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stockjock1975 · 11 October 2011, 09:13 AM

Hello all here at TRF! I have a question for all the Patek owners out there. I recently purchased a Calatrava 5127 and absolutely love the piece. It keep amazing time (+1 second per day!) and looks great on the wrist. However, I've noticed that I hear the rotor quite a bit when my wrist moves. Obviously that's the winding mechanism in action....I'm just surprised how much I can hear it compared to my AP, Rolex, Lange and other automatic pieces.

So my question to all of you is.....is this normal? I could take it in and have it looked at, but I'm guessing one of you experts here on TRF will be able to tell me if that is just a characteristic of PP, or something I need to be concerned about.

Thanks in advance!

kilyung · 11 October 2011, 12:27 PM

Yes the 324SC movement moves very freely and could be audible. It's the same movement in my Nautilus. I don't normally hear it though but it could be a difference in case design.

johnswatch · 12 October 2011, 01:27 AM

I have the 324 SC movement in a 5296.

You can definately hear the rotor buzzing, almost like a bee. I used to hate it as it's the only time I've ever heard a rotor on an automatic but I've actually grown to love it.

I spoke to a Patek service technician who mentioned that the 324 movement is louder than previous ones becasue of the use of a zirconium bearing in the rotor. If you look through a 10x loupe you'll see the whitish balls in the race.

stockjock1975 · 12 October 2011, 05:23 AM

Thanks guys! I'm glad to hear that the noise is just a characteristic of this PP and not a sign of troubles with the watch! I appreciate the information!

Mockingbird · 12 October 2011, 01:20 PM

This is usually caused by bearings in the rotor, a characteristic of higher-end mechanical watches. I hear the same buzzing in my JLC, and in my recently acquired Zenith El Primero. Strangely I don't quite hear it from my GO.

It's nothing to be worried about, I quite like it myself

johnswatch · 12 October 2011, 04:55 PM

The thin Calatrava case doesn'tinsulate the sound much so this is probably a large factor explaining why you can't hear it in the Nautilus with it's slightly thicker steel case.

11 October 2011, 09:13 AM	#1
stockjock1975 Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Real Name: Brian Location: Cleveland, OH Watch: Platona Posts: 1,569	Patek rotor noise question.... Hello all here at TRF! I have a question for all the Patek owners out there. I recently purchased a Calatrava 5127 and absolutely love the piece. It keep amazing time (+1 second per day!) and looks great on the wrist. However, I've noticed that I hear the rotor quite a bit when my wrist moves. Obviously that's the winding mechanism in action....I'm just surprised how much I can hear it compared to my AP, Rolex, Lange and other automatic pieces. So my question to all of you is.....is this normal? I could take it in and have it looked at, but I'm guessing one of you experts here on TRF will be able to tell me if that is just a characteristic of PP, or something I need to be concerned about. Thanks in advance!

12 October 2011, 01:27 AM	#3
johnswatch "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: in a dream world Posts: 488	Totally normal I have the 324 SC movement in a 5296. You can definately hear the rotor buzzing, almost like a bee. I used to hate it as it's the only time I've ever heard a rotor on an automatic but I've actually grown to love it. I spoke to a Patek service technician who mentioned that the 324 movement is louder than previous ones becasue of the use of a zirconium bearing in the rotor. If you look through a 10x loupe you'll see the whitish balls in the race. __________________ 18k GMTIIc, II,16013 DJ, PAM 112, Patek ref 96J, Helson Bronze, Elgin Trench, Gruen Curvex, Omega F300 and a few others......

12 October 2011, 04:55 PM	#6
johnswatch "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: in a dream world Posts: 488	The thin Calatrava case doesn'tinsulate the sound much so this is probably a large factor explaining why you can't hear it in the Nautilus with it's slightly thicker steel case. __________________ 18k GMTIIc, II,16013 DJ, PAM 112, Patek ref 96J, Helson Bronze, Elgin Trench, Gruen Curvex, Omega F300 and a few others......

11 October 2011, 12:27 PM	#2
kilyung 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cave Watch: Sundial Posts: 33,940	Yes the 324SC movement moves very freely and could be audible. It's the same movement in my Nautilus. I don't normally hear it though but it could be a difference in case design.

12 October 2011, 05:23 AM	#4
stockjock1975 Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Real Name: Brian Location: Cleveland, OH Watch: Platona Posts: 1,569	Thanks guys! I'm glad to hear that the noise is just a characteristic of this PP and not a sign of troubles with the watch! I appreciate the information!

12 October 2011, 01:20 PM	#5
Mockingbird "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: -- Posts: 2,097	This is usually caused by bearings in the rotor, a characteristic of higher-end mechanical watches. I hear the same buzzing in my JLC, and in my recently acquired Zenith El Primero. Strangely I don't quite hear it from my GO. It's nothing to be worried about, I quite like it myself

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