How to distinguish a good watch from its movement. How to judge a high-quality watch: Comparing the finishes of top-of-the-line, high-end, and practical watches.

"How to Identify a Good Watch" looks at how to distinguish a good watch from the movement's finish, chamfering, and performance. This time, as a case study, we have divided watches into top-of-the-line, high-end, and practical watches based on the movement's finish, and each is featured with newly taken photos. We would like you to compare these three types.

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Top-end watches
A. Lange & Söhne "Grand Complication"

　In this article, we will compare the movement finishes of three watches: a top-of-the-line watch, a high-end watch, and a practical watch. The pinnacle of this comparison is the Grand Complication created by A. Lange & Söhne. With a list price of 2 million euros at the time of release and a limited production run of only six pieces, this ultra-complex watch certainly exudes value beyond its price. Of particular note is the generous use of black polish.

　The Grande Complication, released by A. Lange & Söhne in 2013, is the most complicated German watch in history, boasting an extremely rare finish, not only among current models but also among those dating back to the past. Featuring a split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar, minute repeater, grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, and foudroyante, most of the functional parts of this complicated watch are made of steel, and most of them are finished with a perfectly polished black finish (poly-noir).

　Generally, high-end steel parts have rounded chamfers that are applied by hand, just like brass or nickel silver bridges. The top surface is given a matte grain finish. The grain is created by pressing the part against sandpaper or plastic wrap and gently stroking the surface. In contrast, a black polish finish is achieved by smoothing the surface with sandpaper or plastic wrap, and then polishing it with a plate such as zinc to give it a mirror finish. Daniel Roth, who is an expert in this technique, says, "You can't remove scratches from parts even if you polish them with zinc, so it's important to prepare the base perfectly.

　"But just because the base is well-prepared doesn't mean you'll get a perfect finish," he explains. Specifically, the surface finish changes slightly depending on the temperature and humidity. For this reason, black-polished steel parts have been reserved for small, but highly visually significant, areas such as tourbillon carriages, regulators, and screws (the truly great screws have perfectly polished heads). Because it's so labor-intensive, this finish is rarely seen, even in high-end watches made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when labor costs were low. Additionally, assembling the movement was extremely difficult, as even breathing could cause the surface to tarnish.

　The Grand Complication uses such black polished steel parts throughout. As far as I know, there have been and probably will be very few watches in the past that use such luxurious details. Honestly, this watch demonstrates one of the finest finishes ever made. With a finish that is beyond the reach of mass-produced watches, the Grand Complication can be called a true work of art.

High-end watches
FP Journe "Chronometer Souverain"

　The high-end sample we chose is the FP Journe, whose finishing has not received much attention. To be honest, the finishing of the previous FP Journe watches was not as good as that of watches in the same price range, even as a compliment. However, improvements to the finer details have greatly enhanced the appeal of their signature model, the Chronomètre Souverain. Also, details that do not focus solely on the finishing are a characteristic of FP Journe.

　The FP Journe captivates watch enthusiasts with its unique mechanism and design. I have long admired François-Paul Journe's creations, but to be honest, the finishing of his watches wasn't particularly outstanding compared to watches in the same price range. Apparently, Journe was once advised by the late George Daniels to improve the finishing, but he was skeptical about doing so because it would have significantly increased the price.

　In fact, the early FP Journe movements were not hand-chamfered, but machine-finished, reminiscent of mass-produced machines. To be precise, they were slightly hand-finished, but they did not have the rounded edges that are characteristic of hand-finished movements. Fans like me didn't mind this, but those expecting a finish commensurate with the price would have been dissatisfied.

　However, starting around 2014, FP Journe significantly improved the finishing of its movements. One factor likely triggered this change was the change from brass to gold. The results are clear in the latest Chronomètre Souverain. The bridges now have rounded chamfers and the circular graining is finer. While the Geneva finish remains somewhat deep, the movement's appearance has changed dramatically.

　In terms of finish, the 19 Astronomic Souverain is arguably the pinnacle of Journe's history. This model features extensive use of time-consuming black polish on many of its steel parts. When asked why he went to such lengths, he replied, "Because this is the pinnacle of quality."

　Even with the improved finish, the FP Journe aesthetic remains intact. Take the area around the pinholes. Like most luxury watches, they're "open-cut" mined, but the holes are dug vertically and the pinholes are set deep inside. From an aesthetic standpoint, the pinholes should have been positioned closer to the front. This would have made the Chronomètre Souverain movement even more impressive. However, it seems that what's most important to him is the precision of the axes, rather than just the appearance.

　The FP Journe maintains its unique design while improving its finish year after year. To be honest, it's not cheap, but it's definitely worth it.

Practical watch
IWC "Portugieser Automatic"

　Although it's too good to be called a practical watch, I would like to cite IWC as an example of an industrially made movement. This manufacturer has been working on the aesthetics of their movements since the days when they were modifying ébauches. Since they started producing their own movements, the finishing has been further improved, and in recent years, with the addition of designers, the clean look typical of industrial products has been further emphasized.

　In my opinion, a finish that relies heavily on handwork does not necessarily result in a superior product. Even industrial techniques, if used properly, can produce a watch that looks better than one that is hand-finished. Rolex, Panerai, Breitling, and IWC have all been successful with this approach. In recent years, IWC in particular has improved the aesthetics of its movements by involving designers in the design of their movements and by using cutting-edge techniques. A good example is their latest automatic movement, the Cal. 52010.

　What catches the eye in the movement is the large hollowed-out bridge. The chamfering is done using diamond cutting, drawing the eye to the hollowed-out interior. Also, as you'd expect from a high-end watch, the chamfering is wide. Achieving this kind of finish used to be difficult, but with the spread of NC lathes, it's now easier than ever. Panerai is a master of this technique, but IWC is no slouch either.

　The Geneva finish is also interesting. Concentric, rather than vertical, Geneva finishes are currently favored by Maurice Lacroix and IWC. Compared to vertical Geneva finishes, fewer stripes are required, reducing the number of finishing steps. It also makes it easier to achieve a uniform pattern. The finish is very industrial, but I think it's more appropriate for an IWC, which is an industrial product.

　The circular graining is also of high quality. Even during the time when IWC was tuning its ébauches, it had semi-automatic machines for circular graining in-house. With this know-how, the company now carves the baseplate and bridges instead of pressing them, and also makes the surfaces as flat as possible. It's no surprise that the quality of the circular graining has improved.

　However, this is a well-made industrial movement, and is naturally different from a work of art that relies heavily on handwork. The finish on the screws is clearly different from that of high-end products, and the steel plate that secures the balance stud is polished, but not black polished. However, the overall look is completely seamless, which is what makes IWC IWC. Only people who understand watches could achieve such a unified look. It's no wonder that it is held in higher esteem by watch industry professionals than by users.