Genuine watch day-date change over question

[jack]

Should an genuine automatic chrono day-date change over right at 12:00? I am thinking of purchasing a used gen and looking at some of the pictures I noticed the day was not centered in the window. I asked the seller about it and he said the watch was just in the process of changing days when he snapped the pic but the time was 11:00 not 12:00. When I asked about it changing days at 11:00 the seller stated:

" i have had hundreds of automatic chronos and i assure that not one has ever changed the date at the same time as another sitting beside it. all that matters is that it does change over within a few given hours each day around 12"

Does this sound correct? I would really appreciate the opinions of some of our experts before such a large purchase.

Thanks!

[offshore]

jack,

The seller is correct in what he says about date change, I have some that take up to 3 hours to complete the change.

Most change over at about 1/2 hour period over 12, but it really depends on the movement/watch.

What I would do, is to ask for a photo of the watch with the date centered.

Offshore

[dwang0725]

  offshore said:

jack,

The seller is correct in what he says about date change, I have some that take up to 3 hours to complete the change.

Most change over at about 1/2 hour period over 12, but it really depends on the movement/watch.

What I would do, is to ask for a photo of the watch with the date centered.

Offshore

Absolutely correct. The day is not a quickset on my gen day/date.

[freddy333]

Offshore is probably correct, but I will add my 2 cents -- Since you did not state the brand/model of the watch in question, please take this as a general guide, but genuine Rolex movements (like that used in the DayDate) should change instantly within a minute of midnight. If the date changes quickly, but either more than a minute before or after midnight, then the hands may need to be reoriented on the dial (an easy fix for any watchmaker). But if the date takes more than a second or two to change, it is probably not a Rolex movement (or the date change components are in need of cleaning/servicing).