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A useless but complicated function is my conclusion. I know it's prestigious to have the dead beat seconds complication but I would never pay extra for it. :)
Well this is going to confuse the people who go on (and on) about how obviously ugly the quartz 1-tick per second is compared to the divine 8-ticks per second stutter of a standard auto. A beautiful new JLC 770 caliber with a dead beat second complication, designed to tick once a second, just like a quartz, in order to count seconds more accurately. You can even adjust the hour hand independently to change time zone, just like on... oh, an Aqua Terra Quartz perhaps? Let's see how long we have to wait until someone expresses their horror that JLC would want to ruin a perfectly good mechanical watch with this shocking behaviour. I want one ;-)
http://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the...ic-true-second
A useless but complicated function is my conclusion. I know it's prestigious to have the dead beat seconds complication but I would never pay extra for it. :)
Then buy a Habring2. Richard and Maria basically throw it in for free.Originally Posted by yonsson
Well in reality all watch complications are pretty pointless in this day and age but ......... But there is nothing wrong with pointless in this context !!
I tried to ;)
What's not to like about it? I love it and I too want one!
Bold move to put in dead beat second - wonder if that will not scare away non WIS people wanting the floating second hand ?
I really don't understand this "WIS" thing. Is there *really* a distinction to be drawn between your "WISes" and the watch-buying public, or rather the sub-sector of the watch-buying public that has $10k to spend on a three-handed watch that is not a Rolex?
Unlike most of the rest of the world, the nerds really don't run the watch world, and they certainly don't prop up Swiss watch sales with their constant purchases of $10k-plus watches. I may have misjudged your watch idiots, but I'm pretty certain that, out in the real world, where the majority of purchases are made, people are looking at this as a well-made, interesting, pretty cool, modern-yet-retro, rather beautiful thing from a brand that is going to great lengths to ensure that it's seen as the go to brand for the "in the know" mechanical watch wearer - regardless of whether the buyer actually knows what's inside the watch or not.
If the seconds amorties / true beat scares them, just wait 'til they see the new balance... it's not even round.
Buy one of Eddie's Seafires - halfway house at 4 ticks per second - a lot more value per tick !!! ;-)
maseman
Well I like it….apart from the date. What is this total preoccupation with blotting every lovely face with a wart-like date window?
Agree. Without the date window it would been have quite perfect.
For me the dead beat seconds make a very simple, and otherwise uncomplicated watch that little bit more special. Perhaps if it didn't have this feature, we wouldn't be discussing it now, making it something of a conversation piece - it would just be a Geophysic with a plain dial. The owner will no doubt be waiting impatiently for the chance to explain, while silently hoping his friends haven't already assumed it's a quartz and are too polite to ask!
It would be interesting though if watches like this challenged people's pre-conceptions about the aesthetics of different kinds of ticks. While there is something hypnotic about an F300 (or Spring Drive) genuinely smooth sweep, I suspect that some people are firmly against 1 second ticks because they equate them with 'cheap' in their heads, rather than because of how it actually looks. On this watch, it clearly means 'unusually expensive mechanical movement' - I wonder if that might somehow make the ticks look different?
Last edited by Itsguy; 30th September 2015 at 12:17.
Without that date window it would have been considerably better, at least.
It's not the dead-beat seconds that make this resemble a cheaper quartz watch, it's how generic and uninspired details like the date display are. At least they've finally found an alternative to bottom-of-the-barrel Arial for the text
— although what they've chosen (Eurostile Extended), despite being a respectable typeface, is hardly any more suitable in this application. The world timer version is absolutely ruined by Arial, by the way.
JLC badly needs to step up its game when it comes to dial design. :P
Last edited by Belligero; 30th September 2015 at 13:50.
Genuine question - what do you consider to be a good date window design then? This one looks similar to everything from a PP to a VC to a GS.
Odd. The date doesn't look like Eurostile Extended to me at all. But I'm not a #typefacenerd, so that might explain it.
On the internets, there are no shades of grey. It's black, or white. "True WIS" or ignorant fool. Them, or us ;).
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
It's a shame Eddie removed our signatures. "Ignorant fool" would have served me well.
Among current makers, Lange, Rolex and Nomos stand out as manufacturers producing date displays that are distinctive, charming and beautiful. Patek is notably deficient in this aspect lately, and VC isn't doing anything particularly special on most of their watches, either. GS, true to form, is unoriginal but competent — they've essentially copied Rolex's date wheel using what appears to be a custom font that's slightly different. It looks better than the generic one JLC's using, at least.
The date display is an opportunity for making a subtle signature element, yet this JLC evokes Daniel Wellington mall watches. It doesn't have to be a complicated affair, but they could at least choose a typeface that's distinguishable from Windows default.
Not the date, but the "GEOPHYSIC TRUE SECOND" printing on the dial.
The date uses a mundane commodity typeface that calls to mind cubicles and parking tickets.
And ...?
Stewart's had a Jumping seconds in their pre-owned section for a while, looks like they have a new Jumping Seconds Pilot in stock (as it doesn't say out of stock).
The date window that has caught my attention as being an asset to this particular watch's dial is the latest Seamaster 300's.
I like the date font, the matching colour of the datewheel, the rounded window outline and the slight bevel giving it a noticeable depth. It looks as if a lot of thought has gone into this one, rather than it being simply a utilitarian box cut-out to show the date.
Indeed, Omega normally does a very good job of theirs, too.
That Futura-inspired custom font is an example of how a manufacturer can use a bit of design effort to get a subtly distinctive look, and it's obvious that the window isn't a mere afterthought. The result is something recognizably Omega, even if you can't see the rest of the watch.
For what modern Swiss watches cost (the Germans and Japanese tend not to be as unskilled in this area), I think consumers have a right to expect something that looks special, or at least that's had some professionality put into its most visible components. Now that anyone with a computer can take a crack at drawing up a watch, that's not always the case; I'd say that the visual standards have declined on average.
Lovely thing that :)
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Many thanks - must have been confused by your sentence structure. I did think it was an odd (i.e. slightly too squat) typeface to use for numbers. It seems odd to change the typeface on the dial text for a new model within existing range; hardly creates a sense of cohesion, does it?
Completely agree re Arial.
Last edited by Broussard; 30th September 2015 at 16:05.
^
Regrets; I could have worded that better.
By the way, the original Royal Oak 5402ST also ranks highly on my list of watches with nicely-executed date displays. Here's how to make a distinctive one — and yes, I like the contrasting white when the numbering looks this groovy:
Last edited by Belligero; 30th September 2015 at 15:58.
I've just seen the true seconds and universal time in the flesh, Bond Street, they've even offered it to sell it to me as long as I was happy to collect it tomorrow or after that. I find the true seconds too much on the thick side for a "dressy" watch. The universal time however was mesmerising. I'm not a fan of busy dials but I couldn't stop looking at it.
I think they both really need to be seen in person before passing judgement.
I love the world timer one. That looks amazing. But the size is bigger like 42mm? How did it wear?
My wrist is really small and I thought it was fine, I thought it was 40 to be honest. But you have to look at the dial and the way the have managed to add depth by clever use of colours. Really nice and to be fair good value as always being a JLC.
I think the "Universal Time" is also in the 39.6mm case.
No I think it is 41.6mm, it seems hodinkee has it incorrect. But just awaiting confirmation.
Last edited by kaiserphoenix; 30th September 2015 at 18:13.
Right. Several other websites are quoting 41.6mm, meaning the 3 versions of the Geophysic have three different case sizes...
I had one of their's it was great to watch :)
That JLC Looks great - a contender against the Patek 3 handed calatrava
any shots of the case back? - ah I see them in the link. Great read and great horological from JLC
i rather her like the world time - to go with my IWC pilot world time
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 1st October 2015 at 08:51.
Case back and movement
(C) Jaeger-leCoultre.com
(C) Jaeger-leCoultre.com
now THAT is impressive and truelly resonates with my inner WIS
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 1st October 2015 at 08:57.
It turns out that the JL logo / motif** makes a perfect balance. Now *that's* what I call synchronicity.
** okay. Two JL logos end-on-end.
The thought of the second hand on this possibly not hitting it's markers horrifies me
There's something *very* satisfying about a dead beat movement. This one has an additional complication, but hits the marks well. I guess a "normal" mechanical movement at 28.8k can easily cover a multitude of sins. The True Beat is a little less forgiving...The thought of the second hand on this possibly not hitting it's markers horrifies me
Like it - does this mean it's a digital watch?
Someone commented that it's an unnecessary complication but so is a second hand - only real use seems to be (on a non-chronograph) accurately setting/checking time keeping.
Digital refers to the display. So no.
really like the movement in this watch - brings some new ideas to the table.can't decide on the dial though.i'll want to see this in the flesh.apparently it's already out.
I'm a fan of simple, classic, even plain 3 handers. Though having watched the video, even I'm wondering if the stainless steel version has quite enough charisma. A good excuse to go and have a look I guess!
I thought it was so that you can see at a glance that your watch is working :-)
There seems to be a trend towards deadbeat second hands at the moment. I can't help wondering if it's a tacit acknowledgement that, with respect to smoothness, the Japanese (Seiko, of course) have got the Swiss beat (sic)!
Does it come in black? :)
On a serious note though I quite like it. Saw it yesterday on various sites. JLC must have launched ad campaign.
It was announced / launched on Tuesday night, and was at Watches and Wonder in HK. Hence every single online publication running the story. They'd shown the watches to people far earlier in the year, of course, but it's only been known to the genpop for 48 hours.
I can't imagine that was even remotely considered at any stage. The dials may have some design deficiencies, but the movements are world-class.
It seems far more likely that the dead-beat seconds are a tacit acknowledgment that the watches would otherwise be completely boring.
I've no idea why, but where they've put the lume dots made me angry. And the one at twelve is slightly out.
The position of the lume dots is a feature of the new-generation Geophysic range, and one of the reasons I bought mine. :D
I love that watch.
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