# Poljot 3133 - Erratic Behaviour



## Nick1958 (May 4, 2011)

I wonder if anyone has any advice on this. I had a 3133 repaired/serviced recently, and it works fine, however, I put it on my timegrapher just to make sure. Although it had been keeping good time overall, I was surprised to see the graph switching between gaining time and losing time, sometimes zig-zagging quite abruptly from fast to slow. Amplitute would also vary considerably, and beat error would change between 0.0 and 4 or 5ms. It didn't seem to follow any regular pattern - it just changed around at random moments. However, when I started the stopwatch function something weird happened. Although it was losing about 40s a day, it seemed to be regular, with no fluctuation. So - with stopwatch running, I adjusted it to run on time......and it runs just fine - no beat error, good amplitude, and although losing 5 or 6 seconds/day, it is constant. When I switch the stopwatch off, it goes back to its old self - fluctuating between losing a minute a day and gaining a little. So, I'm tempted to just leave the stopwatch running all the time - but will this wear out some fiddly little part? or is it OK to do that? And why would it change like that, depending on the stopwatch being on or off?


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Well, there's obviously a problem with it and you should send it back to whoever serviced it saying it's no good and presenting your findings to support the claim. 40s a day is an awful lot for such a movement.

Seems to me that something in the train or balance wheel is a bit lose or crooked. When you engage the chrono, the train connects to the chrono complications, so there's a steadier effect and more resistance (the spring now powering both the regular watch functions plus the chrono complications) so I dare say the variables the chrono complications introduce point out to what's wrong with the movement.

Keeping it running does lead to more wear on the chrono parts, although I believe that's negligible. Should be the same kind of wear on a running watch. However, PR will be a lot less and doesn't address the point that you had it serviced and it came back with a problem. That and the fact that if you own a 3133 and keep the chrono running, it's a bit pointless chrono to have.

So, I would send it back claiming a bad job has been done on the watch and asking the watchmaker to fix it (and so honour his fee). On the other hand, 40s a day wouldn't bother me as I don't wear a watch for more than 12h straight or so.


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## Nick1958 (May 4, 2011)

Thanks - I think it's a bit late to send it back because I had it done a couple of months ago and I already thanked him and said that it was OK. :down:


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

I wouldn't mind too much about it anyway (unless you wear daily, to which I would send it again to a watchmaker)... I don't know if this might sort the problem of if my train though is logical but I would keep on wearing it and I would engage the chrono from time to time. The idea is to let it settle to see if the running parts correct some missalignement on the wheels by forcing them to the right position. You've already established that connecting the train with the chrono wheel does that, so either the movement improves from it or gets worse by the contrary force applied to the chrono complications. I doubt it though, the 3133 is the only movement I've competently disassembled and built again and it's a very tough and sturdy movement, so my guess is that nothing will happen or it will improve.


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## Nick1958 (May 4, 2011)

Thanks for your advice. I have had a close look with a lupe in the movement of the watch. I have seen that two wheels are going around Ok for a while, then they slip for a few seconds. Now that I know what the problem is, I feel that I can ask the watchmaker to take it back and repair it. I don't know how to describe the wheels - two gold coloured gear wheels, off centre. Thanks again.


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