Day-Date Alignment Hysteria

Been surfing Timezone and came across loads of posts on misaligned IWC day/dates on 3717s. As owner of the same, I was slightly concerned that my watch exhibits similar misalignment. On reflection however, surely these day/date counters MUST go out of alignment as they rotate between days/dates. Thus, there will be one point during a 24 hr cycle when the alignment is 100% perfect, but it will, by the nature of the beast, be out of aligment for the remaining period. Of course, both day and date should be readable, but not necessary aligned.

Thoughts from those in the kow please...........

not hysteria but obsessiveness I'd think

Hi Stuart,

The two disks rotate in the opposite direction so as you point out there's only a "point" in time when they are exactly aligned. But they should be very close most of the time. Moreover, they work and there's nothing wrong with the watch.

With all respect to my watch brethen, I think a substantial proportion of them --perhaps me included-- suffer from a little watch obsessive-compulsive disorder. Nobody gets hurt by it, so it's OK. But also people who don't have a lot of experience with fine watches get concerned by fraction of a millimeter misalignments. In the scheme of things, it really isn't significant and if anyone is concerned sometimes there can be a slight readjustment during a routine/next servicing.

At least this is my opinionated-opinion.

Regards,
Michael

not hysteria but obsessiveness I'd think

Hi Michael,

I also think part of the 'problem' is that we live in an age of mass production which creates its' own set of expectations. After all, when things are produced by machine they can be made almost perfectly. But fine timepieces are still in the handmade realm and it's virtually impossible for handmade items to display the same type of consistency that something made in the thousands (or millions) will exhibit. Just my 2¢!

Kind regards,
Michael

The things you can see with a x15 loupe! ;-) nt.

My 3717 is as perfect

as I can presume it can be. Of course from around 11pm the disks start to move in opposite directions until around 20 past midnight when they re-align perfectly again.

Andrew

neither hysteria nor obsessiveness...

everyone's tolerance for this sort of thing is different. there are those who don't mind the 'imperfection' as it serves as a reminder that watch assembly is still very much a traditional process. then there are those who expect a certain level of quality at the price point which IWC watches command and along with the prestige which the brand is noted for.

i don't think it's wrong to expect that day and date be perfectly aligned. ensuring perfect alignment is not a very difficult task, and there's no reason why any watch should leave the factory with a misalignment problem if stringent QC controls are in place and followed.

i'd note that i don't think this is a widespread problem...i'm confident the majority of the day/date pieces are properly done.

i wouldn't automatically send a watch back if the only imperfection of the watch was that sole problem - it would depend on the degree of misalignment, but i can entirely understand why someone else would find it unsatisfactory.

as you say, it depends on degree and ...

personal tolerance. For some, it can be obsessiveness in my opinion and not for others.

Regards,
Michael