Quote:
Originally Posted by JSol1
As a sailor this watch was always something I wanted for the movement, but I can’t wear it with my chicken wrists. I always wondered if the case size was strictly due to the movement or more about legibility. Perhaps yo would know?
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Size feels natural with the dual dial set up and I am sure the Rolex targeted in on the 44mm size as optimal to fit the sub second dial and countdown dial. I can really read the exact time with the white dial and the hash marks between the lume markers. Super crisp and the fine point of the minute hand is very precise.
The dial is really very beautiful and symmetrical. The watch doesn’t feel large compared to a 44mm Panerai or large AP ROOC. To me it feels like a well balanced 42mm watch on my wrist.
To answer another question regarding the new 10th anniversary dial and hands: I initially tried on the YMII back when it had the thinner blue metallic hands. The blue hands contrasted more but I much prefer the white gold markers and the larger 12 and 6 o’clock markers. It sets the dial up better and in total darkness, both the larger hands and markers really glow more and is easier to orientate the time at a quick glance. The lume is surprisingly good. FYI: the countdown red triangle is NOT lumed and was very wise of Rolex to do this as it would clutter the the dial under low light conditions and make it very hard to tell what hand is what.
This is more of a personal style preference but the watch being more monochromatic is cleaner looking to my eyes without the blue hands. Everything is a trade off.
As a historical info to this movement. The 4161 is the second generation of this movement. When initially introduced only in yellow or white gold back in 2007, it had the caliber 4160. They had some initial issues with some lag time between button push and start of the timer. Rolex revised the movement when they introduced the YM2 in all SS. That movement was upgraded with several key benefits like more shock proof, instant activation of the timer, etc.. Rolex stepped up to fine tune a very complex movement to really perfect it to the caliber 4161. The Sky Dweller benefited from this 2nd gen YMII movement upgrade.
My current accuracy test are yielding a +1 second a day in any position I have rested it over night. Seems to keep perfect time on the wrist so I am smiling.
I have yet to do a power reserve test because I don’t want to take it off my wrist to do the test yet.
“ Rolex says they spend over 35,000 to develop the in-house caliber 4161. It is comprised of over 360 parts. Out of those parts, Rolex says “some of them are made by UV-LiGA, a micromanufacturing technology entirely mastered in-house by Rolex. This technology allows the production of components whose tiny proportions or complex geometry rule out manufacturing by traditional machining methods.”
The caliber 4161 is equipped with Rolex’s own Parachrom hairspring. It is made from a niobium and zirconium alloy, resulting in a hairspring that is anti-magnetic and up to 10 time more resistant to shocks than traditional hairsprings. Rolex marketing brochures claim the 4161 has an accuracy of -2/+2 seconds per day. For this reason, they feel their watches surpass the requirements of a COSC certification, so in 2015 they made their own Superlative Chronometer certification which is issued once the movement has been cased. MSRP $18,750 usd”.