the 2824-2, so there is little "in between" time each day. In comparison the 9015 date (annoyingly) starts to transition shortly after 11PM, and as such spends most of the last hour of every day in mid-shift limbo.
- The seconds hand sweep [with STP] is on par with the 9015, although I have always felt the 2824-2 appears a bit smoother in its rotation despite sharing the same beat rate. That aside the STP winds and sets more smoothly than the 9015, it's more taught along the lines of the 2824-2.
- The crown position detents are pretty short, meaning there is not much extension and thus distinction between positions 1 (hand winding), 2 (date) and 3 (time) and it can be tricky to get that in-between notch. I think the 9015 has a bit more play in this regard, a little easier to catch that second position, and the 2824-2 the best of the bunch. This is purely subjective, how that differs from sample-to-sample or person-to-person remains to be seen.
- Slightly longer specified reserve with the STP (~44 hours) vs. the 9015 (~42 hours) or 2824-2 (~38 hours) - nothing mind blowing, won't get you through a weekend, but right around where you would expect. I did not bother checking real-world reserve, don't care that much. Can't comment on relative winding efficiency, no idea if there are any hand-winding time-bombs as has been noted with the 2824-2.
- The crown is nicely damped when you press it back into Position 1 (winding/neutral) - it softly clicks back into place compared to the 9015 which is a bit more jarring. The advantage is that you can close off time setting without inadvertently jumping the minutes hand.
- Whether or not this has practical relevance, the movement junkies may find it interesting to note that the STP1-11 includes both Incabloc shock absorption and a Nivaflex NM mainspring. Interestingly, with the 2824-2 it is not until you get to Top/Top Chronometer grades that Incabloc and Nivaflex NM are used (Etachocs/Nivaflex NO are standard for Base/Elabore) whereas with the STP you have them right out of the gate. What does this mean for real-world performance? Not a clue. But it's nice to know that the STP uses components that are on par with the higher grade Swiss workhorse benchmark.
For accuracy I have found my different instances of the STP can be as tight as 1-2spd up to 8spd. I don't think I have seen one in double digits. Strangely the one 2824-2 that I have (ticking inside a Deep Blue Daynight Recon II) runs at about +13spd. I don't get all knotted up about accuracy, but I do expect single digit variances. I have never had an issue with any STP movements nor my 2824. I also have Selitta movements inside two Oris watches: previous generation Aquis and 42mm Divers Sixty-Five. The Aquis runs into double digits (about +12spd) while the Divers Sixty-Five incredibly is less than +1spd.
The point Nodus makes about QC vs out-of-the-box performance is well taken. All of these movements are undoubtedly capable of exceptional accuracy and performance, but untouched you never know. I think there is something to be said for smaller brands (I loathe the term "microbrand") making the leap to ETA or higher-grade ETA given the fundamental history of performance/reliability but also given that not all will have the resources to fully inspect and/or adjust each movement. That extra materials cost up front may well pay off with fewer potential issues down the road. Future supply, of course, will be murky.
