Sticking rotor on a sapphire

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Dickchins
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Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Dickchins »

A bit of info if possible guys....

The rotor on my Sapphire seems to stick a bit. It doesnt move freely or as gravity would suggest it should. I have compared it to a few of my other watches and all have a free rotor that moves perfectly as you turn the watch.

Has anybody experienced similar, or can anyone offer a bit of advice as to should this be addressed either at CW towers (its only 10 months old), or is it an easy fix a local trusted repair shop can do, or is it indeed even an issue st all...?!

Ive never noticed it before and the watch keeps time perfectly within tolerance. It just doesnt seem right.
Ive added a couple of pics with the rotor not really behaving as id expect it to! With a tiny shake or further rotation, gravity does take over and it settles at the bottom as you'd expect.

20210130_125537.jpg
20210130_125519.jpg
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by downer »

Does the watch maintain a good power reserve when worn normally?
Richard
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Dickchins »

It lives in a winder so ive not really noticed! Its worn in rotation pretty regularly.
It keeps good time and theres no odd noises. Its never had a knock, never seen water.

It just looks wrong! :shock:
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Living on a winder will, mostly, keep it fully would.

Thinking out loud, only a theory; if it fully wound, therefore the rotor is trying to wind but can't, but nevertheless is not exerting enough force to activate the clutch?

Otherwise, if it is Keeping good time and maintaining a good power reserve (take it off the winder and let it wind down until it stops) then surely no issue.


Guy

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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Dickchins »

Its just in my watch box now since about 15 mins ago. Ill see how long the power reserve lasts. Then I can see if it frees up any.

Your comments pose the question ive always pondered though Guy, in should a watch live on a winder. Ive had far more watch savvy people than me tell me total opposite oppinions, but your theory makes sense. To that end, is it better to let the power reserve run down, then just hand wind to begin when I initially go to wear it..???!!!
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Big rabbit hole this one.

Worth remembering that, a winder will run, then stop, then run, then stop etc. depending on the program you set.

This means the watch will wind to max, then wind down a bit, then wind to max etc. to give the mainspring some exercise, instead of keeping it coiled, fully wound all the time.

Personally, I have a single two watch winder that I keep a couple of watches on, otherwise all my autos are in a watch box with the power reserve discharged.


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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by JasperCat »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 2:58 pm Big rabbit hole this one.

Worth remembering that, a winder will run, then stop, then run, then stop etc. depending on the program you set.

This means the watch will wind to max, then wind down a bit, then wind to max etc. to give the mainspring some exercise, instead of keeping it coiled, fully wound all the time.

Personally, I have a single two watch winder that I keep a couple of watches on, otherwise all my autos are in a watch box with the power reserve discharged.

Guy
I looked into this question for ages too, before finally getting a Barrington winder. I was finding that my Cranwell stopped overnight on occasion, even though I was wearing it daily. Turns out that with working from home at my desk all day, and then swapping to the Apple Watch for walking/exercise, it wasn't being wound enough by my movement (or lack of :lol:). The Barrington program set to the correct TPD (650 for this one), turns the watch then rests a bit and repeats, but it only does this for 12 hours then rests completely for 12 hours. Mine is set to run from 22:30 to 10:30 and so basically the watch gets a good solid wind overnight, when I'm not wearing it with a top up from me during the day. Hasn't stopped since using the winder :thumbup:

In addition, I've found that with the watch being properly wound all the time, it maintains +2.5 secs p/d consistently, and has done for months now, whereas before, that would vary a bit more, due to inconsistent amounts of wind I guess :? All I do now is reset the time every week or two. It doesn't even have a date that needs changing!

The other great bonus, is that now I have more watches and am wearing others (hand wind or autos) some days, the Cranwell is always ready to go on the winder and so is my grab and go reliable/accurate work watch.

I've just bought two more of the same winder so that both my new Elite GMT and the C65 SC can live on them too, when not being worn.

However, all the hand wind watches are sitting in the watch box and I let them wind down, wind and set only when needed. These are watches that may be worn for an evening only or (once we can again) to go to the pub/meal, and so accuracy and power reserve are not important.

This works for me, others may disagrees that automatics should be kept on a winder, but I think as long as they're not just a simple winder that rotates continuously and never allows the watch to rest, then the benefits are greater than any (potential) wear and tear downsides :D
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Kansas City Milkman »

In terms of ‘sticky rotor’, my C60 elite rotor moves when the watch is manoeuvred but tends to stop quite quickly. My C700 eta 7750 moves very freely by comparison and could spin for hours (slight exaggeration). There’s no problem with my C60, though. It works and winds as expected.

In terms of the watch winder, there is no consensus. I have a 6 watch winder that broke. I haven’t replaced or fixed the winder and the watches are no worse off for it. I just wind them all and rotate the day/date occasionally just to keep them moving. The broken winder does make a good display case though :)
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »


Kansas City Milkman wrote:In terms of ‘sticky rotor’, my C60 elite rotor moves when the watch is manoeuvred but tends to stop quite quickly. My C700 eta 7750 moves very freely by comparison and could spin for hours (slight exaggeration). There’s no problem with my C60, though. It works and winds as expected.
The reason why your C700's ETA 7750 will spin freely is that it only winds clockwise, and will spin freely anti-clockwise.

On your C60 Elite the SW220-1 winds in both directions so will always be working against the mainspring or clutch.

Sound right?

Guy

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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Kansas City Milkman »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 3:44 pm
Kansas City Milkman wrote:In terms of ‘sticky rotor’, my C60 elite rotor moves when the watch is manoeuvred but tends to stop quite quickly. My C700 eta 7750 moves very freely by comparison and could spin for hours (slight exaggeration). There’s no problem with my C60, though. It works and winds as expected.
The reason why your C700's ETA 7750 will spin freely is that it only winds clockwise, and will spin freely anti-clockwise.

On your C60 Elite the SW220-1 winds in both directions so will always be working against the mainspring or clutch.

Sound right?

Guy

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Correct on both counts, Guy. My thinking was that might be what OP is reporting in his post
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by richtel »

You'll find that the SW200/2824 rotor spins very freely when low on power, but as power builds up towards full power the rotor will be very much less able to swing under gravity- seeming like it's 'notchy' and swinging in quarter arcs or so. That's perfectly normal. As long as it retains full hours when fully wound and remains in work with moderate activity wearing daily on the wrist, all's well.

Here's an example with my Elite (which is working just fine!). Sorry the videos are rotated.

Low Power- the rotor swings freely


And after a good 20 turns of the crown to get close to full power- the rotor looks like it's 'sticking'
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Dickchins »

richtel wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 5:42 pm You'll find that the SW200/2824 rotor spins very freely when low on power, but as power builds up towards full power the rotor will be very much less able to swing under gravity- seeming like it's 'notchy' and swinging in quarter arcs or so. That's perfectly normal. As long as it retains full hours when fully wound and remains in work with moderate activity wearing daily on the wrist, all's well.

Here's an example with my Elite (which is working just fine!). Sorry the videos are rotated.

Low Power- the rotor swings freely


And after a good 20 turns of the crown to get close to full power- the rotor looks like it's 'sticking'

Exactly what mine does. Cant believe ive never noticed before! But the main thing is all's well with it and no dramas needed!

Thanks to everyone for the input. I can rest easy over a jack and coke watching the match now!

Im still letting it completely power down, just so I can check reserve time etc!
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Kansas City Milkman »

Thanks @richtel. I didn’t realise that the rotor swing was dependent on charge. That was good to see
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by Viognier »

richtel wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 5:42 pm You'll find that the SW200/2824 rotor spins very freely when low on power, but as power builds up towards full power the rotor will be very much less able to swing under gravity- seeming like it's 'notchy' and swinging in quarter arcs or so. That's perfectly normal. As long as it retains full hours when fully wound and remains in work with moderate activity wearing daily on the wrist, all's well.

Here's an example with my Elite (which is working just fine!). Sorry the videos are rotated.

Low Power- the rotor swings freely


And after a good 20 turns of the crown to get close to full power- the rotor looks like it's 'sticking'
Fantastic post Rich !!! Super helpful. Well done
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Re: Sticking rotor on a sapphire

Post by JasperCat »

I didn't know this either... many thanks :thumbup:
C1 - Bel Canto, Grand Malvern 5 Day
C5 - FLE
C60 - Concept
C65 - Cranwell, Super Compressor
C9 - 5 Day Small Seconds
Omega - Aqua Terra, SMP Nekton
Breitling - SuperOcean
Rolex - Air King
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