18 quality control
The movements and completely assembled watches
are subject to a series of technical tests and visual
inspections to verify their rate accuracy, power
reserve, reliability, water resistance, and overall
appearance. After it was assembled, your self-wind-
ing 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.
Should you notice that your watch exhibits such
irregularities, please do not hesitate to take it to an
Authorized Patek Philippe Retailer or an Authorized
Service Center where no effort will be spared to
assure that it is adjusted to meet your expectations.