The Rolex 'sweep'

[ab@]

Is it an actual sweep or quicker 'ticking'?

[Miffy964RS]

I think all Rolex are 28,800 beats per hour mechanisms (or 8/second) so the second hand moves 4 times a second.

[Shuvi]

Miffy964RS said:

I think all Rolex are 28,800 beats per hour mechanisms (or 8/second) so the second hand moves 4 times a second.

Older Rolex, in fact most mechanical watches, would tick at five times a second, 18,000vph or even less.

Almost all mechanical watches these days run at 21,600 or 28,800vph. That equals ticking six times a second and eight times a second.

There are movements that run at 36,000vph and Seiko are about to introduce a movement that runs at 43,200, you do the math

Of course, Seiko are the only watchmaker that produces a truly sweeping second hand, the Seiko Spring Drive, it doesn't tick at all.

speeeeeling

Edited by Shuvi on Monday 18th August 04:47

[lowdrag]

Agree on the new Seiko, but it is half electric so really isn't, in my book, a "mechanical" watch. I appreciate that the coils are there to smooth out the pulses to the balance wheel and that it is spring driven, but somehow it's left me a bit disappointed. I also wonder just how long such a watch will last before needing a major service too; my own watches have never been serviced but still run perfectly.

[Shuvi]

lowdrag said:

Agree on the new Seiko, but it is half electric so really isn't, in my book, a "mechanical" watch. I appreciate that the coils are there to smooth out the pulses to the balance wheel and that it is spring driven, but somehow it's left me a bit disappointed. I also wonder just how long such a watch will last before needing a major service too; my own watches have never been serviced but still run perfectly.

Any electricity used is generated mechanically within the watch.

There is no balance wheel, so pulses do not need to smoothed. It uses what Seiko call a 'Glide Wheel'. This wheel is is uni-directional not bi-directional, as in a conventional movement. This means it does not tick as there is no balance wheel changing its direction of rotation several times a second.

The coils limit the Glide Wheel to eight revolutions per second, this keeps the watch within Seikos 1 second a day parameter. The best analogy I've heard, is that the coils work like a cars cruise control.

Horologists consider the Spring Drive a true mechanical movement.

[tomtom]

Ugh, it's not a 'Rolex' thing...

[B16JUS]

when i read this it reminded me of a new song called the rolex sweep by skepta anyone seen the video and heard it ?

[okgo]

I remember all the kids in school saying that this was the way to tell a true rolex. Truth is most fakes have the sweeping hand too.

As said this occurs on other watches, not just Rolex.

[CommanderJameson]

The old tuning fork watches from Bulova had a continuous sweep second hand.

>>>heads off to eBay now he's thought about it a bit<<<

[Shuvi]

CommanderJameson said:

The old tuning fork watches from Bulova had a continuous sweep second hand.

>>>heads off to eBay now he's thought about it a bit<<<

Close, but no cigar. The movement of which you speak has 360 oscillations per second. To 'swwep', the movement has to be uninterrupted. Only Seiko do this.

missing be

Edited by Shuvi on Thursday 11th September 19:39