Quote:
Originally Posted by pz93c
Anyone know what organization tested before the COSC came into being?
Those standards?
Thanks.
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IMHO today the COSC test is just a pure marketing ploy this is a direct quote from Watchbore estimates that at least 15,000 Rolex movements failed in 2001-2. According to Rolex, the rejects are re-regulated or fixed, and sent back to COSC until they pass.Rolex Quote. "We don’t use COSC to tell us how good our movements are," said a source deep inside the Wilsdorf Rolex foundation. "We test them ourselves. All we want is the chronometer certification, it’s only for marketing."... I rest my case the COSC test now just a pure marketing ploy. .
The Rolex ladies Datejust with cal 2235 is the most consistently precise and accurate movement tested by COSC.But don't forget that Rolex is the largest movement supplier for the COSC test.With the ETA 2892 Rolex Cal 3135 and the Valjoux 7750 given excellent results.The most precise machine tools are only viable in high-volume production watches.While its possible to get chronometer standards to hand crafted watches ,its very time consuming and needs a lot of adjustment and failures are quite high making more expense.But your massed produced machine made movements are far more consistent in getting though the COSC test simply because they should be all the same.
But looking at the other sign of the coin today any modern day wristwatch chronometers are, by the almost 300 year old 18Th century navigational standards imposed on John Harrison H4 watch,quite laughably inaccurate even by todays standards.How about just 5 seconds slow after 63 days at sea,not bad for a almost 300 year old watch.When you think he had very primitive tools by todays standards all hand made no computer aided help now thats a real watchmaker.
And before the Swiss COSC was formed as it is now there were Observatory testing and competitions to a much higher standard
And during the entire 23 years of testing, 5093 wristwatches were submitted for certification, and only 3253 were passed, about 64%. Just a few manufacturers participated, and only Omega and Patek did so every year. The others were: Rolex, Zenith, Longines, Movado, Vacheron & Constantin, Ulysse Nardin, Cyma and Favre-Leuba, along with numerous independent professional watchmakers.That was until Seiko come on the scene and started to wipe the floor with the Swiss watch industry.Only 2 brands in the + 23 years of the competitions submitted movements of serial production for retail sale(Seiko and GP).All others were specially made movements just for the competition.And it was ended by the swiss in the early 1970s after two straight wins by the Japanese straight off the production line Seiko Grand watches.
Seiko first entered the competition,with other watches from all over the world,including most of the Swiss high end brands.For a much higher standard than the COSC,the Astronomical Observatory Authorisation Chronometer Standard (+/- 2/3 seconds/day) Out of many watches summited only two passed this test Seiko Grand just a production model, and Giraud Peregaux this time a specially build for the test model.And in the late 60s there were only two companies, who could sell watches, passed astronomical observatory authorisation Chronometer in those days. ---Seiko and Giraud Peregaux.As the Japanese had dominated in the late 60s and the two preceding events, in 1972 some Swiss watch manufacturers demanded the end of the observatory competitions,and it was ended in 1973,thats when the lesser COSC was founded.
Its a plain fact that any Swiss manufacturers who submit watches for the chronometer rating today. The standards used are so very dated and so watered down by the earlier standards that 90% of all watches submitted pass the tests.Fact any modern day movement any brand with a bit of careful regulation could easily pass the COSC test