Quote:
Originally Posted by Tools
I think that only the Day Date II, the Date Just II, and the new Explorer 39 have the Paraflex shocks......
None of those you mention have it yet..
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Hi Larry,
I dug up the patent sheets of the Paraflex (US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0215499). The sheets mention that even in extreme cases, the Paraflex shock absorber does not disengage from the bearing block, though it is not mentioned how many G's the test prototype was subjected to.
Another interesting thing to note was that the publication was putting a lot of stress on the ease of manufacture and servicing of Paraflex (how they are easy to assemble into the bearing block, and don't yield to plastic deformation during assembly et cetera)
What came to my mind as I went through the documents are these:
1. If shock absorbing capabilities are so important, then it is the Rolex Perpetual rotor of cals. 31XX with their shock sensitive pivots that should get more attention in terms of modifications (a ball bearing maybe?)....a line of action Zenith (Zenthium winding bridge) and IWC (Pellaton winding) seem to have taken.
2. KIF is used by watchmakers such as Patek, Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Zenith, Jaeger-LeCoultre to name a few...and these guys are really finicky about quality. In fact, JLC uses KIF in their Master Compressor Extreme models, which are supposed to be shock and everything else proof!
3. Therefore, is Paraflex
really superior to KIF? Have KIFs ever disengaged under extreme shocks?
I have GMT IIC 116710LN with a KIF protected 3186 inside and I'm very confused!!
Best Regards,
Sumit