Senator Excellence: 24 Days on the Test Bench

Manufactory Calibre 36 promises new standard of quality

Glashütte, June 2016

At the heart of the Senator Excellence the manufactory Calibre 36 introduces a new generation of timepieces, and with it the Glashütte Original manufactory defines an innovative new standard of quality. Every single one of these watches bears a special engraving on the case back, which must be understood as a promise. Together with an individual examination certificate, the engraving guarantees the owner that the watch meets the highest standards in terms of stability, running time, precision and aesthetics, and that it has been thoroughly examined over the course of a long-term test lasting 24 days – under conditions even more demanding than those in force for the standard German chronometer tests.

Day 1: Setting the watch and 24-hour position test

After manufacturing and assembly of a Glashütte Original Senator Excellence has been completed, it goes through several levels of testing. Following the initial synchronization with a highly precise Glashütte chronometer, each Senator Excellence is first put through a 24-hour position test. Here a rotating test device is used to simulate the conditions under which the watch is worn on the wrist and to test it in different positions; the rate deviation must remain within the range of only -4 to +6 seconds.

Days 2 – 13: Rate testing and adjustment in 6 positions

Each watch is then put through 12-day test in six different positions. The rate deviations are recorded carefully every day and serve as the basis for five important control values:

• The average daily rate – an average of all deviations, which must remain within the range of -4 to +6 seconds per day.
• The average of the absolute value of rate deviation registers the deviations within the positions; the sum total may not exceed 2 seconds per day.
• The absolute value of rate deviation ensures that the greatest absolute rate deviation in each of the six positions does not exceed 5 seconds.
• The rate difference in horizontal and vertical positions of the watch analyses its precision in these positions, with a tolerance of -6 to +8 seconds.
• The maximum rate spread determines the greatest deviation from the average daily rate, which may not exceed 10 seconds per day.