Comments:
I have had the world timer since March of 2012. I had to send it back in May 2012 because the mechanism for changing the home time broke. Since getting it back I have not had any problems with it and have not noticed any shakiness in the minute hand although I have not purposefully shaken the watch very hard. I have a JLC Amvox 5 and I noticed with it when I would shake my wrist to reposition the watch it could move the 24 hour wheel as much as 30 minutes which is not a lot considering the difference between the 24 hours, but because of this I do not shake the JLC to reposition it. Shaking the JLC did not move its minute hand, and I have shaken the VC to reposition it and neither the 24 hour wheel nor the minute hand have moved. I would consider what you are describing as something that needs fixed unless you are really shaking the watch hard. Hopes this helps.
Stewart
If the home city does not click in securely there is a good amount of play in the minute hand. That could also mean the watch has a problem with its city wheel like mine. With mine the city wheel would not rotate properly and click into the chosen city like it should, thus I couldn't set the watch correctly and it wouldn't run normally, and when this was occurring there was a lot of play in the minute hand.
Stewart
"Shaky" minute hand of VC world timer
Dear All,
I have owned a VC world timer 86060 in June 2012 and enjoy wearing it.
Recently just notice that minute hand will move slightly in either direction (less than 1-2 minute's range) when I shake the watch on my wrist.
I have tried another piece of brand new VC world timer in a local AD and found the same phenomenon.
I guess it may be due to the world timer function that the minute hand will be moved while moving across time zones that's not in a whole hour's difference, hence the minute hand is not as "sturdy" as in other movements.
Have other fellow owners of the world time observe the same thing?
Thanks a lot!
Best regards,
Henry
Hi Henry,
I don't have enough hand's on experience with the World Time to know if this is the way it is or if it needs service. I will check with VC to ask their opinion.
Bill
VC Forum Moderator
Bill
VC Forum Moderator
Hello Henry
I have had the world timer since March of 2012. I had to send it back in May 2012 because the mechanism for changing the home time broke. Since getting it back I have not had any problems with it and have not noticed any shakiness in the minute hand although I have not purposefully shaken the watch very hard. I have a JLC Amvox 5 and I noticed with it when I would shake my wrist to reposition the watch it could move the 24 hour wheel as much as 30 minutes which is not a lot considering the difference between the 24 hours, but because of this I do not shake the JLC to reposition it. Shaking the JLC did not move its minute hand, and I have shaken the VC to reposition it and neither the 24 hour wheel nor the minute hand have moved. I would consider what you are describing as something that needs fixed unless you are really shaking the watch hard. Hopes this helps.
Stewart
One thing to check....
The shakiness in the minute hand might be a consequence of location setting is not accurately engaged. You might test to make sure the home city has clicked firmly into place and see if the shakiness problem persists. Please let us know.
Bill
Bill
That is a good point Bill
If the home city does not click in securely there is a good amount of play in the minute hand. That could also mean the watch has a problem with its city wheel like mine. With mine the city wheel would not rotate properly and click into the chosen city like it should, thus I couldn't set the watch correctly and it wouldn't run normally, and when this was occurring there was a lot of play in the minute hand.
Stewart
Dear Bill and Stewart, Thanks for the advice!
Dear Bill and Stewart,
Thanks for the advice!
I am pretty sure that the change of time zone has been completed, as confirmed with a soft click.
The shaking of watch is not particularly hard, just supinate and pronate my wrist a bit, as in the usual case of trying to wind the watch deliberately.
The "shakiness" of minute hand is slight, within 1 minute's range.
But as a watch enthusiast who like to examine the watch closely, it is noticeable.
I hope it is due to the relatively "loose" setting of minute hand in this 37 time zone movement.
Will check with the VC service center in my place as well, to make sure that there is nothing wrong with my watch.
Best regards
Henry
I think a lot of us are like you Henry.
I want every little thing to be perfect with my watches, I notice every little detail/defect (often not defects, just imagined
). I have gotten better about scratches not bothering me, but I would certainly notice the minute hand issue you have brought up. I don't know if it is the cost or just how beautiful the watches are that I want them to work and look perfect, sometimes unrealistically. Hope the minute hand issue works out.
Stewart
An update
Dear fellow purists members,
Just a follow up.
I have shown my traditionnelle world time to a VC watch maker while attending the Hour Club event at Watches and Wonders 2014 in Hong Kong yesterday.
He told me that I am not the first one to ask the question of "shaky" minute hand in the world time.
They have looked into this issue already and confirmed that it is normal for the minute hand to move slightly while shaking the watch on wrist.
It is related to the time zone wheel. They need to allow some tolerance in order to ensure a smooth changing of the time zone by the crown. As the minute hand is also coupled to the time zone wheel, it is not as "study" as the conventional watch and will "wobble" slightly (around +/- 0.5 to 1 min) if shaking it hard.
Best,
Henry