Comments:
There's a power reserve there somewhere.
Not a fan, because most of tem are on watches which have a 40 / 48 hours of power reserve, and genenrally automatic watches.
So, as long as you wear them, they are automatically wound. Hence, I don't see the interest on watches with such a normal power reserve.
UNLESS....
We have a long power reserve, such as the Portuguese 7 Days Ref 5000 or 5001:
Or if it is part of the concept, like the JLC MMR, with its unusual 15 Days ( !!! ) :
Or the useful Master 8 Days QP:
OR, if the power reserve is the idea behind the watch, such as the Futurematic or the Powermatic:
Well, it is just my opinion...
Best,
Nicolas
This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-10-27 06:22:24
Power in reserve...
Of all the bells and whistles with which a watch may be adorned, one of the least appealing (from a personal perspective) is the power reserve, or 'reserve de marche'. Even so, it is undoubtedly a useful feature, and one which appears on quite a few of the watches in the watchbox.
Here is a particular favourite (not yet owned) - the philosophy being "if you have to have a power reserve, have the mother of all power reserves":
(photo by PPro moderator WHL)
That's a watch you might buy despite the power reserve. What watch cries out to be bought because of the power reserve? Well, not only because of the power reserve, but also because of the 'rawness' of that feature and every other element. This watch would be a final bookend to the collection (so thankfully there's little chance of ever getting one! ):
): (photo by Ian Skellern)
Well of course it's an Independent - what else did you expect? In fact, an Independent is responsible for one of the more cohesive iterations of the power reserve feature, and it is a credit to Purist 'Darren' who commissioned it, and Christian Klings who realised it:
(Darren's photo)
Wouldn't that be a lovely addition to any collection? From the personal collection, this is the PR which is most appealing (FPJ gets it right again):
But they come in all shapes and sizes, don't they? Front of dial, back of case; linear, arc, circular; in a window, on a hand, on a wheel; prominent, discreet.
Do you like the feature, or don't you? Which is the favourite PR in your collection? What is your favourite out there in watchland? Indeed, what is the most 'out there', in watchland?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Cheers,
pplater.
No photos
Because I cannot upload from iPad, but I have 2.
Jaeger le Coultre's Master Control Reserve de Marche.... And think they did a good job with the dial.
Lange 1, very recent addition. Where the dial layout starts off as novel and the power reserve is prominent, but the fact that the time display is different, counterbalances.... ?
I cannot say I need a PR, and I don't even find it useful to have it. I never consider buying a watch for it. But, if the aesthetic of the watch grabs me, I will buy it despite it having a PR.
Now that I find I have 2, I might actually avoid adding a third....
Gary
This message has been edited by hewitgar on 2012-10-27 02:10:23
Here's one...
(well, two 'Ones' ):
): Here the PR is not so obvious because there is a lot more going on that is relatively left field - the eccentric dials and the large date with sectioned windows, particularly. The whole is (in this case), the sum of its parts, don't you think? It 'hangs together', almost despite itself.
Anyone out there have a good shot of the JLC?
Cheers,
pplater
Someone mention JLC....
and I am happy to oblige. Not sure if it is "the" JLC you are speaking of but will give it a go
Cheers,
Cheers,
Cholack
Thank you for helping with the images
Mine is the WG with blue hands... 101.027x, so very similar to the one on the left.
I think that the Lange1 is already an iconic watch.... And very happy to have it.
Regards
Gary
No doubt...
...as to what that left-hand needle does: it says so right there on the dial!
Great shot, thanks.
Cheers,
pplater.
This is the one I have..
I think the dial is divine. Only quibble I have with it is my ageing / changing eyes struggle to read the thing clearly, esp the date. And I am young really!
G
Power Reserves
Hi Pplater,
Interesting topic to make a tour of this wellknown function/display/complication.
When I started to take an interest in watches I didn't care about them at all.
Today, whether its a manual or an automatic watch, it a very usefull indication for me. And this assessment came while wearing them, from experience and hence from the need I had in getting this info.
Why? Because I don't have a regular daily activity from one day to another and even Auto movement could not wind up enough. I found to need to know what was the power left before the lack of power decreases the accuracy.
Thus I'm very happy when I have one.
To illustrate PR I selected:
- here are mine:
A very strong aesthetical addition to the dial for the DB25:
Order and beauty from a chaos impression:
I use it every time I wind up the watch to control I did enough:
- Not mine but here is one I like as it is really well integrated on the case back:
- And this is the "out of there" version I selected:
Cheers,
Mark
This message has been edited by Boréale on 2012-10-27 03:16:26
Interesting topic to make a tour of this wellknown function/display/complication.
When I started to take an interest in watches I didn't care about them at all.
Today, whether its a manual or an automatic watch, it a very usefull indication for me. And this assessment came while wearing them, from experience and hence from the need I had in getting this info.
Why? Because I don't have a regular daily activity from one day to another and even Auto movement could not wind up enough. I found to need to know what was the power left before the lack of power decreases the accuracy.
Thus I'm very happy when I have one.
To illustrate PR I selected:
- here are mine:
A very strong aesthetical addition to the dial for the DB25:
Order and beauty from a chaos impression:
I use it every time I wind up the watch to control I did enough:
- Not mine but here is one I like as it is really well integrated on the case back:
- And this is the "out of there" version I selected:
Cheers,
Mark
This message has been edited by Boréale on 2012-10-27 03:16:26
Bravo, Mark!...
The RM is very agreeable, but the LM1 is an inspired choice for 'out there'. It could be hard to beat - and yet it is so important to the balance of the architectural dial, it is difficult to think what else Max might have done better in that position. Well played.
Cheers,
pplater.
On a tangente
There's a power reserve there somewhere.
And on my Habring2. The power reserve of a mechanical watch balances well with the "quartz like look" of a jumping seconds complication.
Regards,
Regards,
Richard.
PR done right, or with a smile...
I really like the PR on the GO Senator Chronometer...
But love the way Zenith did it with a smile on the original Chronomaster Open series...
Blue
Good to see you, Blue...
You're right - those 'traditional' PRs (reflecting the old ships' chronometre style) usually look the goods. UN have long done an homage of that kind -
From memory, SteveG has a bunch of this style PR.
As for Zenith? Could never 'warm' to the open heart series, sorry. The current crop, though, is winner after winner, don't you think?
Cheers,
pplater.
I am not, generally, a fan of Power Reserve indicators... UNLESS...
Not a fan, because most of tem are on watches which have a 40 / 48 hours of power reserve, and genenrally automatic watches.
So, as long as you wear them, they are automatically wound. Hence, I don't see the interest on watches with such a normal power reserve.
UNLESS....
We have a long power reserve, such as the Portuguese 7 Days Ref 5000 or 5001:
Or if it is part of the concept, like the JLC MMR, with its unusual 15 Days ( !!! ) :
Or the useful Master 8 Days QP:
OR, if the power reserve is the idea behind the watch, such as the Futurematic or the Powermatic:
Well, it is just my opinion...
Best,
Nicolas
This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-10-27 06:22:24
Ah, yes! IWC...
...(and should we have an IWC forum?). These are so integrated that they seem natural; necessary. With 7+ days of reserve, they are fun to play with -
But the JLC? You are killing us - yet again.
Cheers,
plater.
Killing watchnuts is my job and my pleasure. And I can also defend myself. :)
As for the IWC forum, you know all the reasons why we don't have it, you Trouble Maker Confrere.
Best,
Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-10-27 06:43:21
A client whose lawyer only defends himself is a fool? Definitely.
I don't have any PR watches which at times akin to a Moonphase watch. But PR watches at least tells u when to wind them up again, unlike a Moonphase. Do u need to howl when the moon is full? Damn that Breguet in the first pic looks good!!!
Clearly Albert was a happy man!...
Steve, you must have encountered myriad PR mechanisms. Which is your personal favourite? Which do you consider to be the most 'out there'?
Cheers,
pplater.
To me...
...the Futurematic wins. It's only the conventional crown that causes the Powermatic to come second.
This message has been edited by BDLJ on 2012-10-28 20:37:48
I agree with you, pplater...
The PR function is not one of my favourite either...
But like Nicolas pointed out - when the whole purpose of the watch is the power reserve it's hard to argue about it's existance!
One of my favourite vintage PR-watches:
Not my watch; but I had the chance to play with this Breguet for a couple of days - and it's a stunning piece!
Manual movement - I really like the way they choose to display the PR.
Best
Blomman
The only PR I have is on this JDN
I most appreciate the feature on manual winding watches and those with extended reserves, like the IWC Portuguese Automatics (5001 family of watches).
Here is the only PR I own, though the eyes tend to drift down to the touribllon:
Bill
Here is the only PR I own, though the eyes tend to drift down to the touribllon:
Bill
The only power reserve you own?...
If that were the only watch you owned, you could still live a very contented life. It still mesmerises: in fact, it's so mesmerising that after many, many viewings it has only just become apparent that there's a PR there at all!! You demonstrated canny insight and shrewdness commissioning that piece Bill.
Cheers,
pplater.
I remember when you received that.
It is still one of the best tourbillons out there. I really enjoy seeing that watch, congrats again.
