16
quality control
The movements and completely assembled watches
are subject to a series of technical tests and visual
inspections to verify their rate accuracy, winding
speed, power reserve, reliability, water resistance,
and overall appearance. After it was assembled,
your self-winding watch will already have run
for several weeks before leaving the workshops;
it fully complies with the stringent criteria of the
Patek Philippe Seal.
rate accuracy
The rate accuracy of Patek Philippe watches is veri-
fied in several phases of manufacturing, both with
uncased and fully cased movements. The final test
is performed with a wrist motion simulator and
the results must conform to the following Patek
Philippe precision benchmarks:
The rate accuracy of calibers with a diameter of 20 mm
or larger must range within –3 and +2 seconds per 24 hours.
The precision of a watch is determined by how
accurately it keeps the time. A watch that is fast
or slow is considered precise if the amount by
which it is fast or slow remains constant. Such a
deviation can be easily corrected. The last test of
accuracy takes place on your wrist. Your tempera-
ment or the nature of your physical activities can
cause slight irregularities. Fluctuations in posi-
tion, temperature, or air pressure, the presence of
magnetic fields (as produced by most electronic
devices, metal detectors, household appliances,
etc.) as well as vibrations and other factors may
also affect its accuracy.