5726a date wheel misalignment and not switching date instantaneously

[nealjyu]

Hi everyone! I just got my 5726a about two months ago brand new from my AD and yesterday at 12 midnight, I noticed the date didn't change instantaneously but got stuck between 10 and 11. At 12:27am, it fully switched from 10 to 11.

Also, the date wheel seems misaligned. Slightly skewed to the left. Are these things one should expected from a 5726a or should I have it checked by the service center?

Many thanks!

[srvrf]

Congrats on the pickup. I see what you’re saying and think you can easily show these pictures to your AD and possibly service center. Plus other 5726 owners will hopefully share their experience here.

It’s new and it seems like it should change right at midnight. My 5167R and 5712 do. On the other hand if you didn’t notice it with two months of wear it may be within normal limits.


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[nealjyu]

Appreciate the response! I've never noticed the date change before because I never bothered to watch the date change at midnight until last night. Will try to observe it again tonight and hopefully it switches instantaneously.

Hoping other 5726 owners chime in with their experience

[nealjyu]

Just an update. I observed the watch again last night and from 12 to about 12:26am, the date slowly moves from 11 to maybe showing a very small portion of the number 12. Then at 12:28am, makes a jump to 12.

[KJBrandal]

Could have something to do with the fact that it is an annual calendar. I have a 5960 and the date and day slowly change from like 11:30 to 12:20.

[Rushne]

I wouldn’t be concerned with the slower date change but the misaligned disc to the left is a little concerning.

[RoscoPico]

congrats on an amazing pickup ! i have been homing in on one of these for a bit and it seems gray prices are still climbing at the moment, sigh

very disturbing to hear that about the watch though. just hard to believe a datewheel could be misaligned at 50k. and is it just me or is the font different from the 18 and the 7 ?

i just wore my grand lange 1 for a week straight on vacation and i didn't even lose 1 minute. absolute masterpiece.

[nealjyu]

Originally Posted by KJBrandal

Could have something to do with the fact that it is an annual calendar. I have a 5960 and the date and day slowly change from like 11:30 to 12:20.

Yeah, maybe. Mine changes from 12MN to around 12:30am

Originally Posted by Rushne

I wouldn’t be concerned with the slower date change but the misaligned disc to the left is a little concerning.

It changes depending on the time I think from skewed to the left, then to the right then center which I find weird. I don't know if this is normal with this reference though. Am taking pictures of the date wheel throughout the day for reference

Originally Posted by RoscoPico

congrats on an amazing pickup ! i have been homing in on one of these for a bit and it seems gray prices are still climbing at the moment, sigh

very disturbing to hear that about the watch though. just hard to believe a datewheel could be misaligned at 50k. and is it just me or is the font different from the 18 and the 7 ?

i just wore my grand lange 1 for a week straight on vacation and i didn't even lose 1 minute. absolute masterpiece.

Thanks! Luckily, I got this from my AD and yes, the datewheel is a bit disappointing. Font is the same. Maybe just the angle or the lighting making it seem different

[Halothane]

Patek has a lot of trouble aligning the date in the date window. I’ve had a few with this issue and when you look at pics online it’s fairly common. Very disappointing for such a simple complication.

[nealjyu]

Originally Posted by Halothane

Patek has a lot of trouble aligning the date in the date window. I’ve had a few with this issue and when you look at pics online it’s fairly common. Very disappointing for such a simple complication.

I just did a quick search on Instagram and you are absolutely right. As long as this is normal and won't damage the movement or what not then I'll be fine with it and let it be.

[scurfa]

My 5711 date quite often got stuck solid, it went back three times and the problem never went away


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[RoscoPico]

Originally Posted by Halothane

Patek has a lot of trouble aligning the date in the date window. I’ve had a few with this issue and when you look at pics online it’s fairly common. Very disappointing for such a simple complication.

that's the kind or info that could turn someone like me away. have always loved the brand and my vintage pieces. not sure i could take a step towards a large investment piece if it's that flawed unfortunately

[Breizh]

I have the exact same watch (and used to have an Aquanaut as well).
The date does take a while to switch. I’m not sure how long for mine but a Patek will never have a instantaneous date switch like a Rolex. So that’s normal (in my experience).

The pictures with the 7 and 18 date seem centered to me. Not sure why the 11 is not. I would keep an eye on that next time around.
Also, did you follow the exact instruction on the annual calendar set up? that could also be a cause for trouble.

[azizu]

I have a 5146G and it does the same thing on date change, could be an AC thing


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[nealjyu]

Originally Posted by Breizh

I have the exact same watch (and used to have an Aquanaut as well).
The date does take a while to switch. I’m not sure how long for mine but a Patek will never have a instantaneous date switch like a Rolex. So that’s normal (in my experience).

The pictures with the 7 and 18 date seem centered to me. Not sure why the 11 is not. I would keep an eye on that next time around.
Also, did you follow the exact instruction on the annual calendar set up? that could also be a cause for trouble.

Yes, only time the watch was set up was when it was bought. When not in use, the watch is sitting in the winder.

On 12, the date is centered.

Originally Posted by azizu

I have a 5146G and it does the same thing on date change, could be an AC thing


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Yes, I guess it might be an AC thing then

[Lo0o0o0n]

Here's my experience with my 5726A bought pre-owned just 2 months ago as well.

it was a 2014 piece and the date wheel change was way too early to be acceptable for me. day started to change at 930 -10pm, and date changed from 11-1130pm. brought it to a reputable local watch repair guy and he said the day and date wheels are probably just misaligned so i let him work on it.

after he was done, the date and day now slowly start changing from 1230am-130am. To me this was still unacceptable at first, until i gave a call to the Patek service center and confirmed that as long as the day and date changes from 11am and completes the change by 2am, it is operating within specifications.

So there u go, living with the same issue as u but since Patek says this is the way it should be, i have more assurance. my date over shoots to the next day and then snaps back as well and FWIW, ur date wheels seem centered to me when they are not changing.

[Rushne]

Originally Posted by Lo0o0o0n

Here's my experience with my 5726A bought pre-owned just 2 months ago as well.

it was a 2014 piece and the date wheel change was way too early to be acceptable for me. day started to change at 930 -10pm, and date changed from 11-1130pm. brought it to a reputable local watch repair guy and he said the day and date wheels are probably just misaligned so i let him work on it.

after he was done, the date and day now slowly start changing from 1230am-130am. To me this was still unacceptable at first, until i gave a call to the Patek service center and confirmed that as long as the day and date changes from 11am and completes the change by 2am, it is operating within specifications.

So there u go, living with the same issue as u but since Patek says this is the way it should be, i have more assurance. my date over shoots to the next day and then snaps back as well and FWIW, ur date wheels seem centered to me when they are not changing.

9:30 -10 pm starting to change was an issue for sure. 11pm to 2am, seems alright to me.

I believe almost all manufacturers recommend not changing the date on a mechanical movement when the hands are between 9pm and 3am (wide margin to be safe) as somewhere between there the movement will start engaging the date change function.
On movements where there is an instantaneous flip to the next date, the movement has a spring which is slowly building up tension from, lets say 10:30 pm, then on midnight the stored energy in the spring is released to flip the date over.
Other movements don't have a spring to load up energy into for a date change and instead let the teeth slowly move the date disc as time move on.

Patek takes the second option where as Rolex opt for the instant change. It just varies from movement to movement so I think it's pretty normal. As long as your date wheel is aligned and centered between 2am and 11pm I would say it's alright.

[nealjyu]

Originally Posted by Lo0o0o0n

Here's my experience with my 5726A bought pre-owned just 2 months ago as well.

it was a 2014 piece and the date wheel change was way too early to be acceptable for me. day started to change at 930 -10pm, and date changed from 11-1130pm. brought it to a reputable local watch repair guy and he said the day and date wheels are probably just misaligned so i let him work on it.

after he was done, the date and day now slowly start changing from 1230am-130am. To me this was still unacceptable at first, until i gave a call to the Patek service center and confirmed that as long as the day and date changes from 11am and completes the change by 2am, it is operating within specifications.

So there u go, living with the same issue as u but since Patek says this is the way it should be, i have more assurance. my date over shoots to the next day and then snaps back as well and FWIW, ur date wheels seem centered to me when they are not changing.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm glad to hear this is a normal occurrence and within Patek standards. Yes, the date initially overshoots to the left then centers itself after some time.

[Daytonaman799]

I have a 5726…it’s a slow moving date change

[azizu]

Originally Posted by Lo0o0o0n

i gave a call to the Patek service center and confirmed that as long as the day and date changes from 11am and completes the change by 2am, it is operating within specifications.

that makes sense
i guess thats why watch companies advertise "instant date change" as a feature

[bigdolan]

I got my 5726 yesterday and immediately noticed the date not being centered and moving slowly. this post has made me feel much better.