| Frequency 28800 bph = 4 hz |
| Power reserve 38 h |
| Diameter 25.6 mm, 11.5" |
| Thickness 4.6 mm |
| Lift angle 50 degrees |
| Hacking |
| Hours, minutes, central second, date |
(The Squale 1521 diving watch, which is very popular in amateur and professional circles. A watch designed for hard use also requires a movement designed for hard use, and with the ETA 2824-2 mechanism inside, you can't go wrong)
(Tudor has become famous for using ETA movements. Pictured is the Tudor Prince Oysterdate from 1986)
The movement is available from the factory in four different versions, standard, elaborated, top and chronometer. All versions are united by the same size, number of jewels, frequency and power reserve. The biggest differences can be found in the technical finishing of the movements and their accuracy. The following accuracies are promised for the different versions: standard +/- 12-30 seconds per day, elaborated +/- 7-20 seconds per day, top +/- 4-15 seconds per day and the chronometer is of course in COSC standards, i.e. -4/+6 seconds per day . Most of the movements currently on the market are standard versions. The visual finish of movements coming directly from the factory is usually very modest and the responsibility for that rests with the watch brand using it. This gives watch brands the opportunity to finish it the way they want, and thus they can make the mass-produced movements unique to them.
(Zodiac Red Dot divers watch from the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. Zodiac has a long history as a manufacturer of durable tool watches and the ETA 2824-2 is an excellent choice for these watches)
The 2824-2 is easily one of the most durable mass-produced movement of the era of automatic watches. Its structure is simple and it does not have anything extra besides the hacking function.
The 2824-2 is easily one of the most durable mass-produced movement of the era of automatic watches. Its structure is simple and it does not have anything extra besides the hacking function. From maintenance point of view, it is one of the easiest movements to service. The movement is familiar to every watchmaker, so it can be serviced almost anywhere. Spare parts are currently easily available and will certainly continue to be. The 2824-2 automatic movement is built on top of the base movement as a kind of module. In maintenance, especially with movements from the beginning of production, the poor condition of the automatic modules is often a problem. It can partly be explained by the fact that at that time the method of implementation was relatively new. Not all watchmakers necessarily had enough knowledge to fully maintain the movement's automatic module, because information was not available as easily and quickly as it is today.
(Steinhart, which has gained great popularity, also relies on ETA movements. In the picture is a diving watch from the Ocean One collection)
Over the decades, the world has changed a lot, and at the same time, the expectations and requirements for watch movements have also grown.
Over the decades, the world has changed a lot, and at the same time, the expectations and requirements for watch movements have also grown. And although the comparison with movements designed and manufactured today may be a bit unfair, it is still healthy to think about the possible weak points of the 2824-2. The 38-hour operating reserve of the movement is quite modest by today's standards, and the basic movement could also be more accurate (about +/-12 seconds per day - +/-30 seconds per day). Although the 2824-2 is a really versatile movement that is suitable for many different styles of watches, as a thick movement it is not very suitable for dress watches. Especially if the goal is to create a low-profile watch that is thin and easy to slide under the sleeve.
(Tag Heuer became famous especially in the 1980s for its many different divers watches. The picture shows a representative of the ref 840.006 PVD, which was only made in 500 pieces. The familiar, safe and reliable 2824-2 ticks inside)
Although more than forty years have passed since the release of the 2824-2 movement, many small and large watch brands still end up using it in their watches. Even in hobbyist circles, when talking about reliable movements, the 2824-2 always comes up. This can already be considered as a great achievement when you take into account the rapid development of technology during the last decades, when almost year after year something new and better has replaced the old and worse. Despite numerous challengers, the ETA 2824-2 is still the clear number one in its category and deserves its iconic status.