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SQOTW: How much do movement decorations improve a watch's performance?

3K views 32 replies 21 participants last post by  ivan.amaya 
#1 ·
We sometimes pan a watchmaker for placing undecorated movements in their watches and talk glowingly about how beautifully decorated another company's movements are. But in the end, it doesn't do anything to the function of the watch. I know some of it is based on what the manufacturer charges for their watches, but why should we care about superfluous engravings?
 
#2 ·
I think you answered our own question. It only matters if it matters to you. Depends what you want from a watch...
 
#4 ·
At least in terms of accuracy, I don't really see any way whatsoever how a swirly pattern on the baseplates would affect the movement performance in any way. Maybe an etching of the balance rotor could introduce some weight-difference, leading to a non-standard rotation pattern, which in turn leads to different wear on the gears of the charging mechanism - but the weight differences would be so utterly miniscule to have no influence whatsoever (and I kinda doubt watch companies have designed their rotors to be ultra-precisely shaped to accommodate for some standard model of motion...

Beyond that, no influence whatsoever.


Then again, a watch's 'performance' is not only accuracy, but also the subjective impact it has on you (the wearer). If swirlies on movement baseplates make you giddy, then that's better performance.
 
#5 ·
Actually, before the dust proof case was invented, cotes de geneve and perlage we're put there so that the uneven surface would catch any dust particles before they got past the bridges of the movement. That said, anglage, black polishing, and other types of decorative finish we're reserved for higher end brands because of the fact that it was not at all functional. Nowadays, all movement finishing, however good or bad, is decorative, and for visual purposes only.
 
#7 ·
Actually, many decorations (anglage and polishing of sink holes and other parts), as well as other textures finish were intended to provide certain benefits in terms of oil retention, dust confinement, and making sure all sharp edges were not susceptible to being dented, which could lead to small metal particles being present inside the movement.

Better finishing is simply pushing this utilitarian art form further, a form of pride-fueled quality assurance process.

So at the very origin, there was functional value to it.
 
#10 ·
I've opened the backs on an Omega Contellation, G-P, and Vacheron from the 50's and 60's and they have no where near the decorations found on watches today. See through casebacks seem to have brought new emphasis to decorated movements yet even watches with solid casebacks are expected to have more decorated than great watches from the past.


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#11 ·
Actually, Cote de Geneve is simply a result of using an end mill to machine a flat surface. Perlage is a simulation of a hand chiseled flat surface (which until about 1950 or so was the best way to get a truly flat surface.) It really does not reduce dust settling.

A rough fly cut surface,


Cote de Geneve on a large scale:


In fact, most "decorative" finishes are originally just results of the machining process.
 
#33 ·
I miss working in the manufacturing world. What surface finish is actually required was always my first question. I dropped production time on one product by 20% last year on our biggest seller...then we moved to miami and now I bus tables.
Cool finishes are just that, fun to look at in the modern era. Also sometimes it's a company cutting down on cost because hey that looks fun and we don't have to buy more tooling.
 
#12 ·
To continue:

Back in the day, a "decorated" movement was a movement that had been well machined, had truly flat surfaces, and basically well made. So, it used to be that a "decorated" was one that was better than one that was not "decorated".

How, it just shows you want to look "well made":

 
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