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| Joined: | Thu Apr 16th, 2009 |
| Location: | Arctic, Norway |
| Posts: | 5821 |
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I was hitting down on this passage:
Watchbore estimates that at least 15,000 Rolex movements failed in 2001. According to Rolex, the rejects are fixed and sent back to COSC until they pass. "We don’t use COSC to tell us how good our movements are," said a source deep inside the Wilsdorf foundation. "We test them ourselves. All we want is the chronometer certification. It’s for marketing."
If it's only for marketing, why at list 15000 mvts failed to COSC standards when sent there?
I mean by that: They would have sent 15000 unprecise watches on the market if COSC would'nt have refuse them the chronometer standard...? Seems like that or I get it wrong?
Then, they really need this controle and should not call it a marketing stuff only I guess.
My little personnal analyse of those facts:
I think that it's good and healthy that watches are inpected by an independant certification source who will have a serious outsider eye on the quality of the movements.
After that, when you look at the numbers: COSC is living literally out of Rolex funds.
Then, would COSC and it's people ever dare to say anything wrong about them blood supplier?
Well, it seems like Rolex have a really good draw on the quality and percentages of failures anyway so we can sleep good.
The only problem I have with Rolex is the price: Nothing else.
I think that the production is the dilemma at the end: Not the ultra precision as many brands can pass the COSC and we will never know wich one is the best.
The most precise machine tools are only viable in high-volume production, which explains why the mass-produced tracteurs are consistently chronometers.
Then, there, is the choice: You may have a really good and accurate movement but it's mass-produced and millions of others have the same.
On the other hand, you may have a unique piece of patient engineering with much soul but it may most likely not be as accurate as the "tractor"...
Still, Patek P. sent 1286 pieces who passed COSC standards in 2001, so if you have a big wallet, there is hope
So what would you choose?
For the eyes and the pleasure of uniqueness, I would choose the low-production piece, even it's not a COSC.
For coming at time to appointments, I would take the tractor...