How to distinguish a good watch from its movement: How to judge a high-quality watch (feel and sound edition)

The standards for what makes a "good watch" vary from person to person. However, there are certain points to look at, such as the finish, construction, and performance. This article explains how to "distinguish a good watch" from these points in the "How to Appraise a Good Watch" series. This time, we'll look at the "feel and sound" section, which are areas where people's preferences tend to differ more.

A summary of "How to identify a good watch" - a deep explanation of "How to identify a good watch"

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The "feel" and "sound" of the movement

　Even if you don't know anything about finishing techniques, there are still criteria you can use to judge the quality of a watch. These are feel and sound. Because preferences vary greatly from person to person, it's difficult to generalize about these two. However, knowing a few criteria can make choosing a watch more interesting. So, what exactly are the criteria for good sound and good feel?

How to get a good feel?

　If you want to improve the feel and sound, polish the hard parts and make them more secure. Sound aside, this is why more expensive watches tend to have a better feel (though not necessarily all of them, of course). A good example is A. Lange & Söhne's Datograph Up/Down. It's hard to imagine that a movement with such complex handling would have a good feel, but the effort put into it means that the pushers are some of the smoothest to press of any modern chronograph.

　Naturally, choosing a well-designed movement makes it easier to get a good feel. A good example is the Reine. It is equipped with a hand-wound movement that is an improved version of the 36.6mm Unitas. This is housed in a 40mm case. Because the reach from the crown to the movement is short, there is little wobble when winding or setting the hands, making it very comfortable. Nowadays, the precision of the processing around the crown has improved, making it difficult to feel wobble even when combining a small movement with a large case. However, choosing a movement that is as close to the case size as possible is a fundamental principle for getting a good feel.

A. Lange & Söhne "Cal. L951.6"
If we're talking about feel, we can't leave out this movement. The pusher torque is only about 590g when starting and about 712g when resetting (both measured values). This is about half that of the ETA7750. The biggest reason for this is that the movement's concept is more focused on aesthetics than practicality. By weakening the regulation springs that press the pushers, we've achieved an extremely light and precise feel.

A. Lange & Söhne "Datograph Up/Down"
First released in 2012. Compared to the original model in 1999, the running time has been extended, the regulator has been changed to a free-sprung balance, and the chronograph reset has been changed from direct to indirect. The balance spring is also made in-house. Manual winding (Cal. L951.6). 46 jewels. 18,000 vph. Power reserve approximately 60 hours. Pt case (diameter 41mm, thickness 13.1mm). Water resistant to 30m. (Inquiries) A. Lange & Söhne Tel. 03-4461-8080

　If you want to avoid jumping hands when setting the time, choose a watch with a second wheel that is coaxial with the winding stem. Of course, even in movements with an offset second wheel, there are some that have been designed to reduce jumping hands. Also, mass-produced ébauches and mature movements are designed to generally prevent jumping hands even if the second wheel is not centered. However, the general rule is to choose a watch with a centered second wheel.

　Incidentally, there are good and bad hand-setting feel. A good hand should have no loss of torque and no rough feel when setting the hands. Also, a movement that does not move around after setting the hands can be considered to be well-designed.

Wristwatch rotor noise

　One thing to check with an automatic watch is the sound of the rotor. In recent years, many manufacturers have begun using ceramics for the bearings that support the rotor. This makes them less susceptible to wear, but it also produces a distinctive high-pitched sound. IWC's Cal. 52010 is a good example of a watch that deliberately avoids the use of bearings to reduce rotor noise.

　To be honest, even if you don't know the finishing techniques, you can judge the quality of a watch to some extent by its feel and sound. To do this, you need to touch the actual watch as much as possible, rather than just looking at photos or videos.