Just yesterday I had a detailed discussion with a CW21 watchmaker on the
32xx caliber family. He mentioned a range of problems seen with these movements including pinion wear and lubes along with migrating or "creeping" oils coating the ball bearings, slowing their function.
Further insulating or isolating the bearings in a cage, resistant to oil creep might be a possible answer, along with a plating or metal composition
requiring little or no lubrication. Teflon coating probably would not work,
as over time the plating of Teflon would wear down or separate-creating
a plethora of issues.
I do not have a dog in this hunt, as my Rolex references all lie in the 15XX or 31xx caliber families.
But I do have a reference with an ETA 2824-2 Elabore engine, and I am watching it carefully to see how it performs over time. I think some of the Tudor models used the ETA calibers a decade ago, but now ETA has been absorbed by Breitling-and Tudor now uses in-house Rolex movements.
Have grown comfortable with axles, jewels, and drilled lugs-
so will be classed as a Luddite. It's ok, my watches match my age...:
