Time to settle down after service?

[gorrie]

Interested to hear peoples thoughts on this and whether I am being too picky.

I purchased a pre-owned watch from Mappin & Webb in June which came with a WoSG 2yr warranty. It had the IWC card which was unstamped (hence the WoSG warranty).

I don’t normally go for precious metals, but the 18ct rose gold with grey sunburst dial on this just did things to me.

Anyway.. upon arrival (it was an online order), I felt the rotor noise, or the volume of the rotor sound more accurately, was not in keeping with what I would expect. I contacted Mappin & Webb and made arrangements to drop it in to one of the WoSG stores to be looked at under warranty. I didn’t want to reject the watch.. trying to find another at the deal I got would be pretty difficult… and apart from the noise I was happy with everything else.
Timekeeping was +6spd and power reserve was bang on spec… so was ok with that.

Anyway… WoSG advised a few weeks later that they were sending it back to the IWC mothership. IWC have since performed a full service (which they now also warranty) and I collected my watch on Thursday.

However… the rotor noise is exactly the same. If I tap the case I can hear it. At least I can be confident that nothing is loose/rattling about inside I guess.
So I was going to just accept that it must be characteristic of the 3570 model and learn to love it (maybe the iron cage inside the case is a factor.. or the ceramic rotor bearings used on this movement).
However.. the watch during its first 48hrs on my wrist is now running at an average of -10spd.

Does it take time to settle after a service? Am I being too picky at thinking -10spd is a bit rubbish? I thought IWC normally aimed for +0 to +7… rather than slow.?

Probably only had the watch in my possession for maximum of 10days since I bought it which is annoying so if I’m wasting my time sending it back again maybe I should just suck it up?

Watch in question:


Andy.

[huytonman]

Other more knowledgeable souls may disagree but I would not expect much of a change after servicing with a watch running with a modified Sellita SW200 (I'm pretty sure thats what IWC use as the basis of the movement). A standard sw200 can be easily regulated to run close to 0 secs/day - does IWC state an acceptable range for the rate variation on this watch/movement? That would be something I would check first and if -10 secs is acceptable to IWC you may be in for a struggle to get them to take it back and adjust it but I would still push for that. I once bought a used AP Royal Oak (under gurantee still) that had pretty lousy time keeping but the AP blurb stated a wide range so I was snookered with that and got rid of the thing the following week.
Good luck
Keith

[walkerwek1958]

I wouldn't worry about the rotor noise, provided it was checked for excessive wear it doesn't mean there's a problem.

Regulating watches isn't as easy as folks seem to think, but I agree that a loss of 10 secs/day isn`t good. If the watch has been serviced correctly the amplitude should be excellent, signifying that the watch is running well, it's just the regulation that needs attention. I`m not familiar with the movement but it shouldn't be difficult for the service folks to get it right. Wear it for a week or two, ensure it's running in a high state of wind (v. important) and record the data, get figures for the rate 'on the wrist' and the rate dial up overnight. Armed with this onfo you can go back and make a case for getting it sorted properly.

[gorrie]

Thanks guys. I believe it’s a modified sw300 in this one.
I’ll do as suggested.. wear for a week and keep results so I can go back armed. I’d rather it ran fast than slow. I don’t think IWC have anything on their website regarding their tolerances but I did see that a chap on another forum last year posted up an email he received from IWC where they stated to him that they aim for 0 to +7 but never slow.

[MartynJC (UK)]

Just to add - do check the mainspring is fully wound by turning the crown maybe 20-30 times each morning while taking your measurements. You could get tested on a cheap timeograph in different positions. Also - don’t some WOS have onsite watchmakers in the larger stores who should be able to regulate it for you? Good luck. I wouldn’t accept -10s/day

if it’s a regular -10s/d it could be regulated- but if it’s all over the shop maybe something else needs doing.

[gorrie]

Had it back 2 days (on the wrist the whole time), and it’s been 10 seconds both days. So if it stays like that over the next fortnight hopefully WOS can regulate it rather than it going back to IWC (as that will no doubt take longer).

[Montello]

Nice watch but that time keeping wouldn’t be acceptable to me.

[Onelasttime]

Shame about the rotor noise. Not even my shaky old Seiko SKX has rotor noise so on a watch costing considerably more I'd be properly annoyed.

And the timekeeping is unacceptable IMO. Punters are being taken for a ride by some of the big manufacturers. Once revered brands known for quality and service have been reduced to 'couldn't give a shite - give us your money'.

I'd be sending it back one more time and if it isn't within 0-7 secs after a regulation then either ask for a refund and return it, or get a competent independent to do it properly. But that sticks in the craw because you've paid a lot of money already. Difficult.

It is a good looking watch but all that would have soured it for me.

[walkerwek1958]

OP needs get the watch fully hand- wound and wear it, noting the timekeeping against a reliable source. SW 300 needs around 60 twists of the crown to fully hand wind, if you put the watch to yourear you’ll hear the clicking sound of the spring slipping in the barrel to confirm its fully wound.

Take some readings, draw your conclusion based on evidence not conjecture.......trust me I don’t make this up!

[gorrie]

Taking your advice Paul. It’s fully wound (heard the clicks)… so will be monitoring it for a fortnight on and off the wrist.

[walkerwek1958]

Taking your advice Paul. It’s fully wound (heard the clicks)… so will be monitoring it for a fortnight on and off the wrist.

Yep, simply check against a reliable source after a day's wear and first thing in the morning after 8 hrs dial-up. It'll be interesting to see the figures!

[gorrie]

Full wind before going to bed last night Paul.. but I didn’t take it off my wrist as I generally wear a watch to bed. Had lost a further 5 secs by the time I got up this morning.
Full wind when I got up today, and has lost around 4 secs so far. So it’s on course for another 10 today with a high state of wind.

I’ll do a further full wind tonight and leave it dial up on the bedside table.

I’ll keep monitoring for a week or so.. but early signs suggest it’s going to be heading back for regulation.
The little IWC card that was returned along with the watch (with the watch makers signature), says that they tested it in 3 positions after the service.

[Onelasttime]

The test in only 3 positions suggests the movement is the Sellita SW200-1 Special (Elabore) and the acceptable accuracy is considered to be +/- 7 sec/day up to +/- 20 per day.

I can't find any official IWC accuracy figures, which is clever of them, so as long as a watch runs within the movement tolerances it would be considered accurate.

Not sure what the IWC modification is to the movement, but usually a modification would be perceived as an improvement. Hmmm… maybe it was simply the addition of an engraved rotor?

Good luck with the fight but I can't help thinking it will need to go to someone who cares. The movement can easily be tuned to COSC tolerances.

[redmonaco]

Surprised IWC watches aren't COSC rated!

[seabiscuit]

Earlier this year I bought a 2022 Mark XVIII off a forum friend. It had been running to COSC standard beforehand, however I suspect it took a bump in the mail as it was running at a consistent plus 10 seconds a day when I started wearing it. It was dealt with under the IWC extended warranty. In the 66 days since it was returned, it has gained precisely 25 seconds.

[gorrie]

I can confirm it’s based on a sw300 (premium) top.
The IWC cal ref is 35111, and a bit of digging led me to a post on WUS where a chap has helpfully removed the back from his Mark XVIII which houses the same 35111. It’s stamped to say it’s adjusted to 5 positions. I’m assuming the card they included after service is some generic thing.

I believe the main difference between the sw200 & sw300 is that the 300 is thinner… can’t find anything to say there’s anything else different.

[gorrie]

Earlier this year I bought a 2022 Mark XVIII off a forum friend. It had been running to COSC standard beforehand, however I suspect it took a bump in the mail as it was running at a consistent plus 10 seconds a day when I started wearing it. It was dealt with under the IWC extended warranty. In the 66 days since it was returned, it has gained precisely 25 seconds.

That has the same movement as mine.. I’d be happy if they can re-create that with my watch.

[seabiscuit]

That has the same movement as mine.. I’d be happy if they can re-create that with my watch.

It was also returned to me within three weeks.

[gorrie]

Owing to the lack of available info in official IWC literature I had a web chat with them.
They confirmed their tolerances are 0 to +7, so mines shouldn’t be running slow.

Screen shot for any future reference (I asked about a portofino which uses the same cal 35111:


Dial up last night with full wind, lost about 3 seconds in 8hrs… so it’s going back to WoSG for them to deal with IWC.

[deejay]

Hope the watch settles down for you. One of my watches is the IWC Aquatimer and I used the IWC concierge service to help with a query on the strap and found them very helpful. Also, off topic, but think I drove past you on the M8 on Saturday afternoon between Livi and Ed. Recognised your number plate from another forum when we both had little plastic cars c.15 years ago.

[gorrie]

Ah, yes that will have been me (Disco Sport).
There’s a few of us on here that were also on that plastic car forum it seems !
Andy.