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I just received the Feb 2011 issue of WatchTime magazine which contained a review of the Chronoswiss Sirius titled "Sirius Scrutiny" by Martina Richter. There were some surprising issues with the timekeeping of the watch that they reviewed. This article serves as background to my question.
For those of you who do not get the magazine, I will quote the relevant portion:
" The movements rate results were less than ideal. Our electronic timing machine determined that the watch gained an average of 3.8 seconds per day with a fully wound mainspring. That's entrely acceptable, although the difference in rate between the various positions was 13.2 seconds. Fully wound, the Sirius ran fastest (+10.7 seconds) in the dial-up position and slowest (-2.5 seconds) in the crown-left position. After running 24 hours, it showed an average deviation of 12.7 seconds, with deviations of 21.6 seconds among the individual positions and a maximum gain of 24.3 seconds in the dial up position.
Worn on the wrist and wound once per day, the Sirius yielded better results: it gained between nine to 13 seconds. When we left the watch overnight with the dial facing up, it ran extremely fast, and the next day showed a gain of 18 to 24 seconds. These results confirmed those found on the timing machine: only when fully wound does the watch perform with acceptable rate values. When the tension in the mainspring declines (as it periodically will in a hand-sound watch), the Sirius runs fast, and especially so if it is taken off the wrist and left lying face up. This corresponds to the dial-up position on the timing machine, where the Sirius showed its greatest rate deviation of all positions. Wearing a watch on one's wrist compensaates for the greatest deviations (as do the measurements in five positions on the timing machine)and yields an average daily rate of 12.5 seconds after several weeks of wearing."
I am presently considering adding a Regulateur 24 (CH 1123) to my collection. It has a Chronoswiss Caliber C.112 which is similar to the Caliber C.111 used in the Sirius that was reviewed; hence my concern. They both utilize re-manufactured Marvin 700 bases. It was my understanding that Chronoswiss has been using these Calibers since 1993 (Orea Hand-Wound and now Sirius and Regulateur 24), so this is a Calber that the company should have ample experience with (e.g. it is not new). These timing results frankly surprised me. No mechanical watch that I have owned performs anywhere near these rates. Worn on the wrist and wound once per day, the Sirius yielded better results: it gained between nine to 13 seconds. When we left the watch overnight with the dial facing up, it ran extremely fast, and the next day showed a gain of 18 to 24 seconds. These results confirmed those found on the timing machine: only when fully wound does the watch perform with acceptable rate values. When the tension in the mainspring declines (as it periodically will in a hand-sound watch), the Sirius runs fast, and especially so if it is taken off the wrist and left lying face up. This corresponds to the dial-up position on the timing machine, where the Sirius showed its greatest rate deviation of all positions. Wearing a watch on one's wrist compensaates for the greatest deviations (as do the measurements in five positions on the timing machine)and yields an average daily rate of 12.5 seconds after several weeks of wearing."
I would appreciate hearing from other Chronoswiss owners to get your perspective on this.
Thanks,
Bob