Luch 3055

Description

Hard to believe, but this large (30mm diameter) quartz controlled electromechanical movement was released very late on the early 1980ies for the (russian) market. And that, although there were already conventional quartz movements (with stepper motor) produced in Russia.

The mechanical part, especially the balance assembly with its fine adjustment (why? Don’t we have a quartz controlled balance here?) strongly reminds of a Junghans 600.

Since the electronic part with its coils is very delicate, and it cannot be ensured, that the teardown does not cause damage on this movement, for which of course no easy to obtain spare parts are available, it was not torn down.

Forther details of this movement can be read on the Crazywatches article, which is linked at the end of this article.

The Luch 3055 combines all disadvantages of a quartz movement (power consumption, ageing electronics, delicate parts) with those of a balance controlled movement (shock sensitivity, imprecision).

Interestingly, there are two regulating devices on this movement, first the excenter fine adjustment of the balance wheel hairspring and second a variable capacitor for find adjustment of the quartz resonant circuit.

The balance drives the switching wheel, which is in earlier versions saved by a ruby finger agains backslashes. Later speciments like the one shown here don’t contain that construction. The switching wheel is followed by a number of reductions wheels, which finally drive the hands and, indirectly, the center second, too.

The Luch 3055 uses a day-date indication which quickset mechanism by turning the hands back and forth.

Conclusion

The russian quartz caliber Luch 3055 is for sure one of the most interesting movements in the archive, especially, because it is so anachronistic (in 1981, the development of quartz movements with stepper motor was finished for several years) and much to massive, but all that makes the fascination of this movement, which was produced for two years only.

In the lab

Timegrapher result

These rates are atypical from a quartz movement, and even without the runaway of position “dial up”, which is probably due to a defective balance wheel axle (no wunder, because the balance is really heavy), the rates are very poor.
In no way, a positive influence of a quartz controlling could be seen, and seven seconds deviation over all vertical positions should not happen on an actively controlled balance!

Technical data

Usage gallery

Links