Jaeger-LeCoultre

Hi

I'am a very proud owner of a Pola '68, by the way my first JLC, which is so cool. And I am sure that the workmanship and the movement is of highest quality. But I can't really get used to the noise from the rotor, which is a little bit anoying to me.

My other watches are Rolex models, where I can't hear anything what so ever. But maybe Rolex has a patent on their automatic movements?

So thats why I was wondering if anyone knows, if it's possible to change the automatic movement into a manual winding movement, by removing the rotor?

 

best

jan

 

 

Welcome, Jan.  First of all, to start out with a Polaris as your first JLC is awesome!  What a great beginning. 

I think the rotor sound is normal, but perhaps someone with more technical knowledge than I can offer more information. I have a few JLCs, all automatic, and I can hear the rotor in each one.  I find the sound to be one of the charms of the watches, but to each his own.  I am pretty sure tht the watch cannot be converted to a manual wind, at least I cannot imagine that JLC would do it; and even if it were possible, I would not recommend altering the watch in such a way.

Hopefully, you will get used to the sound of the rotor as well as the alarm rattle if part of what you are hearing is that.

Congratulations on getting such an amazing watch and I hope we'll see more of you on this forum. Please post a photo of your Pola on the Forum and particualrly in the Polaris Roll Cal if you have not already done so.

Again, welcome!

respo

Perfect answer, my friend.

Couldn't have given a better answer!

Best,

Nicolas

Nothing more to add

Cheers ps I thought I was reading Nicolas..... lol This message has been edited by PinkPanther on 2009-08-05 04:11:24

No message body

I like listening to the rotor, it has an old watch feeling.....

Cheers

No message body

You can't take off the rotor, as the cal 956 is an automatic movement.

The noise of the rotor is normal, as it has ceramic balls.

So, no problem at all.

give it time, you will be used to it.

Best,

Nicolas

 

I have noted that the recent (since the introduction of ceramic ball bearings) Jaeger LeCoultre auto tend indeed to have a slightly noisy rotor.

Technically speaking, there would be no difficulty in removing the automatic winding feature of the movement (indeed by simply removing the rotor for a very simple fixing, or by removing also the corresponding winding wheels though this wouldn't be strictly necessary).
This calibre 956 can be wound manually, and has I believe enough power reserve to be used as a hand-wound watch.
It is also not very difficult to do, if you only go for the rotor-removing solution (3 screws...).
However, I doubt your AD would accept to do it, so you would need to find an independent watchmaker to do it, or do it yourself if you have the technical skills
(and you would also lose your guarantee)

So, not too difficult if you want to follow that route, but maybe it is possible to live with it too ?

(BTW, I am not too convinced by these ball bearing rotors, which are meant to be lubricant-free so in theory good, but the induced noise and vibrating feel is a bit a drawback so I'd rather go for a lubricated and silent version)

for your input.

I will give it a chance to get used to the sound and think about it as a real vintage piece inside out!

 

thanks,

jan

 

 

Good idea...

(except the true vintage one, without ceramic ball bearings, is actually quite silent....)

If you pay some attention, you will find that the rotor is quite noisy (and by the way ... efficient), but noisy just until the mainspring is fully "charged".
From that point on, the rotor is hardly audible.

As Clavi said, it is not much of a problem to remove the rotor to "convert" it to a manual wind, and the  power reserve is adecuate for that. In some watches, the winding gears are not made of steel, so manual winding would cause premature wear. From the very few pictures I have seen of the 956, they appear to be steel, so not much problem there  it seems(except from warranty issues, etc).

I find a certain charm in the winding clicks, and don't see the point in the conversion, but anyhow, check the rotor noise when the watch is fully wound, and I bet you will see that it is mostly absent.

Saludos,

Tony