ciaca
156
Thank you
I've read the link with great interest.
I already knew, of course, how the AP system works, now i know how the VC works too 
I truly love these two watches (and others who share the same scheme), so similar but so different too.
And i appreciate both the schemes used by the two companies, i see pros and cons in both two.
I have to disagree when you write "more elegant" referring to the VC iteration of this particular "complication".
The AP is the repreposition in a smaller size of what already made 191 years before in the pocket watch from Perrin Frères.
Simple, neat, clever, efficient and reliable. Pure genious in my personal point of view where "less" is "better" when it joins efficiency and reliability.
In the AP scheme i see less organs, less dents, less engagements, less dynamic friction, less power leakage and probably less influence on the amplitude and the chronometry accuracy.
I also have to disagree with the writer of that article when he writes that is a pro moving the action from the peripheral of the movement (like it is in the AP) to the center (like in the VC); given the torque supplied by the barrel an action far from the center, with a bigger arm, becomes a smaller force the bushing apply in order to move the "star wheels" and less reaction the cams have to offer in order to disengage themselves. Less, again
The movement, in both watches, is the same JLC 88x. A solid workhorse.
From an aestetical point of view i find more attractive the visibile eight point "star wheels" than the hidden maltese cross shaped wheels in the VC scheme, as i find more attractive (and better refined) the three cams with pawls enagaging the star wheels to brake them and keep them still, rather than the central cam used by VC.
I find some sort of redundance in the VC, probably due to enhance the reliability of the system, even if i never had any kind of failure on my AP still running well after 24 years (i bought it in the far away 1991).
We can say, and i agree, that the VC is more "complex" and perhaps more reliable where it guarantees less chance to have incomplete turns or jams in the turns of the digits by the way it is made.
But "elegance" and complexity, or redundancy also, are not the same thing.
I like the way both companies read this scheme with their pros and cons.
And i find there is coherence in both the watches: the AP scheme is more suitable with a transparent dial given the fact all the components of the simple and neat mechanism are visibile and you can clearly see how they work, the VC one gives the best of itself with a plain dial (like in other jumping hours watches they did with the same module), even better if decorated like this we are discussing about with its gorgeous grend feu enamels.
Best regards
This message has been edited by ciaca on 2015-03-17 18:07:17 This message has been edited by ciaca on 2015-03-17 18:13:46
gorgeous enamel...
.. was luckily seeing this gorgeous enamel piece with such super fine details of the map at the Sothebys HK Spring Sales 2015 preview yesterday, this is one of many pieces showing up there, but this one caught a lot of my attention. looking at it under th...
I understand. But the compass hands are really something, in the Mercator.
They add a lot poetry. Best, Nicolas
I agree, and the concept of wandering hours...
works wonderfully with the "explorateurs" topic! Fx
another very nice piece...
... including the one you just showing here, we have managed to see three out of these four in this series, not sure what map will be on the forth one!? thanks for sharing, FX. stefan
This is my fovourite piece
Unfortunately, one of the enamellists, the wife, has passed away. Regards Ling
Thanks for sharing these pics Stefan!
The enamel work looks gorgeous ! It\'s my fav of the series too as it\'s about Asia and also admiral Cheng Ho is one of my most respected Chinese historical figures Cheers Robin
I love it...
As all the enamel serie with this particular jumping hour indication. The movement (a JLC 88x modified with a particular "star wheel" module) is the same used for the first time by Audemars Piguet in their star wheel watch Regards ...
The concept is the same...but
the execution is different in both watches, with the Vacheron being the more elegant design and less prone to failure. There is an article on The Hour Lounge on alternative displays and part of it discuses the evolution of this concept with explanations o...
Thank you
I've read the link with great interest. I already knew, of course, how the AP system works, now i know how the VC works too I truly love these two watches (and others who share the same scheme), so similar but so different too. And i appreciate both the s...
Thank you...
...for your most informative comments. But I think on this one, we'll have to agree to disagree :-). They are both wonderful accomplishments of watchmaking art and science. Best wishes, JB
One of my favorite Metiers d'Art pieces...
as the complication and artistic expression are harmoniously joined. Photos of the Columbus: Bill ...
