Offset canon pinion?

[TJW]

Hi all...could someone explain the dreaded offset canon pinion to me?  Do all Zodiac movements have one, was there an advantage to the design, should I run if I see one in a dark alley?       Thanks   TJW

[jon p]

  butchs watch guy told me when he fixed my GMT that only the GMT had it, thank goodness! he has the parts. the sign of problems is the minute hand lags behind, but you think the watch is running slow when it actually it is keeping perfect time when put on a timing machine. i had my regular watchmaker clean mine and it wouldnt work right even after he kept it the second time for a month. a regular watch canon pinion can be adjusted when worn but the offset type CANNOT be. time for a new part!! it fixed mine at a reasonable price and now it is at factory specs of +/- 5 seconds a day.  hope this helps, for me it was kinda an expensive fix but from now on my zodiacs go only to BWG!!!   JON

[Ultra-Vintage]

Hi all...could someone explain the dreaded offset canon pinion to me?  Do all Zodiac movements have one, was there an advantage to the design, should I run if I see one in a dark alley?       Thanks   TJW

Unfortunately quite a few of the 60's and 70's zodiac models used an offset cannon pinion, which goes back to the AS models that they are based on.   These include the 70-72 and the 88D (among others),  ie calibers that are found in your early Seawolfs and Astros. They are not the only ones to use these bases, as I have worked on GP's that had identical movements just different finishes.  The biggest issue with the offset has to do with the hands and their function, the standard style of cannon pinion is easy for a watchmaker to tighten or loosen (loosen can only happen if the cannon pinion is not capped) whereas the offset usually has to have parts replaced to correct the problem.  The offset cannon pinion is quite often too loose or too tight, and either is a pain to adjust. 

I have serviced quite a few Zodiacs for myself and others and the offset cannon pinion is the feature I dislike the most, with the "lifetime" sealed barrel being the second.

[TJW]

Thanks...I've got a GMT coming and was curious what I possibly have bought into.
TJW

[jon p]

tjw--when you get your gmt watch it close for accuracy 2 or 3 days, if it looks like it is running slow it may be the canon pinion,OR just needs to be cleaned.mine still ran slow after cleaning so then the replacement of the pinion fixed it. BWG still has the part. good luck, JON P

[TJW]

Thanks Jon P,  I sent it off the day I got it to BWG and just heard back that it does need that part replaced; I tell ya, BWG is worth his weight in gold to us Zodiac fans!  I'm curious,  with proper servicing at the suggested intervals, will a new canon pinion, or any critical part for that matter, last decades or is this just a regular repair regardless of the care and feeding of the movement?    TJW

[jon p]

  you are right, BWG is the zodiac guru!! he told me that the new part should be good for another 30-40 years,and that is a comforting thing, at my age its not a problem! i also dont wear the watch more than a couple of days a month. which style bezel and hands does you gmt have? mine is the metal bezel--which BWG was able to tighten up for me-- and the slim pointed hands with red arrow tip gmt hand. it is early 60s. let us know when you get it back.  JON

[TJW]

Mine is the silver dial, fat bar-style hands with a metal bezel.  The watch has a traceable history.  It was purchased by a sailor from ships stores in the 70's, bartered for services rendered(I wish there would be something juicy to insert here, but I think it was something like plumbing or such) and inherited by a son who sold it to me.  It was a favorite watch and much used, but carefully I think, because the dial and bezel are almost perfect.  Those pointy GMT hand ones are a favorite of mine but a guy has to choose just one sometimes.     TJW        P.S.  I'm glad to hear about the 30-40 years;  I might make it 30...then pass it on for someone else to worry about...I wonder if BWG has a child willing to go into the business?

[jon p]

i want a silver  or white dial someday-i like either better than the black dial i have. black seems to be the most wanted one BUT i can read the light color dials better-just my choice. i like the slim hands too, especially the arrow tip gmt hand. when bwg restored mine dial was very nice-not perfect so i left it alone. there was some tiny paint loss spots on the red hand and he repainted the spots and you cant tell it was touched up. he also cleaned the hands and did a fantastic job polishing the case--NOT the over done polish you see a lot, just NICE.  JON

[TJW]

I told BWG to not polish the case on my new GMT, but after seeing his beautiful collection and your polish experience with him I think I'll tell him to go ahead.  I've also seen so many excessive polish jobs I've been a little wary,  but he seems to have a nice touch.