How accurate is your ST-19?

[JohnF]

Hi -

I've got two watches with the ST-19 inside, Seagull's re-interpretation of the classic Venus 175, and I'm not that happy with them. Am I the only one?

I'd like to gather some statistics.

If you've got a Seagull or other watches with a ST-19 inside, let's test them all together.

First of all, let me know what watch the movement is in.

Second, time it as you normally wear it day-to-day. Please set it to a known source, then wear it for at least 24 hours and note the time deviation.

Now, third, the following is a tad more complex...and where it gets more interesting!

Wind the watch and set to a known time source.

Place it face up for 1 hour, note the time deviation.
Place it face down for 1 hour, note the time deviation.
Place it crown down for 1 hour, note the time deviation.

I've put together 6 categories to judge this:

1) Dead on (less than 5 seconds deviation in any category)

2) Pretty good (5-15 seconds deviation in any category)

3) Good (15-30 seconds deviation in any category)

4) OK (30-60 seconds deviation in any category)

5) Hmmm.... (more than 60 seconds deviation in any category)

6) Leave me alone, I love my ST-19 regardless of how it keeps time.

Here's my initial two entries:

Seagull Chronograph (not sure of model, from jtbold):

1) +12 s/day 24-hour wear
2) face up: +47 s/day
3) face down: +14s/day
4) crown down: -22s/day

Seagull Chronograph, 1963 chrono re-issue (from cnmark)
1) +14s/day 24-hour wear
2) face up: +93s/day
3) face down: +17s/day
4) crown down: -12s/day

I will compile the results on a running basis and post a chart showing the results for all and anyone interested.

I'm not interested in bashing the ST-19 or anything like that: I think it's a great idea to resurrect classic calibres from the past and reissue them. I'm just curious as to whether my fairly bizarre results (the +47s/day and +93s/day) are outliers or whether others have this problem as well. Further, I'm trying to see what sort of benchmark we can put together on this...and please do be honest about the accuracy, not everyone gets such great results...

[sphinx88]

I don't have one, the ST-19 is beautiful view from back but more expensive.

Is it 21,600 beats per hour or 28,800 beats per hour? The later is more accurate...

[Chascomm]

The ST-19 has a 21600bph escapement, upgraded from the 18000bph of the original Venus 175.

Faster is not always more accurate; my most accurate watches run at 18000bph.

I also do not own an ST-19 yet, due to finances, but I hope to one day. And I look forward to seeing the results of this poll. If it's a success, then perhaps it could be tried again with other popular movements.

[particleman]

I'll let you know how my 2 do in five days

[zippofan]

Hi John,

I have one, an Alpha "Newman" chrono with the ST-19. It is the variation with the additional 12 hour sub register that is just tied to the movement rather than the chronograph.

I have found that whether I leave it wound in the watch box or wear it it keeps very good time. I haven't done an actual study of it though. I pretty much only notice huge time variations with my watches, anything more that +/- 30 sec per day, otherwise I ignore them (going against my general obsessive compulsive nature) or I would drive myself absolutely nuts!

I have been considering a Seagull Chinese Air Force but I find myself not wearing many white dials so I have held off. It is a great looking watch though!

Cheers,
Griff

[JohnF]

Hi -

I'm wearing my CAF today, the dial is more a golden silber than white. It really is an exquisite watch.

JohnF

[JohnF]

Hi -

Thanks in advance!

JohnF

[JohnF]

Hi -

That's my thinking as well: I got the idea from the diver's forum, which has a poll up asking how accurate people's 7s26 are.

I wrote up the Plazeon watch from Thailand and found it also to be somewhat inaccurate, albeit better than the two I own. I'd really like to see something like the ST-19 succeed - as a vintages guy, it'd be great to be able to take a vintage watch with a broken/ruined Venus 175 and replace it with an ST-19, but that would only happen if the quality is really adequate.

Given that there doesn't seem too be much of a track record, I thought it'd be a good idea to gather up some data. I know it's a tad onerous to actually measure this stuff, but primary data gathering is always onerous (been there, done that: one of the things you got through as a business economist with a hang to empirical studies...).

Come on folks, there have got to be more out there with ST-19 movements than have voted in the polls!

JohnF

[JohnF]

Hi -

The latter is not necessarily more accurate: if it is off, it will be more consistently off. The higher beat only gives the opportunity for a watch movement to be more accurate, it doesn't guarantee it. And if inaccuracy is the result of a timing error within the escapement system, a higher beat would actually magnify that error, making such a watch less accurate.

JohnF

[siyexcalibur]

One hour in different positions is too short. How come not place it in different positions for one day. How do you measure the tiny difference after one hour. Do you have any special equipment