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Aerospace "floating" minute hand - how much is too much?
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Author:  Henryj [ Fri Jul 18, 2014 9:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Aerospace "floating" minute hand - how much is too much?
Hi. I'm a first time poster, and new first time Breitling owner. I bought a new Aerospace as a travel watch (live in Ohio, work in Abu Dhabi), and as a "Happy new job" present to myself. I really like it more than I thought I would. I'm a research nerd, so I expected there would be a bit of looseness or float in the minute hand. Mine moves a half minute when I move the watch on my wrist. I know it's almost an OCD thing, but I can't tell if I'm in the first half of the minute or second half unless I have the running seconds on the display. Is there a limit to how much float Breitling considers acceptable - this much is normal, but that much is too much? I'm mostly just curious, I won't give up the watch without a fight. :lingsrock:

Thanks,
Henry
Author:  TomP [ Fri Jul 18, 2014 11:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aerospace "floating" minute hand - how much is too much?
Doesn't sound right to me and I wouldn't be happy with it. My minute hand has no float. The only 'play' is sometimes a half-minute in the hour hand, which is obviously less of an issue re accurate time-telling, and which is also only when I'm pretty vigorous with the watch, and certainly not when I merely move it. I would have thought that the bar for float like that would, really, be more vigorous movement than standard movement. If that makes sense.
Author:  Roffensian [ Sat Jul 19, 2014 2:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Aerospace "floating" minute hand - how much is too much?
Well everyone's minute hand certainly does have float, because without it the running train would be bound and the watch wouldn't run. Half a minute is not atypical, and the minute hand makes it appear worse because it is longer so the movement at the tip is greater. You can take it in and the watchmaker may be able to adjust the depthing slightly, but there's not a huge amount that can be done.
Author:  vulcanpilot [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 1:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Aerospace "floating" minute hand - how much is too much?
My Avantage has about 1/2 minute float, so if I tap the watch it can move by up to 1/2 minute (told it was normal at the last service/battery change) but my older 'Repetition Minutes' has no apparent float.

My old Chronospace (which I p/ex'd for my Avantage with co-pilot) was probably the worst with more than 1/2 minute but again Breitling UK said it was within spec, although I have a feeling they didn't want to do any service work on that movement as they also told me that the fact the Lume on the dial had faded and no longer 'lumed' was to be expected of a watch of that age, and didn't offer a price to fit a new dial (which is unusual for BUK who always seem to gold-plate any service interventions with as much additional work as they can; speaks from experience here).

This 'float' does annoy me a bit, especially on such an expensive watch (yes, yes, I know it's 'only' a re-badged quartz movement) but my el-cheapo Seiko daily workwear watch has none, and it keeps perfect time, has NEVER had a service in 20+ years and only needs a £5 battery every 5 years.
Author:  TomP [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 2:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Aerospace "floating" minute hand - how much is too much?
I think we're all agreed that some float is normal (and indeed as Roff explains, mechanically necessary), I just think the question is how much is required to make it shift. Mine too will jump if I flick the case quite hard; what worried me about the OP's description was that it seemed to be moving with ordinary movement of the risk, which I don't think is Aero-normal and would certainly bug me.
Author:  Henryj [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Aerospace "floating" minute hand - how much is too much?
TomP wrote:
I think we're all agreed that some float is normal (and indeed as Roff explains, mechanically necessary), I just think the question is how much is required to make it shift. Mine too will jump if I flick the case quite hard; what worried me about the OP's description was that it seemed to be moving with ordinary movement of the risk, which I don't think is Aero-normal and would certainly bug me.

Yup, it'll move just by rolling my wrist back and forth. It bugs me some, but not enough to argue with the AD. I showed them and "it's normal, they all do that." A half minute is 1/120th of a revolution, or 3 degrees. I can live with it.
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