carcharios Posts: [8/12/04 15:11 GMT]:

Thanks Chuck,

So my question now is this; why exactly is the Caliber 11 - 14 ranked so low on your lists? Is it soley because the rotor is not placed between the movement and case-backing, or did these microrotor movements have other issues with reliability?

The main reason is because I believe the other movements listed above it to be better movements. Sounds obvious, but that's most of it. I mean the El-Primero is a hands down great movement. I'm a big fan of the Lemania 5100, and although I really prefer the 5100, the Valjoux 7750 is probably the most adaptable of the currently available automatic chronograph movements.

Another reason is because the other movements do not force the purchaser to do without a small second's sub-dial indication. In other words, it's really hard to determine how accurately a c.11-14 runs unless you start and leave running continuously because of the lack of a small seconds indicator.

Third is the lack of a full sized main rotor, not that the micro-rotor doesn't work, or is necessarily mechanically inferior, but let's be honest, none of the c.11~14's is as attractive to look at as a full-rotor automatic.

Lastly, the c.11~14 is a module chronograph, which nearly always take a hit from a chronograph collector. It's a less well accepted way to get the job done. Sort of like Nitrous on a car... Many people are purists, who look down on the use of Nitrous Oxide used to gain horsepower. These purists feel that a more earnest way, such as racier cams, better carburation, better intakes, exhaust, supercharging, etc. are more honest ways of gaining horsepower because one doesn't have to refill bottle's of the "magic Horsepower elixir" to keep that HP boost. "Babies use the bottle" is their retort.

I'm not that extreme in my views, I like the Micro-Rotors, but I prefer the other movements if given a choice in most instances. I've always been more of a 3-Register collector than a 2-Register Collector.

The other thing that needs to be said is that while the Micro-Rotors were offered and sold well in the 1970's it was always a bit of an uphill climb for them to compete against their 3-registered full-rotor competitor's. First the El-Primero, then the Valjoux 7750 and eventually the 1341/2 and 5100 Lemania movements kept on eating chuck's of this market segment and most of the firms who had offered them started transitioning ov er to the 7750 (primarily but the 5100's were close behind, with the 1341/2's bringing up the rear) as soon as it was feasible. By the late 1970's Heuer was already moving in this direction and I believe Heuer was the last firm to cease production in the early 1980's.

The movement is a sound one, nothing spectacular (either in a good or bad sense). It did what was asked of it well, without fuss and was a solid performer. The main knock with them nowadats are the one's I outline above and the fact that replacement parts aren't always easy to source.

-- Chuck