a great blog post about how watches work with visualizations
https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/
Mechanical Watch â Bartosz Ciechanowski
2022-05-04
Bartosz Ciechanowski
<div><div><p>In the world of modern portable devices, it may be hard to believe that merely a few decades ago the most convenient way to keep track of time was a mechanical watch. Unlike their quartz and smart siblings, mechanical watches can run without using any batteries or other electronic components.</p>
<p>Over the course of this article I’ll explain the workings of the mechanism seen in the demonstration below. You can drag the device around to change your viewing angle, and you can use the slider to peek at what’s going on inside:</p>
<p>What you see here is known as the <em>movement</em> â the inner part of a mechanical watch that’s usually enclosed in a metal case. In this article I’m focusing on a watch movement itself, since beautiful watch cases merely hide the intricate mechanisms which are the real stars of the show.</p>
<p>The entire watch movement has a lot of parts, and in this blog post I’ll explain the purpose of each one. The world of watchmaking is jargon-heavy, so many of the components may have unfamiliar names, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to remember them â the names and parts will be <strong>color-coded</strong> for easy reference.</p>
<p>In a functioning watch many parts are in constant motion. By default all animations in this article are enabled, but if you find them distracting, or if you want to save power, you can <a href="#">globally pause</a> all the following demonstrations.disabled, but if you prefer to have things moving as you read you can <a href="#">globally unpause</a> them and have animations running.</p>
<p>While the entire watch movement has many parts, the timekeeping system, which forms the core function of any watch, consists of just seven major elements which we can lay out in a straight line:</p>
<p>It may not look like much, but these parts still have a lot of interesting details about them that contribute to the <strong>second hand</strong> rotating at a correct pace. We’ll start exploring these details by focusing on the source of power for this entire contraption.</p>
<h2>Power<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#power"></a> </h2>
<p>Purely mechanical devices have a few different ways to power themselves, but one of the simplest methods to store energy is to use a spring. Most springs we see in daily life are <em>coil</em> springs. In the demonstration below, you can move the <strong>mass</strong> attached to this type of <strong>spring</strong> to see it bounce:</p>
<p>When a <strong>spring</strong> like this is compressed, it stores some energy that is then released when the compressing tension is removed. Mechanical watches typically use a different kind of spring â a spiral <em>torsion</em> spring. This type of <strong>spring</strong> is loaded when it’s twisted. When let go, the <strong>spring</strong> unwinds in the opposite direction to eventually settle in its natural state:</p>
<p>In a mechanical watch, we ultimately want to show rotating hands, so a spinning motion that a torsion spring provides is particularly useful. A <strong>spring</strong> in a typical mechanical watch has a slightly more complicated shape â you can see it below in its relaxed state. By dragging the <strong>slider</strong> you can try to wind it midair, but as soon as you let go, it will snap back to its original shape:</p>
<p>As you can see, this <strong>spring</strong> is quite strong and it wants to expand very rapidly. To contain the <strong>spring</strong> we have to put it in a casing known as a <strong>barrel</strong>:</p>
<p>Once in the <strong>barrel</strong>, the <strong>spring</strong> still wants to expand to its original state, but the <strong>barrel’s</strong> wall keep it in place. This <strong>spring</strong> is the storage of energy for the watch and its name, the <em>mainspring</em>, reflects its importance.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we can’t really get any useful work from the <strong>mainspring</strong> in this state â it has already expanded to the largest possible size. To store more energy in it we need to wind it tightly using the <strong>arbor</strong> that we’ll first attach on the inner side of the <strong>mainspring</strong>:</p>
<p>If you look closely, the <strong>mainspring</strong> has a little hole near its end â you can see it in the center of the demonstration. The <strong>arbor</strong> has a little hook that grabs onto that hole:</p>
<p>When the <strong>arbor</strong> is turned, it pulls the <strong>mainspring</strong> with it, causing it to wind. In the demonstration below, we’re holding the <strong>barrel</strong> tight, and you can turn the <strong>arbor</strong> by dragging the slider:</p>
<p>Notice that as soon as you let go of the <strong>arbor</strong> by releasing the slider, the <strong>mainspring</strong> will turn the <strong>arbor</strong> right back. This is less than desired â we want the <strong>barrel</strong> to turn instead, so that it can power the other parts of the watch. To get some useful work from the <strong>mainspring</strong>, we’ll have to keep holding on to the <strong>arbor</strong> and instead let the <strong>barrel</strong> go when we want to use the stored energy:</p>
<p>We’ll soon see how this is accomplished in practice, but for now we’ll assume that the <strong>arbor</strong> is held tight and the <strong>mainspring</strong> ends up rotating the <strong>barrel</strong>, just like in the demonstration above. Before we finish up with the <strong>mainspring</strong> and the <strong>barrel</strong>, let’s discuss two other details that make this mechanism more reliable. Let me bring up the relaxed spring one more time:</p>
<p>The <strong>metal strip</strong> attached to the <strong>mainspring</strong> provides additional tension to its outer part. That <strong>metal strip</strong> really wants to snap back to its straight shape, so it pushes against the wall of the <strong>barrel</strong>, creating a lot of friction that keeps the mainspring in place:</p>
<p>This locks the outer end of the <strong>mainspring</strong> when the <strong>arbor</strong> moves the inner. If we were to keep winding the <strong>spring</strong> past its maximum capacity, we’d overpower that friction letting the <strong>mainspring</strong> slip inside â this acts as a safety mechanism to prevent the parts from breaking.</p>
<p>As we’ve seen, in its relaxed state, the <strong>mainspring</strong> forms an S-shape with varied curvature throughout. This helps to balance the tension in <strong>mainspring’s</strong> different sections when it is inside the <strong>barrel</strong>. Notice that the inner sections of the wound spring have a much smaller radius than the outer parts. If the relaxed spring was just a straight piece of metal, then after winding, the inner parts would be bent much more than the outer parts. With the S-shaped spring the outer sections of the spring are also under a similar tension because they want to get back to their curve that is bent in the opposite direction.</p>
<p>To secure the <strong>mainspring</strong> and prevent dust from getting in we close the <strong>barrel</strong> with a lid that snaps into its place:</p>
<p>We’ve managed to make some parts rotate and one could naively think that we could just attach a <strong>watch hand</strong> to the <strong>barrel</strong> to make it track time. Unfortunately, that won’t really work â you can witness this in the demonstration below. You can see how this “watch” behaves after you wind the <strong>mainspring</strong> with the slider and let it go:</p>
<p>We clearly have some work to do â the <strong>hand</strong> spins way too fast and it only does a few rotations before the <strong>mainspring</strong> inside the <strong>barrel</strong> runs out of the stored energy. Clearly, this contraption won’t let us track time in any reliable way.</p>
<p>If we wanted our watch to run continuously for around 40 hours on a single wind, we’d need the minute hand to complete 40 rotations in that time. Moreover, the second hand should cover around 40 Ã 60 = 2400 complete rotations in that time. We need to find a way to convert a small number of revolutions of the <strong>barrel</strong> into a large number of revolutions of the hands. This is where gears come in.</p>
<h2>Gears<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#gears"></a> </h2>
<p>I’ve <a href="https://ciechanow.ski/gears/">talked about gears</a> on this blog before, so let me just recap things very briefly. Gears can be used to change the speed of rotation between two different axes. In the demonstration below, you can witness that by observing little dots I put on each gear â the <strong>yellow gear</strong>, which is powered by the bigger <strong>red gear</strong>, takes much less time to finish a single revolution:</p>
<p>An important aspect of two matching gears is their number of teeth. Each tooth in one gear meets with a space between teeth in the other gear, so within a unit of time both gears rotate by the same number of teeth. If the number of teeth in two gears is different, those gears can take a different amount of time to complete a single rotation. In the demonstration below, you can change the <em>ratio</em> of the number of teeth between the driving <strong>red gear</strong> and the driven <strong>yellow gear</strong> to see how it affects the speed of rotation of that <strong>yellow gear</strong>:</p>
<p>These gears are intended to work with each other so the ratio of teeth is equivalent to the ratio of the gear radii. When the <strong>driving gear</strong> has <a href="#">more teeth</a> than the <strong>driven gear</strong>, the <strong>driven gear</strong> makes more rotations than the <strong>driving gear</strong>. We can use this behavior to make the second hand of a watch rotate many times on a single rotation of the barrel.</p>
<p>Let’s consider how much of a speed increase we have to do here. The barrel can rotate close to 7 times on a single wind, but we want the second hand to complete around 2400 revolutions in the same time. We need the ratio of teeth, or the ratio of radii, to be around 343:1. Let’s see how that would look in practice. In the demonstration below, you can use the slider to look at the two gears from further away:</p>
<p>As you can see, these proportions are ridiculous â to make the <strong>red gear</strong> fit in any reasonably sized watch, the <strong>yellow gear</strong> would have to be absolutely tiny and both gears would have to have very fragile, microscopic teeth.</p>
<p>Instead, mechanical watches use a <em>train</em> of gears with multiple gears working in pairs â each pair increases the speed to some extent. In the demonstration below, you can see the four wheels participating in this reduction. Notice that there are two gears on most axes of rotation. You can control the speed of rotation of this gear train using the slider:</p>
<p>The <strong>barrel</strong> acts as the <strong>first wheel</strong>, it drives the <strong>second wheel</strong>, which drives the <strong>third wheel</strong>, which finally drives the <strong>fourth wheel</strong>. Notice that each big gear drives a smaller gear called a <em>pinion</em>. A pinion is mounted on the same shaft as the next big gear so we’re able to keep increasing the speed on each axis. This approach has significant advantages â we’re able to make the overall mechanism much smaller and we’ll soon use one of the intermediate wheels that rotates at a slower rate to drive minute and hour hands.</p>
<p>Before we finish up with gears, let me quickly mention the shape of their teeth. While many bigger machines use an <a href="https://ciechanow.ski/gears/#strings-attached">involute shape</a> for the profile of their gear teeth, mechanical watches commonly use <em>cycloidal</em> profiles which are obtained by <a href="https://www.tec-science.com/mechanical-power-transmission/cycloidal-gear/geometry-of-cycloidal-gears/">rolling a circle on the surface of another circle</a>.</p>
<p>Let’s see how the so-called <em>going train</em> that we’ve assembled works when we wind the <strong>mainspring</strong> through the <strong>arbor</strong> and let the watch run:</p>
<p>We’ve certainly achieved the goal of the <strong>second hand</strong> rotating many times on a single rotation of the <strong>barrel</strong>, but the speed of revolution of that <strong>hand</strong> is still completely untamed. We need to find a way to control the rate of release of the energy stored in the <strong>mainspring</strong> â we’ll do this with the <em>escapement</em>.</p>
<h2>Escapement<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#escapement"></a> </h2>
<p>Let’s start by looking at the two components that create the escapement â the <strong>escape wheel</strong> and the <strong>pallet fork</strong>:</p>
<p>Notice the unusual shape of the teeth of the <strong>escape wheel</strong> â it’s very different than the gears we’ve seen before. Its top part hosts a regularly shaped gear that can be used to turn that <strong>wheel</strong>.</p>
<p>The <strong>pallet fork</strong> itself is made of metal, but notice the two <strong>pinkish</strong> transparent parts at its end. These are <strong>jewels</strong> made from synthetic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby">ruby</a>. That compound is not only very hard, which prevents its wear, but it also has a low coefficient of friction with steel. Let’s see why these properties are important by observing how these two components interact with each other:</p>
<p>The <strong>escape wheel</strong> wants to rotate as indicated by the <strong>red arrow</strong>. The <strong>pallet fork</strong> prevents that motion, but as we pivot that <strong>pallet fork</strong> back and forth we let the <strong>escape wheel</strong> briefly <em>escape</em> from that jail only to be stopped again.</p>
<p>We’ll see the details of that interaction in a few paragraphs, but right now this mechanism lets us control the rotation of the <strong>escape wheel</strong> by simply moving the <strong>pallet fork</strong> from one side to another. Let’s see how these pieces fit into the rest of the assembly. In the demonstration below, I’ve wound the spring for you so the <strong>barrel</strong>, through the gear train, ends up trying to rotate the <strong>escape wheel</strong>. Using the two buttons you can switch the position of the <strong>pallet fork</strong>:</p>
<p>The mainspring wants to unwind by rotating the <strong>escape wheel</strong>, but the <strong>pallet fork</strong> only allows this to happen for a brief period of time. Because of the gear reduction, the rotation of the <strong>barrel</strong> is pretty much invisible. However, if you observe the <strong>hand</strong> attached to the <strong>fourth wheel</strong>, you can see it gently rotate as you swing the <strong>pallet fork</strong> back and forth.</p>
<p>The little time keeping mechanism is almost fully functional now. The last remaining piece here is a device that will automatically tick the <strong>pallet fork</strong> back and forth. However, for the watch to track time correctly that ticking action has to happen at an appropriate cadence. This is where the <em>balance</em> comes in â it forms the beating heart of a watch.</p>
<h2>Balance<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#balance"></a> </h2>
<p>Let’s bring up the first torsion spring we saw before â recall that once you twist it from its original position, it will oscillate back and forth, only to settle after a while:</p>
<p>We can control the rate of this periodic motion by adjusting two parameters. The first one is the <em>stiffness</em> of the spring, which primarily depends on its height, thickness, and length, as well as the type of material from which it’s made. The second one is the mass and its distribution, or, more precisely, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_of_inertia">moment of inertia</a> of the object that the spring rotates. Moment of inertia increases when more mass is put further away from the axis of rotation. In the demonstration below, you can tweak both the <strong>stiffness</strong> of the spring and <strong>moment of inertia</strong> of the attached mass to see how these parameters affect the period of rotation:</p>
<p>By carefully tuning these parameters, we can make this system oscillate at a desired rate. This idea of using a torsion spring with attached mass is exactly what mechanical watches use as their source of precise time tracking. The balance is formed by the <strong>balance wheel</strong> attached to the <strong>balance spring</strong>. In this watch the <strong>balance wheel</strong> oscillates back and forth at a fairly high frequency:</p>
<p>At the <a href="#">bottom side</a> of the balance wheel you’ll find another pinkish transparent jewel called <strong>jewel roller</strong>. While small, this part is very important â this <strong>jewel</strong> hits the other end of the <strong>pallet fork</strong> as the <strong>balance wheel</strong> rotates, which in turn pushes the <strong>pallet fork</strong> back and forth. Let’s first look at an overview of how the <strong>balance wheel</strong> interacts with the other parts. In the demonstration below, you can slow things down with the slider:</p>
<p>Let’s look at this interaction up close, as it deserves a closer attention. In the demonstration below, you can scrub back and forth in time to see all the action as it happens:</p>
<p><strong>balance wheel</strong> is swinging back
<strong>jewelÂ roller</strong> strikes the <strong>palletÂ fork</strong>, knocking it out of position
<strong>escapeÂ wheel</strong> unlocks and pushes the <strong>jewel</strong> of the <strong>palletÂ fork</strong>
<strong>palletÂ fork</strong> pushes the <strong>jewel roller</strong> and the <strong>balanceÂ wheel</strong>
<strong>escapeÂ wheel</strong> locks again
<strong>balanceÂ wheel</strong> continues its swing</p>
<p>As the <strong>balance wheel</strong> swings, the <strong>jewel roller</strong> strikes the <strong>pallet fork</strong>, which unlocks the <strong>escape wheel</strong>. Once unlocked, the <strong>escape wheel</strong> powered by the mainspring pushes on the <strong>pallet fork</strong> which, through the <strong>jewel roller</strong>, pushes on the <strong>balance wheel</strong> itself. This causes the <strong>balance wheel</strong> to gain some energy, which prevents it from stopping after a while â it’s equivalent to giving a push to a person swinging on a swing. When the <strong>balance wheel</strong> comes back, it performs the same action, just in the other direction.</p>
<p>You may also have noticed a subtle dance between the <strong>little horn</strong> at the end of the <strong>pallet fork</strong> and the <strong>notched disk</strong> on the <strong>balance wheel</strong>. Those parts make sure that the <strong>pallet fork</strong> can switch sides only at the appropriate time â it’s a safety mechanism that prevents the watch from locking up when the watch is shaken or dropped:</p>
<p>Once the <strong>pallet fork</strong> unlocks the <strong>escape wheel</strong>, that wheel has to start spinning very quickly. This is why gears in the gear train have holes in them â it reduces their moment of inertia so that the <strong>barrel</strong> can accelerate them more quickly.</p>
<p>It’s also important to mention that the gear train not only increases the speed of the gears, but it also reduces the forces acting on the balance. The <strong>barrel</strong> itself turns quite forcefully but at the <strong>escape wheel</strong> the <a href="http://ciechanow.ski/gears/#torque">torque</a> is greatly reduced, which prevents the <strong>escape wheel</strong> from pushing the <strong>pallet fork</strong> and thus the <strong>balance wheel</strong> with too much vigor.</p>
<p>Let’s look at the entirety of what we’ve built so far one last time. I’m now running the mechanism at its normal speed:</p>
<p>In this watch movement the <strong>balance wheel</strong> does a full back and forth swing four times per second, hitting the <strong>pallet fork</strong> twice during each cycle, for a total of 8 <em>beats</em> per second or 28,800 beats per hour. While different watches may have different rates, they all do a tiny turn of the <strong>second hand</strong> many times per second, which gives mechanical watches the illusion of a very smooth hand motion.</p>
<p>In principle, all the pieces we have here are sufficient for the watch to run, but we’re still missing a few details. More importantly, we’ve just been hanging the parts in the air, so it’s time we started a proper assembly of the complete watch movement.</p>
<h2>Mainplate<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#mainplate"></a> </h2>
<p>We’ll start with the <strong>mainplate</strong>, which forms the main body of the movement:</p>
<p>Notice that it has <em>a lot</em> of different openings â we’ll fill them in by the end of this article. The pink elements are yet again <strong>ruby jewels</strong>. They form bearings in which the axes of various components can rotate. Let’s look at a simple jewel up close:</p>
<p>Notice that a <strong>jewel</strong> has a small basin in it. To even further reduce energy losses of the rotating components, a small amount of special oil is placed in that cavity. That oil sticks to the <strong>jewel</strong> and a shaft that rotates inside it to further decrease the friction, which lets the watch run longer on a single wind, while also reducing wear on the delicate mechanical parts.</p>
<p>The first two components we will mount onto the mainplate are the <strong>escape wheel</strong> and the <strong>pallet fork</strong>:</p>
<p>The <strong>pallet fork</strong> itself is then topped with the <strong>pallet fork bridge</strong>. That <strong>bridge</strong> holds the other end of the <strong>pallet fork’s</strong> axis, and it is attached to the mainplate with <strong>two screws</strong>:</p>
<p>Notice that in this watch the side-to-side movement of the <strong>pallet fork</strong> is limited by the shape of the two knobs in the central part of the <strong>pallet fork bridge</strong>:</p>
<p>This ensures that the <strong>escape wheel</strong> can only push the <strong>pallet fork</strong> so far before the motion is physically stopped by these knobs.</p>
<p>Next, we can put the rest of the gear train in. All four wheels are cleverly arranged so that they occupy only a small amount of space:</p>
<p>Notice that the <strong>fourth wheel</strong> goes directly through the center of the watch â you can see its axis poking on the other side. By the end of our assembly we’ll attach a second hand on the end of that long axis. To secure all elements in place, we cap them with a <strong>train wheel bridge</strong>, which provides the setting for the other ends of the shafts for all rotating parts. That <strong>bridge</strong> is <strong>screwed</strong> to the mainplate to hold everything in place:</p>
<p>The only remaining part from the initial mechanism that we haven’t yet mounted is the balance, which forms its own little assembly. Let’s build it up first by attaching all the parts to the <strong>balance bridge</strong>:</p>
<p>Notice that the <strong>balance spring</strong> is very delicate and the <strong>balance wheel</strong> ends up stretching it out. Because of its thinness, the <strong>balance spring</strong> is often referred to as <em>hairspring</em>. The <strong>yellow</strong> and <strong>teal</strong> components both regulate the behavior of the balance. Let’s see how they work in action:</p>
<p>The <strong>yellow components</strong> are firmly attached to the <strong>balance spring</strong>, and by turning them, we can adjust the resting position of the <strong>balance wheel</strong> and its <strong>jewel roller</strong>. This ensures that both the “tick” and “tock” phases of the <strong>balance wheel</strong> swing take the same amount of time.</p>
<p>The <strong>teal components</strong> can freely slide on the <strong>hairspring</strong>, but they reduce or increase its effective length as they prevent the tail section of the <strong>hairspring</strong> from oscillating freely. By adjusting position of these <strong>teal components</strong> we can modify the duration of a single beat and make the watch run slightly faster or slower. That speed regulation can also be fine-tuned using the <strong>screw</strong> in the top part â its head is not centered, so when turned it will gently rotate the little <strong>teal fork</strong>.</p>
<p>The <strong>hairspring</strong> is made from special alloys like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nivarox">Nivarox</a> that keep the spring’s stiffness invariant to temperature differences, which improves the overall timekeeping accuracy.</p>
<p>The final portion of the balance assembly is the shock protector mechanism, which consists of the <strong>casing</strong>, <strong>two jewels</strong>, and a <strong>tiny spring</strong> that keeps everything in place:</p>
<p>This mechanism protects the fragile tips of the <strong>balance shaft</strong> from breaking when the watch experiences a sudden jerk. Let’s see how these pieces act together when the <strong>balance shaft</strong> is jolted around:</p>
<p>When the watch is shaken, the motion of the <strong>shaft</strong> is absorbed by the <strong>spring</strong>, similarly to the suspension system in a car. If the jerk is very strong, then the much thicker and stronger part of <strong>balance shaft</strong> carries the load through the <strong>case</strong>, which protects the fragile tip from breaking.</p>
<p>Let’s attach the entire balance assembly to the rest of the movement we’ve built so far. Notice that the other end of the <strong>balance wheel’s</strong> axis also rests on the shock protection jewels embedded in the mainplate:</p>
<p>With that last step, we’ve actually finished recreating the core of the watch mechanism that we’ve previously seen floating in the air. However, you may remember that I’ve glanced over the little detail of how to make sure that the <strong>mainspring</strong> stays wound. Let’s see what happens if we actually try to wind the watch using the <strong>arbor</strong>. For the sake of clarity I also cut a hole in the top part of the <strong>barrel</strong> so that you can see the <strong>spring</strong> inside:</p>
<p>As long as the <strong>arbor</strong> is held, the <strong>mainspring</strong> can power the rest of the watch â you can see the rotation of the <strong>second hand</strong> attached to the <strong>fourth wheel</strong> on the other side of the watch. However, as we let the <strong>arbor</strong> go the <strong>mainspring</strong> finds an easy way to release its tension by just turning the <strong>arbor</strong> back â the <strong>spring</strong> quickly losses all its stored energy and the watch stops.</p>
<p>To prevent the <strong>mainspring</strong> from unwinding on its own, we need to restrain the <strong>arbor</strong> from turning counterclockwise, while still allowing the <em>clockwise</em> rotation so that we can wind the <strong>spring</strong>. This seemingly complicated problem is solved with a very simple mechanism known as the <em>click</em> â let’s see how it works.</p>
<h2>Click<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#click"></a> </h2>
<p>To continue developing our assembly, we firstly need to put a solid foundation in the form of the <strong>barrel bridge</strong> â it holds the <strong>barrel</strong> in place and provides structure for other parts. Since this <strong>bridge</strong> will make some areas inaccessible, we’re also going to attach a <strong>little lever</strong> that we will get back to at a later point:</p>
<p>Then, we’ll <strong>screw</strong> in the <strong>ratchet wheel</strong> onto the <strong>arbor</strong>. Notice that the <strong>ratchet wheel</strong> has a square opening, which matches the square shape of the top part of the <strong>arbor</strong>:</p>
<p>Those matching square shapes will cause the <strong>arbor</strong> to turn when the <strong>ratchet wheel</strong> is turned. I temporarily removed the <strong>screw</strong> to make things easier to see:</p>
<p>Here come the three critical pieces of the puzzle. Firstly, we put the little <strong>click</strong> in the opening on top of the <strong>barrel bridge</strong>:</p>
<p>Within its limited range the <strong>click</strong> can rotate back and forth on its little axis:</p>
<p>The second piece of the puzzle is a <strong>click spring</strong>. This little piece of metal is very springy. When we <strong>squeeze</strong> it, it wants to pop back:</p>
<p>We compress that <strong>click spring</strong> a little and we also put it into the <strong>barrel bridge</strong>:</p>
<p>Notice that when we try to rotate the <strong>click</strong>, the <strong>click spring</strong> will push it back in place as soon as we let go:</p>
<p>The final piece of the puzzle is the <strong>crown wheel</strong>, which also lands on the <strong>barrel bridge</strong>. It’s secured in a place with a <strong>screw</strong> with a left-handed thread â unlike most regular screws this one is fastened when turned in the <em>counterclockwise</em> direction:</p>
<p>Notice how the teeth of the <strong>crown wheel</strong> interact with the <strong>ratchet wheel</strong>. While it looks as if the <strong>crown wheel</strong> was missing every other tooth, the two gears can still mesh and function together. The gaps in the <strong>crown wheel</strong> allow the little post on the <strong>click</strong> to fall between the <strong>crown wheel’s</strong> teeth.</p>
<p>If we <strong>turn</strong> the <strong>crown wheel</strong> counterclockwise, it will mesh with the <strong>ratchet wheel</strong> and wind the spring. Notice how the teeth of the <strong>crown wheel</strong> end up pushing the <strong>click</strong> away, but it snaps back as soon as there is some space:</p>
<p>When the <strong>click</strong> snaps back and hits the <strong>crown wheel</strong>, it makes a <em>clicking</em> sound, which explains its name.</p>
<p>The counterclockwise turn of the <strong>crown wheel</strong> allows us to wind the mainspring, so let’s see what happens when we try to <strong>turn</strong> it in the opposite direction. In the simulation below, notice how the <strong>crown wheel’s</strong> teeth jam with the <strong>click</strong>, preventing the <strong>crown wheel’s</strong> rotation:</p>
<p>This simple mechanism allows us to wind the mainspring by turning the <strong>crown wheel</strong>, which you can do in the demonstration below. The <strong>click</strong> also prevents the mainspring from unwinding on its own â that’s why you can’t drag back the slider without restarting the entire simulation:</p>
<p>The <strong>second hand</strong> on the other side of the watch shows how the seconds are tracked, but a functional watch should show minutes and hours as well. Let’s see how this watch movement accomplishes these goals with a set of gears that form the so-called <em>motion works</em>.</p>
<h2>Motion Works<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#motion-works"></a> </h2>
<p>In our movement, the second hand is cleverly mounted on the fourth wheel of the power train since that wheel rotates once per minute with high precision. For the minute hand to turn at the correct pace, we need <em>some</em> axis to rotate 60 times slower than that. Thankfully, the designers of this watch movement used an ingenious way to harness some of that speed reduction from the other gears.</p>
<p>If you look closely, you can see that the small gear of the <strong>third wheel</strong> from the other side of the watch is exposed through a little opening. We can mount a <strong>cannon pinion</strong> with its <strong>driving wheel</strong> onto the center of the watch and have that <strong>driving wheel</strong> mesh with the <strong>small gear</strong>:</p>
<p>When that <strong>third wheel</strong> rotates, it turns the <strong>driving wheel</strong> and thus the <strong>cannon pinion</strong>. By mounting the minute hand on that <strong>cannon pinion</strong> we can keep track of passing minutes â the number of teeth in all the involved gears is carefully calculated to achieve the desired 60 times speed reduction compared to the second hand.</p>
<p>Let’s see the functional second hand and minute hand in the demonstration below. The slider lets you control the speed of flowing time so that you don’t have to wait too patiently to see hands change their position:</p>
<p>The hour hand itself needs to rotate 12 times slower than the minute hand, but we can easily achieve that using two additional gears. The intermediate <strong>minute wheel</strong> meshes with the <strong>cannon pinion</strong>, and the <strong>hour wheel</strong> meshes with the pinion of that <strong>minute wheel</strong>:</p>
<p>The <strong>hour wheel</strong> can loosely rotate on the <strong>cannon pinion</strong> so that they can both turn independently of each other. By putting the hour hand on that <strong>hour wheel</strong>, we can finish assembling the mechanism that drives the hands of the watch. I’ve also attached a <em>dial</em> that has each of the twelve hours marked â it actually lets us read the time that the hands are showing:</p>
<p>Time keeping is the fundamental function of every watch, but many devices go beyond that by adding various additional features known as <em>complications</em>. While our movement is not very sophisticated, it still has a nice complication that shows the current day of the month right in the little window on the right side of the dial. Let’s see how this feature is implemented.</p>
<h2>Date<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#date"></a> </h2>
<p>The date mechanism in this watch consists of four major parts â the <strong>jumper spring</strong>, the <strong>indicator gear</strong>, the <strong>date jumper plate</strong> with its <strong>gear</strong>, and the big date ring itself with all possible 31 days imprinted on it:</p>
<p>To explain how this mechanism works I’ll first hide all the unrelated parts. I’ll also remove the cover from the <strong>indicator gear</strong>, which reveals a <strong>small torsion spring</strong> hidden inside it. Let’s see how these pieces work together when the <strong>hour wheel</strong> rotates. You can go back and forth in time using the slider:</p>
<p>As the <strong>hour wheel</strong> turns, it rotates the <strong>gear</strong> in the <strong>date jumper plate</strong>. The other side of that <strong>gear</strong> then turns the <strong>indicator gear</strong> and the <strong>torsion spring</strong> attached to it. That <strong>spring</strong> snags onto a tooth on the date ring and gets flexed, but at some point it starts to push the date ring forward. When the ring rotates enough the <strong>jumper spring</strong> rapidly snaps the ring to the next position.</p>
<p>You may wonder why we need this complicated mechanism in the first place. One could naively assume that we could directly tie the rotation of the date ring to the rotation of the <strong>hour wheel</strong>, similarly to how we rotated the <strong>hour wheel</strong> in sync with minutes, albeit at slower pace. Unfortunately, this would cause the current date to <em>continuously</em> rotate under the little window in the dial, making it hard to read. You can see that behavior on the left side in the demonstration below:</p>
<p>On the right side you can see the date indicator as operated by the mechanism that we’ve just built â the date only changes around midnight. You may have realized that the date tracking in our movement is not particularly smart. This watch always counts 31 days every month, so we have to change the date a day after a shorter month occurs. Moreover, if the watch hasn’t been running for a while, the time itself may be incorrectly set. We need to find a way to adjust date and time on our watch.</p>
<p>Thankfully, gears driving the minute hand, the hour hand, and the date indicator are all connected, so we can adjust everything by turning a <strong>single gear</strong>. I’ll briefly hide the <strong>hour wheel</strong> to make things visible:</p>
<p>Notice that when we turn the <strong>minute wheel</strong> only the <strong>cannon pinion</strong> turns. That <strong>pinion</strong> fits tightly inside its <strong>driving gear</strong> â it usually turns with that <strong>gear</strong>. However, when the <strong>driving gear</strong> can’t rotate because it’s blocked by the rest of the gear train, the <strong>cannon pinion</strong> can overpower the friction of that tight fit and rotate on its own. This lets us set time without interfering with the gear train, which could break the delicate parts.</p>
<p>With the <strong>hour wheel</strong> in place, rotation of the <strong>minute wheel</strong> also sets the hour, and, if we turn that <strong>gear</strong> long enough, the date:</p>
<p>With every step our watch is becoming more complete, but we still have a few inconveniences in our way. To change the time and to wind the mainspring, we have to turn the internal gears of the movement, which normally are safely hidden inside the watch case.</p>
<p>Moreover, on every month that lasts less than 31 days, we currently have to tweak the time setting, as that’s the only way to adjust the date. Ideally, we’d find a way to set the date separately from the time.</p>
<p>To fix these problems we’ll assemble the <em>keyless works</em> which is a mechanism that will let us resolve all these issues.</p>
<h2>Keyless Works<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#keyless-works"></a> </h2>
<p>Firstly, let’s look at the <strong>crown</strong>, which is the main interface for operating the watch, and the <strong>stem</strong> that is attached to that crown:</p>
<p>The crown sits freely on the outside of the watch and is directly touched by the user. Notice that part of the stem has a square cross section. The stem carries two additional components â the <strong>winding pinion</strong> and the <strong>sliding pinion</strong>. First, let’s slide them on to see how they fit:</p>
<p>The <strong>winding pinion</strong> has a circular opening so it can rotate on the <strong>stem</strong> easily. However, the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> has a <em>square</em> opening which aligns with the section of the <strong>stem</strong> that has a square shape. That square interlocking causes the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> to rotate with the <strong>stem</strong> as the <strong>crown turns</strong>:</p>
<p>Let’s put these pieces into the main assembly. I temporarily removed the date ring so that it doesn’t get in our way:</p>
<p>Notice that the <strong>winding pinion</strong> meshes with the <strong>crown wheel</strong> on the other side of the watch. To actually turn the <strong>winding pinion</strong> we first have to move the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> all the way towards it â I symbolize this pushing force with the <strong>blue arrow</strong> below. If we now <strong>turn the crown</strong> the matching shape of the neighboring surfaces on the <strong>winding pinion</strong> and the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> causes them to interlock. We’re ultimately able to turn the <strong>crown wheel</strong> and the rest of the mainspring-winding machinery by <strong>turning the crown</strong> clockwise:</p>
<p>However, if we <strong>rotate</strong> the crown in the <em>other</em> direction, the shape of the neighboring surfaces will push the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> away, because the <strong>crown wheel</strong>, and therfore the <strong>winding pinion</strong>, can’t rotate in the opposite direction. This safety mechanism ensures that any forceful rotation of the crown in the “wrong” direction won’t break the movement.</p>
<p>It seems that we’ve achieved our goal of being able to wind the spring by simply <strong>turning the crown</strong>. Unfortunately, we still have a small problem to solve â we need something to actually exert the force that pushes the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> towards the <strong>winding pinion</strong>.</p>
<p>Moreover, in some cases we want the <strong>rotation of the crown</strong> to serve different purposes. Other than winding the mainspring, in our watch we want to be able to adjust the date, and, separately, the time. We’ll choose each of those three actions by pulling the crown in and out.</p>
<p>Let’s build a mechanism that will solve these problems. Firstly, we’ll put the <strong>corrector lever</strong> and the <strong>setting lever</strong> in place:</p>
<p>If we now <strong>pull the crown</strong> in and out, these parts will rotate on their little pivots with a fairly complex interaction between them:</p>
<p>With the other parts in the way it may be hard to see what’s going on, so let’s look at these components on their own. Notice the intricate interlocking that happens when we <strong>pull the crown</strong> in and out with the slider:</p>
<p>A groove in the <strong>stem</strong> ends up locking with a <strong>small post</strong> in the <strong>setting lever</strong>, causing it to rotate as the <strong>crown is pulled</strong>. The <strong>other post</strong> on the <strong>setting lever</strong> ends up pushing and hooking with the <strong>corrector lever</strong>, making it rotate as well.</p>
<p>So far the mechanism doesn’t do anything interesting, so let’s put the <strong>setting wheel</strong> on top of the <strong>corrector lever</strong>:</p>
<p>That <strong>wheel</strong> can move freely on its post. If we now <strong>pull the crown</strong> in and out we can see that the <strong>setting wheel</strong> engages with the minute works:</p>
<p>By turning that <strong>setting wheel</strong> we’ll be able to set time on the watch, but to turn that <strong>wheel</strong> we need to slide the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> towards it so that the <strong>rotation of the crown</strong> and the attached <strong>sliding pinion</strong> rotates the <strong>setting wheel</strong>:</p>
<p>This poses a challenge â we need to control the position of the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> to, depending on the mode, engage the <strong>winding pinion</strong> to wind the mainspring, or the <strong>setting wheel</strong> to set the time. This is where the <strong>yoke</strong> comes in:</p>
<p>In the close-up down below you can observe that <strong>yoke</strong> fits into the groove on the <strong>sliding pinion</strong>, so as the <strong>yoke</strong> rotates on its pivot, it will push the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> in and out, causing it to <em>slide</em>. Additionally, the <strong>yoke</strong> itself is pushed by the <strong>setting lever</strong> as we <strong>pull the crown</strong>:</p>
<p>We’re almost done with this little mechanism, we just need to finish the little details. Firstly, we want to keep all the fragile pieces in place â right now nothing prevents them from falling off their careful placement. Secondly, when we <strong>pull the crown</strong>, there are no distinctive stops in its movement â by turning the crown we may accidentally change the current mode. Finally, when we <strong>push the crown</strong> all the way in to switch back to the winding mode, we want the <strong>yoke</strong> to reliably return to its initial position. This is where the <strong>setting lever jumper</strong> comes in â it serves all three of these purposes:</p>
<p>That part is <strong>screwed</strong> to the mainplate, which prevents the other parts from falling out. Its various arms and legs also help to keep the things pressed down. Let’s see how the <strong>setting lever jumper</strong> helps us with other two problems. Notice the three small grooves that I’m pointing out with the <strong>gray arrows</strong>:</p>
<p>As we <strong>pull the crown</strong> in and out, the <strong>small post</strong> in the <strong>setting lever</strong> ends up snapping into one of those three places. To jump between the grooves, that <strong>small post</strong> has to bend the long arm of the <strong>jumper</strong>, which creates tension that pushes that <strong>small post</strong> into the closest groove. We end up with three distinct positions that all the pieces can rest in â once locked we can reliably turn the crown without risk of accidentally changing the current mode.</p>
<p>Finally, on the other end of the <strong>setting lever jumper</strong> we also have a thin section that is kept under tension against the <strong>yoke</strong> âÂ I’m pointing its location with a <strong>gray arrow</strong>:</p>
<p>As the <strong>yoke</strong> rotates, that springy piece of metal wants to rotate the <strong>yoke</strong> back. When the crown is in the date or time setting mode, the <strong>setting lever</strong> prevents the <strong>yoke</strong> from coming back, but once we return to the winding mode, that spring in the <strong>jumper</strong> will rotate the <strong>yoke</strong> back causing the <strong>sliding pinion</strong> to move back as well.</p>
<p>There is actually one additional clever bit that’s been hiding in plain sight. If you recall, we put a small <strong>lever</strong> right on the mainplate before we started working on the winding mechanism. The short end of that <strong>lever</strong> fits in the groove of the <strong>sliding pinion</strong>. When we <strong>pull the crown</strong> and move the <strong>sliding pinion</strong>, that <strong>lever</strong> rotates:</p>
<p>When turned all the way, that <strong>lever</strong> rubs against the <strong>balance wheel</strong> preventing it from moving â this stops the watch. As a result, when we <strong>pull the crown</strong> all the way out to enter the time setting mode, that <strong>stop lever</strong> blocks the <strong>balance wheel</strong>, which stops the watch in an action known as <em>hacking</em>. This lets us set the time without the second hand changing on its own at the same time, aiding with more precise time adjustment.</p>
<p>Let’s look at the functions of this entire mechanism one more time with all the participating pieces in place. When the crown is full pushed in, its <strong>rotation</strong> will rotate the <strong>sliding pinion</strong>, which turns the <strong>winding pinion</strong>, and then the <strong>crown wheel</strong>, and finally the <strong>ratchet wheel</strong> to wind the mainspring:</p>
<p>When the crown is pulled all the way out, its <strong>rotation</strong> turns the <strong>sliding pinion</strong>, the <strong>setting wheel</strong>, and then the <strong>minute wheel</strong>, the <strong>hour wheel</strong>, and the hidden <strong>cannon pinion</strong> which allows us to set the time:</p>
<p>Finally, when the crown is pushed roughly halfway through, we enter date setting mode, but to see it work we still need to attach an additional <strong>date corrector</strong> that fits into the small groove on the mainplate:</p>
<p>Notice that the <strong>date corrector</strong> can freely slide up and down in that groove. If we now pull the crown out mid way and <strong>turn</strong> it, we end up rotating that <strong>date corrector</strong>, which then can engage with the teeth on the inside of the date ring. The <strong>date jumper spring</strong> makes sure that we lock the date ring at a valid position:</p>
<p>Personally, I think this entire mechanism known as the <em>keyless works</em> is a real mechanical marvel. The intricate interactions are so well balanced and each part serves many different roles. Older pocket watches were wound by a separate key, with the crown being used only to set the time, but modern watches get away with not having a winding key, which explains the <em>keyless</em> name. With just a few carefully shaped pieces and a single crown, we can control various settings of the watch. Before we move on, let’s secure the remaining pieces with the <strong>minute train bridge</strong>:</p>
<p>We’re almost done building the watch movement. The final component that we’ll assemble will make the watch automatically wind itself as we roam around.</p>
<h2>Automatic Winding<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#automatic-winding"></a> </h2>
<p>When the person wearing a watch moves arms throughout the day, the orientation of that watch in space changes quite a lot. Even during a leisurely walk, the watch swings slightly relative to the ground. Normally, all the energy used to move the watch goes to waste, but an automatic winding mechanism manages to capture some of it to wind the mainspring.</p>
<p>Let’s first try to understand the main idea by attaching the complete automatic winding mechanism to the watch. Its primary part is the <strong>weight</strong> that can rotate freely around the center. When that <strong>weight</strong> rotates it drives a <strong>bunch of gears</strong>, with the <strong>last one</strong> connecting to the <strong>ratchet wheel</strong> that is used to wind the mainspring hidden inside the <strong>barrel</strong>:</p>
<p>The fact that the <strong>weight</strong> can rotate freely is critical here. In the demonstration below, you can witness what happens to the <strong>weight</strong> as you rotate the watch in space by dragging it around. The gravity works towards the bottom of this website â it always pulls the <strong>weight</strong> down, which makes it turn relative to the rest of the watch:</p>
<p>If you recall our discussion of watch winding, you may remember that the <strong>ratchet wheel</strong> can only turn in one direction with the click preventing the mainspring from just unwinding on its own. However, the <strong>weight</strong> can swing back and forth, which would normally imply that any gear system that is connected to that <strong>weight</strong> would also rotate in both directions.</p>
<p>If you look at the automatic winding mechanism on its own, you can witness something unusual â as you turn the <strong>weight</strong> back and forth with the slider, the <strong>output gear</strong> turns only in <em>one</em> direction. IÂ put a little <strong>black dot</strong> on that <strong>gear</strong> to make it easier to see:</p>
<p>To understand how this happens let’s first look at all the parts involved in the mechanism:</p>
<p>The <strong>green gear</strong> is attached directly to the bottom of the <strong>weight</strong>, so when the <strong>weight</strong> rotates, that <strong>gear</strong> turns the <strong>two blue</strong> gears. Most of this composition is similar to things we’ve seen before with gears kept in place by bridges. However, you may have guessed that the doubled-up pairs of <strong>yellow</strong> and <strong>blue</strong> gears are responsible for the magic here. Let’s see how they’re constructed:</p>
<p>The <strong>blue gear</strong> can rotate freely on the <strong>yellow gear</strong>, and the fish-like <strong>levers</strong> can also rotate around their axis through the holes in the <strong>blue gear</strong>. Notice that the inner part of the <strong>yellow gear</strong> has a particular shape. In the demonstration below, IÂ removed most of the central part of the <strong>blue gear</strong> so that you can see what’s going on inside. You can rotate that <strong>gear</strong> back and forth using the slider to see how the parts interact:</p>
<p>Notice that when you rotate the <strong>blue gear</strong> counterclockwise, the <strong>levers</strong> just slide through the internals of the <strong>yellow gear</strong>. However, when you rotate the <strong>blue gear</strong> <em>clockwise</em>, one of the <strong>levers</strong> gets stuck and it starts to turn the <strong>yellow gear</strong> with it. This clever mechanism transfers power from the <strong>blue gear</strong> to the <strong>yellow gear</strong> only in one direction.</p>
<p>The autowinding assembly contains <em>two</em> such gears â one will drive the <strong>output gear</strong> when turned clockwise, and one that turns that <strong>gear</strong> when turned counterclockwise. In the demonstration below, you can witness what happens when you rotate the <strong>gear</strong> attached to the weight. To make things easier to see I removed all of the non functional parts:</p>
<p>Notice that I’m highlighting a pair of <strong>yellow</strong> and <strong>blue</strong> gears only when they’re <em>actively</em> transferring power directly from the <strong>weight gear</strong> to the <strong>output gear</strong>. Only one such pair is active at a time â the other either spins idly, or acts as an intermediate to change the direction of rotation to make sure the <strong>output gear</strong> always winds the spring.</p>
<p>Notice that the <strong>output gear</strong> rotates very little relative to the <strong>gear</strong> attached to the weight, so it takes a lot of arm swinging to fully wind the mainspring. However, over the course of a day the automatic winding mechanism can usually ensure that the mainspring stays wound.</p>
<h2>The Size of it All<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#the-size-of-it-all"></a> </h2>
<p>In all the examples so far we had the comfort of looking at the parts at a fairly large magnification, but in this last demonstration down below you can finally see how tiny all the components are. By dragging the slider you can change the viewing size:</p>
<p>That rounded rectangle surrounding the watch corresponds to the size of a credit card âÂ if you have one handy you can put it on screen and drag the slider until the card fits in that outline. Hopefully, this really puts in perspective how small all the parts we’ve talked about are.</p>
<h2>Further Watching and Reading<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#further-watching-and-reading"></a> </h2>
<p>There are many YouTube channels dedicated to mechanical watches, but I particularly like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/WristwatchRevival/videos">Wristwatch Revival</a>, which is dedicated to fixing broken watches, which very often involves a complete dissection of a movement, and a repair or replacement of broken parts. Although the creator is not a professional watchmaker, the videos are packed with information and are very enjoyable to watch.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Watchmaking-George-Daniels/dp/0856677043">Watchmaking</a> by George Daniels is a book dedicated to the process of actually <em>making</em> watches from scratch. While few will endeavor this journey, the publication also explains many of the considerations required when designing a watch movement and its parts. Many of the book’s pages are accompanied by pretty technical illustrations that help to explain the concepts.</p>
<h2>Final Words<a href="https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/#final-words"></a> </h2>
<p>In the 1970s mechanical watches started to be dethroned by quartz models, which track time by electronically counting vibrations of a quartz crystal. As technology progressed, typical watches only increased their reliance on digital circuits. Modern smart reincarnations resemble their archetypes only in shape and placement on wrists.</p>
<p>Mechanical watches are not as accurate as digital ones. They require maintenance and are more fragile. Despite all these drawbacks, these devices show a <em>true</em> mastery of engineering. With creative use of miniature gears, levers, and springs, a mechanical watch rises from its dormant components to become truly alive.</p>
 </div>||||I|||| Bartosz Ciechanowski
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 May 4, 2022

 Mechanical Watch

 In the world of modern portable devices, it may be hard to believe that merely a few decades ago the most convenient way to keep track of time was a mechanical watch. Unlike their quartz and smart siblings, mechanical watches can run without using any batteries or other electronic components.

 Over the course of this article I’ll explain the workings of the mechanism seen in the demonstration below. You can drag the device around to change your viewing angle, and you can use the slider to peek at what’s going on inside:

 What you see here is known as the movement â the inner part of a mechanical watch that’s usually enclosed in a metal case. In this article I’m focusing on a watch movement itself, since beautiful watch cases merely hide the intricate mechanisms which are the real stars of the show.

 The entire watch movement has a lot of parts, and in this blog post I’ll explain the purpose of each one. The world of watchmaking is jargon-heavy, so many of the components may have unfamiliar names, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to remember them â the names and parts will be color-coded for easy reference.

 In a functioning watch many parts are in constant motion. By default all animations in this article are enabled, but if you find them distracting, or if you want to save power, you can globally pause all the following demonstrations. disabled, but if you prefer to have things moving as you read you can globally unpause them and have animations running.

 While the entire watch movement has many parts, the timekeeping system, which forms the core function of any watch, consists of just seven major elements which we can lay out in a straight line:

 It may not look like much, but these parts still have a lot of interesting details about them that contribute to the second hand rotating at a correct pace. We’ll start exploring these details by focusing on the source of power for this entire contraption.

 Power

 Purely mechanical devices have a few different ways to power themselves, but one of the simplest methods to store energy is to use a spring. Most springs we see in daily life are coil springs. In the demonstration below, you can move the mass attached to this type of spring to see it bounce:

 When a spring like this is compressed, it stores some energy that is then released when the compressing tension is removed. Mechanical watches typically use a different kind of spring â a spiral torsion spring. This type of spring is loaded when it’s twisted. When let go, the spring unwinds in the opposite direction to eventually settle in its natural state:

 In a mechanical watch, we ultimately want to show rotating hands, so a spinning motion that a torsion spring provides is particularly useful. A spring in a typical mechanical watch has a slightly more complicated shape â you can see it below in its relaxed state. By dragging the slider you can try to wind it midair, but as soon as you let go, it will snap back to its original shape:

 As you can see, this spring is quite strong and it wants to expand very rapidly. To contain the spring we have to put it in a casing known as a barrel:

 Once in the barrel, the spring still wants to expand to its original state, but the barrel’s wall keep it in place. This spring is the storage of energy for the watch and its name, the mainspring, reflects its importance.

 Unfortunately, we can’t really get any useful work from the mainspring in this state â it has already expanded to the largest possible size. To store more energy in it we need to wind it tightly using the arbor that we’ll first attach on the inner side of the mainspring:

 If you look closely, the mainspring has a little hole near its end â you can see it in the center of the demonstration. The arbor has a little hook that grabs onto that hole:

 When the arbor is turned, it pulls the mainspring with it, causing it to wind. In the demonstration below, we’re holding the barrel tight, and you can turn the arbor by dragging the slider:

 Notice that as soon as you let go of the arbor by releasing the slider, the mainspring will turn the arbor right back. This is less than desired â we want the barrel to turn instead, so that it can power the other parts of the watch. To get some useful work from the mainspring, we’ll have to keep holding on to the arbor and instead let the barrel go when we want to use the stored energy:

 We’ll soon see how this is accomplished in practice, but for now we’ll assume that the arbor is held tight and the mainspring ends up rotating the barrel, just like in the demonstration above. Before we finish up with the mainspring and the barrel, let’s discuss two other details that make this mechanism more reliable. Let me bring up the relaxed spring one more time:

 The metal strip attached to the mainspring provides additional tension to its outer part. That metal strip really wants to snap back to its straight shape, so it pushes against the wall of the barrel, creating a lot of friction that keeps the mainspring in place:

 This locks the outer end of the mainspring when the arbor moves the inner. If we were to keep winding the spring past its maximum capacity, we’d overpower that friction letting the mainspring slip inside â this acts as a safety mechanism to prevent the parts from breaking.

 As we’ve seen, in its relaxed state, the mainspring forms an S-shape with varied curvature throughout. This helps to balance the tension in mainspring’s different sections when it is inside the barrel. Notice that the inner sections of the wound spring have a much smaller radius than the outer parts. If the relaxed spring was just a straight piece of metal, then after winding, the inner parts would be bent much more than the outer parts. With the S-shaped spring the outer sections of the spring are also under a similar tension because they want to get back to their curve that is bent in the opposite direction.

 To secure the mainspring and prevent dust from getting in we close the barrel with a lid that snaps into its place:

 We’ve managed to make some parts rotate and one could naively think that we could just attach a watch hand to the barrel to make it track time. Unfortunately, that won’t really work â you can witness this in the demonstration below. You can see how this “watch” behaves after you wind the mainspring with the slider and let it go:

 We clearly have some work to do â the hand spins way too fast and it only does a few rotations before the mainspring inside the barrel runs out of the stored energy. Clearly, this contraption won’t let us track time in any reliable way.

 If we wanted our watch to run continuously for around 40 hours on a single wind, we’d need the minute hand to complete 40 rotations in that time. Moreover, the second hand should cover around 40 Ã 60 = 2400 complete rotations in that time. We need to find a way to convert a small number of revolutions of the barrel into a large number of revolutions of the hands. This is where gears come in.

 Gears

 I’ve talked about gears on this blog before, so let me just recap things very briefly. Gears can be used to change the speed of rotation between two different axes. In the demonstration below, you can witness that by observing little dots I put on each gear â the yellow gear, which is powered by the bigger red gear, takes much less time to finish a single revolution:

 An important aspect of two matching gears is their number of teeth. Each tooth in one gear meets with a space between teeth in the other gear, so within a unit of time both gears rotate by the same number of teeth. If the number of teeth in two gears is different, those gears can take a different amount of time to complete a single rotation. In the demonstration below, you can change the ratio of the number of teeth between the driving red gear and the driven yellow gear to see how it affects the speed of rotation of that yellow gear:

 These gears are intended to work with each other so the ratio of teeth is equivalent to the ratio of the gear radii. When the driving gear has more teeth than the driven gear, the driven gear makes more rotations than the driving gear. We can use this behavior to make the second hand of a watch rotate many times on a single rotation of the barrel.

 Let’s consider how much of a speed increase we have to do here. The barrel can rotate close to 7 times on a single wind, but we want the second hand to complete around 2400 revolutions in the same time. We need the ratio of teeth, or the ratio of radii, to be around 343:1. Let’s see how that would look in practice. In the demonstration below, you can use the slider to look at the two gears from further away:

 As you can see, these proportions are ridiculous â to make the red gear fit in any reasonably sized watch, the yellow gear would have to be absolutely tiny and both gears would have to have very fragile, microscopic teeth.

 Instead, mechanical watches use a train of gears with multiple gears working in pairs â each pair increases the speed to some extent. In the demonstration below, you can see the four wheels participating in this reduction. Notice that there are two gears on most axes of rotation. You can control the speed of rotation of this gear train using the slider:

 The barrel acts as the first wheel, it drives the second wheel, which drives the third wheel, which finally drives the fourth wheel. Notice that each big gear drives a smaller gear called a pinion. A pinion is mounted on the same shaft as the next big gear so we’re able to keep increasing the speed on each axis. This approach has significant advantages â we’re able to make the overall mechanism much smaller and we’ll soon use one of the intermediate wheels that rotates at a slower rate to drive minute and hour hands.

 Before we finish up with gears, let me quickly mention the shape of their teeth. While many bigger machines use an involute shape for the profile of their gear teeth, mechanical watches commonly use cycloidal profiles which are obtained by rolling a circle on the surface of another circle.

 Let’s see how the so-called going train that we’ve assembled works when we wind the mainspring through the arbor and let the watch run:

 We’ve certainly achieved the goal of the second hand rotating many times on a single rotation of the barrel, but the speed of revolution of that hand is still completely untamed. We need to find a way to control the rate of release of the energy stored in the mainspring â we’ll do this with the escapement.

 Escapement

 Let’s start by looking at the two components that create the escapement â the escape wheel and the pallet fork:

 Notice the unusual shape of the teeth of the escape wheel â it’s very different than the gears we’ve seen before. Its top part hosts a regularly shaped gear that can be used to turn that wheel.

 The pallet fork itself is made of metal, but notice the two pinkish transparent parts at its end. These are jewels made from synthetic ruby. That compound is not only very hard, which prevents its wear, but it also has a low coefficient of friction with steel. Let’s see why these properties are important by observing how these two components interact with each other:

 The escape wheel wants to rotate as indicated by the red arrow. The pallet fork prevents that motion, but as we pivot that pallet fork back and forth we let the escape wheel briefly escape from that jail only to be stopped again.

 We’ll see the details of that interaction in a few paragraphs, but right now this mechanism lets us control the rotation of the escape wheel by simply moving the pallet fork from one side to another. Let’s see how these pieces fit into the rest of the assembly. In the demonstration below, I’ve wound the spring for you so the barrel, through the gear train, ends up trying to rotate the escape wheel. Using the two buttons you can switch the position of the pallet fork:

 The mainspring wants to unwind by rotating the escape wheel, but the pallet fork only allows this to happen for a brief period of time. Because of the gear reduction, the rotation of the barrel is pretty much invisible. However, if you observe the hand attached to the fourth wheel, you can see it gently rotate as you swing the pallet fork back and forth.

 The little time keeping mechanism is almost fully functional now. The last remaining piece here is a device that will automatically tick the pallet fork back and forth. However, for the watch to track time correctly that ticking action has to happen at an appropriate cadence. This is where the balance comes in â it forms the beating heart of a watch.

 Balance

 Let’s bring up the first torsion spring we saw before â recall that once you twist it from its original position, it will oscillate back and forth, only to settle after a while:

 We can control the rate of this periodic motion by adjusting two parameters. The first one is the stiffness of the spring, which primarily depends on its height, thickness, and length, as well as the type of material from which it’s made. The second one is the mass and its distribution, or, more precisely, the moment of inertia of the object that the spring rotates. Moment of inertia increases when more mass is put further away from the axis of rotation. In the demonstration below, you can tweak both the stiffness of the spring and moment of inertia of the attached mass to see how these parameters affect the period of rotation:

 By carefully tuning these parameters, we can make this system oscillate at a desired rate. This idea of using a torsion spring with attached mass is exactly what mechanical watches use as their source of precise time tracking. The balance is formed by the balance wheel attached to the balance spring. In this watch the balance wheel oscillates back and forth at a fairly high frequency:

 At the bottom side of the balance wheel you’ll find another pinkish transparent jewel called jewel roller. While small, this part is very important â this jewel hits the other end of the pallet fork as the balance wheel rotates, which in turn pushes the pallet fork back and forth. Let’s first look at an overview of how the balance wheel interacts with the other parts. In the demonstration below, you can slow things down with the slider:

 Let’s look at this interaction up close, as it deserves a closer attention. In the demonstration below, you can scrub back and forth in time to see all the action as it happens:

 balance wheel is swinging back jewelÂ roller strikes the palletÂ fork , knocking it out of position escapeÂ wheel unlocks and pushes the jewel of the palletÂ fork palletÂ fork pushes the jewel roller and the balanceÂ wheel escapeÂ wheel locks again balanceÂ wheel continues its swing

 As the balance wheel swings, the jewel roller strikes the pallet fork, which unlocks the escape wheel. Once unlocked, the escape wheel powered by the mainspring pushes on the pallet fork which, through the jewel roller, pushes on the balance wheel itself. This causes the balance wheel to gain some energy, which prevents it from stopping after a while â it’s equivalent to giving a push to a person swinging on a swing. When the balance wheel comes back, it performs the same action, just in the other direction.

 You may also have noticed a subtle dance between the little horn at the end of the pallet fork and the notched disk on the balance wheel. Those parts make sure that the pallet fork can switch sides only at the appropriate time â it’s a safety mechanism that prevents the watch from locking up when the watch is shaken or dropped:

 Once the pallet fork unlocks the escape wheel, that wheel has to start spinning very quickly. This is why gears in the gear train have holes in them â it reduces their moment of inertia so that the barrel can accelerate them more quickly.

 It’s also important to mention that the gear train not only increases the speed of the gears, but it also reduces the forces acting on the balance. The barrel itself turns quite forcefully but at the escape wheel the torque is greatly reduced, which prevents the escape wheel from pushing the pallet fork and thus the balance wheel with too much vigor.

 Let’s look at the entirety of what we’ve built so far one last time. I’m now running the mechanism at its normal speed:

 In this watch movement the balance wheel does a full back and forth swing four times per second, hitting the pallet fork twice during each cycle, for a total of 8 beats per second or 28,800 beats per hour. While different watches may have different rates, they all do a tiny turn of the second hand many times per second, which gives mechanical watches the illusion of a very smooth hand motion.

 In principle, all the pieces we have here are sufficient for the watch to run, but we’re still missing a few details. More importantly, we’ve just been hanging the parts in the air, so it’s time we started a proper assembly of the complete watch movement.

 Mainplate

 We’ll start with the mainplate, which forms the main body of the movement:

 Notice that it has a lot of different openings â we’ll fill them in by the end of this article. The pink elements are yet again ruby jewels. They form bearings in which the axes of various components can rotate. Let’s look at a simple jewel up close:

 Notice that a jewel has a small basin in it. To even further reduce energy losses of the rotating components, a small amount of special oil is placed in that cavity. That oil sticks to the jewel and a shaft that rotates inside it to further decrease the friction, which lets the watch run longer on a single wind, while also reducing wear on the delicate mechanical parts.

 The first two components we will mount onto the mainplate are the escape wheel and the pallet fork:

 The pallet fork itself is then topped with the pallet fork bridge. That bridge holds the other end of the pallet fork’s axis, and it is attached to the mainplate with two screws:

 Notice that in this watch the side-to-side movement of the pallet fork is limited by the shape of the two knobs in the central part of the pallet fork bridge:

 This ensures that the escape wheel can only push the pallet fork so far before the motion is physically stopped by these knobs.

 Next, we can put the rest of the gear train in. All four wheels are cleverly arranged so that they occupy only a small amount of space:

 Notice that the fourth wheel goes directly through the center of the watch â you can see its axis poking on the other side. By the end of our assembly we’ll attach a second hand on the end of that long axis. To secure all elements in place, we cap them with a train wheel bridge, which provides the setting for the other ends of the shafts for all rotating parts. That bridge is screwed to the mainplate to hold everything in place:

 The only remaining part from the initial mechanism that we haven’t yet mounted is the balance, which forms its own little assembly. Let’s build it up first by attaching all the parts to the balance bridge:

 Notice that the balance spring is very delicate and the balance wheel ends up stretching it out. Because of its thinness, the balance spring is often referred to as hairspring. The yellow and teal components both regulate the behavior of the balance. Let’s see how they work in action:

 The yellow components are firmly attached to the balance spring, and by turning them, we can adjust the resting position of the balance wheel and its jewel roller. This ensures that both the “tick” and “tock” phases of the balance wheel swing take the same amount of time.

 The teal components can freely slide on the hairspring, but they reduce or increase its effective length as they prevent the tail section of the hairspring from oscillating freely. By adjusting position of these teal components we can modify the duration of a single beat and make the watch run slightly faster or slower. That speed regulation can also be fine-tuned using the screw in the top part â its head is not centered, so when turned it will gently rotate the little teal fork.

 The hairspring is made from special alloys like Nivarox that keep the spring’s stiffness invariant to temperature differences, which improves the overall timekeeping accuracy.

 The final portion of the balance assembly is the shock protector mechanism, which consists of the casing, two jewels, and a tiny spring that keeps everything in place:

 This mechanism protects the fragile tips of the balance shaft from breaking when the watch experiences a sudden jerk. Let’s see how these pieces act together when the balance shaft is jolted around:

 When the watch is shaken, the motion of the shaft is absorbed by the spring, similarly to the suspension system in a car. If the jerk is very strong, then the much thicker and stronger part of balance shaft carries the load through the case, which protects the fragile tip from breaking.

 Let’s attach the entire balance assembly to the rest of the movement we’ve built so far. Notice that the other end of the balance wheel’s axis also rests on the shock protection jewels embedded in the mainplate:

 With that last step, we’ve actually finished recreating the core of the watch mechanism that we’ve previously seen floating in the air. However, you may remember that I’ve glanced over the little detail of how to make sure that the mainspring stays wound. Let’s see what happens if we actually try to wind the watch using the arbor. For the sake of clarity I also cut a hole in the top part of the barrel so that you can see the spring inside:

 As long as the arbor is held, the mainspring can power the rest of the watch â you can see the rotation of the second hand attached to the fourth wheel on the other side of the watch. However, as we let the arbor go the mainspring finds an easy way to release its tension by just turning the arbor back â the spring quickly losses all its stored energy and the watch stops.

 To prevent the mainspring from unwinding on its own, we need to restrain the arbor from turning counterclockwise, while still allowing the clockwise rotation so that we can wind the spring. This seemingly complicated problem is solved with a very simple mechanism known as the click â let’s see how it works.

 Click

 To continue developing our assembly, we firstly need to put a solid foundation in the form of the barrel bridge â it holds the barrel in place and provides structure for other parts. Since this bridge will make some areas inaccessible, we’re also going to attach a little lever that we will get back to at a later point:

 Then, we’ll screw in the ratchet wheel onto the arbor. Notice that the ratchet wheel has a square opening, which matches the square shape of the top part of the arbor:

 Those matching square shapes will cause the arbor to turn when the ratchet wheel is turned. I temporarily removed the screw to make things easier to see:

 Here come the three critical pieces of the puzzle. Firstly, we put the little click in the opening on top of the barrel bridge:

 Within its limited range the click can rotate back and forth on its little axis:

 The second piece of the puzzle is a click spring. This little piece of metal is very springy. When we squeeze it, it wants to pop back:

 We compress that click spring a little and we also put it into the barrel bridge:

 Notice that when we try to rotate the click, the click spring will push it back in place as soon as we let go:

 The final piece of the puzzle is the crown wheel, which also lands on the barrel bridge. It’s secured in a place with a screw with a left-handed thread â unlike most regular screws this one is fastened when turned in the counterclockwise direction:

 Notice how the teeth of the crown wheel interact with the ratchet wheel. While it looks as if the crown wheel was missing every other tooth, the two gears can still mesh and function together. The gaps in the crown wheel allow the little post on the click to fall between the crown wheel’s teeth.

 If we turn the crown wheel counterclockwise, it will mesh with the ratchet wheel and wind the spring. Notice how the teeth of the crown wheel end up pushing the click away, but it snaps back as soon as there is some space:

 When the click snaps back and hits the crown wheel, it makes a clicking sound, which explains its name.

 The counterclockwise turn of the crown wheel allows us to wind the mainspring, so let’s see what happens when we try to turn it in the opposite direction. In the simulation below, notice how the crown wheel’s teeth jam with the click, preventing the crown wheel’s rotation:

 This simple mechanism allows us to wind the mainspring by turning the crown wheel, which you can do in the demonstration below. The click also prevents the mainspring from unwinding on its own â that’s why you can’t drag back the slider without restarting the entire simulation:

 The second hand on the other side of the watch shows how the seconds are tracked, but a functional watch should show minutes and hours as well. Let’s see how this watch movement accomplishes these goals with a set of gears that form the so-called motion works.

 Motion Works

 In our movement, the second hand is cleverly mounted on the fourth wheel of the power train since that wheel rotates once per minute with high precision. For the minute hand to turn at the correct pace, we need some axis to rotate 60 times slower than that. Thankfully, the designers of this watch movement used an ingenious way to harness some of that speed reduction from the other gears.

 If you look closely, you can see that the small gear of the third wheel from the other side of the watch is exposed through a little opening. We can mount a cannon pinion with its driving wheel onto the center of the watch and have that driving wheel mesh with the small gear:

 When that third wheel rotates, it turns the driving wheel and thus the cannon pinion. By mounting the minute hand on that cannon pinion we can keep track of passing minutes â the number of teeth in all the involved gears is carefully calculated to achieve the desired 60 times speed reduction compared to the second hand.

 Let’s see the functional second hand and minute hand in the demonstration below. The slider lets you control the speed of flowing time so that you don’t have to wait too patiently to see hands change their position:

 The hour hand itself needs to rotate 12 times slower than the minute hand, but we can easily achieve that using two additional gears. The intermediate minute wheel meshes with the cannon pinion, and the hour wheel meshes with the pinion of that minute wheel:

 The hour wheel can loosely rotate on the cannon pinion so that they can both turn independently of each other. By putting the hour hand on that hour wheel, we can finish assembling the mechanism that drives the hands of the watch. I’ve also attached a dial that has each of the twelve hours marked â it actually lets us read the time that the hands are showing:

 Time keeping is the fundamental function of every watch, but many devices go beyond that by adding various additional features known as complications. While our movement is not very sophisticated, it still has a nice complication that shows the current day of the month right in the little window on the right side of the dial. Let’s see how this feature is implemented.

 Date

 The date mechanism in this watch consists of four major parts â the jumper spring, the indicator gear, the date jumper plate with its gear, and the big date ring itself with all possible 31 days imprinted on it:

 To explain how this mechanism works I’ll first hide all the unrelated parts. I’ll also remove the cover from the indicator gear, which reveals a small torsion spring hidden inside it. Let’s see how these pieces work together when the hour wheel rotates. You can go back and forth in time using the slider:

 As the hour wheel turns, it rotates the gear in the date jumper plate. The other side of that gear then turns the indicator gear and the torsion spring attached to it. That spring snags onto a tooth on the date ring and gets flexed, but at some point it starts to push the date ring forward. When the ring rotates enough the jumper spring rapidly snaps the ring to the next position.

 You may wonder why we need this complicated mechanism in the first place. One could naively assume that we could directly tie the rotation of the date ring to the rotation of the hour wheel, similarly to how we rotated the hour wheel in sync with minutes, albeit at slower pace. Unfortunately, this would cause the current date to continuously rotate under the little window in the dial, making it hard to read. You can see that behavior on the left side in the demonstration below:

 On the right side you can see the date indicator as operated by the mechanism that we’ve just built â the date only changes around midnight. You may have realized that the date tracking in our movement is not particularly smart. This watch always counts 31 days every month, so we have to change the date a day after a shorter month occurs. Moreover, if the watch hasn’t been running for a while, the time itself may be incorrectly set. We need to find a way to adjust date and time on our watch.

 Thankfully, gears driving the minute hand, the hour hand, and the date indicator are all connected, so we can adjust everything by turning a single gear. I’ll briefly hide the hour wheel to make things visible:

 Notice that when we turn the minute wheel only the cannon pinion turns. That pinion fits tightly inside its driving gear â it usually turns with that gear. However, when the driving gear can’t rotate because it’s blocked by the rest of the gear train, the cannon pinion can overpower the friction of that tight fit and rotate on its own. This lets us set time without interfering with the gear train, which could break the delicate parts.

 With the hour wheel in place, rotation of the minute wheel also sets the hour, and, if we turn that gear long enough, the date:

 With every step our watch is becoming more complete, but we still have a few inconveniences in our way. To change the time and to wind the mainspring, we have to turn the internal gears of the movement, which normally are safely hidden inside the watch case.

 Moreover, on every month that lasts less than 31 days, we currently have to tweak the time setting, as that’s the only way to adjust the date. Ideally, we’d find a way to set the date separately from the time.

 To fix these problems we’ll assemble the keyless works which is a mechanism that will let us resolve all these issues.

 Keyless Works

 Firstly, let’s look at the crown, which is the main interface for operating the watch, and the stem that is attached to that crown:

 The crown sits freely on the outside of the watch and is directly touched by the user. Notice that part of the stem has a square cross section. The stem carries two additional components â the winding pinion and the sliding pinion. First, let’s slide them on to see how they fit:

 The winding pinion has a circular opening so it can rotate on the stem easily. However, the sliding pinion has a square opening which aligns with the section of the stem that has a square shape. That square interlocking causes the sliding pinion to rotate with the stem as the crown turns:

 Let’s put these pieces into the main assembly. I temporarily removed the date ring so that it doesn’t get in our way:

 Notice that the winding pinion meshes with the crown wheel on the other side of the watch. To actually turn the winding pinion we first have to move the sliding pinion all the way towards it â I symbolize this pushing force with the blue arrow below. If we now turn the crown the matching shape of the neighboring surfaces on the winding pinion and the sliding pinion causes them to interlock. We’re ultimately able to turn the crown wheel and the rest of the mainspring-winding machinery by turning the crown clockwise:

 However, if we rotate the crown in the other direction, the shape of the neighboring surfaces will push the sliding pinion away, because the crown wheel, and therfore the winding pinion, can’t rotate in the opposite direction. This safety mechanism ensures that any forceful rotation of the crown in the “wrong” direction won’t break the movement.

 It seems that we’ve achieved our goal of being able to wind the spring by simply turning the crown. Unfortunately, we still have a small problem to solve â we need something to actually exert the force that pushes the sliding pinion towards the winding pinion.

 Moreover, in some cases we want the rotation of the crown to serve different purposes. Other than winding the mainspring, in our watch we want to be able to adjust the date, and, separately, the time. We’ll choose each of those three actions by pulling the crown in and out.

 Let’s build a mechanism that will solve these problems. Firstly, we’ll put the corrector lever and the setting lever in place:

 If we now pull the crown in and out, these parts will rotate on their little pivots with a fairly complex interaction between them:

 With the other parts in the way it may be hard to see what’s going on, so let’s look at these components on their own. Notice the intricate interlocking that happens when we pull the crown in and out with the slider:

 A groove in the stem ends up locking with a small post in the setting lever, causing it to rotate as the crown is pulled. The other post on the setting lever ends up pushing and hooking with the corrector lever, making it rotate as well.

 So far the mechanism doesn’t do anything interesting, so let’s put the setting wheel on top of the corrector lever:

 That wheel can move freely on its post. If we now pull the crown in and out we can see that the setting wheel engages with the minute works:

 By turning that setting wheel we’ll be able to set time on the watch, but to turn that wheel we need to slide the sliding pinion towards it so that the rotation of the crown and the attached sliding pinion rotates the setting wheel:

 This poses a challenge â we need to control the position of the sliding pinion to, depending on the mode, engage the winding pinion to wind the mainspring, or the setting wheel to set the time. This is where the yoke comes in:

 In the close-up down below you can observe that yoke fits into the groove on the sliding pinion, so as the yoke rotates on its pivot, it will push the sliding pinion in and out, causing it to slide. Additionally, the yoke itself is pushed by the setting lever as we pull the crown:

 We’re almost done with this little mechanism, we just need to finish the little details. Firstly, we want to keep all the fragile pieces in place â right now nothing prevents them from falling off their careful placement. Secondly, when we pull the crown, there are no distinctive stops in its movement â by turning the crown we may accidentally change the current mode. Finally, when we push the crown all the way in to switch back to the winding mode, we want the yoke to reliably return to its initial position. This is where the setting lever jumper comes in â it serves all three of these purposes:

 That part is screwed to the mainplate, which prevents the other parts from falling out. Its various arms and legs also help to keep the things pressed down. Let’s see how the setting lever jumper helps us with other two problems. Notice the three small grooves that I’m pointing out with the gray arrows:

 As we pull the crown in and out, the small post in the setting lever ends up snapping into one of those three places. To jump between the grooves, that small post has to bend the long arm of the jumper, which creates tension that pushes that small post into the closest groove. We end up with three distinct positions that all the pieces can rest in â once locked we can reliably turn the crown without risk of accidentally changing the current mode.

 Finally, on the other end of the setting lever jumper we also have a thin section that is kept under tension against the yoke âÂ I’m pointing its location with a gray arrow:

 As the yoke rotates, that springy piece of metal wants to rotate the yoke back. When the crown is in the date or time setting mode, the setting lever prevents the yoke from coming back, but once we return to the winding mode, that spring in the jumper will rotate the yoke back causing the sliding pinion to move back as well.

 There is actually one additional clever bit that’s been hiding in plain sight. If you recall, we put a small lever right on the mainplate before we started working on the winding mechanism. The short end of that lever fits in the groove of the sliding pinion. When we pull the crown and move the sliding pinion, that lever rotates:

 When turned all the way, that lever rubs against the balance wheel preventing it from moving â this stops the watch. As a result, when we pull the crown all the way out to enter the time setting mode, that stop lever blocks the balance wheel, which stops the watch in an action known as hacking. This lets us set the time without the second hand changing on its own at the same time, aiding with more precise time adjustment.

 Let’s look at the functions of this entire mechanism one more time with all the participating pieces in place. When the crown is full pushed in, its rotation will rotate the sliding pinion, which turns the winding pinion, and then the crown wheel, and finally the ratchet wheel to wind the mainspring:

 When the crown is pulled all the way out, its rotation turns the sliding pinion, the setting wheel, and then the minute wheel, the hour wheel, and the hidden cannon pinion which allows us to set the time:

 Finally, when the crown is pushed roughly halfway through, we enter date setting mode, but to see it work we still need to attach an additional date corrector that fits into the small groove on the mainplate:

 Notice that the date corrector can freely slide up and down in that groove. If we now pull the crown out mid way and turn it, we end up rotating that date corrector, which then can engage with the teeth on the inside of the date ring. The date jumper spring makes sure that we lock the date ring at a valid position:

 Personally, I think this entire mechanism known as the keyless works is a real mechanical marvel. The intricate interactions are so well balanced and each part serves many different roles. Older pocket watches were wound by a separate key, with the crown being used only to set the time, but modern watches get away with not having a winding key, which explains the keyless name. With just a few carefully shaped pieces and a single crown, we can control various settings of the watch. Before we move on, let’s secure the remaining pieces with the minute train bridge:

 We’re almost done building the watch movement. The final component that we’ll assemble will make the watch automatically wind itself as we roam around.

 Automatic Winding

 When the person wearing a watch moves arms throughout the day, the orientation of that watch in space changes quite a lot. Even during a leisurely walk, the watch swings slightly relative to the ground. Normally, all the energy used to move the watch goes to waste, but an automatic winding mechanism manages to capture some of it to wind the mainspring.

 Let’s first try to understand the main idea by attaching the complete automatic winding mechanism to the watch. Its primary part is the weight that can rotate freely around the center. When that weight rotates it drives a bunch of gears, with the last one connecting to the ratchet wheel that is used to wind the mainspring hidden inside the barrel:

 The fact that the weight can rotate freely is critical here. In the demonstration below, you can witness what happens to the weight as you rotate the watch in space by dragging it around. The gravity works towards the bottom of this website â it always pulls the weight down, which makes it turn relative to the rest of the watch:

 If you recall our discussion of watch winding, you may remember that the ratchet wheel can only turn in one direction with the click preventing the mainspring from just unwinding on its own. However, the weight can swing back and forth, which would normally imply that any gear system that is connected to that weight would also rotate in both directions.

 If you look at the automatic winding mechanism on its own, you can witness something unusual â as you turn the weight back and forth with the slider, the output gear turns only in one direction. IÂ put a little black dot on that gear to make it easier to see:

 To understand how this happens let’s first look at all the parts involved in the mechanism:

 The green gear is attached directly to the bottom of the weight, so when the weight rotates, that gear turns the two blue gears. Most of this composition is similar to things we’ve seen before with gears kept in place by bridges. However, you may have guessed that the doubled-up pairs of yellow and blue gears are responsible for the magic here. Let’s see how they’re constructed:

 The blue gear can rotate freely on the yellow gear, and the fish-like levers can also rotate around their axis through the holes in the blue gear. Notice that the inner part of the yellow gear has a particular shape. In the demonstration below, IÂ removed most of the central part of the blue gear so that you can see what’s going on inside. You can rotate that gear back and forth using the slider to see how the parts interact:

 Notice that when you rotate the blue gear counterclockwise, the levers just slide through the internals of the yellow gear. However, when you rotate the blue gear clockwise, one of the levers gets stuck and it starts to turn the yellow gear with it. This clever mechanism transfers power from the blue gear to the yellow gear only in one direction.

 The autowinding assembly contains two such gears â one will drive the output gear when turned clockwise, and one that turns that gear when turned counterclockwise. In the demonstration below, you can witness what happens when you rotate the gear attached to the weight. To make things easier to see I removed all of the non functional parts:

 Notice that I’m highlighting a pair of yellow and blue gears only when they’re actively transferring power directly from the weight gear to the output gear. Only one such pair is active at a time â the other either spins idly, or acts as an intermediate to change the direction of rotation to make sure the output gear always winds the spring.

 Notice that the output gear rotates very little relative to the gear attached to the weight, so it takes a lot of arm swinging to fully wind the mainspring. However, over the course of a day the automatic winding mechanism can usually ensure that the mainspring stays wound.

 The Size of it All

 In all the examples so far we had the comfort of looking at the parts at a fairly large magnification, but in this last demonstration down below you can finally see how tiny all the components are. By dragging the slider you can change the viewing size:

 That rounded rectangle surrounding the watch corresponds to the size of a credit card âÂ if you have one handy you can put it on screen and drag the slider until the card fits in that outline. Hopefully, this really puts in perspective how small all the parts we’ve talked about are.

 Further Watching and Reading

 There are many YouTube channels dedicated to mechanical watches, but I particularly like Wristwatch Revival, which is dedicated to fixing broken watches, which very often involves a complete dissection of a movement, and a repair or replacement of broken parts. Although the creator is not a professional watchmaker, the videos are packed with information and are very enjoyable to watch.

 Watchmaking by George Daniels is a book dedicated to the process of actually making watches from scratch. While few will endeavor this journey, the publication also explains many of the considerations required when designing a watch movement and its parts. Many of the book’s pages are accompanied by pretty technical illustrations that help to explain the concepts.

 Final Words

 In the 1970s mechanical watches started to be dethroned by quartz models, which track time by electronically counting vibrations of a quartz crystal. As technology progressed, typical watches only increased their reliance on digital circuits. Modern smart reincarnations resemble their archetypes only in shape and placement on wrists.

 Mechanical watches are not as accurate as digital ones. They require maintenance and are more fragile. Despite all these drawbacks, these devices show a true mastery of engineering. With creative use of miniature gears, levers, and springs, a mechanical watch rises from its dormant components to become truly alive.

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 Copyright © 2023 Bartosz Ciechanowski
In the world of modern portable devices, it may be hard to believe that merely a few decades ago the most convenient way to keep track of time was a mechanical watch. Unlike their quartz and smart siblings, mechanical watches can run without using any batteries or other electronic components.
Over the course of this article I’ll explain the workings of the mechanism seen in the demonstration below. You can drag the device around to change your viewing angle, and you can use the slider to peek at what’s going on inside:
What you see here is known as the movement â the inner part of a mechanical watch that’s usually enclosed in a metal case. In this article I’m focusing on a watch movement itself, since beautiful watch cases merely hide the intricate mechanisms which are the real stars of the show.
The entire watch movement has a lot of parts, and in this blog post I’ll explain the purpose of each one. The world of watchmaking is jargon-heavy, so many of the components may have unfamiliar names, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to remember them â the names and parts will be color-coded for easy reference.
In a functioning watch many parts are in constant motion. By default all animations in this article are enabled, but if you find them distracting, or if you want to save power, you can globally pause all the following demonstrations.disabled, but if you prefer to have things moving as you read you can globally unpause them and have animations running.
While the entire watch movement has many parts, the timekeeping system, which forms the core function of any watch, consists of just seven major elements which we can lay out in a straight line:
It may not look like much, but these parts still have a lot of interesting details about them that contribute to the second hand rotating at a correct pace. We’ll start exploring these details by focusing on the source of power for this entire contraption.
Power  
Purely mechanical devices have a few different ways to power themselves, but one of the simplest methods to store energy is to use a spring. Most springs we see in daily life are coil springs. In the demonstration below, you can move the mass attached to this type of spring to see it bounce:
When a spring like this is compressed, it stores some energy that is then released when the compressing tension is removed. Mechanical watches typically use a different kind of spring â a spiral torsion spring. This type of spring is loaded when it’s twisted. When let go, the spring unwinds in the opposite direction to eventually settle in its natural state:
In a mechanical watch, we ultimately want to show rotating hands, so a spinning motion that a torsion spring provides is particularly useful. A spring in a typical mechanical watch has a slightly more complicated shape â you can see it below in its relaxed state. By dragging the slider you can try to wind it midair, but as soon as you let go, it will snap back to its original shape:
As you can see, this spring is quite strong and it wants to expand very rapidly. To contain the spring we have to put it in a casing known as a barrel:
Once in the barrel, the spring still wants to expand to its original state, but the barrel’s wall keep it in place. This spring is the storage of energy for the watch and its name, the mainspring, reflects its importance.
Unfortunately, we can’t really get any useful work from the mainspring in this state â it has already expanded to the largest possible size. To store more energy in it we need to wind it tightly using the arbor that we’ll first attach on the inner side of the mainspring:
If you look closely, the mainspring has a little hole near its end â you can see it in the center of the demonstration. The arbor has a little hook that grabs onto that hole:
When the arbor is turned, it pulls the mainspring with it, causing it to wind. In the demonstration below, we’re holding the barrel tight, and you can turn the arbor by dragging the slider:
Notice that as soon as you let go of the arbor by releasing the slider, the mainspring will turn the arbor right back. This is less than desired â we want the barrel to turn instead, so that it can power the other parts of the watch. To get some useful work from the mainspring, we’ll have to keep holding on to the arbor and instead let the barrel go when we want to use the stored energy:
We’ll soon see how this is accomplished in practice, but for now we’ll assume that the arbor is held tight and the mainspring ends up rotating the barrel, just like in the demonstration above. Before we finish up with the mainspring and the barrel, let’s discuss two other details that make this mechanism more reliable. Let me bring up the relaxed spring one more time:
The metal strip attached to the mainspring provides additional tension to its outer part. That metal strip really wants to snap back to its straight shape, so it pushes against the wall of the barrel, creating a lot of friction that keeps the mainspring in place:
This locks the outer end of the mainspring when the arbor moves the inner. If we were to keep winding the spring past its maximum capacity, we’d overpower that friction letting the mainspring slip inside â this acts as a safety mechanism to prevent the parts from breaking.
As we’ve seen, in its relaxed state, the mainspring forms an S-shape with varied curvature throughout. This helps to balance the tension in mainspring’s different sections when it is inside the barrel. Notice that the inner sections of the wound spring have a much smaller radius than the outer parts. If the relaxed spring was just a straight piece of metal, then after winding, the inner parts would be bent much more than the outer parts. With the S-shaped spring the outer sections of the spring are also under a similar tension because they want to get back to their curve that is bent in the opposite direction.
To secure the mainspring and prevent dust from getting in we close the barrel with a lid that snaps into its place:
We’ve managed to make some parts rotate and one could naively think that we could just attach a watch hand to the barrel to make it track time. Unfortunately, that won’t really work â you can witness this in the demonstration below. You can see how this “watch” behaves after you wind the mainspring with the slider and let it go:
We clearly have some work to do â the hand spins way too fast and it only does a few rotations before the mainspring inside the barrel runs out of the stored energy. Clearly, this contraption won’t let us track time in any reliable way.
If we wanted our watch to run continuously for around 40 hours on a single wind, we’d need the minute hand to complete 40 rotations in that time. Moreover, the second hand should cover around 40 Ã 60 = 2400 complete rotations in that time. We need to find a way to convert a small number of revolutions of the barrel into a large number of revolutions of the hands. This is where gears come in.
Gears  
I’ve talked about gears on this blog before, so let me just recap things very briefly. Gears can be used to change the speed of rotation between two different axes. In the demonstration below, you can witness that by observing little dots I put on each gear â the yellow gear, which is powered by the bigger red gear, takes much less time to finish a single revolution:
An important aspect of two matching gears is their number of teeth. Each tooth in one gear meets with a space between teeth in the other gear, so within a unit of time both gears rotate by the same number of teeth. If the number of teeth in two gears is different, those gears can take a different amount of time to complete a single rotation. In the demonstration below, you can change the ratio of the number of teeth between the driving red gear and the driven yellow gear to see how it affects the speed of rotation of that yellow gear:
These gears are intended to work with each other so the ratio of teeth is equivalent to the ratio of the gear radii. When the driving gear has more teeth than the driven gear, the driven gear makes more rotations than the driving gear. We can use this behavior to make the second hand of a watch rotate many times on a single rotation of the barrel.
Let’s consider how much of a speed increase we have to do here. The barrel can rotate close to 7 times on a single wind, but we want the second hand to complete around 2400 revolutions in the same time. We need the ratio of teeth, or the ratio of radii, to be around 343:1. Let’s see how that would look in practice. In the demonstration below, you can use the slider to look at the two gears from further away:
As you can see, these proportions are ridiculous â to make the red gear fit in any reasonably sized watch, the yellow gear would have to be absolutely tiny and both gears would have to have very fragile, microscopic teeth.
Instead, mechanical watches use a train of gears with multiple gears working in pairs â each pair increases the speed to some extent. In the demonstration below, you can see the four wheels participating in this reduction. Notice that there are two gears on most axes of rotation. You can control the speed of rotation of this gear train using the slider:
The barrel acts as the first wheel, it drives the second wheel, which drives the third wheel, which finally drives the fourth wheel. Notice that each big gear drives a smaller gear called a pinion. A pinion is mounted on the same shaft as the next big gear so we’re able to keep increasing the speed on each axis. This approach has significant advantages â we’re able to make the overall mechanism much smaller and we’ll soon use one of the intermediate wheels that rotates at a slower rate to drive minute and hour hands.
Before we finish up with gears, let me quickly mention the shape of their teeth. While many bigger machines use an involute shape for the profile of their gear teeth, mechanical watches commonly use cycloidal profiles which are obtained by rolling a circle on the surface of another circle.
Let’s see how the so-called going train that we’ve assembled works when we wind the mainspring through the arbor and let the watch run:
We’ve certainly achieved the goal of the second hand rotating many times on a single rotation of the barrel, but the speed of revolution of that hand is still completely untamed. We need to find a way to control the rate of release of the energy stored in the mainspring â we’ll do this with the escapement.
Escapement  
Let’s start by looking at the two components that create the escapement â the escape wheel and the pallet fork:
Notice the unusual shape of the teeth of the escape wheel â it’s very different than the gears we’ve seen before. Its top part hosts a regularly shaped gear that can be used to turn that wheel.
The pallet fork itself is made of metal, but notice the two pinkish transparent parts at its end. These are jewels made from synthetic ruby. That compound is not only very hard, which prevents its wear, but it also has a low coefficient of friction with steel. Let’s see why these properties are important by observing how these two components interact with each other:
The escape wheel wants to rotate as indicated by the red arrow. The pallet fork prevents that motion, but as we pivot that pallet fork back and forth we let the escape wheel briefly escape from that jail only to be stopped again.
We’ll see the details of that interaction in a few paragraphs, but right now this mechanism lets us control the rotation of the escape wheel by simply moving the pallet fork from one side to another. Let’s see how these pieces fit into the rest of the assembly. In the demonstration below, I’ve wound the spring for you so the barrel, through the gear train, ends up trying to rotate the escape wheel. Using the two buttons you can switch the position of the pallet fork:
The mainspring wants to unwind by rotating the escape wheel, but the pallet fork only allows this to happen for a brief period of time. Because of the gear reduction, the rotation of the barrel is pretty much invisible. However, if you observe the hand attached to the fourth wheel, you can see it gently rotate as you swing the pallet fork back and forth.
The little time keeping mechanism is almost fully functional now. The last remaining piece here is a device that will automatically tick the pallet fork back and forth. However, for the watch to track time correctly that ticking action has to happen at an appropriate cadence. This is where the balance comes in â it forms the beating heart of a watch.
Balance  
Let’s bring up the first torsion spring we saw before â recall that once you twist it from its original position, it will oscillate back and forth, only to settle after a while:
We can control the rate of this periodic motion by adjusting two parameters. The first one is the stiffness of the spring, which primarily depends on its height, thickness, and length, as well as the type of material from which it’s made. The second one is the mass and its distribution, or, more precisely, the moment of inertia of the object that the spring rotates. Moment of inertia increases when more mass is put further away from the axis of rotation. In the demonstration below, you can tweak both the stiffness of the spring and moment of inertia of the attached mass to see how these parameters affect the period of rotation:
By carefully tuning these parameters, we can make this system oscillate at a desired rate. This idea of using a torsion spring with attached mass is exactly what mechanical watches use as their source of precise time tracking. The balance is formed by the balance wheel attached to the balance spring. In this watch the balance wheel oscillates back and forth at a fairly high frequency:
At the bottom side of the balance wheel you’ll find another pinkish transparent jewel called jewel roller. While small, this part is very important â this jewel hits the other end of the pallet fork as the balance wheel rotates, which in turn pushes the pallet fork back and forth. Let’s first look at an overview of how the balance wheel interacts with the other parts. In the demonstration below, you can slow things down with the slider:
Let’s look at this interaction up close, as it deserves a closer attention. In the demonstration below, you can scrub back and forth in time to see all the action as it happens:
 balance wheel is swinging back
jewelÂ roller strikes the palletÂ fork, knocking it out of position
escapeÂ wheel unlocks and pushes the jewel of the palletÂ fork
palletÂ fork pushes the jewel roller and the balanceÂ wheel
escapeÂ wheel locks again
balanceÂ wheel continues its swing
As the balance wheel swings, the jewel roller strikes the pallet fork, which unlocks the escape wheel. Once unlocked, the escape wheel powered by the mainspring pushes on the pallet fork which, through the jewel roller, pushes on the balance wheel itself. This causes the balance wheel to gain some energy, which prevents it from stopping after a while â it’s equivalent to giving a push to a person swinging on a swing. When the balance wheel comes back, it performs the same action, just in the other direction.
You may also have noticed a subtle dance between the little horn at the end of the pallet fork and the notched disk on the balance wheel. Those parts make sure that the pallet fork can switch sides only at the appropriate time â it’s a safety mechanism that prevents the watch from locking up when the watch is shaken or dropped:
Once the pallet fork unlocks the escape wheel, that wheel has to start spinning very quickly. This is why gears in the gear train have holes in them â it reduces their moment of inertia so that the barrel can accelerate them more quickly.
It’s also important to mention that the gear train not only increases the speed of the gears, but it also reduces the forces acting on the balance. The barrel itself turns quite forcefully but at the escape wheel the torque is greatly reduced, which prevents the escape wheel from pushing the pallet fork and thus the balance wheel with too much vigor.
Let’s look at the entirety of what we’ve built so far one last time. I’m now running the mechanism at its normal speed:
In this watch movement the balance wheel does a full back and forth swing four times per second, hitting the pallet fork twice during each cycle, for a total of 8 beats per second or 28,800 beats per hour. While different watches may have different rates, they all do a tiny turn of the second hand many times per second, which gives mechanical watches the illusion of a very smooth hand motion.
In principle, all the pieces we have here are sufficient for the watch to run, but we’re still missing a few details. More importantly, we’ve just been hanging the parts in the air, so it’s time we started a proper assembly of the complete watch movement.
Mainplate  
We’ll start with the mainplate, which forms the main body of the movement:
Notice that it has a lot of different openings â we’ll fill them in by the end of this article. The pink elements are yet again ruby jewels. They form bearings in which the axes of various components can rotate. Let’s look at a simple jewel up close:
Notice that a jewel has a small basin in it. To even further reduce energy losses of the rotating components, a small amount of special oil is placed in that cavity. That oil sticks to the jewel and a shaft that rotates inside it to further decrease the friction, which lets the watch run longer on a single wind, while also reducing wear on the delicate mechanical parts.
The first two components we will mount onto the mainplate are the escape wheel and the pallet fork:
The pallet fork itself is then topped with the pallet fork bridge. That bridge holds the other end of the pallet fork’s axis, and it is attached to the mainplate with two screws:
Notice that in this watch the side-to-side movement of the pallet fork is limited by the shape of the two knobs in the central part of the pallet fork bridge:
This ensures that the escape wheel can only push the pallet fork so far before the motion is physically stopped by these knobs.
Next, we can put the rest of the gear train in. All four wheels are cleverly arranged so that they occupy only a small amount of space:
Notice that the fourth wheel goes directly through the center of the watch â you can see its axis poking on the other side. By the end of our assembly we’ll attach a second hand on the end of that long axis. To secure all elements in place, we cap them with a train wheel bridge, which provides the setting for the other ends of the shafts for all rotating parts. That bridge is screwed to the mainplate to hold everything in place:
The only remaining part from the initial mechanism that we haven’t yet mounted is the balance, which forms its own little assembly. Let’s build it up first by attaching all the parts to the balance bridge:
Notice that the balance spring is very delicate and the balance wheel ends up stretching it out. Because of its thinness, the balance spring is often referred to as hairspring. The yellow and teal components both regulate the behavior of the balance. Let’s see how they work in action:
The yellow components are firmly attached to the balance spring, and by turning them, we can adjust the resting position of the balance wheel and its jewel roller. This ensures that both the “tick” and “tock” phases of the balance wheel swing take the same amount of time.
The teal components can freely slide on the hairspring, but they reduce or increase its effective length as they prevent the tail section of the hairspring from oscillating freely. By adjusting position of these teal components we can modify the duration of a single beat and make the watch run slightly faster or slower. That speed regulation can also be fine-tuned using the screw in the top part â its head is not centered, so when turned it will gently rotate the little teal fork.
The hairspring is made from special alloys like Nivarox that keep the spring’s stiffness invariant to temperature differences, which improves the overall timekeeping accuracy.
The final portion of the balance assembly is the shock protector mechanism, which consists of the casing, two jewels, and a tiny spring that keeps everything in place:
This mechanism protects the fragile tips of the balance shaft from breaking when the watch experiences a sudden jerk. Let’s see how these pieces act together when the balance shaft is jolted around:
When the watch is shaken, the motion of the shaft is absorbed by the spring, similarly to the suspension system in a car. If the jerk is very strong, then the much thicker and stronger part of balance shaft carries the load through the case, which protects the fragile tip from breaking.
Let’s attach the entire balance assembly to the rest of the movement we’ve built so far. Notice that the other end of the balance wheel’s axis also rests on the shock protection jewels embedded in the mainplate:
With that last step, we’ve actually finished recreating the core of the watch mechanism that we’ve previously seen floating in the air. However, you may remember that I’ve glanced over the little detail of how to make sure that the mainspring stays wound. Let’s see what happens if we actually try to wind the watch using the arbor. For the sake of clarity I also cut a hole in the top part of the barrel so that you can see the spring inside:
As long as the arbor is held, the mainspring can power the rest of the watch â you can see the rotation of the second hand attached to the fourth wheel on the other side of the watch. However, as we let the arbor go the mainspring finds an easy way to release its tension by just turning the arbor back â the spring quickly losses all its stored energy and the watch stops.
To prevent the mainspring from unwinding on its own, we need to restrain the arbor from turning counterclockwise, while still allowing the clockwise rotation so that we can wind the spring. This seemingly complicated problem is solved with a very simple mechanism known as the click â let’s see how it works.
Click  
To continue developing our assembly, we firstly need to put a solid foundation in the form of the barrel bridge â it holds the barrel in place and provides structure for other parts. Since this bridge will make some areas inaccessible, we’re also going to attach a little lever that we will get back to at a later point:
Then, we’ll screw in the ratchet wheel onto the arbor. Notice that the ratchet wheel has a square opening, which matches the square shape of the top part of the arbor:
Those matching square shapes will cause the arbor to turn when the ratchet wheel is turned. I temporarily removed the screw to make things easier to see:
Here come the three critical pieces of the puzzle. Firstly, we put the little click in the opening on top of the barrel bridge:
Within its limited range the click can rotate back and forth on its little axis:
The second piece of the puzzle is a click spring. This little piece of metal is very springy. When we squeeze it, it wants to pop back:
We compress that click spring a little and we also put it into the barrel bridge:
Notice that when we try to rotate the click, the click spring will push it back in place as soon as we let go:
The final piece of the puzzle is the crown wheel, which also lands on the barrel bridge. It’s secured in a place with a screw with a left-handed thread â unlike most regular screws this one is fastened when turned in the counterclockwise direction:
Notice how the teeth of the crown wheel interact with the ratchet wheel. While it looks as if the crown wheel was missing every other tooth, the two gears can still mesh and function together. The gaps in the crown wheel allow the little post on the click to fall between the crown wheel’s teeth.
If we turn the crown wheel counterclockwise, it will mesh with the ratchet wheel and wind the spring. Notice how the teeth of the crown wheel end up pushing the click away, but it snaps back as soon as there is some space:
When the click snaps back and hits the crown wheel, it makes a clicking sound, which explains its name.
The counterclockwise turn of the crown wheel allows us to wind the mainspring, so let’s see what happens when we try to turn it in the opposite direction. In the simulation below, notice how the crown wheel’s teeth jam with the click, preventing the crown wheel’s rotation:
This simple mechanism allows us to wind the mainspring by turning the crown wheel, which you can do in the demonstration below. The click also prevents the mainspring from unwinding on its own â that’s why you can’t drag back the slider without restarting the entire simulation:
The second hand on the other side of the watch shows how the seconds are tracked, but a functional watch should show minutes and hours as well. Let’s see how this watch movement accomplishes these goals with a set of gears that form the so-called motion works.
Motion Works  
In our movement, the second hand is cleverly mounted on the fourth wheel of the power train since that wheel rotates once per minute with high precision. For the minute hand to turn at the correct pace, we need some axis to rotate 60 times slower than that. Thankfully, the designers of this watch movement used an ingenious way to harness some of that speed reduction from the other gears.
If you look closely, you can see that the small gear of the third wheel from the other side of the watch is exposed through a little opening. We can mount a cannon pinion with its driving wheel onto the center of the watch and have that driving wheel mesh with the small gear:
When that third wheel rotates, it turns the driving wheel and thus the cannon pinion. By mounting the minute hand on that cannon pinion we can keep track of passing minutes â the number of teeth in all the involved gears is carefully calculated to achieve the desired 60 times speed reduction compared to the second hand.
Let’s see the functional second hand and minute hand in the demonstration below. The slider lets you control the speed of flowing time so that you don’t have to wait too patiently to see hands change their position:
The hour hand itself needs to rotate 12 times slower than the minute hand, but we can easily achieve that using two additional gears. The intermediate minute wheel meshes with the cannon pinion, and the hour wheel meshes with the pinion of that minute wheel:
The hour wheel can loosely rotate on the cannon pinion so that they can both turn independently of each other. By putting the hour hand on that hour wheel, we can finish assembling the mechanism that drives the hands of the watch. I’ve also attached a dial that has each of the twelve hours marked â it actually lets us read the time that the hands are showing:
Time keeping is the fundamental function of every watch, but many devices go beyond that by adding various additional features known as complications. While our movement is not very sophisticated, it still has a nice complication that shows the current day of the month right in the little window on the right side of the dial. Let’s see how this feature is implemented.
Date  
The date mechanism in this watch consists of four major parts â the jumper spring, the indicator gear, the date jumper plate with its gear, and the big date ring itself with all possible 31 days imprinted on it:
To explain how this mechanism works I’ll first hide all the unrelated parts. I’ll also remove the cover from the indicator gear, which reveals a small torsion spring hidden inside it. Let’s see how these pieces work together when the hour wheel rotates. You can go back and forth in time using the slider:
As the hour wheel turns, it rotates the gear in the date jumper plate. The other side of that gear then turns the indicator gear and the torsion spring attached to it. That spring snags onto a tooth on the date ring and gets flexed, but at some point it starts to push the date ring forward. When the ring rotates enough the jumper spring rapidly snaps the ring to the next position.
You may wonder why we need this complicated mechanism in the first place. One could naively assume that we could directly tie the rotation of the date ring to the rotation of the hour wheel, similarly to how we rotated the hour wheel in sync with minutes, albeit at slower pace. Unfortunately, this would cause the current date to continuously rotate under the little window in the dial, making it hard to read. You can see that behavior on the left side in the demonstration below:
On the right side you can see the date indicator as operated by the mechanism that we’ve just built â the date only changes around midnight. You may have realized that the date tracking in our movement is not particularly smart. This watch always counts 31 days every month, so we have to change the date a day after a shorter month occurs. Moreover, if the watch hasn’t been running for a while, the time itself may be incorrectly set. We need to find a way to adjust date and time on our watch.
Thankfully, gears driving the minute hand, the hour hand, and the date indicator are all connected, so we can adjust everything by turning a single gear. I’ll briefly hide the hour wheel to make things visible:
Notice that when we turn the minute wheel only the cannon pinion turns. That pinion fits tightly inside its driving gear â it usually turns with that gear. However, when the driving gear can’t rotate because it’s blocked by the rest of the gear train, the cannon pinion can overpower the friction of that tight fit and rotate on its own. This lets us set time without interfering with the gear train, which could break the delicate parts.
With the hour wheel in place, rotation of the minute wheel also sets the hour, and, if we turn that gear long enough, the date:
With every step our watch is becoming more complete, but we still have a few inconveniences in our way. To change the time and to wind the mainspring, we have to turn the internal gears of the movement, which normally are safely hidden inside the watch case.
Moreover, on every month that lasts less than 31 days, we currently have to tweak the time setting, as that’s the only way to adjust the date. Ideally, we’d find a way to set the date separately from the time.
To fix these problems we’ll assemble the keyless works which is a mechanism that will let us resolve all these issues.
Keyless Works  
Firstly, let’s look at the crown, which is the main interface for operating the watch, and the stem that is attached to that crown:
The crown sits freely on the outside of the watch and is directly touched by the user. Notice that part of the stem has a square cross section. The stem carries two additional components â the winding pinion and the sliding pinion. First, let’s slide them on to see how they fit:
The winding pinion has a circular opening so it can rotate on the stem easily. However, the sliding pinion has a square opening which aligns with the section of the stem that has a square shape. That square interlocking causes the sliding pinion to rotate with the stem as the crown turns:
Let’s put these pieces into the main assembly. I temporarily removed the date ring so that it doesn’t get in our way:
Notice that the winding pinion meshes with the crown wheel on the other side of the watch. To actually turn the winding pinion we first have to move the sliding pinion all the way towards it â I symbolize this pushing force with the blue arrow below. If we now turn the crown the matching shape of the neighboring surfaces on the winding pinion and the sliding pinion causes them to interlock. We’re ultimately able to turn the crown wheel and the rest of the mainspring-winding machinery by turning the crown clockwise:
However, if we rotate the crown in the other direction, the shape of the neighboring surfaces will push the sliding pinion away, because the crown wheel, and therfore the winding pinion, can’t rotate in the opposite direction. This safety mechanism ensures that any forceful rotation of the crown in the “wrong” direction won’t break the movement.
It seems that we’ve achieved our goal of being able to wind the spring by simply turning the crown. Unfortunately, we still have a small problem to solve â we need something to actually exert the force that pushes the sliding pinion towards the winding pinion.
Moreover, in some cases we want the rotation of the crown to serve different purposes. Other than winding the mainspring, in our watch we want to be able to adjust the date, and, separately, the time. We’ll choose each of those three actions by pulling the crown in and out.
Let’s build a mechanism that will solve these problems. Firstly, we’ll put the corrector lever and the setting lever in place:
If we now pull the crown in and out, these parts will rotate on their little pivots with a fairly complex interaction between them:
With the other parts in the way it may be hard to see what’s going on, so let’s look at these components on their own. Notice the intricate interlocking that happens when we pull the crown in and out with the slider:
A groove in the stem ends up locking with a small post in the setting lever, causing it to rotate as the crown is pulled. The other post on the setting lever ends up pushing and hooking with the corrector lever, making it rotate as well.
So far the mechanism doesn’t do anything interesting, so let’s put the setting wheel on top of the corrector lever:
That wheel can move freely on its post. If we now pull the crown in and out we can see that the setting wheel engages with the minute works:
By turning that setting wheel we’ll be able to set time on the watch, but to turn that wheel we need to slide the sliding pinion towards it so that the rotation of the crown and the attached sliding pinion rotates the setting wheel:
This poses a challenge â we need to control the position of the sliding pinion to, depending on the mode, engage the winding pinion to wind the mainspring, or the setting wheel to set the time. This is where the yoke comes in:
In the close-up down below you can observe that yoke fits into the groove on the sliding pinion, so as the yoke rotates on its pivot, it will push the sliding pinion in and out, causing it to slide. Additionally, the yoke itself is pushed by the setting lever as we pull the crown:
We’re almost done with this little mechanism, we just need to finish the little details. Firstly, we want to keep all the fragile pieces in place â right now nothing prevents them from falling off their careful placement. Secondly, when we pull the crown, there are no distinctive stops in its movement â by turning the crown we may accidentally change the current mode. Finally, when we push the crown all the way in to switch back to the winding mode, we want the yoke to reliably return to its initial position. This is where the setting lever jumper comes in â it serves all three of these purposes:
That part is screwed to the mainplate, which prevents the other parts from falling out. Its various arms and legs also help to keep the things pressed down. Let’s see how the setting lever jumper helps us with other two problems. Notice the three small grooves that I’m pointing out with the gray arrows:
As we pull the crown in and out, the small post in the setting lever ends up snapping into one of those three places. To jump between the grooves, that small post has to bend the long arm of the jumper, which creates tension that pushes that small post into the closest groove. We end up with three distinct positions that all the pieces can rest in â once locked we can reliably turn the crown without risk of accidentally changing the current mode.
Finally, on the other end of the setting lever jumper we also have a thin section that is kept under tension against the yoke âÂ I’m pointing its location with a gray arrow:
As the yoke rotates, that springy piece of metal wants to rotate the yoke back. When the crown is in the date or time setting mode, the setting lever prevents the yoke from coming back, but once we return to the winding mode, that spring in the jumper will rotate the yoke back causing the sliding pinion to move back as well.
There is actually one additional clever bit that’s been hiding in plain sight. If you recall, we put a small lever right on the mainplate before we started working on the winding mechanism. The short end of that lever fits in the groove of the sliding pinion. When we pull the crown and move the sliding pinion, that lever rotates:
When turned all the way, that lever rubs against the balance wheel preventing it from moving â this stops the watch. As a result, when we pull the crown all the way out to enter the time setting mode, that stop lever blocks the balance wheel, which stops the watch in an action known as hacking. This lets us set the time without the second hand changing on its own at the same time, aiding with more precise time adjustment.
Let’s look at the functions of this entire mechanism one more time with all the participating pieces in place. When the crown is full pushed in, its rotation will rotate the sliding pinion, which turns the winding pinion, and then the crown wheel, and finally the ratchet wheel to wind the mainspring:
When the crown is pulled all the way out, its rotation turns the sliding pinion, the setting wheel, and then the minute wheel, the hour wheel, and the hidden cannon pinion which allows us to set the time:
Finally, when the crown is pushed roughly halfway through, we enter date setting mode, but to see it work we still need to attach an additional date corrector that fits into the small groove on the mainplate:
Notice that the date corrector can freely slide up and down in that groove. If we now pull the crown out mid way and turn it, we end up rotating that date corrector, which then can engage with the teeth on the inside of the date ring. The date jumper spring makes sure that we lock the date ring at a valid position:
Personally, I think this entire mechanism known as the keyless works is a real mechanical marvel. The intricate interactions are so well balanced and each part serves many different roles. Older pocket watches were wound by a separate key, with the crown being used only to set the time, but modern watches get away with not having a winding key, which explains the keyless name. With just a few carefully shaped pieces and a single crown, we can control various settings of the watch. Before we move on, let’s secure the remaining pieces with the minute train bridge:
We’re almost done building the watch movement. The final component that we’ll assemble will make the watch automatically wind itself as we roam around.
Automatic Winding  
When the person wearing a watch moves arms throughout the day, the orientation of that watch in space changes quite a lot. Even during a leisurely walk, the watch swings slightly relative to the ground. Normally, all the energy used to move the watch goes to waste, but an automatic winding mechanism manages to capture some of it to wind the mainspring.
Let’s first try to understand the main idea by attaching the complete automatic winding mechanism to the watch. Its primary part is the weight that can rotate freely around the center. When that weight rotates it drives a bunch of gears, with the last one connecting to the ratchet wheel that is used to wind the mainspring hidden inside the barrel:
The fact that the weight can rotate freely is critical here. In the demonstration below, you can witness what happens to the weight as you rotate the watch in space by dragging it around. The gravity works towards the bottom of this website â it always pulls the weight down, which makes it turn relative to the rest of the watch:
If you recall our discussion of watch winding, you may remember that the ratchet wheel can only turn in one direction with the click preventing the mainspring from just unwinding on its own. However, the weight can swing back and forth, which would normally imply that any gear system that is connected to that weight would also rotate in both directions.
If you look at the automatic winding mechanism on its own, you can witness something unusual â as you turn the weight back and forth with the slider, the output gear turns only in one direction. IÂ put a little black dot on that gear to make it easier to see:
To understand how this happens let’s first look at all the parts involved in the mechanism:
The green gear is attached directly to the bottom of the weight, so when the weight rotates, that gear turns the two blue gears. Most of this composition is similar to things we’ve seen before with gears kept in place by bridges. However, you may have guessed that the doubled-up pairs of yellow and blue gears are responsible for the magic here. Let’s see how they’re constructed:
The blue gear can rotate freely on the yellow gear, and the fish-like levers can also rotate around their axis through the holes in the blue gear. Notice that the inner part of the yellow gear has a particular shape. In the demonstration below, IÂ removed most of the central part of the blue gear so that you can see what’s going on inside. You can rotate that gear back and forth using the slider to see how the parts interact:
Notice that when you rotate the blue gear counterclockwise, the levers just slide through the internals of the yellow gear. However, when you rotate the blue gear clockwise, one of the levers gets stuck and it starts to turn the yellow gear with it. This clever mechanism transfers power from the blue gear to the yellow gear only in one direction.
The autowinding assembly contains two such gears â one will drive the output gear when turned clockwise, and one that turns that gear when turned counterclockwise. In the demonstration below, you can witness what happens when you rotate the gear attached to the weight. To make things easier to see I removed all of the non functional parts:
Notice that I’m highlighting a pair of yellow and blue gears only when they’re actively transferring power directly from the weight gear to the output gear. Only one such pair is active at a time â the other either spins idly, or acts as an intermediate to change the direction of rotation to make sure the output gear always winds the spring.
Notice that the output gear rotates very little relative to the gear attached to the weight, so it takes a lot of arm swinging to fully wind the mainspring. However, over the course of a day the automatic winding mechanism can usually ensure that the mainspring stays wound.
The Size of it All  
In all the examples so far we had the comfort of looking at the parts at a fairly large magnification, but in this last demonstration down below you can finally see how tiny all the components are. By dragging the slider you can change the viewing size:
That rounded rectangle surrounding the watch corresponds to the size of a credit card âÂ if you have one handy you can put it on screen and drag the slider until the card fits in that outline. Hopefully, this really puts in perspective how small all the parts we’ve talked about are.
Further Watching and Reading  
There are many YouTube channels dedicated to mechanical watches, but I particularly like Wristwatch Revival, which is dedicated to fixing broken watches, which very often involves a complete dissection of a movement, and a repair or replacement of broken parts. Although the creator is not a professional watchmaker, the videos are packed with information and are very enjoyable to watch.
 Watchmaking by George Daniels is a book dedicated to the process of actually making watches from scratch. While few will endeavor this journey, the publication also explains many of the considerations required when designing a watch movement and its parts. Many of the book’s pages are accompanied by pretty technical illustrations that help to explain the concepts.
Final Words  
In the 1970s mechanical watches started to be dethroned by quartz models, which track time by electronically counting vibrations of a quartz crystal. As technology progressed, typical watches only increased their reliance on digital circuits. Modern smart reincarnations resemble their archetypes only in shape and placement on wrists.
Mechanical watches are not as accurate as digital ones. They require maintenance and are more fragile. Despite all these drawbacks, these devices show a true mastery of engineering. With creative use of miniature gears, levers, and springs, a mechanical watch rises from its dormant components to become truly alive.
Mechanical Watch â Bartosz Ciechanowski
https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/?utm_source=labnotes.org
https://animagraffs.com/mechanical-watch
How a Mechanical Watch Works - Animagraffs
2017-02-03
Jakeoneal
<div><div>
	
<section>
<p></p>
</section>
<section>
<p>
 Mechanical watches have no battery, microchip, or circuitry.
Watch parts are machined to near perfection at microscopic sizes and tolerances and can produce accuracy within 2 - 3 seconds per day.
</p>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div> <p></p><ul>
 	<li>
<h4>Escapement</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>Wheel train</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>Mainspring</h4>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
 Basic functionality</h3><p>
Power is stored in the <strong>main spring</strong> and released in reliable increments by the oscillating <strong>escapement</strong> assembly.
The connected gears between the mainspring and escapement (the “<strong>wheel train</strong>”) turn at various speeds, allowing the watch to “tell time”.
</p></div>
</section> 
<section>
<hr />
<h3>
 <a href="#embed-code">Share / Embed this infographic on your site →</a></h3>
<hr />
</section> 
<section>
<div>
<h2>
 Time setting &amp; winding</h2><p>
The crown is pulled out to set the time and pushed in to wind the watch.
In each mode (pulled out or pushed in) different gear sets are engaged.
</p></div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li>
<h4>Crown &amp; winding stem</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>Yoke</h4>
The yoke moves the sliding pinion and has a spring for outward tension.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>Sliding pinion</h4>
The sliding pinion has teeth on both sides to engage either setting or winding gear sets.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>Setting lever</h4>
For setting time, the setting lever presses against the yoke to move it inwards. For winding, the setting lever releases the yoke outwards.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>Setting jumper</h4>
The setting jumper holds the mechanism in place, and produces a characteristic “click” when switching modes.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>Mainspring &amp; barrel</h4>
The mainspring is a spiral spring made of steel ribbon.
It is fitted inside of the mainspring barrel.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>Click &amp; ratchet wheel</h4>
The click limits ratchet wheel rotation to one direction so the mainspring cannot unwind.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
 Moving hands</h3><p>
The toothed gears (cannon pinion, hour wheel) that hold time-keeping hands are friction coupled such that with adequate force they can be moved for time setting without disturbing the underlying wheel train gears that continuously drive them.
</p></div>
<div>
<h3>
 Mainspring function</h3><p>
The mainspring is connected to the <strong>winding pinion</strong> at the center and the <strong>mainspring barrel</strong> on the outside, but the pinion and barrel move independently.
Winding force comes through the pinion, and the <strong>click</strong> ensures that the spring stays in place so spring power goes out via barrel rotation.
</p></div>
</section> 
 <hr />
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 <hr />
 
<section>
<div>
<h2>
 Wheel train</h2><p>
The wheel train connects the mainspring and escapement, and drives time-keeping hands and associated wheels.
</p></div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Center wheel</h4>
The center wheel rotates once per hour.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Third wheel</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Fourth wheel</h4>
The fourth wheel rotates once per minute and holds the second hand.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
 Jewel bearings</h3><p>
The axle of each wheel rests in a synthetic jewel bearing. The near- frictionless jewels allow the mechanics to work as long as several decades in some instances.
</p></div>
</section> 
 <hr />
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 <hr />
 
 
<section>
<div>
<h2>
 Escapement &amp; balance wheel</h2><p>
The escapement (escape wheel and pallet fork) and balance wheel work together to regulate the release of mainspring power in precisely timed increments.
</p></div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Balance wheel</h4>
The balance wheel (most fragile part of the watch) is supported by a
shock-absorbing mounting system complete with a jewel bearing and capstone which protects the wheel if the watch is dropped, etc.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Regulator</h4>
The regulator adjusts the active length of the hairspring which adjusts the speed of the balance wheel oscillation.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Impulse pin</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Curb pins</h4>
Curb pins hold the hairspring in place.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Hairspring</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Pallet fork</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Pallets</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Escape wheel</h4>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
 <p></p><h3>
 Power exchange</h3>
<p>
 The impulse pin on the balance wheel knocks into the pallet fork (1), releasing the escape wheel so it can rotate (2).
</p>
<p>
The escape wheel’s teeth (driven by mainspring power) are specially designed to give the pallet fork a “push” (3) which in turn pushes the impulse pin (4), sending the balance wheel into another swing.
</p>
</div>
<div>
 <p></p><h3>
 Ticking &amp; beats</h3>
<p>
 The pallets catch the teeth of the escape wheel, making a "ticking" noise.
Each incremental escape wheel rotation is called a beat. A common watch beat rate is 21,600 BPH (or “beats per hour”), which is six beats per second.
</p>
</div>
</section> 
<section>
<div>
<h2>
 Motion works</h2><p>
The motion works powers the watch’s hands, translating wheel train rotation into readable time.
</p></div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Minute wheel</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Minute hand</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Hour hand</h4>
</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Hour wheel</h4>
The hour wheel rotates once per 12 hours.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Cannon pinion</h4>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h4>Seconds hand</h4><p>
The seconds hand (shown in the introductory illustration) is powered by the fourth wheel in this particular watch movement.
</p></div>
<div>
 <p></p><div>
<h3>Flow of power</h3><p>
The cannon pinion holds and powers the minute hand.
The slower-rotating hour wheel and hour hand is powered by the cannon pinion through the speed-reducing minute wheel.
</p></div>
</div>
</section> 
<section>
<p>
</p><h2>
 Support structure</h2>
<p></p>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Barrel bridge</h4>
The barrel bridge holds the mainspring and barrel, and associated parts.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Train wheel bridge</h4>
The train wheel bridge holds wheel train parts and other assorted elements.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Pallet bridge</h4>
The pallet bridge holds balance fork. The shape of the pallet bridge limits pallet fork travel as the fork moves back and forth with the balance wheel.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Balance bridge</h4>
The balance bridge holds the balance wheel and regulator.</li>
 	<li>
<h4>
 Main plate</h4>
The main plate serves as a base to mount all the movement’s parts.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</section> 
<section>
<p>
</p><h2>
 The full, expanded model</h2>
<p></p>
<div>
<ul>
 	<li></li>
</ul>
</div>
</section> 
<section>
<h5>References</h5>
<ul>
 	<li>
 About watch movements: technical details. (2016). Vintagewatchstraps.com. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from <a href="http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/watchmovement.php">http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/watchmovement.php</a></li>
 	<li>
 Dan, D. (2016). Keyless work fix [Part 1: 6497]. Replica-watch.info. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from <a href="https://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/135676-Keyless-work-fix-Part-1-6497">https://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/135676-Keyless-work-fix-Part-1-6497</a></li>
 	<li>
 How To Mechanical Watch Movement. (2016). Horologyzone.com. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from <a href="http://horologyzone.com/watch/watch-school/watch-movement-disassembly.html">http://horologyzone.com/watch/watch-school/watch-movement-disassembly.html</a></li>
 	<li>
 How To Remove A 6497 or 28xx Watch Movement (Decase A Movement). (2016). YouTube. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_19496675&amp;feature=iv&amp;list=PLuy167aHw0eFVFUEfVLSal2t4PHjuTvmv&amp;src_vid=jFV1N5FKkT0&amp;v=65nta3Ry4qQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_19496675&amp;feature=iv&amp;list=PLuy167aHw0eFVFUEfVLSal2t4PHjuTvmv&amp;src_vid=jFV1N5FKkT0&amp;v=65nta3Ry4qQ</a></li>
 	<li>
 Mechanical watch. (2016). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_watch">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_watch</a></li>
 	<li>
 Odets, W. (2007). Illustrated Glossary of Watch Parts (1st ed.). TimeZone Watch School. Retrieved from <a href="http://people.timezone.com/mdisher/WatchSchool/pdfs/TZIllustratedGlossary.pdf">http://people.timezone.com/mdisher/WatchSchool/pdfs/TZIllustratedGlossary.pdf</a></li>
 	<li>
 Technical Communication ETA 6497-1. (2016) (1st ed.). Retrieved from <a href="https://secure.eta.ch/CSP/DesktopModules/ViewDoc.aspx?tabindex=2&amp;tabid=28&amp;DocId=204&amp;DocType=DT">https://secure.eta.ch/CSP/DesktopModules/ViewDoc.aspx?tabindex=2&amp;tabid=28&amp;DocId=204&amp;DocType=DT</a></li>
</ul>
</section> 
<section>
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How a Mechanical Watch Works

 Mechanical watches have no battery, microchip, or circuitry. Watch parts are machined to near perfection at microscopic sizes and tolerances and can produce accuracy within 2 - 3 seconds per day.
 * 

 * Escapement

 * Wheel train

 * Mainspring

 Basic functionality

 Power is stored in the main spring and released in reliable increments by the oscillating escapement assembly. The connected gears between the mainspring and escapement (the “wheel train”) turn at various speeds, allowing the watch to “tell time”.

 Share / Embed this infographic on your site →

 Time setting & winding

 The crown is pulled out to set the time and pushed in to wind the watch. In each mode (pulled out or pushed in) different gear sets are engaged.
 * 

 * Crown & winding stem

 * Yoke

 The yoke moves the sliding pinion and has a spring for outward tension.

 * Sliding pinion

 The sliding pinion has teeth on both sides to engage either setting or winding gear sets.

 * Setting lever

 For setting time, the setting lever presses against the yoke to move it inwards. For winding, the setting lever releases the yoke outwards.

 * Setting jumper

 The setting jumper holds the mechanism in place, and produces a characteristic “click” when switching modes.

 * Mainspring & barrel

 The mainspring is a spiral spring made of steel ribbon. It is fitted inside of the mainspring barrel.

 * Click & ratchet wheel

 The click limits ratchet wheel rotation to one direction so the mainspring cannot unwind.

 Moving hands

 The toothed gears (cannon pinion, hour wheel) that hold time-keeping hands are friction coupled such that with adequate force they can be moved for time setting without disturbing the underlying wheel train gears that continuously drive them.

 Mainspring function

 The mainspring is connected to the winding pinion at the center and the mainspring barrel on the outside, but the pinion and barrel move independently. Winding force comes through the pinion, and the click ensures that the spring stays in place so spring power goes out via barrel rotation.

 Our 3D animated infographics attract thousands of viewers. We'd love to work with you. Let's chat.

 Wheel train

 The wheel train connects the mainspring and escapement, and drives time-keeping hands and associated wheels.
 * 

 * Center wheel

 The center wheel rotates once per hour.

 * Third wheel

 * Fourth wheel

 The fourth wheel rotates once per minute and holds the second hand.

 Jewel bearings

 The axle of each wheel rests in a synthetic jewel bearing. The near- frictionless jewels allow the mechanics to work as long as several decades in some instances.

 Follow Animagraffs: email, twitter, facebook.

 Escapement & balance wheel

 The escapement (escape wheel and pallet fork) and balance wheel work together to regulate the release of mainspring power in precisely timed increments.
 * 

 * Balance wheel

 The balance wheel (most fragile part of the watch) is supported by a shock-absorbing mounting system complete with a jewel bearing and capstone which protects the wheel if the watch is dropped, etc.

 * Regulator

 The regulator adjusts the active length of the hairspring which adjusts the speed of the balance wheel oscillation.

 * Impulse pin

 * Curb pins

 Curb pins hold the hairspring in place.

 * Hairspring

 * Pallet fork

 * Pallets

 * Escape wheel

 Power exchange

 The impulse pin on the balance wheel knocks into the pallet fork (1) , releasing the escape wheel so it can rotate (2) .
 The escape wheel’s teeth (driven by mainspring power) are specially designed to give the pallet fork a “push” (3) which in turn pushes the impulse pin (4) , sending the balance wheel into another swing.

 Ticking & beats

 The pallets catch the teeth of the escape wheel, making a "ticking" noise. Each incremental escape wheel rotation is called a beat. A common watch beat rate is 21,600 BPH (or “beats per hour”), which is six beats per second.

 Motion works

 The motion works powers the watch’s hands, translating wheel train rotation into readable time.
 * 

 * Minute wheel

 * Minute hand

 * Hour hand

 * Hour wheel

 The hour wheel rotates once per 12 hours.

 * Cannon pinion

 Seconds hand

 The seconds hand (shown in the introductory illustration) is powered by the fourth wheel in this particular watch movement.

 Flow of power

 The cannon pinion holds and powers the minute hand. The slower-rotating hour wheel and hour hand is powered by the cannon pinion through the speed-reducing minute wheel.

 Support structure

 * 

 * Barrel bridge

 The barrel bridge holds the mainspring and barrel, and associated parts.

 * Train wheel bridge

 The train wheel bridge holds wheel train parts and other assorted elements.

 * Pallet bridge

 The pallet bridge holds balance fork. The shape of the pallet bridge limits pallet fork travel as the fork moves back and forth with the balance wheel.

 * Balance bridge

 The balance bridge holds the balance wheel and regulator.

 * Main plate

 The main plate serves as a base to mount all the movement’s parts.

 The full, expanded model

 * 

 References

 * About watch movements: technical details. (2016). Vintagewatchstraps.com. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/watchmovement.php
 * Dan, D. (2016). Keyless work fix [Part 1: 6497]. Replica-watch.info. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from https://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/135676-Keyless-work-fix-Part-1-6497
 * How To Mechanical Watch Movement. (2016). Horologyzone.com. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from http://horologyzone.com/watch/watch-school/watch-movement-disassembly.html
 * How To Remove A 6497 or 28xx Watch Movement (Decase A Movement). (2016). YouTube. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_19496675&feature=iv&list=PLuy167aHw0eFVFUEfVLSal2t4PHjuTvmv&src_vid=jFV1N5FKkT0&v=65nta3Ry4qQ
 * Mechanical watch. (2016). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_watch
 * Odets, W. (2007). Illustrated Glossary of Watch Parts (1st ed.). TimeZone Watch School. Retrieved from http://people.timezone.com/mdisher/WatchSchool/pdfs/TZIllustratedGlossary.pdf
 * Technical Communication ETA 6497-1. (2016) (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://secure.eta.ch/CSP/DesktopModules/ViewDoc.aspx?tabindex=2&tabid=28&DocId=204&DocType=DT

 Share / embed code

 • Copy/paste the code below to share this project on your site (in an iframe). • We only require a link back to this page and name attribution (ex: "by Animagraffs") </p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <div style="padding-bottom: 745%;position: relative;overflow: hidden;"><iframe src="https://animagraffs.com/mechanical-watch/" style="top: -1.2%;position: absolute; width: 100%;height: 20000px;" runat="server" frameborder="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" allowtransparency="yes"></iframe></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>

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© 2021 Copyright Animagraffs.
Mechanical watches have no battery, microchip, or circuitry.
Watch parts are machined to near perfection at microscopic sizes and tolerances and can produce accuracy within 2 - 3 seconds per day.
 	 
   
 	
Escapement
 	
Wheel train
 	
Mainspring
 Basic functionality 
Power is stored in the main spring and released in reliable increments by the oscillating escapement assembly.
The connected gears between the mainspring and escapement (the “wheel train”) turn at various speeds, allowing the watch to “tell time”.
 
 
 Share / Embed this infographic on your site → 
 
 Time setting &amp; winding 
The crown is pulled out to set the time and pushed in to wind the watch.
In each mode (pulled out or pushed in) different gear sets are engaged.
 
 	 
 	
Crown &amp; winding stem
 	
Yoke
The yoke moves the sliding pinion and has a spring for outward tension.
 	
Sliding pinion
The sliding pinion has teeth on both sides to engage either setting or winding gear sets.
 	
Setting lever
For setting time, the setting lever presses against the yoke to move it inwards. For winding, the setting lever releases the yoke outwards.
 	
Setting jumper
The setting jumper holds the mechanism in place, and produces a characteristic “click” when switching modes.
 	
Mainspring &amp; barrel
The mainspring is a spiral spring made of steel ribbon.
It is fitted inside of the mainspring barrel.
 	
Click &amp; ratchet wheel
The click limits ratchet wheel rotation to one direction so the mainspring cannot unwind.
 Moving hands 
The toothed gears (cannon pinion, hour wheel) that hold time-keeping hands are friction coupled such that with adequate force they can be moved for time setting without disturbing the underlying wheel train gears that continuously drive them.
 
 Mainspring function 
The mainspring is connected to the winding pinion at the center and the mainspring barrel on the outside, but the pinion and barrel move independently.
Winding force comes through the pinion, and the click ensures that the spring stays in place so spring power goes out via barrel rotation.
 
 
 
Our 3D animated infographics attract thousands of viewers. We'd love to work with you. Let's chat. 
 
 
 Wheel train 
The wheel train connects the mainspring and escapement, and drives time-keeping hands and associated wheels.
 
 	 
 	
 Center wheel
The center wheel rotates once per hour.
 	
 Third wheel
 	
 Fourth wheel
The fourth wheel rotates once per minute and holds the second hand.
 Jewel bearings 
The axle of each wheel rests in a synthetic jewel bearing. The near- frictionless jewels allow the mechanics to work as long as several decades in some instances.
 
 
 
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 Escapement &amp; balance wheel 
The escapement (escape wheel and pallet fork) and balance wheel work together to regulate the release of mainspring power in precisely timed increments.
 
 	 
 	
 Balance wheel
The balance wheel (most fragile part of the watch) is supported by a
shock-absorbing mounting system complete with a jewel bearing and capstone which protects the wheel if the watch is dropped, etc.
 	
 Regulator
The regulator adjusts the active length of the hairspring which adjusts the speed of the balance wheel oscillation.
 	
 Impulse pin
 	
 Curb pins
Curb pins hold the hairspring in place.
 	
 Hairspring
 	
 Pallet fork
 	
 Pallets
 	
 Escape wheel
   
 Power exchange
 The impulse pin on the balance wheel knocks into the pallet fork (1), releasing the escape wheel so it can rotate (2).
The escape wheel’s teeth (driven by mainspring power) are specially designed to give the pallet fork a “push” (3) which in turn pushes the impulse pin (4), sending the balance wheel into another swing.
   
 Ticking &amp; beats
 The pallets catch the teeth of the escape wheel, making a "ticking" noise.
Each incremental escape wheel rotation is called a beat. A common watch beat rate is 21,600 BPH (or “beats per hour”), which is six beats per second.
 
 Motion works 
The motion works powers the watch’s hands, translating wheel train rotation into readable time.
 
 	 
 	
 Minute wheel
 	
 Minute hand
 	
 Hour hand
 	
 Hour wheel
The hour wheel rotates once per 12 hours.
 	
 Cannon pinion
Seconds hand 
The seconds hand (shown in the introductory illustration) is powered by the fourth wheel in this particular watch movement.
 
   
Flow of power 
The cannon pinion holds and powers the minute hand.
The slower-rotating hour wheel and hour hand is powered by the cannon pinion through the speed-reducing minute wheel.
 
 
 
 Support structure
 
 	 
 	
 Barrel bridge
The barrel bridge holds the mainspring and barrel, and associated parts.
 	
 Train wheel bridge
The train wheel bridge holds wheel train parts and other assorted elements.
 	
 Pallet bridge
The pallet bridge holds balance fork. The shape of the pallet bridge limits pallet fork travel as the fork moves back and forth with the balance wheel.
 	
 Balance bridge
The balance bridge holds the balance wheel and regulator.
 	
 Main plate
The main plate serves as a base to mount all the movement’s parts.
 
 
 The full, expanded model
 
 	 
 
References
 	
 About watch movements: technical details. (2016). Vintagewatchstraps.com. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/watchmovement.php 
 	
 Dan, D. (2016). Keyless work fix [Part 1: 6497]. Replica-watch.info. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from https://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/135676-Keyless-work-fix-Part-1-6497 
 	
 How To Mechanical Watch Movement. (2016). Horologyzone.com. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from http://horologyzone.com/watch/watch-school/watch-movement-disassembly.html 
 	
 How To Remove A 6497 or 28xx Watch Movement (Decase A Movement). (2016). YouTube. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_19496675&amp;feature=iv&amp;list=PLuy167aHw0eFVFUEfVLSal2t4PHjuTvmv&amp;src_vid=jFV1N5FKkT0&amp;v=65nta3Ry4qQ 
 	
 Mechanical watch. (2016). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 4 November 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_watch 
 	
 Odets, W. (2007). Illustrated Glossary of Watch Parts (1st ed.). TimeZone Watch School. Retrieved from http://people.timezone.com/mdisher/WatchSchool/pdfs/TZIllustratedGlossary.pdf 
 	
 Technical Communication ETA 6497-1. (2016) (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://secure.eta.ch/CSP/DesktopModules/ViewDoc.aspx?tabindex=2&amp;tabid=28&amp;DocId=204&amp;DocType=DT 
 
  
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https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70
Ritchie’s Smart Watch Data Analytics and Visualization
2020-07-24
Reddy; Nandireddy Chaitanya Nath; Ramesh; Aditya; Rajasekaran; Rajkumar; Masih; Jolly
<div><div>
<div><h2>Abstract</h2><p>The popularity of smartwatches has significantly risen in the past decade owing to advancements in technology, cost reduction, materials availability, production optimization and industrial automation. These factors have compounded the growth of manufacture of smartwatches and coupled with the internet-of-things boom in recent years, this field has seen rapid development and large investments of time and resources. Consequently, with a large amount of data being generated by these smartwatches, the question arises – is it feasible to obtain this data from a watch, and then visualize it in an interpretable manner? Our work answers this with a positive “yes” and demonstrates the proof-of-concept. We propose to build a platform that can extract data from a smartwatch (Mi Band 3 used in proof-of-concept) and visualize this information on a web application dashboard in order to enable the user to obtain insights regarding their physical health and data with ease and convenience.</p></div>
<div><h2>References</h2><div><ol><li><p>Danova, T.: The wearables report: growth trends, consumer attitudes, and why smartwatches will dominate, May 2015</p><p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?&amp;q=Danova%2C%20T.%3A%20The%20wearables%20report%3A%20growth%20trends%2C%20consumer%20attitudes%2C%20and%20why%20smartwatches%20will%20dominate%2C%20May%202015">
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 </p></li><li><p>Choe, E.K., Lee, N.B., Lee, B., Pratt, W., Kientz, J.A.: Understanding quantified-selfers’ practices in collecting and exploring personal data. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 26 April–01 May 2014 (2014)</p><p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?&amp;q=Choe%2C%20E.K.%2C%20Lee%2C%20N.B.%2C%20Lee%2C%20B.%2C%20Pratt%2C%20W.%2C%20Kientz%2C%20J.A.%3A%20Understanding%20quantified-selfers%E2%80%99%20practices%20in%20collecting%20and%20exploring%20personal%20data.%20In%3A%20Proceedings%20of%20the%20SIGCHI%20Conference%20on%20Human%20Factors%20in%20Computing%20Systems%2C%20Toronto%2C%20Ontario%2C%20Canada%2C%2026%20April%E2%80%9301%20May%202014%20%282014%29">
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 </p></li><li><p>West, V.L., Borland, D., Hammond, W.: Innovative information visualization of electronic health record data: a systematic review. J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc. <b>22</b>(2), 330–339 (2015)</p><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1136%2Famiajnl-2014-002955">Article</a> 
 <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?&amp;title=Innovative%20information%20visualization%20of%20electronic%20health%20record%20data%3A%20a%20systematic%20review&amp;journal=J.%20Am.%20Med.%20Inform.%20Assoc.&amp;volume=22&amp;issue=2&amp;pages=330-339&amp;publication_year=2015&amp;author=West%2CVL&amp;author=Borland%2CD&amp;author=Hammond%2CW">
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 </p></li><li><p>Rajkumar, R., Govinda, K., Jindal, A., Mehtani, R., Masih, J., Sai, M.C.: Visualization effect of changing climatic trends on natural calamities: hurricanes. <a href="https://doi.org/10.36872/lepi/v50i3/201022">https://doi.org/10.36872/lepi/v50i3/201022</a></p></li><li><p>Sharma, V., Rajkumar, R., Badhrinarayanan, S.: Visualization of data mining techniques for the prediction of breast cancer with high accuracy rates. J. Comput. Sci. <b>15</b>(1) (2019). <a href="https://doi.org/10.3844/jcssp.2019.118.130">https://doi.org/10.3844/jcssp.2019.118.130</a></p></li></ol><p><a href="https://citation-needed.springer.com/v2/references/10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70?format=refman&amp;flavour=references">Download references</a></p></div></div><div><h2>Author information</h2><div><h3>Authors and Affiliations</h3><ol><li><p>School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India</p><p>Nandireddy Chaitanya Nath Reddy, Aditya Ramesh &amp; Rajkumar Rajasekaran</p></li><li><p>Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands</p><p>Jolly Masih</p></li></ol><div><p></p><ol><li><div><p>You can also search for this author in
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 <a href="mailto:vitrajkumar@gmail.com">Rajkumar Rajasekaran </a>.</p></div></div><div><h2>Editor information</h2><div><h3>Editors and Affiliations</h3><ol><li><p>Department of Electrical Engineering, Dayeh University, Changhua, Taiwan</p><p>Joy Iong-Zong Chen </p></li><li><p>Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal</p><p>João Manuel R. S. Tavares </p></li><li><p>Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Lalitpur, Nepal</p><p>Subarna Shakya </p></li><li><p>College of Engineering, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia</p><p>Abdullah M. Iliyasu </p></li></ol></div></div><div><h2>Rights and permissions</h2></div><div><h2>Copyright information</h2><p>© 2021 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG</p></div><div><h2>About this paper</h2><div><p><a href="https://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70"></a></p><div><h3>Cite this paper</h3><p>Reddy, N.C.N., Ramesh, A., Rajasekaran, R., Masih, J. (2021). Ritchie’s Smart Watch Data Analytics and Visualization.
 In: Chen, J.IZ., Tavares, J.M.R.S., Shakya, S., Iliyasu, A.M. (eds) Image Processing and Capsule Networks. ICIPCN 2020. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1200. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70</p><h3>Download citation</h3><ul><li><a href="https://citation-needed.springer.com/v2/references/10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70?format=refman&amp;flavour=citation">.RIS</a></li><li><a href="https://citation-needed.springer.com/v2/references/10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70?format=endnote&amp;flavour=citation">.ENW</a></li><li><a href="https://citation-needed.springer.com/v2/references/10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70?format=bibtex&amp;flavour=citation">.BIB</a></li></ul><ul><li><p><abbr>DOI</abbr></p></li><li><p>Published</p></li><li><p>
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 Ritchie’s Smart Watch Data Analytics and Visualization

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 * pp 776–784
 * Cite this conference paper
 Image Processing and Capsule Networks (ICIPCN 2020)
 * Nandireddy Chaitanya Nath Reddy18,
 * Aditya Ramesh18,
 * Rajkumar Rajasekaran18 &
 * …
 * Jolly Masih19
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 Abstract

 The popularity of smartwatches has significantly risen in the past decade owing to advancements in technology, cost reduction, materials availability, production optimization and industrial automation. These factors have compounded the growth of manufacture of smartwatches and coupled with the internet-of-things boom in recent years, this field has seen rapid development and large investments of time and resources. Consequently, with a large amount of data being generated by these smartwatches, the question arises – is it feasible to obtain this data from a watch, and then visualize it in an interpretable manner? Our work answers this with a positive “yes” and demonstrates the proof-of-concept. We propose to build a platform that can extract data from a smartwatch (Mi Band 3 used in proof-of-concept) and visualize this information on a web application dashboard in order to enable the user to obtain insights regarding their physical health and data with ease and convenience.

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 References

 1. Danova, T.: The wearables report: growth trends, consumer attitudes, and why smartwatches will dominate, May 2015

 Google Scholar

 2. Ståhl, A., Höök, K., Svensson, M., Taylor, A.S., Combetto, M.: Experiencing the affective diary. Pers. Ubiquit. Comput. 13(5), 365–378 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-008-0202-7

 3. Shneiderman, B., Plaisant, C., Hesse, B.W.: Improving health and healthcare with interactive visualization methods. IEEE Comput. 46(1), 58–66 (2013)

 Article Google Scholar

 4. Greenhalgh, T., Stramer, K., Bratan, T., Byrne, E., Russell, J., Potts, H.W.: Adoption and non-adoption of a shared electronic summary record in England: a mixed-method case study. BMJ 340, c3111 (2010)

 Article Google Scholar

 5. NHS Connecting for Health. Clinical Dashboards. NHS Connecting for Health (2012)

 Google Scholar

 6. Quazi, M.T., Mukhopadhyay, S.C., Suryadevara, N.K., Huang, Y.M.: Towards the smart sensors based human emotion recognition. In: 2012 IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (I2MTC 2012) (2012)

 Google Scholar

 7. Ananthanarayan, S., Siek, K.A.: Persuasive wearable technology design for health and wellness. In: 2012 6th International Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare (Pervasive Health), pp. 236–240. IEEE (2012)

 Google Scholar

 8. Choe, E.K., Lee, N.B., Lee, B., Pratt, W., Kientz, J.A.: Understanding quantified-selfers’ practices in collecting and exploring personal data. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 26 April–01 May 2014 (2014)

 Google Scholar

 9. Fernandez-Luque, L., Karlsen, R., Krogstad, T., Burkow, T., Vognild, L.: Personalized health applications in the web 2.0: the emergence of a new approach. In: Proceedings of the IEEE on Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, pp. 1053–1056, August 2010

 Google Scholar

 10. West, V.L., Borland, D., Hammond, W.: Innovative information visualization of electronic health record data: a systematic review. J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc. 22(2), 330–339 (2015)

 Article Google Scholar

 11. Rajkumar, R., Govinda, K., Jindal, A., Mehtani, R., Masih, J., Sai, M.C.: Visualization effect of changing climatic trends on natural calamities: hurricanes. https://doi.org/10.36872/lepi/v50i3/201022

 12. Sharma, V., Rajkumar, R., Badhrinarayanan, S.: Visualization of data mining techniques for the prediction of breast cancer with high accuracy rates. J. Comput. Sci. 15(1) (2019). https://doi.org/10.3844/jcssp.2019.118.130

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 Authors and Affiliations

 1. School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India

 Nandireddy Chaitanya Nath Reddy, Aditya Ramesh & Rajkumar Rajasekaran

 2. Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

 Jolly Masih

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 1. Nandireddy Chaitanya Nath Reddy
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 1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Dayeh University, Changhua, Taiwan

 Joy Iong-Zong Chen

 2. Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal

 João Manuel R. S. Tavares

 3. Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Lalitpur, Nepal

 Subarna Shakya

 4. College of Engineering, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

 Abdullah M. Iliyasu

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 Reddy, N.C.N., Ramesh, A., Rajasekaran, R., Masih, J. (2021). Ritchie’s Smart Watch Data Analytics and Visualization. In: Chen, J.IZ., Tavares, J.M.R.S., Shakya, S., Iliyasu, A.M. (eds) Image Processing and Capsule Networks. ICIPCN 2020. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1200. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70

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Abstract The popularity of smartwatches has significantly risen in the past decade owing to advancements in technology, cost reduction, materials availability, production optimization and industrial automation. These factors have compounded the growth of manufacture of smartwatches and coupled with the internet-of-things boom in recent years, this field has seen rapid development and large investments of time and resources. Consequently, with a large amount of data being generated by these smartwatches, the question arises – is it feasible to obtain this data from a watch, and then visualize it in an interpretable manner? Our work answers this with a positive “yes” and demonstrates the proof-of-concept. We propose to build a platform that can extract data from a smartwatch (Mi Band 3 used in proof-of-concept) and visualize this information on a web application dashboard in order to enable the user to obtain insights regarding their physical health and data with ease and convenience. 
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    Fernandez-Luque, L., Karlsen, R., Krogstad, T., Burkow, T., Vognild, L.: Personalized health applications in the web 2.0: the emergence of a new approach. In: Proceedings of the IEEE on Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, pp. 1053–1056, August 2010  
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    West, V.L., Borland, D., Hammond, W.: Innovative information visualization of electronic health record data: a systematic review. J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc. 22(2), 330–339 (2015)  Article 
 
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    Rajkumar, R., Govinda, K., Jindal, A., Mehtani, R., Masih, J., Sai, M.C.: Visualization effect of changing climatic trends on natural calamities: hurricanes. https://doi.org/10.36872/lepi/v50i3/201022    Sharma, V., Rajkumar, R., Badhrinarayanan, S.: Visualization of data mining techniques for the prediction of breast cancer with high accuracy rates. J. Comput. Sci. 15(1) (2019). https://doi.org/10.3844/jcssp.2019.118.130     Download references     Author information  Authors and Affiliations   School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India Nandireddy Chaitanya Nath Reddy, Aditya Ramesh &amp; Rajkumar Rajasekaran   Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Jolly Masih         You can also search for this author in
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 Rajkumar Rajasekaran .    Editor information  Editors and Affiliations   Department of Electrical Engineering, Dayeh University, Changhua, Taiwan Joy Iong-Zong Chen    Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal João Manuel R. S. Tavares    Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Lalitpur, Nepal Subarna Shakya    College of Engineering, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia Abdullah M. Iliyasu       Rights and permissions   Copyright information © 2021 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG   About this paper       Cite this paper Reddy, N.C.N., Ramesh, A., Rajasekaran, R., Masih, J. (2021). Ritchie’s Smart Watch Data Analytics and Visualization.
 In: Chen, J.IZ., Tavares, J.M.R.S., Shakya, S., Iliyasu, A.M. (eds) Image Processing and Capsule Networks. ICIPCN 2020. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1200. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51859-2_70 Download citation   .RIS   .ENW   .BIB      DOI    Published   
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</p><h2>Watch the Keynote and Panel Discussion</h2>
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<h5>Keynote</h5>
<h4>Eight Data Visualization Myths</h4>
<p>“If you’re creating charts that people are going to be making multimillion-dollar decisions on – or possibly life or death decisions on – then you have to have some training,” says Nick Desbarats, a data visualization and dashboard design educator. What are the consequences of bad charts and graphs? You may misrepresent reality or fail to surface key insights. Or your audience won't even look at your data visualization because it requires too much cognitive effort. In this presentation, Desbarats dispels eight common myths about data visualization.</p>
<p><strong>Watch to learn more about:</strong></p>
<ul><li>Obviously – and unobviously – bad chart designs.</li><li>How we should – and shouldn’t – evaluate the effectiveness of a chart.</li><li>Shifting our thinking about charts from what they <em>are</em> to what they are <em>for</em>.</li><li>Brain science and how our design choices subtly influence how people perceive data.</li><li>The skills you need to make great data visualizations. </li></ul>
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<h5>Panel Discussion</h5>
<h4>Insights from experts at W.L. Gore and SAS on how to gain momentum for your ideas and inform strategic decision making </h4>
<p>Good visual design is as important as good grammar. Understanding data visualization best practices can help you communicate about data in an accessible, influential way. When designing graphs for others, you must carefully construct them so that audiences can consume the information with ease.</p>
<p>In this discussion, data visualization experts share how to improve graphicacy and data savvy at engineering and science organizations, how to make charts accessible for various audiences and how to use graphs for data exploration.</p>
<p><strong>You’ll hear from:</strong></p>
<ul><li><strong>Nick Desbarats</strong>, Independent Data Visualization and Dashboard Design Educator, Practical Reporting</li><li><strong>Chris Chen</strong>, Enterprise Analytics Champion, W.L. Gore</li><li><strong>Xan Gregg</strong>, JMP Director of R&amp;D, SAS</li></ul>
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 Data visualization best practices can transform the work of scientists and engineers

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 Keynote

 Eight Data Visualization Myths

 “If you’re creating charts that people are going to be making multimillion-dollar decisions on – or possibly life or death decisions on – then you have to have some training,” says Nick Desbarats, a data visualization and dashboard design educator. What are the consequences of bad charts and graphs? You may misrepresent reality or fail to surface key insights. Or your audience won't even look at your data visualization because it requires too much cognitive effort. In this presentation, Desbarats dispels eight common myths about data visualization.

 Watch to learn more about:

 * Obviously – and unobviously – bad chart designs.
 * How we should – and shouldn’t – evaluate the effectiveness of a chart.
 * Shifting our thinking about charts from what they are to what they are for.
 * Brain science and how our design choices subtly influence how people perceive data.
 * The skills you need to make great data visualizations.

 Panel Discussion

 Insights from experts at W.L. Gore and SAS on how to gain momentum for your ideas and inform strategic decision making

 Good visual design is as important as good grammar. Understanding data visualization best practices can help you communicate about data in an accessible, influential way. When designing graphs for others, you must carefully construct them so that audiences can consume the information with ease.

 In this discussion, data visualization experts share how to improve graphicacy and data savvy at engineering and science organizations, how to make charts accessible for various audiences and how to use graphs for data exploration.

 You’ll hear from:

 * Nick Desbarats, Independent Data Visualization and Dashboard Design Educator, Practical Reporting
 * Chris Chen, Enterprise Analytics Champion, W.L. Gore
 * Xan Gregg, JMP Director of R&D, SAS

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Watch the Keynote and Panel Discussion
  
Keynote
Eight Data Visualization Myths
“If you’re creating charts that people are going to be making multimillion-dollar decisions on – or possibly life or death decisions on – then you have to have some training,” says Nick Desbarats, a data visualization and dashboard design educator. What are the consequences of bad charts and graphs? You may misrepresent reality or fail to surface key insights. Or your audience won't even look at your data visualization because it requires too much cognitive effort. In this presentation, Desbarats dispels eight common myths about data visualization.
 Watch to learn more about: 
 Obviously – and unobviously – bad chart designs. How we should – and shouldn’t – evaluate the effectiveness of a chart. Shifting our thinking about charts from what they are to what they are for. Brain science and how our design choices subtly influence how people perceive data. The skills you need to make great data visualizations.  
 
Panel Discussion
Insights from experts at W.L. Gore and SAS on how to gain momentum for your ideas and inform strategic decision making 
Good visual design is as important as good grammar. Understanding data visualization best practices can help you communicate about data in an accessible, influential way. When designing graphs for others, you must carefully construct them so that audiences can consume the information with ease.
In this discussion, data visualization experts share how to improve graphicacy and data savvy at engineering and science organizations, how to make charts accessible for various audiences and how to use graphs for data exploration.
 You’ll hear from: 
  Nick Desbarats, Independent Data Visualization and Dashboard Design Educator, Practical Reporting  Chris Chen, Enterprise Analytics Champion, W.L. Gore  Xan Gregg, JMP Director of R&amp;D, SAS 
 
 Preview the panel discussion
Webinar: Data visualization best practices can transform the work of scientists and engineers
https://www.jmp.com/en_us/events/statistically-speaking/on-demand/data-visualization-best-practices-transform-work-of-scientists-engineers.html
http://opendatawatch.com/blog/visualization-for-a-better-look-at-gender-data/
Visualization for a Better Look at Gender Data
2017-10-26
None
<div><div><p><em>By Amelia Pittman</em></p>
<p>Mathematician and statistician John Tukey observed, “The greatest value of a picture is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see.” Data visualizations can help us discover innovative solutions, support new initiatives, and raise awareness of issues few were aware of. What can we see in the data measuring the well-being of women and girls around the world? There may be gaps in the data, but enough data on women and girls exist for us to start creating visualizations to confirm problems we’ve suspected for years and to see new sides of challenges.</p>
<p>This blog post shares our initial experience in creating interactive online visualizations with <a href="https://www.tableau.com/">Tableau</a> software. Not only have we been able to use it to explore the variation of health indicators for women and girls, but we have also been able to better see the gaps remaining in the data.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://opendatawatch.com/blog/ready-to-measure-phase-two-ambitions/">Ready to Measure (R2M)</a> project identifies and curates data for 20 gender indicators that are ready to monitor the sustainable development goals (SDGs). These data, from many different sources, are available online through a <a href="http://genderdata.opendatawatch.com/">data query tool</a>. A quick glance reveals gaps, but these gaps just mean we need to work even harder to make each data point count. Data visualizations like the one below can make information and insights accessible when they might have otherwise been lost in the columns and rows of spreadsheets or tables.</p>
<p>Explore our interactive Tableau dashboard below showing insights on R2M health indicators for women and girls:</p>
<p>What we appreciate about the dashboard’s capabilities is the interactive visualization that summarizes the data and invites users to explore the elements most relevant to their interests. Users can adjust the dashboard to show data for R2M indicators on stunting prevalence, anemia prevalence, maternal mortality, and under-five mortality. Hovering the cursor over a country reveals a tooltip showing the country’s name, year of data, and the indicator value. Users can also analyze how an indicator’s values differ across country income groups using the bar chart to the right. The map showing the income group of each country allows users to compare the bar chart and the map showing the indicator values. Beneath this international overview of a selected indicator, users can examine the data for specific countries more closely. Selecting a country produces a bar chart showing data available between 2000 and 2016 for the previously selected indicator. The map reveals countries with no available data for any year, but the bar chart section allows users to explore the issue of data scarcity across all years within each country.</p>
<p>Take Ghana as an example. Like many countries, data availability by indicators. The bar charts below show the year-by-year values for three health indicators. In Ghana, the maternal mortality ratio has data for only 2007. This single year provides a helpful glimpse of the risk mothers face, but it’s a static picture that tells us nothing about whether things are getting better or not. Other estimates of maternal mortality in Ghana are available, but only the 2007 value has been accepted into the international databases used by the R2M project. Clearly more data – not just modeled estimates – are needed.</p>
<p>Data for girls’ under-five mortality rate are available for 2000, 2010, and 2015. These three years show us that the country is improving by reducing the rate over time. The prevalence of stunting (low height for age) in girls under 5 years of age is available for five years. It shows that from 2003 to 2014, the prevalence of stunting has dropped by half, from 32.7 to 16.8 percent. But if we had only found data for 2006 and 2008, we would have seen the prevalence of stunting rise slightly from 26.2 to 26.7 percent and possibly thought that stunting was slowly getting worse in Ghana. This shows that we need to be especially careful when working with sparse data as the full story is not being told.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The data gaps created some difficulties that we needed to tackle to create this dashboard.  Tableau has online training videos and guides for all users of their Tableau Desktop software. In our case, we also received help from Hannah Jackson and Tammy Glazer, volunteers through <a href="https://servicecorps.tableaufoundation.org/">Tableau Service Corps</a>. This program is a volunteer network of Tableau employees who help non-profits around the world bring their data to life through visualization. Although we could use the online resources as a guide to many features in Tableau, they helped us quickly learn how to resolve one of our trickier issues: it’s simple to create a map showing data for 2016, but that left out countries with less recent data. To create a map showing data for as many countries as possible, we needed to show data for the “most recent year.” Our volunteers showed us how to create the calculated fields needed for this. And if anyone else has a similar problem with needing to show data for the “most recent year” in a data visualization, we would be happy to share the method developed by our volunteers.</p>
<p>Dashboards like the one above can serve as a diagnostic tool for countries to assess and plan for the modernization of their national statistical systems. They can also help policy-makers and donors identify gaps in our knowledge and evidence that must be filled. And as more users discover and explore these data, review observations that are available, and more importantly, those that are missing, the international open data community and national governments can work together to fill the remaining data gaps.</p>
<p>Developing capacity to create interactive online data visualizations allows us to communicate stories about the well-being of women and girls using R2M and other indicators from the SDGs. We can also create visualizations that explore the data gaps across indicators and within countries more directly. And beyond R2M, we hope to use such dashboards to invite more users to explore our <a href="https://odin.opendatawatch.com/">Open Data Inventory (ODIN)</a> which has information on the availability and openness of official statistics in 180 countries.</p>
<hr />
	 </div><div>
	<h4> Open Data Watch</h4>
	<p>Open Data Watch is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization that works at the intersection of open data and official statistics. It monitors the accessibility and comprehensiveness of official data in over 180 countries and provides practical information and assistance in implementing open data policies and systems. The Open Data Watch team has unparalleled experience in development data and is committed to making open data a global reality in support of Sustainable Development Goals.</p>
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 Visualization for a Better Look at Gender Data

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 2. Blog
 3. Visualization for a Better Look…

 By Amelia Pittman

 Mathematician and statistician John Tukey observed, “The greatest value of a picture is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see.” Data visualizations can help us discover innovative solutions, support new initiatives, and raise awareness of issues few were aware of. What can we see in the data measuring the well-being of women and girls around the world? There may be gaps in the data, but enough data on women and girls exist for us to start creating visualizations to confirm problems we’ve suspected for years and to see new sides of challenges.

 This blog post shares our initial experience in creating interactive online visualizations with Tableau software. Not only have we been able to use it to explore the variation of health indicators for women and girls, but we have also been able to better see the gaps remaining in the data.

 The Ready to Measure (R2M) project identifies and curates data for 20 gender indicators that are ready to monitor the sustainable development goals (SDGs). These data, from many different sources, are available online through a data query tool. A quick glance reveals gaps, but these gaps just mean we need to work even harder to make each data point count. Data visualizations like the one below can make information and insights accessible when they might have otherwise been lost in the columns and rows of spreadsheets or tables.

 Explore our interactive Tableau dashboard below showing insights on R2M health indicators for women and girls:

 What we appreciate about the dashboard’s capabilities is the interactive visualization that summarizes the data and invites users to explore the elements most relevant to their interests. Users can adjust the dashboard to show data for R2M indicators on stunting prevalence, anemia prevalence, maternal mortality, and under-five mortality. Hovering the cursor over a country reveals a tooltip showing the country’s name, year of data, and the indicator value. Users can also analyze how an indicator’s values differ across country income groups using the bar chart to the right. The map showing the income group of each country allows users to compare the bar chart and the map showing the indicator values. Beneath this international overview of a selected indicator, users can examine the data for specific countries more closely. Selecting a country produces a bar chart showing data available between 2000 and 2016 for the previously selected indicator. The map reveals countries with no available data for any year, but the bar chart section allows users to explore the issue of data scarcity across all years within each country.

 Take Ghana as an example. Like many countries, data availability by indicators. The bar charts below show the year-by-year values for three health indicators. In Ghana, the maternal mortality ratio has data for only 2007. This single year provides a helpful glimpse of the risk mothers face, but it’s a static picture that tells us nothing about whether things are getting better or not. Other estimates of maternal mortality in Ghana are available, but only the 2007 value has been accepted into the international databases used by the R2M project. Clearly more data – not just modeled estimates – are needed.

 Data for girls’ under-five mortality rate are available for 2000, 2010, and 2015. These three years show us that the country is improving by reducing the rate over time. The prevalence of stunting (low height for age) in girls under 5 years of age is available for five years. It shows that from 2003 to 2014, the prevalence of stunting has dropped by half, from 32.7 to 16.8 percent. But if we had only found data for 2006 and 2008, we would have seen the prevalence of stunting rise slightly from 26.2 to 26.7 percent and possibly thought that stunting was slowly getting worse in Ghana. This shows that we need to be especially careful when working with sparse data as the full story is not being told.

 The data gaps created some difficulties that we needed to tackle to create this dashboard. Tableau has online training videos and guides for all users of their Tableau Desktop software. In our case, we also received help from Hannah Jackson and Tammy Glazer, volunteers through Tableau Service Corps. This program is a volunteer network of Tableau employees who help non-profits around the world bring their data to life through visualization. Although we could use the online resources as a guide to many features in Tableau, they helped us quickly learn how to resolve one of our trickier issues: it’s simple to create a map showing data for 2016, but that left out countries with less recent data. To create a map showing data for as many countries as possible, we needed to show data for the “most recent year.” Our volunteers showed us how to create the calculated fields needed for this. And if anyone else has a similar problem with needing to show data for the “most recent year” in a data visualization, we would be happy to share the method developed by our volunteers.

 Dashboards like the one above can serve as a diagnostic tool for countries to assess and plan for the modernization of their national statistical systems. They can also help policy-makers and donors identify gaps in our knowledge and evidence that must be filled. And as more users discover and explore these data, review observations that are available, and more importantly, those that are missing, the international open data community and national governments can work together to fill the remaining data gaps.

 Developing capacity to create interactive online data visualizations allows us to communicate stories about the well-being of women and girls using R2M and other indicators from the SDGs. We can also create visualizations that explore the data gaps across indicators and within countries more directly. And beyond R2M, we hope to use such dashboards to invite more users to explore our Open Data Inventory (ODIN) which has information on the availability and openness of official statistics in 180 countries.

 Share Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin

 Author: Open Data Watch

 Open Data Watch is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization that works at the intersection of open data and official statistics. It monitors the accessibility and comprehensiveness of official data in over 180 countries and provides practical information and assistance in implementing open data policies and systems. The Open Data Watch team has unparalleled experience in development data and is committed to making open data a global reality in support of Sustainable Development Goals.

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By Amelia Pittman 
Mathematician and statistician John Tukey observed, “The greatest value of a picture is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see.” Data visualizations can help us discover innovative solutions, support new initiatives, and raise awareness of issues few were aware of. What can we see in the data measuring the well-being of women and girls around the world? There may be gaps in the data, but enough data on women and girls exist for us to start creating visualizations to confirm problems we’ve suspected for years and to see new sides of challenges.
This blog post shares our initial experience in creating interactive online visualizations with Tableau software. Not only have we been able to use it to explore the variation of health indicators for women and girls, but we have also been able to better see the gaps remaining in the data.
The Ready to Measure (R2M) project identifies and curates data for 20 gender indicators that are ready to monitor the sustainable development goals (SDGs). These data, from many different sources, are available online through a data query tool. A quick glance reveals gaps, but these gaps just mean we need to work even harder to make each data point count. Data visualizations like the one below can make information and insights accessible when they might have otherwise been lost in the columns and rows of spreadsheets or tables.
Explore our interactive Tableau dashboard below showing insights on R2M health indicators for women and girls:
What we appreciate about the dashboard’s capabilities is the interactive visualization that summarizes the data and invites users to explore the elements most relevant to their interests. Users can adjust the dashboard to show data for R2M indicators on stunting prevalence, anemia prevalence, maternal mortality, and under-five mortality. Hovering the cursor over a country reveals a tooltip showing the country’s name, year of data, and the indicator value. Users can also analyze how an indicator’s values differ across country income groups using the bar chart to the right. The map showing the income group of each country allows users to compare the bar chart and the map showing the indicator values. Beneath this international overview of a selected indicator, users can examine the data for specific countries more closely. Selecting a country produces a bar chart showing data available between 2000 and 2016 for the previously selected indicator. The map reveals countries with no available data for any year, but the bar chart section allows users to explore the issue of data scarcity across all years within each country.
Take Ghana as an example. Like many countries, data availability by indicators. The bar charts below show the year-by-year values for three health indicators. In Ghana, the maternal mortality ratio has data for only 2007. This single year provides a helpful glimpse of the risk mothers face, but it’s a static picture that tells us nothing about whether things are getting better or not. Other estimates of maternal mortality in Ghana are available, but only the 2007 value has been accepted into the international databases used by the R2M project. Clearly more data – not just modeled estimates – are needed.
Data for girls’ under-five mortality rate are available for 2000, 2010, and 2015. These three years show us that the country is improving by reducing the rate over time. The prevalence of stunting (low height for age) in girls under 5 years of age is available for five years. It shows that from 2003 to 2014, the prevalence of stunting has dropped by half, from 32.7 to 16.8 percent. But if we had only found data for 2006 and 2008, we would have seen the prevalence of stunting rise slightly from 26.2 to 26.7 percent and possibly thought that stunting was slowly getting worse in Ghana. This shows that we need to be especially careful when working with sparse data as the full story is not being told.
 
The data gaps created some difficulties that we needed to tackle to create this dashboard.  Tableau has online training videos and guides for all users of their Tableau Desktop software. In our case, we also received help from Hannah Jackson and Tammy Glazer, volunteers through Tableau Service Corps. This program is a volunteer network of Tableau employees who help non-profits around the world bring their data to life through visualization. Although we could use the online resources as a guide to many features in Tableau, they helped us quickly learn how to resolve one of our trickier issues: it’s simple to create a map showing data for 2016, but that left out countries with less recent data. To create a map showing data for as many countries as possible, we needed to show data for the “most recent year.” Our volunteers showed us how to create the calculated fields needed for this. And if anyone else has a similar problem with needing to show data for the “most recent year” in a data visualization, we would be happy to share the method developed by our volunteers.
Dashboards like the one above can serve as a diagnostic tool for countries to assess and plan for the modernization of their national statistical systems. They can also help policy-makers and donors identify gaps in our knowledge and evidence that must be filled. And as more users discover and explore these data, review observations that are available, and more importantly, those that are missing, the international open data community and national governments can work together to fill the remaining data gaps.
Developing capacity to create interactive online data visualizations allows us to communicate stories about the well-being of women and girls using R2M and other indicators from the SDGs. We can also create visualizations that explore the data gaps across indicators and within countries more directly. And beyond R2M, we hope to use such dashboards to invite more users to explore our Open Data Inventory (ODIN) which has information on the availability and openness of official statistics in 180 countries.
	  
	 Open Data Watch
	Open Data Watch is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization that works at the intersection of open data and official statistics. It monitors the accessibility and comprehensiveness of official data in over 180 countries and provides practical information and assistance in implementing open data policies and systems. The Open Data Watch team has unparalleled experience in development data and is committed to making open data a global reality in support of Sustainable Development Goals.
Visualization for a Better Look at Gender Data
https://opendatawatch.com/blog/visualization-for-a-better-look-at-gender-data/
https://www.columnfivemedia.com/25-tips-to-upgrade-your-data-visualization-design/
25 Tips to Instantly Improve Your Data Visualization Design
2020-06-23
Katy French
<div><div>
 <p><b></b>Data visualization design is both an art and a science, which is why it can be challenging for noobs to master. But if you want to master data storytelling—and make a strong impact through content—it’s a crucial skill.</p>
<h3>The Power of Data Visualization</h3>
<p>Your <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/why-your-brain-loves-visual-content-infographic">brain is prewired</a> to process visual content much quicker than text, which is why data design is so effective. By “seeing” the data, it is easier for your brain to intake, synthesize, and retain the information presented.</p>
<p><em>To see the power of data visualization at work, watch this quick video. </em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Unfortunately, a lot of people think that slapping a few charts together means you’re doing data visualization design well. Not only are you not doing it well; you might actually be hurting your brand. Subpar data design comes in many forms—a confusing visualization, mislabeled data, 3D charts that skew perception, etc. In these cases, your credibility may be on the line, and nobody wants that.</p>
<p>Even if you’re not misrepresenting data, if you aren’t presenting it in its most optimized form, you’re doing a disservice to your reader. Luckily, there are many simple things you can do to ensure your data stories make the impact they should.</p>
<p>So, if you’re ready kick your data visualization design game up a notch, we’ve compiled our team’s best tips to help you fix common data design mistakes and enhance your existing data visualizations, one chart at a time. We even arranged this list by category in case you need a quick reference. We hope they help.</p>
<h3><b>25 Tips for Data Visualization Design</b></h3>
<p>To start, let’s cover a few general things to keep in mind. Remember that every data visualization design choice you make should enhance your reader’s experience—not yours. (Sorry, but it’s not about showing off your sweet line-art skills.) Follow these tips to do your data justice.</p>
<p><strong>1) Choose the chart that tells the story.</strong> There may be more than one way to visualize the data accurately. In this case, consider what you’re trying to achieve, the message you’re communicating, who you’re trying to reach, etc.</p>
<p><strong>2) Remove anything that doesn’t support the story.</strong> No, that doesn’t mean you kill half your data points. But be mindful of things like chart junk, extra copy, unnecessary illustrations, drop shadows, ornamentations, etc. The great thing about data visualization is that design can help do the heavy lifting to enhance and communicate the story. Let it do its job. (But don’t use 3D charts. As previously mentioned, they can skew perception of the visualization.)</p>
<p><strong>3) Design for comprehension.</strong> Once you have your visualization created, take a step back and consider what simple elements might be added, tweaked, or removed to make the data easier for the reader to understand. You might add a trend line to a line chart, or you might realize you have too many slices in your pie chart (use 6 max). These subtle tweaks make a huge difference.</p>
<h3><b></b><b>Comparison</b></h3>
<p>Data visualization makes comparison a lot easier, letting you actually “see” how two different data sets stack up to each other. But just putting two charts side by side doesn’t necessarily accomplish that. In fact, it can make it more confusing. (Ever tried to compare 32 different pie charts? Yeah, didn’t think so.)</p>
<p><strong>4) Include a zero baseline if possible.</strong> Although a line chart does not have to start at a zero baseline, it should be included if it gives more context for comparison. If relatively small fluctuations in data are meaningful (e.g., in stock market data), you may truncate the scale to showcase these variances.</p>
<p><strong>5) Always choose the most efficient visualization.</strong> You want visual consistency so that the reader can compare at a glance. This might mean you use stacked bar charts, a grouped bar chart, or a line chart. Whatever you choose, don’t overwhelm by making the reader work to compare too many things.</p>
<p><strong>6) Watch your placement.</strong> You may have two nice stacked bar charts that are meant to let your reader compare points, but if they’re placed too far apart to “get” the comparison, you’ve already lost.</p>
<p><strong>7) Tell the whole story.</strong> Maybe you had a 30% sales increase in Q4. Exciting! But what’s more exciting? Showing that you’ve actually had a 100% sales increase since Q1.</p>
<p></p><h3><b>Copy</b></h3>
<p>Data is about numbers, certainly, but it is generally used in conjunction with copy to help provide context for the point at hand. That said, in many data visualizations, infographics, and e-books, we see data visualization and copy working against each other instead of together.</p>
<p><strong>8) Don’t over explain.</strong> If the copy already mentions a fact, the subhead, callout, and chart header don’t have to reiterate it.</p>
<p><strong>9) Keep chart and graph headers simple and to the point.</strong> There’s no need to get clever, verbose, or pun-tastic. Keep any descriptive text above the chart brief and directly related to the chart underneath. Remember: Focus on the quickest path to comprehension.</p>
<p><strong>10) Use callouts wisely.</strong> Callouts are not there to fill space. They should be used intentionally to highlight relevant information or provide additional context.</p>
<p><strong>11) Don’t use distracting fonts or elements.</strong> Sometimes you do need to emphasize a point. If so, only use bold or italic text to emphasize a point—and don’t use them both at the same time.</p>
<p></p><h3><b>Color </b></h3>
<p>Color is a great tool when used well. When used poorly, it can not just distract but misdirect the reader. Use it wisely in your data visualization design.</p>
<p><strong>12) Use a single color to represent the same type of data.</strong> If you are depicting sales month by month on a bar chart, use a single color. But if you are comparing last year’s sales to this year’s sales in a grouped chart, you should use a different color for each year. You can also use an accent color to highlight a significant data point.</p>
<p><strong>13) Watch out for positive and negative numbers.</strong> Don’t use red for positive numbers or green for negative numbers. Those color associations are so strong it will automatically flip the meaning in the viewer’s mind.</p>
<p><strong>14) Make sure there is sufficient contrast between colors.</strong> If colors are too similar (light gray vs. light, light gray), it can be hard to tell the difference. Conversely, don’t use high-contrast color combinations such as red/green or blue/yellow.</p>
<p><strong>15) Avoid patterns.</strong> Stripes and polka dots sound fun, but they can be incredibly distracting. If you are trying to differentiate, say, on a map, use different saturations of the same color. On that note, only use solid-colored lines (not dashes).</p>
<p><strong>16) Select colors appropriately.</strong> Some colors stand out more than others, giving unnecessary weight to that data. Instead, use a single color with varying shade or a spectrum between two analogous colors to show intensity. Remember to intuitively code color intensity according to values as well.</p>
<p><strong>17) Don’t use more than 6 colors in a single layout.</strong> Enough said.</p>
<p></p><h3><b>Labeling</b></h3>
<p>Labeling can be a minefield. Readers rely on labels to interpret data, but too many or too few can interfere.</p>
<p><strong>18) Double check that everything is labeled.</strong> Make sure everything that needs a label has one—and that there are no doubles or typos.</p>
<p><strong>19) Make sure labels are visible.</strong> All labels should be unobstructed and easily identified with the corresponding data point.</p>
<p><strong>20) Label the lines directly.</strong> If possible, include data labels with your data points. This lets readers quickly identify lines and corresponding labels so they don’t have to go hunting for a legend or similar point.</p>
<p><strong>21) Don’t over label.</strong> If the precise value of a data point is important to tell your story, then include data labels to enhance comprehension. If the precise values are not important to tell your story, leave the data labels out.</p>
<p><strong>22) Don’t set your type at an angle.</strong> If your axis labels are too crowded, consider removing every other label on an axis to allow the text to fit comfortably.</p>
<p></p><h3><b>Ordering</b></h3>
<p>Data visualization is meant to help make sense. Random patterns that are difficult to interpret are frustrating and detrimental to what you’re trying to communicate.</p>
<p><strong>23) Order data intuitively.</strong> There should be a logical hierarchy. Order categories alphabetically, sequentially, or by value.</p>
<p><strong>24) Order consistently.</strong> The ordering of items in your legend should mimic the order of your chart.</p>
<p><strong>25) Order evenly.</strong> Use natural increments on your axes (0, 5, 10, 15, 20) instead of awkward or uneven increments (0, 3, 5, 16, 50).</p>
<p></p><h3><strong>How to Master Data Visualization &amp; Storytelling</strong></h3>
<p>Of course, if you really want to stay on top of your game, make sure you’re up-to-date on best practices for data storytelling at every stage of the process.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Use the right sources. </strong><a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/data-storytelling-brands-data-visualization">Great stories come from great data</a>. While you can find a larger variety of external data, <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/why-your-best-data-storytelling-comes-from-your-data">internal data is a particularly effective</a> source of unique and interesting stories. To find external data, check out these <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/100-best-free-data-sources-infographic">100+ sources of free and credible data</a>. For internal data, here are <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/9-data-sources-inspire-next-piece-content">9 places to look</a>. You can also follow our <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/5-tips-sourcing-infographics">tips to source that data</a> correctly in your content.</li>
<li><strong></strong><strong>Craft a strong story. </strong>The true power of data storytelling relies on your ability to extract and shape a cohesive narrative. Start with this step-by-step <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/how-to-find-stories-in-data">guide</a><a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/how-to-find-stories-in-data"> to find stories in your data</a> and <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/crafting-an-infographic-narrative">craft an effective data narrative</a>. You can also download our free e-book, <em><a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/content-marketers-guide-to-data-storytelling">The Content Marketer’s Guide to Data Storytelling</a></em>, for more tips on bringing your data to life.</li>
<li><strong>Choose the right format. </strong>To make sure your data has the strongest impact, you need to present it in the right package. Whether you’re creating an e-book, infographic, or motion graphic, <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/how-to-pick-the-best-data-visualization-format-for-your-story">pick the right format</a> for your data visualization story.</li>
<li><b>Apply design fundamentals. </b>Good design matters. Remember, too, that differentiating yourself through design is crucial to stand out. Start with our <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/data-visualization-101-how-to-design-charts-and-graphs">guide to designing the most common charts and graphs</a>, find out <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/branding-infographics-build-visual-language-company">how to keep your content on brand</a>, consider <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/7-infographic-design-styles-to-try">experimenting with different visual styles</a>, and get inspired by more examples of <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/best-100-technology-infographics">technology infographics</a>, <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/50-b2b-infographics-prove-b2b-doesnt-boring">B2B infographics</a>, and <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/101-fantastic-interactive-infographics-youll-love">interactive infographics.</a></li>
<li><strong>Make the most of your content. </strong>Get more mileage by <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/10-creative-ways-to-repurpose-your-data-visualization">repurposing your data visualizations</a>, or <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/turn-e-book-design-content-into-infographics">turning your old content into infographics,</a> e-books, <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/3-ways-to-bring-your-animated-infographic-to-life-through-motion-graphics">animated infographics</a>, <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/how-to-data-visualization-report-design">reports</a>, <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/11-ways-microcontent-gives-your-brand-an-advantage">microcontent</a>, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Promote the right way. </strong>Don’t let good data stories get buried. Find out how to <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/how-to-promote-content-like-a-content-marketing-agency">promote your content like a content agency, </a>and <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/how-to-optimize-your-blog-for-content-distribution">optimize your blog for SEO.</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you still need a little help with your data storytelling, don’t be afraid to seek outside help. Here are a few<a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/8-things-look-data-visualization-agency"> tips to find the right data visualization agency</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/8-tips-great-work-data-visualization-agency">tips to work together</a> once you do. We’re also happy to <a href="https://www.columnfivemedia.com/contact">talk through</a> any of your data design challenges—seriously, we’re data geeks.</p>
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 25 Tips to Instantly Improve Your Data Visualization Design

 by Katy French

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 Data visualization design is both an art and a science, which is why it can be challenging for noobs to master. But if you want to master data storytelling—and make a strong impact through content—it’s a crucial skill.

 The Power of Data Visualization

 Your brain is prewired to process visual content much quicker than text, which is why data design is so effective. By “seeing” the data, it is easier for your brain to intake, synthesize, and retain the information presented.

 To see the power of data visualization at work, watch this quick video.

 Unfortunately, a lot of people think that slapping a few charts together means you’re doing data visualization design well. Not only are you not doing it well; you might actually be hurting your brand. Subpar data design comes in many forms—a confusing visualization, mislabeled data, 3D charts that skew perception, etc. In these cases, your credibility may be on the line, and nobody wants that.

 Even if you’re not misrepresenting data, if you aren’t presenting it in its most optimized form, you’re doing a disservice to your reader. Luckily, there are many simple things you can do to ensure your data stories make the impact they should.

 So, if you’re ready kick your data visualization design game up a notch, we’ve compiled our team’s best tips to help you fix common data design mistakes and enhance your existing data visualizations, one chart at a time. We even arranged this list by category in case you need a quick reference. We hope they help.

 25 Tips for Data Visualization Design

 To start, let’s cover a few general things to keep in mind. Remember that every data visualization design choice you make should enhance your reader’s experience—not yours. (Sorry, but it’s not about showing off your sweet line-art skills.) Follow these tips to do your data justice.

 1) Choose the chart that tells the story. There may be more than one way to visualize the data accurately. In this case, consider what you’re trying to achieve, the message you’re communicating, who you’re trying to reach, etc.

 2) Remove anything that doesn’t support the story. No, that doesn’t mean you kill half your data points. But be mindful of things like chart junk, extra copy, unnecessary illustrations, drop shadows, ornamentations, etc. The great thing about data visualization is that design can help do the heavy lifting to enhance and communicate the story. Let it do its job. (But don’t use 3D charts. As previously mentioned, they can skew perception of the visualization.)

 3) Design for comprehension. Once you have your visualization created, take a step back and consider what simple elements might be added, tweaked, or removed to make the data easier for the reader to understand. You might add a trend line to a line chart, or you might realize you have too many slices in your pie chart (use 6 max). These subtle tweaks make a huge difference.

 Comparison

 Data visualization makes comparison a lot easier, letting you actually “see” how two different data sets stack up to each other. But just putting two charts side by side doesn’t necessarily accomplish that. In fact, it can make it more confusing. (Ever tried to compare 32 different pie charts? Yeah, didn’t think so.)

 4) Include a zero baseline if possible. Although a line chart does not have to start at a zero baseline, it should be included if it gives more context for comparison. If relatively small fluctuations in data are meaningful (e.g., in stock market data), you may truncate the scale to showcase these variances.

 5) Always choose the most efficient visualization. You want visual consistency so that the reader can compare at a glance. This might mean you use stacked bar charts, a grouped bar chart, or a line chart. Whatever you choose, don’t overwhelm by making the reader work to compare too many things.

 6) Watch your placement. You may have two nice stacked bar charts that are meant to let your reader compare points, but if they’re placed too far apart to “get” the comparison, you’ve already lost.

 7) Tell the whole story. Maybe you had a 30% sales increase in Q4. Exciting! But what’s more exciting? Showing that you’ve actually had a 100% sales increase since Q1.

 Copy

 Data is about numbers, certainly, but it is generally used in conjunction with copy to help provide context for the point at hand. That said, in many data visualizations, infographics, and e-books, we see data visualization and copy working against each other instead of together.

 8) Don’t over explain. If the copy already mentions a fact, the subhead, callout, and chart header don’t have to reiterate it.

 9) Keep chart and graph headers simple and to the point. There’s no need to get clever, verbose, or pun-tastic. Keep any descriptive text above the chart brief and directly related to the chart underneath. Remember: Focus on the quickest path to comprehension.

 10) Use callouts wisely. Callouts are not there to fill space. They should be used intentionally to highlight relevant information or provide additional context.

 11) Don’t use distracting fonts or elements. Sometimes you do need to emphasize a point. If so, only use bold or italic text to emphasize a point—and don’t use them both at the same time.

 Color

 Color is a great tool when used well. When used poorly, it can not just distract but misdirect the reader. Use it wisely in your data visualization design.

 12) Use a single color to represent the same type of data. If you are depicting sales month by month on a bar chart, use a single color. But if you are comparing last year’s sales to this year’s sales in a grouped chart, you should use a different color for each year. You can also use an accent color to highlight a significant data point.

 13) Watch out for positive and negative numbers. Don’t use red for positive numbers or green for negative numbers. Those color associations are so strong it will automatically flip the meaning in the viewer’s mind.

 14) Make sure there is sufficient contrast between colors. If colors are too similar (light gray vs. light, light gray), it can be hard to tell the difference. Conversely, don’t use high-contrast color combinations such as red/green or blue/yellow.

 15) Avoid patterns. Stripes and polka dots sound fun, but they can be incredibly distracting. If you are trying to differentiate, say, on a map, use different saturations of the same color. On that note, only use solid-colored lines (not dashes).

 16) Select colors appropriately. Some colors stand out more than others, giving unnecessary weight to that data. Instead, use a single color with varying shade or a spectrum between two analogous colors to show intensity. Remember to intuitively code color intensity according to values as well.

 17) Don’t use more than 6 colors in a single layout. Enough said.

 Labeling

 Labeling can be a minefield. Readers rely on labels to interpret data, but too many or too few can interfere.

 18) Double check that everything is labeled. Make sure everything that needs a label has one—and that there are no doubles or typos.

 19) Make sure labels are visible. All labels should be unobstructed and easily identified with the corresponding data point.

 20) Label the lines directly. If possible, include data labels with your data points. This lets readers quickly identify lines and corresponding labels so they don’t have to go hunting for a legend or similar point.

 21) Don’t over label. If the precise value of a data point is important to tell your story, then include data labels to enhance comprehension. If the precise values are not important to tell your story, leave the data labels out.

 22) Don’t set your type at an angle. If your axis labels are too crowded, consider removing every other label on an axis to allow the text to fit comfortably.

 Ordering

 Data visualization is meant to help make sense. Random patterns that are difficult to interpret are frustrating and detrimental to what you’re trying to communicate.

 23) Order data intuitively. There should be a logical hierarchy. Order categories alphabetically, sequentially, or by value.

 24) Order consistently. The ordering of items in your legend should mimic the order of your chart.

 25) Order evenly. Use natural increments on your axes (0, 5, 10, 15, 20) instead of awkward or uneven increments (0, 3, 5, 16, 50).

 How to Master Data Visualization & Storytelling

 Of course, if you really want to stay on top of your game, make sure you’re up-to-date on best practices for data storytelling at every stage of the process.

 * Use the right sources. Great stories come from great data. While you can find a larger variety of external data, internal data is a particularly effective source of unique and interesting stories. To find external data, check out these 100+ sources of free and credible data. For internal data, here are 9 places to look. You can also follow our tips to source that data correctly in your content.
 * Craft a strong story. The true power of data storytelling relies on your ability to extract and shape a cohesive narrative. Start with this step-by-step guide to find stories in your data and craft an effective data narrative. You can also download our free e-book, The Content Marketer’s Guide to Data Storytelling, for more tips on bringing your data to life.
 * Choose the right format. To make sure your data has the strongest impact, you need to present it in the right package. Whether you’re creating an e-book, infographic, or motion graphic, pick the right format for your data visualization story.
 * Apply design fundamentals. Good design matters. Remember, too, that differentiating yourself through design is crucial to stand out. Start with our guide to designing the most common charts and graphs, find out how to keep your content on brand, consider experimenting with different visual styles, and get inspired by more examples of technology infographics, B2B infographics, and interactive infographics.
 * Make the most of your content. Get more mileage by repurposing your data visualizations, or turning your old content into infographics, e-books, animated infographics, reports, microcontent, etc.
 * Promote the right way. Don’t let good data stories get buried. Find out how to promote your content like a content agency, and optimize your blog for SEO.

 If you still need a little help with your data storytelling, don’t be afraid to seek outside help. Here are a few tips to find the right data visualization agency, as well as tips to work together once you do. We’re also happy to talk through any of your data design challenges—seriously, we’re data geeks.

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 * Mariia-Diana Radukh says:
 December 12, 2022 at 4:49 pm

 Very helpful and interesting curriculum

 Reply
 + Katy French says:
 December 13, 2022 at 6:31 pm

 Happy to hear it!

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Data visualization design is both an art and a science, which is why it can be challenging for noobs to master. But if you want to master data storytelling—and make a strong impact through content—it’s a crucial skill.
The Power of Data Visualization
Your brain is prewired to process visual content much quicker than text, which is why data design is so effective. By “seeing” the data, it is easier for your brain to intake, synthesize, and retain the information presented.
 To see the power of data visualization at work, watch this quick video.  
 
Unfortunately, a lot of people think that slapping a few charts together means you’re doing data visualization design well. Not only are you not doing it well; you might actually be hurting your brand. Subpar data design comes in many forms—a confusing visualization, mislabeled data, 3D charts that skew perception, etc. In these cases, your credibility may be on the line, and nobody wants that.
Even if you’re not misrepresenting data, if you aren’t presenting it in its most optimized form, you’re doing a disservice to your reader. Luckily, there are many simple things you can do to ensure your data stories make the impact they should.
So, if you’re ready kick your data visualization design game up a notch, we’ve compiled our team’s best tips to help you fix common data design mistakes and enhance your existing data visualizations, one chart at a time. We even arranged this list by category in case you need a quick reference. We hope they help.
 25 Tips for Data Visualization Design 
To start, let’s cover a few general things to keep in mind. Remember that every data visualization design choice you make should enhance your reader’s experience—not yours. (Sorry, but it’s not about showing off your sweet line-art skills.) Follow these tips to do your data justice.
 1) Choose the chart that tells the story. There may be more than one way to visualize the data accurately. In this case, consider what you’re trying to achieve, the message you’re communicating, who you’re trying to reach, etc.
 2) Remove anything that doesn’t support the story. No, that doesn’t mean you kill half your data points. But be mindful of things like chart junk, extra copy, unnecessary illustrations, drop shadows, ornamentations, etc. The great thing about data visualization is that design can help do the heavy lifting to enhance and communicate the story. Let it do its job. (But don’t use 3D charts. As previously mentioned, they can skew perception of the visualization.)
 3) Design for comprehension. Once you have your visualization created, take a step back and consider what simple elements might be added, tweaked, or removed to make the data easier for the reader to understand. You might add a trend line to a line chart, or you might realize you have too many slices in your pie chart (use 6 max). These subtle tweaks make a huge difference.
   Comparison 
Data visualization makes comparison a lot easier, letting you actually “see” how two different data sets stack up to each other. But just putting two charts side by side doesn’t necessarily accomplish that. In fact, it can make it more confusing. (Ever tried to compare 32 different pie charts? Yeah, didn’t think so.)
 4) Include a zero baseline if possible. Although a line chart does not have to start at a zero baseline, it should be included if it gives more context for comparison. If relatively small fluctuations in data are meaningful (e.g., in stock market data), you may truncate the scale to showcase these variances.
 5) Always choose the most efficient visualization. You want visual consistency so that the reader can compare at a glance. This might mean you use stacked bar charts, a grouped bar chart, or a line chart. Whatever you choose, don’t overwhelm by making the reader work to compare too many things.
 6) Watch your placement. You may have two nice stacked bar charts that are meant to let your reader compare points, but if they’re placed too far apart to “get” the comparison, you’ve already lost.
 7) Tell the whole story. Maybe you had a 30% sales increase in Q4. Exciting! But what’s more exciting? Showing that you’ve actually had a 100% sales increase since Q1.
   Copy 
Data is about numbers, certainly, but it is generally used in conjunction with copy to help provide context for the point at hand. That said, in many data visualizations, infographics, and e-books, we see data visualization and copy working against each other instead of together.
 8) Don’t over explain. If the copy already mentions a fact, the subhead, callout, and chart header don’t have to reiterate it.
 9) Keep chart and graph headers simple and to the point. There’s no need to get clever, verbose, or pun-tastic. Keep any descriptive text above the chart brief and directly related to the chart underneath. Remember: Focus on the quickest path to comprehension.
 10) Use callouts wisely. Callouts are not there to fill space. They should be used intentionally to highlight relevant information or provide additional context.
 11) Don’t use distracting fonts or elements. Sometimes you do need to emphasize a point. If so, only use bold or italic text to emphasize a point—and don’t use them both at the same time.
   Color  
Color is a great tool when used well. When used poorly, it can not just distract but misdirect the reader. Use it wisely in your data visualization design.
 12) Use a single color to represent the same type of data. If you are depicting sales month by month on a bar chart, use a single color. But if you are comparing last year’s sales to this year’s sales in a grouped chart, you should use a different color for each year. You can also use an accent color to highlight a significant data point.
 13) Watch out for positive and negative numbers. Don’t use red for positive numbers or green for negative numbers. Those color associations are so strong it will automatically flip the meaning in the viewer’s mind.
 14) Make sure there is sufficient contrast between colors. If colors are too similar (light gray vs. light, light gray), it can be hard to tell the difference. Conversely, don’t use high-contrast color combinations such as red/green or blue/yellow.
 15) Avoid patterns. Stripes and polka dots sound fun, but they can be incredibly distracting. If you are trying to differentiate, say, on a map, use different saturations of the same color. On that note, only use solid-colored lines (not dashes).
 16) Select colors appropriately. Some colors stand out more than others, giving unnecessary weight to that data. Instead, use a single color with varying shade or a spectrum between two analogous colors to show intensity. Remember to intuitively code color intensity according to values as well.
 17) Don’t use more than 6 colors in a single layout. Enough said.
   Labeling 
Labeling can be a minefield. Readers rely on labels to interpret data, but too many or too few can interfere.
 18) Double check that everything is labeled. Make sure everything that needs a label has one—and that there are no doubles or typos.
 19) Make sure labels are visible. All labels should be unobstructed and easily identified with the corresponding data point.
 20) Label the lines directly. If possible, include data labels with your data points. This lets readers quickly identify lines and corresponding labels so they don’t have to go hunting for a legend or similar point.
 21) Don’t over label. If the precise value of a data point is important to tell your story, then include data labels to enhance comprehension. If the precise values are not important to tell your story, leave the data labels out.
 22) Don’t set your type at an angle. If your axis labels are too crowded, consider removing every other label on an axis to allow the text to fit comfortably.
   Ordering 
Data visualization is meant to help make sense. Random patterns that are difficult to interpret are frustrating and detrimental to what you’re trying to communicate.
 23) Order data intuitively. There should be a logical hierarchy. Order categories alphabetically, sequentially, or by value.
 24) Order consistently. The ordering of items in your legend should mimic the order of your chart.
 25) Order evenly. Use natural increments on your axes (0, 5, 10, 15, 20) instead of awkward or uneven increments (0, 3, 5, 16, 50).
   How to Master Data Visualization &amp; Storytelling 
Of course, if you really want to stay on top of your game, make sure you’re up-to-date on best practices for data storytelling at every stage of the process.
 Use the right sources.  Great stories come from great data. While you can find a larger variety of external data, internal data is a particularly effective source of unique and interesting stories. To find external data, check out these 100+ sources of free and credible data. For internal data, here are 9 places to look. You can also follow our tips to source that data correctly in your content.
   Craft a strong story. The true power of data storytelling relies on your ability to extract and shape a cohesive narrative. Start with this step-by-step guide  to find stories in your data and craft an effective data narrative. You can also download our free e-book,  The Content Marketer’s Guide to Data Storytelling , for more tips on bringing your data to life.
 Choose the right format. To make sure your data has the strongest impact, you need to present it in the right package. Whether you’re creating an e-book, infographic, or motion graphic, pick the right format for your data visualization story.
 Apply design fundamentals. Good design matters. Remember, too, that differentiating yourself through design is crucial to stand out. Start with our guide to designing the most common charts and graphs, find out how to keep your content on brand, consider experimenting with different visual styles, and get inspired by more examples of technology infographics, B2B infographics, and interactive infographics. 
 Make the most of your content. Get more mileage by repurposing your data visualizations, or turning your old content into infographics, e-books, animated infographics, reports, microcontent, etc.
 Promote the right way. Don’t let good data stories get buried. Find out how to promote your content like a content agency, and optimize your blog for SEO. 
If you still need a little help with your data storytelling, don’t be afraid to seek outside help. Here are a few tips to find the right data visualization agency, as well as tips to work together once you do. We’re also happy to talk through any of your data design challenges—seriously, we’re data geeks.
25 Tips to Instantly Improve Your Data Visualization Design
https://www.columnfivemedia.com/25-tips-to-upgrade-your-data-visualization-design/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/28780885095257219/
3D Product Visualization - Bell & Ross (Heritage) by Kalpesh Patil, via Behance | Bell & ross, Modern watches, Visualisation
2015-03-23
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 3D Product Visualization - Bell & Ross (Heritage)
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 Kalpesh Patil
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 behance
 ·
 Well, this watch was love at first sight, i wish i could own one.It was a great experience working on this study project for my studio cgi by tonic.
 3d
 Art
 Inspiration
 Modern Watches
 Graphic
 Modern
 Heritage
 Digital
 Time Piece
 B
 Behance
 9M followers
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 You are signed out
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3D Product Visualization - Bell & Ross (Heritage) by Kalpesh Patil, via Behance | Bell & ross, Modern watches, Visualisation
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/28780885095257219/
https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/
What is 3D Visualization? Choosing the Best Technology (2024 update)
2021-03-10
None
<div><section><div><nav><ul><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#what-is-3d-visualization-and-how-does-it-work">
 What is 3D visualization, and how does it work?
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#what-is-meant-by-3d-visualization">
 What is meant by 3D visualization?
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#benefits-of-3d-visualization">
 Benefits of 3D visualization
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#3d-configurator-and-ecommerce">
 3D configurator and Ecommerce
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#increases-conversion-rates-and-customer-retention">
 Increases conversion rates and customer retention
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#allows-customers-to-personalize-and-customize">
 Allows customers to personalize and customize
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#3d-visualization-increases-sales-by-creating-emotional-connections">
 3D visualization increases sales by creating emotional connections
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#it-saves-time-and-money">
 It saves time and money
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#3d-visualization-implementations">
 3D visualization implementations
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#the-latest-3d-visualization-trends-for-e-commerce">
 The latest 3D visualization trends for e-commerce
 </a></li><li> <a href="https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/#3d-visualization-is-here-to-stay">
 3D visualization is here to stay
 </a></li></ul></nav></div> <div><p>This article has been updated in 2024 to reflect current trends for 2024-2030.</p>
<p>After last year's events and the post-COVID market, the expectation from customers has become incredibly higher when it comes to buying online.</p>
<p>Because of this, the need for innovative and cost-effective 3D visualization to fulfill customer expectations is also increasing.</p>
<p>According to the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), the visualization and 3D rendering software market size was valued at USD 1.50 Billion in 2022 and is projected to reach <a href="https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/global-visualization-and-3d-rendering-software-market-size-and-forecast-to-2025/">USD 9.78 Billion by 2030</a>, growing at a CAGR of 30.7% from 2023 to 2030.</p>
<p>The best 3D visualization softwares offers benefits such as improving workflow, saving time, and limiting costs. Such software is also used for different purposes such as marketing, product design and modeling, animation, and more.</p>
<p>This article will look at how 3D visualization has impacted the e-commerce industry by becoming the latest trend to increase conversion rates and customer satisfaction.</p>
<h2><strong>What is 3D visualization, and how does it work?</strong></h2>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://apviz.io/solutions/3d-made-to-order-configurator/">Discover 3D visualization for custom products</a></p>
<h3>What is meant by 3D visualization?</h3>
<p><strong>3D visualization</strong> is a set of methods for the representation of objects in three-dimensional (3D) space using graphical simulations.</p>
<p>Today, more and more industries are using 3d visualizer software at every stage of their projects:</p>
<ul>
<li>Architecture</li>
<li>Urbanisme</li>
<li>Product design</li>
<li>Scientific simulation</li>
<li>Video game</li>
</ul>
<p>Depending on specific requirements and techniques, 3D simulations can take the form of <strong>static 3D images</strong>, <strong>videos</strong> or <strong>dynamic real-time interactive 3D interfaces</strong>.</p>
<p>Computer graphics technology, in 2023, includes two primary 3D rendering methods: precomputed and real-time rendering. Forecasts for 2030 suggest that the visual realism gap between the two technologies will narrow.</p>
<h4>Precomputed rendering</h4>
<p>The <strong>precomputed rendering</strong> is generated in the form of images, <strong>image sequences</strong>, or <strong>videos</strong>. This kind of creation achieves high-quality and realistic results because it makes use of the entire rendering capabilities of computers or 3D computer farms. This way, it can simulate all the interactions between light and matter in a realistic manner, but there is no interactivity.</p>
<p>The main lighting techniques implemented are Global Illumination (GI), Ray Tracing, and Radiosity.</p>
<h4>Real-time rendering</h4>
<p><strong>Real-time rendering</strong> allows for the calculation of a 3D object directly during its <strong>manipulation in real-time</strong>. Each movement or change triggers an ultra-fast calculation, creating the <strong>illusion of a realistic visualization</strong>.</p>
<p>While this method may be slightly less physically precise in terms of simulating lighting compared to precomputed rendering, the speed of the calculations performed enables real-time interaction with 3D objects. This opens up numerous possibilities for real-time 3D visualization, such as 3D product configurators for e-commerce or design, virtual try-ons, augmented reality, or virtual reality.</p>
<p>The primary techniques for real-time 3D visualization include Rasterization and Real-Time Lighting, Shader-based Lighting, Environment Mapping (HDRI)</p>
<h4>Precomputed rendering vs Real-time rendering</h4>
<p></p><p>Today, the graphics rendering capabilities of real-time devices are increasingly powerful and efficient. This means that the gap between precalculation and real time tends to be smaller.
A simple smartphone already provides a very high level of realism for real-time 3D visualization.</p>
<p><strong>Apviz</strong> is a <strong>3D visualization platform</strong> that allows users to <strong>simulate &amp; interact with virtual objects in real time</strong>. It features a high-performance engine that is specialized in rendering demanding materials.
Apviz offers interactive 3D visualization for digital twins of products that are sold through e-commerce.</p>
<p><strong>3D visualization</strong> is an exciting part of virtual reality. It’s the process of creating 3D graphics images using 3D software.</p>
<p>3D software uses a mixture of technologies to create 3D, <strong>photo-realistic images</strong> and real-world feeling content. It uses 3D modeling, computer-generated imagery, graphics, and rendering to create a three-dimensional image that resembles reality.</p>
<p>The existence of companies that offer virtual try-on services is a great example of this. Companies such as Baume and Mercier and Fred Jeweler allow you to view a 3D representation of your desired product without physically visiting a store.</p>
<p><strong>3D visualization</strong> and <strong>3D rendering</strong> take the process of purchasing online to the next level, especially when it comes to buying luxury goods where the consumers have higher expectations. <strong>3D visualization</strong> responds to this demand by adopting 3D technologies to highlight all the product’s key features, with 360-degree product views and real-time personalizations.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.fred.com/fr_FR/produits-composes/bracelet-force-10-%23fredxrolandgarros/0J0014-6B1174.html">Discover Fred’s project</a></p>
<h2><strong>Benefits of 3D visualization</strong></h2>
<h3>3D configurator and Ecommerce</h3>
<p>For e-commerce, real-time 3D product visualization has become a web standard thanks to WebGL, just like images or videos. This standard paves the way for a multitude of innovative cross-channel customer experiences. Users can interact with products online and virtually try them out. This significantly reduces one of the main obstacles to e-commerce purchases, which is the inability to see products clearly and try them before buying.</p>
<p>3D visualization offers improvements in e-commerce by transforming traditional static product photography into a fun, interactive, and easy way to promote their product or services using visuals.</p>
<p>Let’s learn some of the many benefits that 3D visualization software has to offer and explore how 3D visualization works.</p>
<div><p>
 Learn more about Apviz Real-Time 3D Visualization
 </p> </div>
<h3><strong>Increases conversion rates and customer retention</strong></h3>
<p>Before 3D visualization and photorealistic rendering became possible, the only way to see a realistic representation of the product was to go to a physical store.</p>
<p>At that time, companies weren’t optimizing their websites to make the user experience better. Instead, they would use vague descriptions, few images of the product, and complicated websites, making the simple process of buying online 10 times more difficult. Because of this, many consumers preferred going to a physical store to buy their products.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, situations like this are still happening. However, 3D visualization helps increase functionality and facilitate online shopping, therefore increasing conversion rates and customer retention.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://apviz.io/">professional 3D visualization company</a> helps brands create 360-degree models of products the customers can interact with. Thanks to these 3D visualization features, companies can quickly grab the attention of customers and increase conversion rates.</p>
<h3><strong>Allows customers to personalize and customize</strong></h3>
<p>The whole idea behind 3D visualization and rendering engines is allowing customers to customize products to their liking. When companies allow customers to see all the essentials features of a product and add their personal touch, it increases customer satisfaction.</p>
<p>Companies allow customers to personalize their products through 3D visualization by implementing a user-friendly <a href="https://apviz.io/">3D product configurator</a>. Customers can easily change the texture, colors, features, or sizes of a product depending on their wants and needs.</p>
<h3><strong>3D visualization increases sales by creating emotional connections</strong></h3>
<p>When it comes to selling online, using emotional marketing combined with effective 3D visualization tools is a must for e-commerce companies. This is especially true for luxury goods brands where customers usually have higher expectations given the amount of money they are willing to pay.</p>
<p>Emotional marketing and 3D visualization answer this demand by allowing customers to see photorealistic images of the product’s key features and offers real-time personalization to their liking.</p>
<h3><strong>It saves time and money</strong></h3>
<p>If you take the traditional way of promoting your products through static photography, it’s time-consuming. You have to hire a photographer to work with every piece individually and take pictures from every angle. Editing images can take several days or even weeks, and then, you still need to choose the perfect ones that fit your advertisement strategy.</p>
<p>Besides, if you really want good results, you will have to pay for a professional photographer (don’t forget the number of pay increases with the number of products you need to showcase) plus creating a set, which all can add up to be a costly option</p>
<p>You can avoid this extensive process with 3D visualization. In this process, you can get real-life visuals of your product from every angle you want. This helps you easily showcase a product in a way that grabs attention and leads to higher conversion. Also, you don’t need to worry about photo editing and other extra costs.</p>
<h2><strong>3D visualization implementations</strong></h2>
<p>The need for easy access to consumer goods from the comfort of home <a href="https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5141043/ecommerce-and-other-non-store-retailers-global#pos-0">has exponentially increased over the last year</a>.</p>
<p>The overall shopping experience has become more demanding, especially when you look at online complex products that offer a high number of combinations.</p>
<p>Let’s see how different companies have successfully implemented 3d visualization tools in their marketing strategy.</p>
<p>One excellent instance is Provost, an industrial furniture specialist. They elevated the 3D customization experience to the next level by providing customers a vast selection of industry-specific workbench options. Real-time 3D representation significantly simplified comprehension of the product range available.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.provost.fr/fr/configurateur-etabli-sur-mesure">Discover the 3D Workbench configurator</a></p>
<p>Puma teamwear provides a tool that team members can use to design their own 3D sports uniform. This tool is a 3D customized jersey configurator.
For example, a soccer team can easily import its logo and enter player names and numbers. The result is a <strong>custom football jersey</strong> that can be produced on demand and shipped to the club.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://apviz.io/solutions/3d-garment-configurator/">Discover 3D visualization for custom jersey</a></p>
<h2><strong>The latest 3D visualization trends for e-commerce</strong></h2>
<p>In recent years, online shopping has risen more than ever before. According to studies in 2017, by 2040, <a href="https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/uk-online-shopping-and-e-commerce-statistics-2017-2017-03-14">95% of purchases </a>will be facilitated by e-commerce.</p>
<p>Let’s dive deeper into some of the latest trends for 3D visualization in the e-commerce industry that transform online shopping to a new level.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Improvements in augmented reality (AR):</strong> Such changes allow buyers to project realistic 3D visualization of items into a natural environment, giving customers a unique and fun shopping experience. A good example of a company that offers this service is <a href="https://hapticmedia.com/3d-configurator-watch-baume/">Baume</a>. You can connect your smartphone to your wristband to visualize your watch directly on your wrist. You can choose to bring further changes to the design or complete your purchase.</li>
<li><strong>Product bundling:</strong> 3D artists combine 3d models of the brand’s goods to sell as a package at a lower price than if they sell them individually. With traditional photography, this process would be costly and time-consuming. Instead, 3D visualization provides the same result for a reasonable cost and much faster.</li>
<li><strong>3d visualization services:</strong> These can help pre-sell e-commerce products by sharing photorealistic visuals, 3d animation, 360-degree models, and more. Thus, companies can test the market and allow customers to pre-order their products or services.</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>3D visualization is here to stay</strong></h2>
<p>Understanding how successful businesses implement 3D visualization and the latest trends for 3D visualization in the e-commerce industry will help companies make product demonstrations more convincing, help streamline product customizations, and increase customer retention.</p>
<p>Considering how 3D visualization services have grown over the past year due to COVID-19 and the increasing demand for shopping consumer goods online, there’s no doubt why marketers are promoting digital products in dramatically different ways.</p>
<p>Digitizing your brand and implementing marketing strategies as 3D visualization gives you the leverage to position your brand to the next level.</p>
<p>Apviz has over 15 years of expertise in immersive technologies, including 3D rendering services, 3D visualization, 3D models, and product customization and configuration, <a href="https://apviz.io/contact/">contact us now</a>.</p></div></section></div>||||I|||| Apviz homepage
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 What is 3D Visualization? Choosing the Best Technology (2024 update)

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 Table of content

 * What is 3D visualization, and how does it work?
 * What is meant by 3D visualization?
 * Benefits of 3D visualization
 * 3D configurator and Ecommerce
 * Increases conversion rates and customer retention
 * Allows customers to personalize and customize
 * 3D visualization increases sales by creating emotional connections
 * It saves time and money
 * 3D visualization implementations
 * The latest 3D visualization trends for e-commerce
 * 3D visualization is here to stay

 This article has been updated in 2024 to reflect current trends for 2024-2030.

 After last year's events and the post-COVID market, the expectation from customers has become incredibly higher when it comes to buying online.

 Because of this, the need for innovative and cost-effective 3D visualization to fulfill customer expectations is also increasing.

 According to the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), the visualization and 3D rendering software market size was valued at USD 1.50 Billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 9.78 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 30.7% from 2023 to 2030.

 The best 3D visualization softwares offers benefits such as improving workflow, saving time, and limiting costs. Such software is also used for different purposes such as marketing, product design and modeling, animation, and more.

 This article will look at how 3D visualization has impacted the e-commerce industry by becoming the latest trend to increase conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

 What is 3D visualization, and how does it work?

 Discover 3D visualization for custom products

 What is meant by 3D visualization?

 3D visualization is a set of methods for the representation of objects in three-dimensional (3D) space using graphical simulations.

 Today, more and more industries are using 3d visualizer software at every stage of their projects:

 * Architecture
 * Urbanisme
 * Product design
 * Scientific simulation
 * Video game

 Depending on specific requirements and techniques, 3D simulations can take the form of static 3D images, videos or dynamic real-time interactive 3D interfaces.

 Computer graphics technology, in 2023, includes two primary 3D rendering methods: precomputed and real-time rendering. Forecasts for 2030 suggest that the visual realism gap between the two technologies will narrow.

 Precomputed rendering

 The precomputed rendering is generated in the form of images, image sequences, or videos. This kind of creation achieves high-quality and realistic results because it makes use of the entire rendering capabilities of computers or 3D computer farms. This way, it can simulate all the interactions between light and matter in a realistic manner, but there is no interactivity.

 The main lighting techniques implemented are Global Illumination (GI), Ray Tracing, and Radiosity.

 Real-time rendering

 Real-time rendering allows for the calculation of a 3D object directly during its manipulation in real-time. Each movement or change triggers an ultra-fast calculation, creating the illusion of a realistic visualization.

 While this method may be slightly less physically precise in terms of simulating lighting compared to precomputed rendering, the speed of the calculations performed enables real-time interaction with 3D objects. This opens up numerous possibilities for real-time 3D visualization, such as 3D product configurators for e-commerce or design, virtual try-ons, augmented reality, or virtual reality.

 The primary techniques for real-time 3D visualization include Rasterization and Real-Time Lighting, Shader-based Lighting, Environment Mapping (HDRI)

 Precomputed rendering vs Real-time rendering

 Today, the graphics rendering capabilities of real-time devices are increasingly powerful and efficient. This means that the gap between precalculation and real time tends to be smaller. A simple smartphone already provides a very high level of realism for real-time 3D visualization.

 Apviz is a 3D visualization platform that allows users to simulate & interact with virtual objects in real time. It features a high-performance engine that is specialized in rendering demanding materials. Apviz offers interactive 3D visualization for digital twins of products that are sold through e-commerce.

 3D visualization is an exciting part of virtual reality. It’s the process of creating 3D graphics images using 3D software.

 3D software uses a mixture of technologies to create 3D, photo-realistic images and real-world feeling content. It uses 3D modeling, computer-generated imagery, graphics, and rendering to create a three-dimensional image that resembles reality.

 The existence of companies that offer virtual try-on services is a great example of this. Companies such as Baume and Mercier and Fred Jeweler allow you to view a 3D representation of your desired product without physically visiting a store.

 3D visualization and 3D rendering take the process of purchasing online to the next level, especially when it comes to buying luxury goods where the consumers have higher expectations. 3D visualization responds to this demand by adopting 3D technologies to highlight all the product’s key features, with 360-degree product views and real-time personalizations.

 Discover Fred’s project

 Benefits of 3D visualization

 3D configurator and Ecommerce

 For e-commerce, real-time 3D product visualization has become a web standard thanks to WebGL, just like images or videos. This standard paves the way for a multitude of innovative cross-channel customer experiences. Users can interact with products online and virtually try them out. This significantly reduces one of the main obstacles to e-commerce purchases, which is the inability to see products clearly and try them before buying.

 3D visualization offers improvements in e-commerce by transforming traditional static product photography into a fun, interactive, and easy way to promote their product or services using visuals.

 Let’s learn some of the many benefits that 3D visualization software has to offer and explore how 3D visualization works.

 Learn more about Apviz Real-Time 3D Visualization

 Request your free access.

 Increases conversion rates and customer retention

 Before 3D visualization and photorealistic rendering became possible, the only way to see a realistic representation of the product was to go to a physical store.

 At that time, companies weren’t optimizing their websites to make the user experience better. Instead, they would use vague descriptions, few images of the product, and complicated websites, making the simple process of buying online 10 times more difficult. Because of this, many consumers preferred going to a physical store to buy their products.

 Unfortunately, situations like this are still happening. However, 3D visualization helps increase functionality and facilitate online shopping, therefore increasing conversion rates and customer retention.

 A professional 3D visualization company helps brands create 360-degree models of products the customers can interact with. Thanks to these 3D visualization features, companies can quickly grab the attention of customers and increase conversion rates.

 Allows customers to personalize and customize

 The whole idea behind 3D visualization and rendering engines is allowing customers to customize products to their liking. When companies allow customers to see all the essentials features of a product and add their personal touch, it increases customer satisfaction.

 Companies allow customers to personalize their products through 3D visualization by implementing a user-friendly 3D product configurator. Customers can easily change the texture, colors, features, or sizes of a product depending on their wants and needs.

 3D visualization increases sales by creating emotional connections

 When it comes to selling online, using emotional marketing combined with effective 3D visualization tools is a must for e-commerce companies. This is especially true for luxury goods brands where customers usually have higher expectations given the amount of money they are willing to pay.

 Emotional marketing and 3D visualization answer this demand by allowing customers to see photorealistic images of the product’s key features and offers real-time personalization to their liking.

 It saves time and money

 If you take the traditional way of promoting your products through static photography, it’s time-consuming. You have to hire a photographer to work with every piece individually and take pictures from every angle. Editing images can take several days or even weeks, and then, you still need to choose the perfect ones that fit your advertisement strategy.

 Besides, if you really want good results, you will have to pay for a professional photographer (don’t forget the number of pay increases with the number of products you need to showcase) plus creating a set, which all can add up to be a costly option

 You can avoid this extensive process with 3D visualization. In this process, you can get real-life visuals of your product from every angle you want. This helps you easily showcase a product in a way that grabs attention and leads to higher conversion. Also, you don’t need to worry about photo editing and other extra costs.

 3D visualization implementations

 The need for easy access to consumer goods from the comfort of home has exponentially increased over the last year.

 The overall shopping experience has become more demanding, especially when you look at online complex products that offer a high number of combinations.

 Let’s see how different companies have successfully implemented 3d visualization tools in their marketing strategy.

 One excellent instance is Provost, an industrial furniture specialist. They elevated the 3D customization experience to the next level by providing customers a vast selection of industry-specific workbench options. Real-time 3D representation significantly simplified comprehension of the product range available.

 Discover the 3D Workbench configurator

 Puma teamwear provides a tool that team members can use to design their own 3D sports uniform. This tool is a 3D customized jersey configurator. For example, a soccer team can easily import its logo and enter player names and numbers. The result is a custom football jersey that can be produced on demand and shipped to the club.

 Discover 3D visualization for custom jersey

 The latest 3D visualization trends for e-commerce

 In recent years, online shopping has risen more than ever before. According to studies in 2017, by 2040, 95% of purchases will be facilitated by e-commerce.

 Let’s dive deeper into some of the latest trends for 3D visualization in the e-commerce industry that transform online shopping to a new level.

 * Improvements in augmented reality (AR): Such changes allow buyers to project realistic 3D visualization of items into a natural environment, giving customers a unique and fun shopping experience. A good example of a company that offers this service is Baume. You can connect your smartphone to your wristband to visualize your watch directly on your wrist. You can choose to bring further changes to the design or complete your purchase.
 * Product bundling: 3D artists combine 3d models of the brand’s goods to sell as a package at a lower price than if they sell them individually. With traditional photography, this process would be costly and time-consuming. Instead, 3D visualization provides the same result for a reasonable cost and much faster.
 * 3d visualization services: These can help pre-sell e-commerce products by sharing photorealistic visuals, 3d animation, 360-degree models, and more. Thus, companies can test the market and allow customers to pre-order their products or services.

 3D visualization is here to stay

 Understanding how successful businesses implement 3D visualization and the latest trends for 3D visualization in the e-commerce industry will help companies make product demonstrations more convincing, help streamline product customizations, and increase customer retention.

 Considering how 3D visualization services have grown over the past year due to COVID-19 and the increasing demand for shopping consumer goods online, there’s no doubt why marketers are promoting digital products in dramatically different ways.

 Digitizing your brand and implementing marketing strategies as 3D visualization gives you the leverage to position your brand to the next level.

 Apviz has over 15 years of expertise in immersive technologies, including 3D rendering services, 3D visualization, 3D models, and product customization and configuration, contact us now.

 By Yahong Zhang - Tue Dec 19 2023

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What is 3D visualization, and how does it work?
    
 What is meant by 3D visualization?
    
 Benefits of 3D visualization
    
 3D configurator and Ecommerce
    
 Increases conversion rates and customer retention
    
 Allows customers to personalize and customize
    
 3D visualization increases sales by creating emotional connections
    
 It saves time and money
    
 3D visualization implementations
    
 The latest 3D visualization trends for e-commerce
    
 3D visualization is here to stay
       This article has been updated in 2024 to reflect current trends for 2024-2030.
After last year's events and the post-COVID market, the expectation from customers has become incredibly higher when it comes to buying online.
Because of this, the need for innovative and cost-effective 3D visualization to fulfill customer expectations is also increasing.
According to the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), the visualization and 3D rendering software market size was valued at USD 1.50 Billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 9.78 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 30.7% from 2023 to 2030.
The best 3D visualization softwares offers benefits such as improving workflow, saving time, and limiting costs. Such software is also used for different purposes such as marketing, product design and modeling, animation, and more.
This article will look at how 3D visualization has impacted the e-commerce industry by becoming the latest trend to increase conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
 What is 3D visualization, and how does it work? 
 
 Discover 3D visualization for custom products 
What is meant by 3D visualization?
 3D visualization is a set of methods for the representation of objects in three-dimensional (3D) space using graphical simulations.
Today, more and more industries are using 3d visualizer software at every stage of their projects:
Architecture
Urbanisme
Product design
Scientific simulation
Video game
Depending on specific requirements and techniques, 3D simulations can take the form of static 3D images, videos or dynamic real-time interactive 3D interfaces.
Computer graphics technology, in 2023, includes two primary 3D rendering methods: precomputed and real-time rendering. Forecasts for 2030 suggest that the visual realism gap between the two technologies will narrow.
Precomputed rendering
The precomputed rendering is generated in the form of images, image sequences, or videos. This kind of creation achieves high-quality and realistic results because it makes use of the entire rendering capabilities of computers or 3D computer farms. This way, it can simulate all the interactions between light and matter in a realistic manner, but there is no interactivity.
The main lighting techniques implemented are Global Illumination (GI), Ray Tracing, and Radiosity.
Real-time rendering
 Real-time rendering allows for the calculation of a 3D object directly during its manipulation in real-time. Each movement or change triggers an ultra-fast calculation, creating the illusion of a realistic visualization.
While this method may be slightly less physically precise in terms of simulating lighting compared to precomputed rendering, the speed of the calculations performed enables real-time interaction with 3D objects. This opens up numerous possibilities for real-time 3D visualization, such as 3D product configurators for e-commerce or design, virtual try-ons, augmented reality, or virtual reality.
The primary techniques for real-time 3D visualization include Rasterization and Real-Time Lighting, Shader-based Lighting, Environment Mapping (HDRI)
Precomputed rendering vs Real-time rendering
  Today, the graphics rendering capabilities of real-time devices are increasingly powerful and efficient. This means that the gap between precalculation and real time tends to be smaller.
A simple smartphone already provides a very high level of realism for real-time 3D visualization.
 Apviz is a 3D visualization platform that allows users to simulate &amp; interact with virtual objects in real time. It features a high-performance engine that is specialized in rendering demanding materials.
Apviz offers interactive 3D visualization for digital twins of products that are sold through e-commerce.
 3D visualization is an exciting part of virtual reality. It’s the process of creating 3D graphics images using 3D software.
3D software uses a mixture of technologies to create 3D, photo-realistic images and real-world feeling content. It uses 3D modeling, computer-generated imagery, graphics, and rendering to create a three-dimensional image that resembles reality.
The existence of companies that offer virtual try-on services is a great example of this. Companies such as Baume and Mercier and Fred Jeweler allow you to view a 3D representation of your desired product without physically visiting a store.
 3D visualization and 3D rendering take the process of purchasing online to the next level, especially when it comes to buying luxury goods where the consumers have higher expectations. 3D visualization responds to this demand by adopting 3D technologies to highlight all the product’s key features, with 360-degree product views and real-time personalizations.
 
 Discover Fred’s project 
 Benefits of 3D visualization 
3D configurator and Ecommerce
For e-commerce, real-time 3D product visualization has become a web standard thanks to WebGL, just like images or videos. This standard paves the way for a multitude of innovative cross-channel customer experiences. Users can interact with products online and virtually try them out. This significantly reduces one of the main obstacles to e-commerce purchases, which is the inability to see products clearly and try them before buying.
3D visualization offers improvements in e-commerce by transforming traditional static product photography into a fun, interactive, and easy way to promote their product or services using visuals.
Let’s learn some of the many benefits that 3D visualization software has to offer and explore how 3D visualization works.
 
 Learn more about Apviz Real-Time 3D Visualization
  
 Increases conversion rates and customer retention 
Before 3D visualization and photorealistic rendering became possible, the only way to see a realistic representation of the product was to go to a physical store.
At that time, companies weren’t optimizing their websites to make the user experience better. Instead, they would use vague descriptions, few images of the product, and complicated websites, making the simple process of buying online 10 times more difficult. Because of this, many consumers preferred going to a physical store to buy their products.
Unfortunately, situations like this are still happening. However, 3D visualization helps increase functionality and facilitate online shopping, therefore increasing conversion rates and customer retention.
A professional 3D visualization company helps brands create 360-degree models of products the customers can interact with. Thanks to these 3D visualization features, companies can quickly grab the attention of customers and increase conversion rates.
 Allows customers to personalize and customize 
The whole idea behind 3D visualization and rendering engines is allowing customers to customize products to their liking. When companies allow customers to see all the essentials features of a product and add their personal touch, it increases customer satisfaction.
Companies allow customers to personalize their products through 3D visualization by implementing a user-friendly 3D product configurator. Customers can easily change the texture, colors, features, or sizes of a product depending on their wants and needs.
 3D visualization increases sales by creating emotional connections 
When it comes to selling online, using emotional marketing combined with effective 3D visualization tools is a must for e-commerce companies. This is especially true for luxury goods brands where customers usually have higher expectations given the amount of money they are willing to pay.
Emotional marketing and 3D visualization answer this demand by allowing customers to see photorealistic images of the product’s key features and offers real-time personalization to their liking.
 It saves time and money 
If you take the traditional way of promoting your products through static photography, it’s time-consuming. You have to hire a photographer to work with every piece individually and take pictures from every angle. Editing images can take several days or even weeks, and then, you still need to choose the perfect ones that fit your advertisement strategy.
Besides, if you really want good results, you will have to pay for a professional photographer (don’t forget the number of pay increases with the number of products you need to showcase) plus creating a set, which all can add up to be a costly option
You can avoid this extensive process with 3D visualization. In this process, you can get real-life visuals of your product from every angle you want. This helps you easily showcase a product in a way that grabs attention and leads to higher conversion. Also, you don’t need to worry about photo editing and other extra costs.
 3D visualization implementations 
The need for easy access to consumer goods from the comfort of home has exponentially increased over the last year.
The overall shopping experience has become more demanding, especially when you look at online complex products that offer a high number of combinations.
Let’s see how different companies have successfully implemented 3d visualization tools in their marketing strategy.
One excellent instance is Provost, an industrial furniture specialist. They elevated the 3D customization experience to the next level by providing customers a vast selection of industry-specific workbench options. Real-time 3D representation significantly simplified comprehension of the product range available.
 
 Discover the 3D Workbench configurator 
Puma teamwear provides a tool that team members can use to design their own 3D sports uniform. This tool is a 3D customized jersey configurator.
For example, a soccer team can easily import its logo and enter player names and numbers. The result is a custom football jersey that can be produced on demand and shipped to the club.
 
 Discover 3D visualization for custom jersey 
 The latest 3D visualization trends for e-commerce 
In recent years, online shopping has risen more than ever before. According to studies in 2017, by 2040, 95% of purchases will be facilitated by e-commerce.
Let’s dive deeper into some of the latest trends for 3D visualization in the e-commerce industry that transform online shopping to a new level.
 Improvements in augmented reality (AR): Such changes allow buyers to project realistic 3D visualization of items into a natural environment, giving customers a unique and fun shopping experience. A good example of a company that offers this service is Baume. You can connect your smartphone to your wristband to visualize your watch directly on your wrist. You can choose to bring further changes to the design or complete your purchase.
 Product bundling: 3D artists combine 3d models of the brand’s goods to sell as a package at a lower price than if they sell them individually. With traditional photography, this process would be costly and time-consuming. Instead, 3D visualization provides the same result for a reasonable cost and much faster.
 3d visualization services: These can help pre-sell e-commerce products by sharing photorealistic visuals, 3d animation, 360-degree models, and more. Thus, companies can test the market and allow customers to pre-order their products or services.
 3D visualization is here to stay 
Understanding how successful businesses implement 3D visualization and the latest trends for 3D visualization in the e-commerce industry will help companies make product demonstrations more convincing, help streamline product customizations, and increase customer retention.
Considering how 3D visualization services have grown over the past year due to COVID-19 and the increasing demand for shopping consumer goods online, there’s no doubt why marketers are promoting digital products in dramatically different ways.
Digitizing your brand and implementing marketing strategies as 3D visualization gives you the leverage to position your brand to the next level.
Apviz has over 15 years of expertise in immersive technologies, including 3D rendering services, 3D visualization, 3D models, and product customization and configuration, contact us now.
What is 3D Visualization? Choosing the Best Technology (2024 update)
https://apviz.io/blog/3d-visualization/
https://precisionwatches.com/how-does-a-mechanical-watch-work/
How Does a Mechanical Watch Work?
2016-05-15
Precision Watches; Jewelry
<div><div>
<p></p>
<p><i></i></p>
<p></p>
<h2><b>Core Mechanisms </b></h2>
<p></p>
<h3><b>Mainspring</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3><b>Wheel Train</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3><b>Escapement</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p><i></i></p>
<p><a href="https://www.esquire.com/uk/watches/a33817047/why-watches-have-jewels-in-movements/"> </a></p>
<h3><b>Balance Wheel</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h2><b>Time Setting &amp; Winding</b></h2>
<p></p>
<h3><b>Crown Assembly</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3><b>Motion Works</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3><b>Supporting Structure</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p></p>
</div><div>
<h2><b>Frequently Asked Questions</b></h2>
<h3><b>How Long Do Mechanical Watches Last?</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://precisionwatches.com/watch-repair-service-near-me/"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://precisionwatches.com/"></a></p>
<h3><b>Is It Ok to Let a Mechanical Watch Stop?</b></h3>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/hylabauer/2018/02/28/how-power-reserve-indicator-watches-work-and-why-its-a-useful-complication/?sh=1e7356e0118b"> </a></p>
<h2><b>Conclusion</b></h2>
<p></p>
</div></div>||||I|||| Navigation
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 May 15, 2016
 Home / Blogs How Does a Mechanical Watch Work?
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 How Does a Mechanical Watch Work?

 May 15, 2016
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 Home / Blogs How Does a Mechanical Watch Work?
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 Posted on May 15, 2016 at 4:29 am Guide

 Have you ever wondered what makes a watch tick? Well, the answer derives from its power source. While battery-powered watches are a modern phenomenon, genuine craftsmanship is in mechanical watches. These are the cornerstone of 600 years of expertise, ingenuity, and refinement.

 The mechanical watch does what any watch does—it measures time. It does this with the help of a mainspring that requires winding periodically. Winding the watch mobilizes a series of gears to power it, setting off that comforting tick of a working watch.

 Of course, the inner workings of a mechanical watch are more complicated than just winding a gear. To unlock the secrets to the inner mechanisms, let’s dive deeper into learning how a mechanical watch works.

 Core Mechanisms

 While different watchmakers will add their touches of ingenuity, all mechanical watches have the same core mechanisms.

 Mainspring

 As mentioned, an essential piece of a mechanical watch is the mainspring. This integral asset connects to the winding pinion in the center and the mainspring barrel on the outside. The two move independently.

 The winding force is pushed through the pinion, causing a click to keep the spring in place. The spring power transmits through the barrel rotation.

 Wheel Train

 Next to the mainspring is the wheel train, a set of interlocking gears that permit the timekeeping hands and wheels driven.

 The center wheel drives directly at the force of the mainspring barrel, rotating completely once every hour. It is how the minute hand works.

 A third wheel adjoins the center wheel to the fourth wheel, causing a rotation once per minute and powering the second hand. Each gear connects to a central axle with a synthetic jewel bearing to reduce friction and wear.

 Escapement

 Located at the wheel train’s end is the escapement, providing the most delicate part of the watch. This piece controls the power flow from the mainspring and prevents it from releasing its power all at once.

 The escapement is easily visible with most mechanical wristwatches and easy to spot as a moving component. Whenever the pallet fork switches to lock the escape wheel, you hear a tell-tale click. The frequency determines how many times the second hand moves per second.

 The escapement also utilizes jewels to reduce wear and tear, as well as a shock-absorbent piece. This mechanism prevents gears from being thrown out of place by an unexpected impact.

 Balance Wheel

 Within the escapement is the balance wheel. It combines with the hairspring to oscillate back and forth to click the pallet fork into place.

 The force transferred from the mainspring to the escape wheel pushes the pallet fork to flick the balance wheel. A hairspring checks the balance wheel rotation, allowing the wheel to oscillate back towards the pallet fork.

 When the balance wheel returns, it clicks the pallet fork to a second position and releases the escape wheel for just a second. This process restricts the escape wheel to just a short movement window and prevents gears from spinning freely. All of this occurs in a fraction of a second.

 Time Setting & Winding

 A distinguishing factor between battery-operated and mechanical watches is the need to wind the watch now and then. To do this, you utilize the crown, motion works, and supporting structure.

 Crown Assembly

 The crown is an exterior piece that allows contact between the wearer and the watch’s inner workings . This grooved exterior piece is connected to the winding stem and can adjust to varying lengths for different settings.

 The adjustment allows you to click the setting lever on different features on the setting jumper. Ultimately, the crown allows you to tighten the mainspring and allow the inner workings to be powered smoothly.

 Motion Works

 Right next to the center wheel is a special gear set providing functionality. The motion works gears permit the watch hands to rotate to the desired time setting.

 It also performs a speed reduction ratio of 12:1 for the hour hand, which ensures the hour hand runs twelve times slower than the minute hand. These special gears are the minute wheel, hour wheel, and cannon pinion.

 Supporting Structure

 The supporting structure consists of different metal plates specially shaped to hold the various components in place.

 The ‘main’ plate is the largest and provides a base. The second-largest, the ‘barrel bridge,’ keeps the mainspring and nearby pieces in place. Other smaller pieces, like the ‘wheel bridge’ and ‘pallet bridge ,’ support different structures in the watch.

 Frequently Asked Questions

 How Long Do Mechanical Watches Last?

 Mechanical watches are the height of durability. With jewels to reduce inner friction and no hard drops, you have a watch for a lifetime on your hands.

 There’s a reason mechanical watches are often treasured family heirlooms. Even damaged watches you can repair to extend their longevity .

 Family-owned businesses like Precision Watches are well-versed in the inner workings of mechanical watches. With the correct replacement parts on hand, we can restore watches to working order.

 Is It Ok to Let a Mechanical Watch Stop?

 If you’ve dug up a lost watch, you may question if winding it is worth it. Mechanical watches do stop if not correctly wound. Most of the time, winding it will be sufficient to get it back up and running.

 While we don’t recommend letting your mechanical watch stop, it is not the worst thing you can do to your watch.

 Some newer models of mechanical watches even come with a power reserve indicator , giving you an idea of just how much power is on hand and when it needs rewinding.

 Conclusion

 While digital watches and smartwatches are growing in popularity, mechanical watches remain a timeless choice. Mechanical watches can be a status symbol, heirloom, or personal timepiece. Regardless, understanding the inner workings permits you to know what makes your watch tick.

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 Powered by
Core Mechanisms  
 
 Mainspring 
 
 
 Wheel Train 
 
 
 
 Escapement 
 
   
   
 Balance Wheel 
 
 
 
 Time Setting &amp; Winding 
 
 Crown Assembly 
 
 
 Motion Works 
 
 
 Supporting Structure 
 
 
 
 Frequently Asked Questions 
 How Long Do Mechanical Watches Last? 
 
   
   
 Is It Ok to Let a Mechanical Watch Stop? 
 
 
   
 Conclusion
How Does a Mechanical Watch Work?
https://precisionwatches.com/how-does-a-mechanical-watch-work/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_watch
Mechanical watch - Wikipedia
2007-03-23
Authority control National libraries Germany
<div><div>
<div><p><a href="/wiki/File:Russian_finished_watch_movement.jpg"></a></p><div><p>The hand-winding <a href="/wiki/Movement_(clockwork)">movement</a> of a Russian watch</p></div></div>
<p>A <b>mechanical watch</b> is a <a href="/wiki/Watch">watch</a> that uses a <a href="/wiki/Movement_(clockwork)">clockwork mechanism</a> to measure the passage of time, as opposed to <a href="/wiki/Quartz_watch">quartz watches</a> which function using the <a href="/wiki/Vibration">vibration</a> modes of a <a href="/wiki/Piezoelectric">piezoelectric</a> <a href="/wiki/Quartz">quartz</a> <a href="/wiki/Tuning_fork">tuning fork</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Radio_clock">radio watches</a>, which are quartz watches synchronized to an <a href="/wiki/Atomic_clock">atomic clock</a> via <a href="/wiki/Radio_wave">radio waves</a>. A mechanical watch is driven by a <a href="/wiki/Mainspring">mainspring</a> which must be wound either periodically by hand or via a <a href="/wiki/Automatic_watch">self-winding</a> mechanism. Its force is transmitted through a series of gears to power the <a href="/wiki/Balance_wheel">balance wheel</a>, a weighted wheel which oscillates back and forth at a constant rate. A device called an <a href="/wiki/Escapement">escapement</a> releases the watch's wheels to move forward a small amount with each swing of the balance wheel, moving the watch's hands forward at a constant rate. The escapement is what makes the 'ticking' sound which is heard in an operating mechanical watch. Mechanical watches evolved in Europe in the 17th century from spring powered <a href="/wiki/Clock">clocks</a>, which appeared in the 15th century.
</p><p>Mechanical watches are typically not as accurate as quartz watches,<sup><a href="#cite_note-Hahn15-1">[1]</a></sup><sup><a href="#cite_note-Lynch-2">[2]</a></sup><sup><a href="#cite_note-Haines-3">[3]</a></sup> and they require periodic cleaning and calibration by a skilled watchmaker.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Haines-3">[3]</a></sup> Since the 1970s, quartz watches have taken over most of the watch market, and mechanical watches are now mostly marketed as a luxury product, purchased for their <a href="/wiki/Aesthetics">aesthetic</a> and <a href="/wiki/Luxury_goods">luxury</a> values, for appreciation of their fine craftsmanship,<sup><a href="#cite_note-Lynch-2">[2]</a></sup> or as a <a href="/wiki/Status_symbol">status symbol</a>.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Lynch-2">[2]</a></sup>
</p>
<h2>Components[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=1">edit</a>]</h2>
<div><p><a href="/wiki/File:Prim_mechanical_wrist_watch_disassembled_whole.jpg"></a></p><div><p>Mechanical wrist watch disassembled</p></div></div>
<div><p><a href="/wiki/File:Omega_Speedmaster_Schumacher_Edition10_36_22_158000.jpeg"></a></p></div>
<p>The internal mechanism of a watch, excluding the face and hands, is called the <a href="/wiki/Movement_(clockwork)">movement</a>. All mechanical watches have these five parts:
</p>
<ul><li>A <a href="/wiki/Mainspring">mainspring</a>,<sup><a href="#cite_note-4">[4]</a></sup> which stores mechanical energy to power the watch.</li>
<li>A <a href="/wiki/Gear_train">gear train</a>, called the <a href="/wiki/Wheel_train">wheel train</a>,<sup><a href="#cite_note-5">[5]</a></sup> which has the dual function of transmitting the force of the mainspring to the balance wheel and adding up the swings of the balance wheel to get units of <a href="/wiki/Second">seconds</a>, <a href="/wiki/Minute">minutes</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Hour">hours</a>. A separate part of the gear train, called the <a href="/wiki/Keyless_work">keyless work</a>, allows the user to wind the mainspring and enables the hands to be moved to set the time.</li>
<li>A <a href="/wiki/Balance_wheel">balance wheel</a>, which <a href="/wiki/Oscillation">oscillates</a> back and forth. This is the timekeeping element in the watch. Its timekeeping accuracy is due to the fact that it is a <a href="/wiki/Harmonic_oscillator">harmonic oscillator</a>, with a <a href="/wiki/Frequency">period of oscillation</a> which is very constant, dependent on the inertia of the wheel and the elasticity of the <a href="/wiki/Balance_spring">balance spring</a>.</li>
<li>An <a href="/wiki/Escapement">escapement</a> mechanism, which has the dual function of keeping the balance wheel vibrating by giving it a push with each swing, and allowing the watch's gears to advance or 'escape' by a set amount with each swing. The periodic stopping of the gear train by the escapement makes the 'ticking' sound of the mechanical watch.</li>
<li>An indicating dial, usually a traditional <a href="/wiki/Clock_face">clock face</a> with rotating hands, to display the time in human-readable form.</li></ul>
<p>Additional functions on a watch besides the basic timekeeping ones are traditionally called <i><a href="/wiki/Complication_(horology)">complications</a></i>. Mechanical watches may have these complications:
</p>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Automatic_watch"><i>Automatic winding</i></a> or <i>self-winding</i>—in order to eliminate the need to wind the watch, this device winds the watch's mainspring automatically using the natural motions of the wrist, with a rotating-weight mechanism.</li>
<li><i>Calendar</i>—displays the date, and often the weekday, month, and year. <i>Simple calendar</i> watches do not account for the different lengths of the months, requiring the user to reset the date 5 times a year, but <i>perpetual calendar</i> watches account for this, and even leap years.<sup><a href="#cite_note-6">[6]</a></sup> An <i>annual calendar</i> does not make the leap year adjustment, and treats February as a 30-day month, so the date must be reset on March 1 every year when it incorrectly says February 29 or 30.</li>
<li><i>Alarm</i>—a bell or buzzer that can be set to go on at a given time.</li>
<li><i><a href="/wiki/Chronograph">Chronograph</a></i>—a watch with additional <a href="/wiki/Stopwatch">stopwatch</a> functions. Buttons on the case start and stop the second hand and reset it to zero, and usually several subdials display the elapsed time in larger units.</li>
<li><i>Hacking</i> feature—found on military watches, a mechanism that stops the second hand while the watch is being set. This enables watches to be synchronized to the precise second. This is now a very common feature on many watches.</li>
<li><i>Moon phase dial</i>—shows the phase of the moon with a moon face on a rotating disk.</li>
<li><i>Wind indicator</i> or <i>power reserve indicator</i>—mostly found on automatic watches, a subdial that shows how much power is left in the mainspring, usually in terms of hours left to run.</li>
<li><i><a href="/wiki/Repeater_(horology)">Repeater</a></i>—a watch that chimes the hours audibly at the press of a button. This rare complication was originally used before artificial lighting to check what time it was in the dark. These complex mechanisms are now only found as novelties in extremely expensive luxury watches.</li>
<li><i><a href="/wiki/Tourbillon">Tourbillon</a></i>—this expensive feature was originally designed to make the watch more accurate, but is now simply a demonstration of watchmaking virtuosity. In an ordinary watch the balance wheel oscillates at different rates, because of gravitational bias, when the watch is in different positions, causing inaccuracy. In a tourbillon, the balance wheel is mounted in a rotating cage so that it will experience all positions equally. The mechanism is usually exposed on the face to show it off.</li></ul>
<h2>Mechanism[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=2">edit</a>]</h2>
<div><p><a href="/wiki/File:Pocketwatch_cutaway_drawing.jpg"></a></p></div>
<p>The mechanical watch is a <a href="/wiki/Mature_technology">mature technology</a>, and most ordinary watch <a href="/wiki/Movement_(clockwork)">movements</a> have the same parts and work the same way.<sup><a href="#cite_note-7">[7]</a></sup>
</p>
<h3>Mainspring and motion work[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=3">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>The <i><a href="/wiki/Mainspring">mainspring</a></i> that powers the watch, a spiral ribbon of spring steel, is inside a cylindrical <a href="/wiki/Barrel_(horology)">barrel</a>, with the outer end of the mainspring attached to the barrel. The force of the mainspring turns the barrel. The barrel has gear teeth around the outside that turn the <i>center wheel</i> once per hour — this wheel has a shaft that goes through the dial. On the <a href="/wiki/Watch_dial">dial</a> side the <i>cannon pinion</i> is attached with a friction fit (allowing it to slide when setting the hands) and the minute hand is attached to the cannon pinion. The cannon pinion drives a small 12-to-1 reduction gearing called the <a href="/wiki/Motion_work">motion work</a> that turns the hour wheel and hand once for every 12 revolutions of the minute hand.
</p><p>For the same rate of oscillation, the duration of run, runtime or power reserve of a mechanical watch is mainly a question of what size of mainspring is used, which is, in turn, a question of how much power is needed and how much room is available. If the movement is dirty or worn, the power may not transfer from the mainspring efficiently to the escapement. Service can help restore a degraded runtime.
Most mechanical watch movements have a duration of run between 36 and 72 hours. Some mechanical watch movements are able to run for a week. The exact duration of run for a mechanical movement is calculated with the formula<br />
<sup><a href="#cite_note-8">[8]</a></sup><br />
where is the number of barrel teeth, is the number of center pinion leaves, is the number of revolutions of the barrel, and is the number of revolutions of the center pinion — the run duration.
</p>
<h3>Wheel train[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=4">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>The center wheel drives the pinion of the third wheel, and the third wheel drives the pinion of the fourth wheel. In watches with the seconds hand in a subsidiary seconds dial, usually located above the 6 o'clock position, the fourth wheel is geared to rotate once per minute, and the second hand is attached directly to the arbour of this wheel.
</p>
<div> <div><p>Animated watch movement. For clarity in this diagram the watch gears are arranged in a line, with the balance wheel on the left and the hands on separate wheels, rather than located concentrically as in an actual watch.</p></div></div>
<div><p><a href="/wiki/File:Naturejournal36londuoft_0523.jpg"></a></p></div>
<h3>Escapement[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>The fourth wheel also drives the <i>escape wheel</i> of the <a href="/wiki/Lever_escapement">lever escapement</a>. The escape wheel teeth alternately catch on two fingers called <i>pallets</i> on the arms of the <i><a href="/wiki/Pallet_lever">pallet lever</a></i>, which rocks back and forth. The other end of the lever has a fork which engages with an upright <i>impulse pin</i> on the <i><a href="/wiki/Balance_wheel">balance wheel</a></i> shaft. Each time the balance wheel swings through its center position, it unlocks the lever, which releases one tooth of the escape wheel, allowing the watch's wheels to advance by a fixed amount, moving the hands forward. As the escape wheel turns, its tooth pushes against the lever, which gives the balance wheel a brief push, keeping it swinging back and forth.
</p>
<h3>Balance wheel[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=6">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>The <a href="/wiki/Balance_wheel">balance wheel</a> keeps time for the watch. It consists of a weighted wheel which rotates back and forth, which is returned toward its center position by a fine spiral spring, the <a href="/wiki/Balance_spring">balance spring or "hair spring"</a>. The wheel and spring together constitute a <i><a href="/wiki/Harmonic_oscillator">harmonic oscillator</a></i>. The mass of the balance wheel combines with the stiffness of the spring to precisely control the <a href="/wiki/Period_of_time">period</a> of each swing or 'beat' of the wheel. A balance wheel's <a href="/wiki/Frequency">period of oscillation</a> <i>T</i> in seconds, the time required for one complete cycle (two beats), is 
</p>
<dl><dd></dd></dl>
<p>where is the wheel's <a href="/wiki/Moment_of_inertia">moment of inertia</a> in kilogram-meter<sup>2</sup> and is the stiffness (<a href="/wiki/Spring_constant">spring constant</a>) of its <a href="/wiki/Balance_spring">balance spring</a> in newton-meters per radian. Most watch balance wheels oscillate at 5, 6, 8, or 10 beats per second. This translates into 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 Hz respectively, or 18000, 21,600, 28,800, and 36,000 beats per hour (BPH). In most watches there is a <i>regulator</i> lever on the balance spring which is used to adjust the rate of the watch. It has two <i>curb pins</i> which embrace the last turn of the spring, holding the part behind the pins motionless, so the position of the curb pins determines the length of the spring. Moving the regulator lever slides the curb pins up or down the spring to control its effective length. Sliding the pins up the spring, shortening the spring's length, makes it stiffer, increasing in the equation above, decreasing the wheel's period so it swings back and forth faster, causing the watch to run faster.
</p>
<h3>Keyless work[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=7">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>A separate set of gears called the <i><a href="/wiki/Keyless_work">keyless work</a></i> winds the mainspring when the <i>crown</i> is rotated, and when the crown is pulled out a short distance allow the hands to be turned to set the watch. The stem attached to the crown has a gear called the <i>clutch</i> or <i>castle wheel</i>, with two rings of teeth that project axially from the ends. When the stem is pushed in, the outer teeth turn the <i><a href="/wiki/Ratchet_(device)">ratchet</a> wheel</i> on top of the mainspring barrel, which turns the shaft that the inner end of the mainspring is attached to, winding the mainspring tighter around the shaft. A spring-loaded <a href="/wiki/Ratchet_(device)">pawl</a> or <i>click</i> presses against the ratchet teeth, preventing the mainspring from unwinding. When the stem is pulled out, the inner teeth of the castle wheel engage with a gear which turns the minute wheel. When the crown is turned, the friction coupling of the cannon pinion allows the hands to be rotated.
</p>
<h3>Center seconds[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=8">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>If the seconds hand is co-axial with the minute and hour hand, that is it is pivoted at the center of the dial, this arrangement is called "center seconds" or "sweep seconds", because the seconds hand sweeps around the minute track on the dial.
</p><p>Initially center seconds hands were driven off the third wheel, sometimes via an intermediate wheel, with the gearing on the outside of the top plate. This method of driving the seconds hand is called indirect center seconds. Because the gearing was outside the plates, it added to the thickness of the movement, and because the rotation of the third wheel had to be geared up to turn the seconds hand once a minute, the seconds hand had a fluttering motion.<sup><a href="#cite_note-9">[9]</a></sup>
</p><p>In 1948 Zenith introduced a watch with a redesigned gear train where the fourth wheel was at the center of the movement, and so could drive a center seconds hand directly. The minute wheel, which had previously been at the center of the movement, was moved off center and drove the minute hand indirectly. Any fluttering due to the indirect gearing is concealed by the relatively slow movement of the minute hand. This redesign brought all the train gearing between the plates and allowed a thinner movement.<sup><a href="#cite_note-10">[10]</a></sup>
</p>
<h2>Watch jewels[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=9">edit</a>]</h2>
<div><p><a href="/wiki/File:Watch_jewel_bearing_and_capstone.svg"></a></p><div><p>Jewel bearing and capstone used in balance wheel pivot</p></div></div>
<div><p><a href="/wiki/File:Watch_jewel_bearing.svg"></a></p><div><p>Ordinary 'hole jewel' bearing</p></div></div>
<p><a href="/wiki/Jewel_bearing">Jewel bearings</a> were invented and introduced in watches by <a href="/wiki/Nicolas_Fatio_de_Duillier">Nicolas Fatio (or Facio) de Duillier</a> and Pierre and Jacob Debaufre around 1702<sup><a href="#cite_note-Milham-11">[11]</a></sup><sup><a href="#cite_note-12">[12]</a></sup> to reduce friction. They did not become widely used until the mid-19th century. Until the 20th century they were ground from tiny pieces of natural gems. Watches often had <a href="/wiki/Garnet">garnet</a>, <a href="/wiki/Quartz">quartz</a>, or even glass jewels; only top quality watches used <a href="/wiki/Sapphire">sapphire</a> or <a href="/wiki/Ruby">ruby</a>.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Milham-11">[11]</a></sup> In 1902, a process to grow artificial sapphire crystals was invented, making jewels much cheaper. Jewels in modern watches are all synthetic sapphire or (usually) ruby, made of <a href="/wiki/Corundum">corundum</a> (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>), one of the hardest substances known. The only difference between sapphire and ruby is that different impurities have been added to change the color; there is no difference in their properties as a bearing.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Hahn114-13">[13]</a></sup> The advantage of using jewels is that their ultrahard slick surface has a lower <a href="/wiki/Coefficient_of_friction">coefficient of friction</a> with metal. The <a href="/wiki/Stiction">static coefficient of friction</a> of steel-on-steel is 0.58, while that of sapphire-on-steel is 0.10-0.15.<sup><a href="#cite_note-14">[14]</a></sup>
</p>
<h3>Purposes[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=10">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>Jewels serve two purposes in a watch.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Schlitt-15">[15]</a></sup> First, reduced <a href="/wiki/Friction">friction</a> can increase accuracy. Friction in the <a href="/wiki/Wheel_train_(horology)">wheel train</a> bearings and the <a href="/wiki/Escapement">escapement</a> causes slight variations in the impulses applied to the <a href="/wiki/Balance_wheel">balance wheel</a>, causing variations in the rate of timekeeping. The low, predictable friction of jewel surfaces reduces these variations. Second, they can increase the life of the bearings. In unjeweled bearings, the pivots of the watch's wheels rotate in holes in the plates supporting the movement. The sideways force applied by the driving gear causes more pressure and friction on one side of the hole. In some of the wheels, the rotating shaft can wear away the hole until it is oval shaped, eventually causing the gear to jam, stopping the watch.
</p>
<h3>Types[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=11">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>In the <a href="/wiki/Escapement">escapement</a>, jewels are used for the parts that work by sliding friction:<sup><a href="#cite_note-Schlitt-15">[15]</a></sup> 
</p>
<ul><li>Pallets - These are the angled rectangular surfaces on the <a href="/wiki/Pallet_lever">lever</a> that are pushed against by the teeth of the escape wheel. They are the main source of friction in a watch movement, and were one of the first sites to which jewels were applied.</li>
<li>Impulse pin - The off center pin on a disk on the balance staff which is pushed by the lever fork, to keep the balance wheel moving.</li></ul>
<p>In bearings two different types are used:
</p>
<ul><li>Hole jewels - These are donut shaped sleeve bearings used to support the arbor (shaft) of most wheels.</li>
<li>Capstones or cap jewels - When the arbor of a wheel is in the vertical position, the shoulder of the arbor bears against the side of the hole jewel, increasing friction. This causes the rate of the watch to change when it is in different positions. So in bearings where friction is critical, such as the balance wheel pivots, flat capstones are added at each end of the arbor. When the arbor is in a vertical position, its rounded end bears against the surface of the capstone, lowering friction.</li></ul>
<h3>Where they are used[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=12">edit</a>]</h3>
<table>
<tbody><tr>
<td>Where jewels are used in watches<sup><a href="#cite_note-Hahn113-16">[16]</a></sup><sup><a href="#cite_note-17">[17]</a></sup><sup><a href="#cite_note-18">[18]</a></sup>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>7 jewel lever watch - has these jewels:
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul><li>1 impulse pin</li>
<li>2 pallets</li>
<li>2 balance staff bearings</li>
<li>2 balance staff capstones</li></ul>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>11 jewel watch - adds:
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul><li>2 lever bearings</li>
<li>2 escape wheel bearings</li></ul>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>15 jewel watch - adds:
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul><li>2 fourth wheel bearings</li>
<li>2 third wheel bearings</li></ul>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>17 jewel watch - adds:
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul><li>2 center wheel bearings</li></ul>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>21 jewel watch - adds:
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul><li>2 lever capstones</li>
<li>2 escape wheel capstones</li></ul>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>23 jewel watch - adds:
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul><li>2 mainspring barrel bearings</li></ul>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>Self winding watches add 4 or more
<p>in the winding mechanism, 
for a total of 25-27 
</p>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>The number of jewels used in watch movements increased over the last 150 years as jeweling grew less expensive and watches grew more accurate. The only bearings that really need to be jeweled in a watch are the ones in the <i><a href="/wiki/Going_train">going train</a></i> - the <a href="/wiki/Gear_train">gear train</a> that transmits force from the <a href="/wiki/Mainspring">mainspring</a> <a href="/wiki/Barrel_(horology)">barrel</a> to the <a href="/wiki/Balance_wheel">balance wheel</a> - since only they are constantly under force from the mainspring.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Hahn115-19">[19]</a></sup> The wheels that turn the hands (the <a href="/wiki/Motion_work">motion work</a>) and the calendar wheels are not under load, while the ones that wind the mainspring (the <a href="/wiki/Keyless_work">keyless work</a>) are used very seldom, so they do not wear significantly. Friction has the greatest effect in the wheels that move the fastest, so they benefit most from jewelling. So the first mechanism to be jeweled in watches was the balance wheel pivots, followed by the <a href="/wiki/Escapement">escapement</a>. As more jeweled bearings were added, they were applied to slower moving wheels, and jewelling progressed up the going train toward the barrel. A 17 jewel watch has every bearing from the balance wheel to the center wheel pivot bearings jeweled, so it was considered a 'fully jeweled' watch.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Hahn113-16">[16]</a></sup> In quality watches, to minimize positional error, capstones were added to the lever and escape wheel bearings, making 21 jewels. Even the mainspring barrel arbor was sometimes jeweled, making the total 23. When self-winding watches were introduced in the 1950s, several wheels in the automatic winding mechanism were jeweled, increasing the count to 25–27.
</p>
<h3>'Jewel inflation'[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=13">edit</a>]</h3>
<p>It is doubtful whether adding jewels in addition to the ones listed above is really useful in a watch.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Berkavicius-20">[20]</a></sup> It does not increase accuracy, since the only wheels which have an effect on the balance wheel, those in the <a href="/wiki/Going_train">going train</a>, are already jeweled. <a href="/wiki/Marine_chronometer">Marine chronometers</a>, the most accurate portable timepieces, often have only 7 jewels. Nor does jeweling additional wheel bearings increase the useful life of the movement; as mentioned above most of the other wheels do not get enough wear to need them.
</p><p>However, by the early 20th century watch movements had been standardized to the point that there was little difference between their mechanisms, besides quality of workmanship. So watch manufacturers made the number of jewels, one of the few metrics differentiating quality watches, a major advertising point, listing it prominently on the watch's face. Consumers, with little else to go on, learned to equate more jewels with more quality in a watch. Although initially this was a good measure of quality, it gave manufacturers an incentive to increase the jewel count.
</p><p>Around the 1960s this 'jewel craze' reached new heights, and manufacturers made watches with 41, 53, 75, or even 100 jewels.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Hahn115-19">[19]</a></sup><sup><a href="#cite_note-Berkavicius-20">[20]</a></sup> Most of these additional jewels were totally nonfunctional; they never contacted moving parts, and were included just to increase the jewel count. For example, the Waltham 100 jewel watch consisted of an ordinary 17 jewel movement, with 83 tiny pieces of ruby mounted around the automatic winding rotor.<sup><a href="#cite_note-21">[21]</a></sup>
</p><p>In 1974, the <a href="/wiki/International_Organization_for_Standardization">International Organization for Standardization</a> (ISO) in collaboration with the Swiss watch industry standards organization <a href="/w/index.php?title=Normes_de_l%27Industrie_Horlog%C3%A8re_Suisse&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1">Normes de l'Industrie Horlogère Suisse</a> (NIHS) published a standard, ISO 1112, which prohibited manufacturers from including such nonfunctional jewels in the jewel counts in advertising and sales literature. This stopped the use of totally nonfunctional jewels. However, some experts say manufacturers have continued to inflate the jewel count of their watches by 'upjeweling'; adding functional jeweled bearings to wheels that do not really need them, exploiting loopholes in ISO 1112.<sup><a href="#cite_note-Berkavicius-20">[20]</a></sup> Examples given include adding capstones to third and fourth wheel bearings, jeweling minute wheel bearings, and automatic winding <a href="/wiki/Ratchet_and_pawl">ratchet pawls</a>. Arguably none of these additions adds to the accuracy or longevity of the watch.
</p>
<h2>World time[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=14">edit</a>]</h2>
<p>Some fine mechanical watches will have a <i>world time</i> feature, which is a <i>city bezel</i> as well as an <i>hour bezel</i> which will rotate according to the cities relative time zone.
</p><p>There are usually 27 cities (corresponding to 24 major time zones) on the city bezel, starting with <a href="/wiki/Greenwich_Mean_Time">GMT/UTC</a>:
</p>
<h2>History[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=15">edit</a>]</h2>
<p><a href="/wiki/Peter_Henlein">Peter Henlein</a> has often been described as the inventor of the first <a href="/wiki/Pocket_watch">pocket watch</a>, the "Nuremberg egg", in 1510, but this claim appears to be a 19th-century invention and does not appear in older sources.<sup><a href="#cite_note-22">[22]</a></sup>
</p><p>Until the <a href="/wiki/Quartz_crisis">quartz revolution</a> of the 1970s, all watches were mechanical. Early watches were terribly imprecise; a good one could vary as much as 15 minutes in a day. Modern precision (a few seconds per day) was not attained by any watch until 1760, when <a href="/wiki/John_Harrison">John Harrison</a> created his <a href="/wiki/Marine_chronometer">marine chronometers</a>. Industrialization of the movement manufacturing process by the <a href="/wiki/Waltham_Watch_Company">Waltham Watch Company</a> in 1854 made additional precision possible; the company won a gold medal at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition for their manufacturing quality.<sup>[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup>
</p><p>Mechanical watches are powered by a <a href="/wiki/Mainspring">mainspring</a>. Modern mechanical watches require of the order of 1 <a href="/wiki/Orders_of_magnitude_(power)#microwatt_.2810.E2.88.926_watt.29">microwatt of power</a> on average.<sup>[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> Because the <a href="/wiki/Mainspring">mainspring</a> provides an uneven source of power (its torque steadily decreases as the spring unwinds), watches from the early 16th century to the early 19th century featured a chain-driven <a href="/wiki/Fusee_(horology)">fusee</a> which served to regulate the torque output of the mainspring throughout its winding. Unfortunately, the <a href="/wiki/Fusee_(horology)">fusees</a> were very brittle,<sup>[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> were very easy to break,<sup>[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> and were the source of many problems, especially inaccuracy of timekeeping when the fusee chain became loose or lost its velocity<sup>[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> after the lack of maintenance.
</p><p>As new kinds of <a href="/wiki/Escapements">escapements</a> were created which served to better isolate the watch from its time source, the <a href="/wiki/Balance_spring">balance spring</a>, watches could be built without a <a href="/wiki/Fusee_(horology)">fusee</a> and still be accurate.
</p><p>In the 18th century the original <a href="/wiki/Verge_escapement">verge escapement</a>, which required a fusee, was gradually replaced in better French watches with the <a href="/wiki/Escapement#Cylinder_escapement">cylinder escapement</a>, and in British watches with the <a href="/wiki/Escapement#Duplex_escapement">duplex escapement</a>. Then in the 19th century both were superseded by the <a href="/wiki/Lever_escapement">lever escapement</a> which has been used almost exclusively ever since. A cheaper version of the lever, the <a href="/wiki/Pin_lever_escapement">pin lever escapement</a>, patented in 1867 by <a href="/wiki/Georges_Frederic_Roskopf">Georges Frederic Roskopf</a> was used in inexpensive watches until the 1970s.
</p><p>As manual-wound mechanical watches became less popular and less favored in the 1970s, watch design and industrialists came out with the <a href="/wiki/Automatic_watch">automatic watch</a>. Whereas a mechanically-wound watch must be wound with the <a href="/wiki/Pendant">pendant</a> or a levered setting, an automatic watch does not need to be wound by the pendant; simply rotating the watch winds the watch automatically. The interior of an automatic watch houses a swiveling metal or brass "plate" that swivels on its axis when the watch is shaken horizontally.<sup><a href="#cite_note-23">[23]</a></sup>
</p>
<h2>See also[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=16">edit</a>]</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/wiki/Chronograph">Chronograph</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Jewel_bearing">Jewel bearing</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Quartz_watch">Quartz watch</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Railroad_chronometers">Railroad chronometers</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Skeleton_watch">Skeleton watch</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Tourbillon">Tourbillon</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Marine_chronometer">Marine chronometer</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/ETA_SA">ETA SA</a></li>
<li><a href="/wiki/Lemania">Lemania</a></li></ul>
<h2>References[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=17">edit</a>]</h2>
<div>
<ol>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-Hahn15_1-0">^</a></b> <cite>Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). <a href="http://www.timezone.com/2003/10/04/mechanical-watch-faq/">"Question 1.5: Why should I get a mechanical watch when a quartz watch is so much cheaper and more accurate?"</a>. <i>Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0</i>. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2017-02-20.</cite>
</li>
<li>^ <a href="#cite_ref-Lynch_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Lynch_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Lynch_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <cite>Lynch, Annette; Strauss, Mitchell (2007). <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Hw4N7MAd8dYC&amp;q=%22mechanical+watch%22+%22quartz+watch%22+accurate&amp;pg=PA149"><i>Changing Fashion: A Critical Introduction to Trend Analysis and Cultural Meaning</i></a>. Berg. pp. 148–149. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1845203900"><bdi>978-1845203900</bdi></a>.</cite>
</li>
<li>^ <a href="#cite_ref-Haines_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Haines_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <cite>Haines, Reyne (2010). <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=62A7C-Lw3VQC&amp;q=%22mechanical+watch%22+%22quartz+watch%22+accurate&amp;pg=PA9"><i>Vintage Wristwatches</i></a>. Krause Publications. p. 9. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1440214790"><bdi>978-1440214790</bdi></a>.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b> <a href="http://horologyzone.com/watch/watch-school/mainspring-disassembly.html">Hand-winding Mechanical Watch Movement Mainspring</a>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b> <a href="http://horologyzone.com/watch/watch-school/structure-theory.html">Mechanical Clock / Watch Movement Gear Train Photos</a>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b> <cite>Nicolet, J. C. (2008). <a href="http://www.europastar.com/europastar/watch_tech/nicolet2.jsp">"What is a perpetual calendar watch?"</a>. <i>Questions in Time</i>. Retrieved 2008-06-07.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b> The parts are shown in detail in <cite>Odets, Walt. <a href="http://www.timezonewatchschool.com/WatchSchool/Glossary/glossary.shtml">"Illustrated Glossary of Watch Parts"</a>. <i>TimeZone Watch School</i>. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-05.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b> "The Theory of Horology", Charles-Andre Reymondin, et al., Swiss Federation of Technical Colleges, 1999, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/2940025126">2940025126</a>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b> THE PURSUIT OF CENTER SECONDS BY WALT ODETS <cite><a href="https://archive.today/20120914134252/http://www.timezone.com/library/horologium/horologium631670098360080701">"The Pursuit of Center Seconds - Part 1 - TimeZone"</a>. Archived from <a href="http://www.timezone.com/library/horologium/horologium631670098360080701">the original</a> on 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2012-01-04.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b> THE PURSUIT OF CENTER SECONDS Part 2 BY WALT ODETS <cite><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120112091345/http://www.timezone.com/library/horologium/horologium631670523058687082">"The Pursuit of Center Seconds - Part 2 - TimeZone"</a>. Archived from <a href="http://www.timezone.com/library/horologium/horologium631670523058687082">the original</a> on 2012-01-12. Retrieved 2012-01-04.</cite>
</li>
<li>^ <a href="#cite_ref-Milham_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Milham_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <cite>Milham, Willis I. (1945). <i>Time and Timekeepers</i>. New York, USA: MacMillan. pp. 114–116.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b> <cite><a href="http://www.oldandsold.com/articles02/clocks-j.shtml">"Jewel"</a>. <i>Encyclopedia of Antiques</i>. Old and Sold Antique Marketplace. Retrieved 2008-05-31.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-Hahn114_13-0">^</a></b> <cite>Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). <a href="http://www.timezone.com/2003/10/04/mechanical-watch-faq/">"Question 1.1.4: Why do they use synthetic ruby?"</a>. <i>Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0</i>. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b> <cite>Hahn, Ed (2000-01-31). <a href="http://www.timezone.com/2002/09/28/coefficients-of-friction-for-various-horological-materials/">"Coefficients of friction for various horological materials"</a>. <i>TZ Classic Forum</i>. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</cite>
</li>
<li>^ <a href="#cite_ref-Schlitt_15-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Schlitt_15-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <cite>Schlitt, Wayne (2004). <a href="http://elginwatches.org/help/watch_jewels.html">"Why watches have jewels"</a>. <i>Help</i>. The Elgin Watch Collector's Site. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</cite>
</li>
<li>^ <a href="#cite_ref-Hahn113_16-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Hahn113_16-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <cite>Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). <a href="http://www.timezone.com/2003/10/04/mechanical-watch-faq/">"Question 1.1.3: What does 17 jewels mean?"</a>. <i>Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0</i>. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b> <cite>Milham, Willis I. (1945). <i>Time and Timekeepers</i>. New York, USA: MacMillan. pp. 114–116. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7808-0008-7"><bdi>0-7808-0008-7</bdi></a>.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b> <cite><a href="http://elginwatches.org/help/what_is_a_watch.html"><i>What is a Watch? Advertising pamphlet</i></a>. Illinois, USA: The Elgin Watch Co. 1950.</cite> on Wayne Schlitt's <a href="http://elginwatches.org/index.html">The Elgin Watch Collector's Site</a>, retrieved on 2008-07-02
</li>
<li>^ <a href="#cite_ref-Hahn115_19-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Hahn115_19-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <cite>Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). <a href="http://www.timezone.com/2003/10/04/mechanical-watch-faq/">"Question 1.1.5: Are more jewels better?"</a>. <i>Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0</i>. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</cite>
</li>
<li>^ <a href="#cite_ref-Berkavicius_20-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Berkavicius_20-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Berkavicius_20-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <cite>Berkavicius, Bob (September 25, 2002). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080702024820/http://www.timezone.com/library/workbench/workbench0025">"83 jewels too many?"</a>. <i>From the workbench</i>. TimeZone.com. Archived from <a href="http://www.timezone.com/library/workbench/workbench0025">the original</a> on July 2, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</cite>
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b> Photos of it can be seen in Berkavicius article
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b> pp. 121 ff., <i>History of the hour: clocks and modern temporal orders</i>, Gerhard Dohrn-van Rossum, University of Chicago Press, 1996, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-226-15510-2">0-226-15510-2</a>.
</li>
<li><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b> <cite><a href="http://horologyzone.com/watch/watch-school/automatic-watch-disassembly.html">"What is Automatic Watch Movement Disassembly - Automatic Winding mechanism Date Mechanism"</a>. <i>horologyzone.com</i>. Retrieved 11 January 2018.</cite>
</li>
</ol></div>
<h2>External links[<a href="/w/index.php?title=Mechanical_watch&amp;action=edit&amp;section=18">edit</a>]</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://animagraffs.com/mechanical-watch/">Animagraffs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110707113429/http://hiro.alliancehorlogere.com/en/Under_the_Loupe/Rolex_3135">Video Assembly of a Rolex 3135 Mechanical Watch Movement, Alliance Horlogere</a></li>
<li><a href="http://horologyzone.com/watch/watch-school/watch-movement-disassembly.html">Hand-winding Mechanical Watch Movement Disassembly</a></li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080324133019/http://www.horlogerie-suisse.com/Theoriehorlogerie/disassembling-mechanical-watch.html">Disassembling a mechanical wristwatch, Horlogerie-Suisse</a></li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080302113522/http://www.horlogerie-suisse.com/Theoriehorlogerie/reassembling-mechanical-watch.html">Reassembling a mechanical wristwatch, Horlogerie-Suisse</a></li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071225063804/http://www.horlogerie-suisse.com/Theoriehorlogerie/fonction-anglais.html">Working of a simple mechanical watch, Horlogerie-Suisse</a></li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080701150436/http://www.timezone.com/library/wwatchfaq/wwatchfaq631668591017665598">Explanations Of The Mechanical Movements In A Watch, TimeZone.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question285.htm">Automatic Movements Of A Mechanical Watch, How Stuff Works</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.professionalwatches.com/caliber-guide/">Caliber Guide</a></li></ul>
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 Contents

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 * (Top)
 * 1 Components
 * 2 Mechanism
 + 2.1 Mainspring and motion work
 + 2.2 Wheel train
 + 2.3 Escapement
 + 2.4 Balance wheel
 + 2.5 Keyless work
 + 2.6 Center seconds
 * 3 Watch jewels
 + 3.1 Purposes
 + 3.2 Types
 + 3.3 Where they are used
 + 3.4 'Jewel inflation'
 * 4 World time
 * 5 History
 * 6 See also
 * 7 References
 * 8 External links
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 Mechanical watch

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 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 The hand-winding movement of a Russian watch

 A mechanical watch is a watch that uses a clockwork mechanism to measure the passage of time, as opposed to quartz watches which function using the vibration modes of a piezoelectric quartz tuning fork, or radio watches, which are quartz watches synchronized to an atomic clock via radio waves. A mechanical watch is driven by a mainspring which must be wound either periodically by hand or via a self-winding mechanism. Its force is transmitted through a series of gears to power the balance wheel, a weighted wheel which oscillates back and forth at a constant rate. A device called an escapement releases the watch's wheels to move forward a small amount with each swing of the balance wheel, moving the watch's hands forward at a constant rate. The escapement is what makes the 'ticking' sound which is heard in an operating mechanical watch. Mechanical watches evolved in Europe in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century.

 Mechanical watches are typically not as accurate as quartz watches,[1][2][3] and they require periodic cleaning and calibration by a skilled watchmaker.[3] Since the 1970s, quartz watches have taken over most of the watch market, and mechanical watches are now mostly marketed as a luxury product, purchased for their aesthetic and luxury values, for appreciation of their fine craftsmanship,[2] or as a status symbol.[2]

 Components [ edit ]

 Mechanical wrist watch disassembled
 A chronograph watch, with stopwatch functions

 The internal mechanism of a watch, excluding the face and hands, is called the movement. All mechanical watches have these five parts:

 * A mainspring,[4] which stores mechanical energy to power the watch.
 * A gear train, called the wheel train,[5] which has the dual function of transmitting the force of the mainspring to the balance wheel and adding up the swings of the balance wheel to get units of seconds, minutes, and hours. A separate part of the gear train, called the keyless work, allows the user to wind the mainspring and enables the hands to be moved to set the time.
 * A balance wheel, which oscillates back and forth. This is the timekeeping element in the watch. Its timekeeping accuracy is due to the fact that it is a harmonic oscillator, with a period of oscillation which is very constant, dependent on the inertia of the wheel and the elasticity of the balance spring.
 * An escapement mechanism, which has the dual function of keeping the balance wheel vibrating by giving it a push with each swing, and allowing the watch's gears to advance or 'escape' by a set amount with each swing. The periodic stopping of the gear train by the escapement makes the 'ticking' sound of the mechanical watch.
 * An indicating dial, usually a traditional clock face with rotating hands, to display the time in human-readable form.

 Additional functions on a watch besides the basic timekeeping ones are traditionally called complications. Mechanical watches may have these complications:

 * Automatic winding or self-winding—in order to eliminate the need to wind the watch, this device winds the watch's mainspring automatically using the natural motions of the wrist, with a rotating-weight mechanism.
 * Calendar—displays the date, and often the weekday, month, and year. Simple calendar watches do not account for the different lengths of the months, requiring the user to reset the date 5 times a year, but perpetual calendar watches account for this, and even leap years.[6] An annual calendar does not make the leap year adjustment, and treats February as a 30-day month, so the date must be reset on March 1 every year when it incorrectly says February 29 or 30.
 * Alarm—a bell or buzzer that can be set to go on at a given time.
 * Chronograph—a watch with additional stopwatch functions. Buttons on the case start and stop the second hand and reset it to zero, and usually several subdials display the elapsed time in larger units.
 * Hacking feature—found on military watches, a mechanism that stops the second hand while the watch is being set. This enables watches to be synchronized to the precise second. This is now a very common feature on many watches.
 * Moon phase dial—shows the phase of the moon with a moon face on a rotating disk.
 * Wind indicator or power reserve indicator—mostly found on automatic watches, a subdial that shows how much power is left in the mainspring, usually in terms of hours left to run.
 * Repeater—a watch that chimes the hours audibly at the press of a button. This rare complication was originally used before artificial lighting to check what time it was in the dark. These complex mechanisms are now only found as novelties in extremely expensive luxury watches.
 * Tourbillon—this expensive feature was originally designed to make the watch more accurate, but is now simply a demonstration of watchmaking virtuosity. In an ordinary watch the balance wheel oscillates at different rates, because of gravitational bias, when the watch is in different positions, causing inaccuracy. In a tourbillon, the balance wheel is mounted in a rotating cage so that it will experience all positions equally. The mechanism is usually exposed on the face to show it off.

 Mechanism [ edit ]

 Cutaway drawing of pocketwatch, with parts labeled

 The mechanical watch is a mature technology, and most ordinary watch movements have the same parts and work the same way.[7]

 Mainspring and motion work [ edit ]

 The mainspring that powers the watch, a spiral ribbon of spring steel, is inside a cylindrical barrel, with the outer end of the mainspring attached to the barrel. The force of the mainspring turns the barrel. The barrel has gear teeth around the outside that turn the center wheel once per hour — this wheel has a shaft that goes through the dial. On the dial side the cannon pinion is attached with a friction fit (allowing it to slide when setting the hands) and the minute hand is attached to the cannon pinion. The cannon pinion drives a small 12-to-1 reduction gearing called the motion work that turns the hour wheel and hand once for every 12 revolutions of the minute hand.

 For the same rate of oscillation, the duration of run, runtime or power reserve of a mechanical watch is mainly a question of what size of mainspring is used, which is, in turn, a question of how much power is needed and how much room is available. If the movement is dirty or worn, the power may not transfer from the mainspring efficiently to the escapement. Service can help restore a degraded runtime. Most mechanical watch movements have a duration of run between 36 and 72 hours. Some mechanical watch movements are able to run for a week. The exact duration of run for a mechanical movement is calculated with the formula
 [8]
 where is the number of barrel teeth, is the number of center pinion leaves, is the number of revolutions of the barrel, and is the number of revolutions of the center pinion — the run duration.

 Wheel train [ edit ]

 The center wheel drives the pinion of the third wheel, and the third wheel drives the pinion of the fourth wheel. In watches with the seconds hand in a subsidiary seconds dial, usually located above the 6 o'clock position, the fourth wheel is geared to rotate once per minute, and the second hand is attached directly to the arbour of this wheel.

 Animated watch movement. For clarity in this diagram the watch gears are arranged in a line, with the balance wheel on the left and the hands on separate wheels, rather than located concentrically as in an actual watch.
 The movement of a chronograph pocketwatch from the 1880s.

 Escapement [ edit ]

 The fourth wheel also drives the escape wheel of the lever escapement. The escape wheel teeth alternately catch on two fingers called pallets on the arms of the pallet lever, which rocks back and forth. The other end of the lever has a fork which engages with an upright impulse pin on the balance wheel shaft. Each time the balance wheel swings through its center position, it unlocks the lever, which releases one tooth of the escape wheel, allowing the watch's wheels to advance by a fixed amount, moving the hands forward. As the escape wheel turns, its tooth pushes against the lever, which gives the balance wheel a brief push, keeping it swinging back and forth.

 Balance wheel [ edit ]

 The balance wheel keeps time for the watch. It consists of a weighted wheel which rotates back and forth, which is returned toward its center position by a fine spiral spring, the balance spring or "hair spring". The wheel and spring together constitute a harmonic oscillator. The mass of the balance wheel combines with the stiffness of the spring to precisely control the period of each swing or 'beat' of the wheel. A balance wheel's period of oscillation T in seconds, the time required for one complete cycle (two beats), is

 where is the wheel's moment of inertia in kilogram-meter2 and is the stiffness (spring constant) of its balance spring in newton-meters per radian. Most watch balance wheels oscillate at 5, 6, 8, or 10 beats per second. This translates into 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 Hz respectively, or 18000, 21,600, 28,800, and 36,000 beats per hour (BPH). In most watches there is a regulator lever on the balance spring which is used to adjust the rate of the watch. It has two curb pins which embrace the last turn of the spring, holding the part behind the pins motionless, so the position of the curb pins determines the length of the spring. Moving the regulator lever slides the curb pins up or down the spring to control its effective length. Sliding the pins up the spring, shortening the spring's length, makes it stiffer, increasing in the equation above, decreasing the wheel's period so it swings back and forth faster, causing the watch to run faster.

 Keyless work [ edit ]

 A separate set of gears called the keyless work winds the mainspring when the crown is rotated, and when the crown is pulled out a short distance allow the hands to be turned to set the watch. The stem attached to the crown has a gear called the clutch or castle wheel, with two rings of teeth that project axially from the ends. When the stem is pushed in, the outer teeth turn the ratchet wheel on top of the mainspring barrel, which turns the shaft that the inner end of the mainspring is attached to, winding the mainspring tighter around the shaft. A spring-loaded pawl or click presses against the ratchet teeth, preventing the mainspring from unwinding. When the stem is pulled out, the inner teeth of the castle wheel engage with a gear which turns the minute wheel. When the crown is turned, the friction coupling of the cannon pinion allows the hands to be rotated.

 Center seconds [ edit ]

 If the seconds hand is co-axial with the minute and hour hand, that is it is pivoted at the center of the dial, this arrangement is called "center seconds" or "sweep seconds", because the seconds hand sweeps around the minute track on the dial.

 Initially center seconds hands were driven off the third wheel, sometimes via an intermediate wheel, with the gearing on the outside of the top plate. This method of driving the seconds hand is called indirect center seconds. Because the gearing was outside the plates, it added to the thickness of the movement, and because the rotation of the third wheel had to be geared up to turn the seconds hand once a minute, the seconds hand had a fluttering motion.[9]

 In 1948 Zenith introduced a watch with a redesigned gear train where the fourth wheel was at the center of the movement, and so could drive a center seconds hand directly. The minute wheel, which had previously been at the center of the movement, was moved off center and drove the minute hand indirectly. Any fluttering due to the indirect gearing is concealed by the relatively slow movement of the minute hand. This redesign brought all the train gearing between the plates and allowed a thinner movement.[10]

 Watch jewels [ edit ]

 See also: Jewel bearing
 Jewel bearing and capstone used in balance wheel pivot
 Ordinary 'hole jewel' bearing

 Jewel bearings were invented and introduced in watches by Nicolas Fatio (or Facio) de Duillier and Pierre and Jacob Debaufre around 1702[11][12] to reduce friction. They did not become widely used until the mid-19th century. Until the 20th century they were ground from tiny pieces of natural gems. Watches often had garnet, quartz, or even glass jewels; only top quality watches used sapphire or ruby.[11] In 1902, a process to grow artificial sapphire crystals was invented, making jewels much cheaper. Jewels in modern watches are all synthetic sapphire or (usually) ruby, made of corundum (Al2O3), one of the hardest substances known. The only difference between sapphire and ruby is that different impurities have been added to change the color; there is no difference in their properties as a bearing.[13] The advantage of using jewels is that their ultrahard slick surface has a lower coefficient of friction with metal. The static coefficient of friction of steel-on-steel is 0.58, while that of sapphire-on-steel is 0.10-0.15.[14]

 Purposes [ edit ]

 Jewels serve two purposes in a watch.[15] First, reduced friction can increase accuracy. Friction in the wheel train bearings and the escapement causes slight variations in the impulses applied to the balance wheel, causing variations in the rate of timekeeping. The low, predictable friction of jewel surfaces reduces these variations. Second, they can increase the life of the bearings. In unjeweled bearings, the pivots of the watch's wheels rotate in holes in the plates supporting the movement. The sideways force applied by the driving gear causes more pressure and friction on one side of the hole. In some of the wheels, the rotating shaft can wear away the hole until it is oval shaped, eventually causing the gear to jam, stopping the watch.

 Types [ edit ]

 In the escapement, jewels are used for the parts that work by sliding friction:[15]

 * Pallets - These are the angled rectangular surfaces on the lever that are pushed against by the teeth of the escape wheel. They are the main source of friction in a watch movement, and were one of the first sites to which jewels were applied.
 * Impulse pin - The off center pin on a disk on the balance staff which is pushed by the lever fork, to keep the balance wheel moving.

 In bearings two different types are used:

 * Hole jewels - These are donut shaped sleeve bearings used to support the arbor (shaft) of most wheels.
 * Capstones or cap jewels - When the arbor of a wheel is in the vertical position, the shoulder of the arbor bears against the side of the hole jewel, increasing friction. This causes the rate of the watch to change when it is in different positions. So in bearings where friction is critical, such as the balance wheel pivots, flat capstones are added at each end of the arbor. When the arbor is in a vertical position, its rounded end bears against the surface of the capstone, lowering friction.

 Where they are used [ edit ]

 Where jewels are used in watches [16][17][18] 
 7 jewel lever watch - has these jewels: 
 * 1 impulse pin 
 * 2 pallets 
 * 2 balance staff bearings 
 * 2 balance staff capstones 
 11 jewel watch - adds: 
 * 2 lever bearings 
 * 2 escape wheel bearings 
 15 jewel watch - adds: 
 * 2 fourth wheel bearings 
 * 2 third wheel bearings 
 17 jewel watch - adds: 
 * 2 center wheel bearings 
 21 jewel watch - adds: 
 * 2 lever capstones 
 * 2 escape wheel capstones 
 23 jewel watch - adds: 
 * 2 mainspring barrel bearings 
 Self winding watches add 4 or more 
 
 in the winding mechanism, for a total of 25-27
 
 

 The number of jewels used in watch movements increased over the last 150 years as jeweling grew less expensive and watches grew more accurate. The only bearings that really need to be jeweled in a watch are the ones in the going train - the gear train that transmits force from the mainspring barrel to the balance wheel - since only they are constantly under force from the mainspring.[19] The wheels that turn the hands (the motion work) and the calendar wheels are not under load, while the ones that wind the mainspring (the keyless work) are used very seldom, so they do not wear significantly. Friction has the greatest effect in the wheels that move the fastest, so they benefit most from jewelling. So the first mechanism to be jeweled in watches was the balance wheel pivots, followed by the escapement. As more jeweled bearings were added, they were applied to slower moving wheels, and jewelling progressed up the going train toward the barrel. A 17 jewel watch has every bearing from the balance wheel to the center wheel pivot bearings jeweled, so it was considered a 'fully jeweled' watch.[16] In quality watches, to minimize positional error, capstones were added to the lever and escape wheel bearings, making 21 jewels. Even the mainspring barrel arbor was sometimes jeweled, making the total 23. When self-winding watches were introduced in the 1950s, several wheels in the automatic winding mechanism were jeweled, increasing the count to 25–27.

 'Jewel inflation' [ edit ]

 It is doubtful whether adding jewels in addition to the ones listed above is really useful in a watch.[20] It does not increase accuracy, since the only wheels which have an effect on the balance wheel, those in the going train, are already jeweled. Marine chronometers, the most accurate portable timepieces, often have only 7 jewels. Nor does jeweling additional wheel bearings increase the useful life of the movement; as mentioned above most of the other wheels do not get enough wear to need them.

 However, by the early 20th century watch movements had been standardized to the point that there was little difference between their mechanisms, besides quality of workmanship. So watch manufacturers made the number of jewels, one of the few metrics differentiating quality watches, a major advertising point, listing it prominently on the watch's face. Consumers, with little else to go on, learned to equate more jewels with more quality in a watch. Although initially this was a good measure of quality, it gave manufacturers an incentive to increase the jewel count.

 Around the 1960s this 'jewel craze' reached new heights, and manufacturers made watches with 41, 53, 75, or even 100 jewels.[19][20] Most of these additional jewels were totally nonfunctional; they never contacted moving parts, and were included just to increase the jewel count. For example, the Waltham 100 jewel watch consisted of an ordinary 17 jewel movement, with 83 tiny pieces of ruby mounted around the automatic winding rotor.[21]

 In 1974, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in collaboration with the Swiss watch industry standards organization Normes de l'Industrie Horlogère Suisse (NIHS) published a standard, ISO 1112, which prohibited manufacturers from including such nonfunctional jewels in the jewel counts in advertising and sales literature. This stopped the use of totally nonfunctional jewels. However, some experts say manufacturers have continued to inflate the jewel count of their watches by 'upjeweling'; adding functional jeweled bearings to wheels that do not really need them, exploiting loopholes in ISO 1112.[20] Examples given include adding capstones to third and fourth wheel bearings, jeweling minute wheel bearings, and automatic winding ratchet pawls. Arguably none of these additions adds to the accuracy or longevity of the watch.

 World time [ edit ]

 Some fine mechanical watches will have a world time feature, which is a city bezel as well as an hour bezel which will rotate according to the cities relative time zone.

 There are usually 27 cities (corresponding to 24 major time zones) on the city bezel, starting with GMT/UTC:

 * UTC±00:00 - London
 * UTC+01:00 - Amsterdam
 * UTC+01:00 - Berlin
 * UTC+01:00 - Brussels
 * UTC+01:00 - Paris
 * UTC+02:00 - Cairo
 * UTC+03:00 - Moscow
 * UTC+04:00 - Abu Dhabi/Dubai
 * UTC+05:00 - Karachi
 * UTC+06:00 - Dhaka
 * UTC+07:00 - Bangkok
 * UTC+08:00 - Taipei / Beijing / Hong Kong
 * UTC+09:00 - Seoul / Tokyo
 * UTC+10:00 - Sydney / Melbourne
 * UTC+11:00 - Nouméa
 * UTC+12:00 - Auckland
 * UTC+13:00 - Samoa
 * UTC−10:00 - Honolulu
 * UTC−09:00 - Anchorage
 * UTC−08:00 - Los Angeles / Vancouver
 * UTC−07:00 - Denver
 * UTC−06:00 - Chicago
 * UTC−05:00 - New York City / Toronto
 * UTC−04:00 - Caracas / Puerto Rico
 * UTC−03:00 - Buenos Aires
 * UTC−02:00 - South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
 * UTC−01:00 - Azores

 History [ edit ]

 Main article: History of watches

 Peter Henlein has often been described as the inventor of the first pocket watch, the "Nuremberg egg", in 1510, but this claim appears to be a 19th-century invention and does not appear in older sources.[22]

 Until the quartz revolution of the 1970s, all watches were mechanical. Early watches were terribly imprecise; a good one could vary as much as 15 minutes in a day. Modern precision (a few seconds per day) was not attained by any watch until 1760, when John Harrison created his marine chronometers. Industrialization of the movement manufacturing process by the Waltham Watch Company in 1854 made additional precision possible; the company won a gold medal at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition for their manufacturing quality.[ citation needed ]

 Mechanical watches are powered by a mainspring. Modern mechanical watches require of the order of 1 microwatt of power on average.[ citation needed ] Because the mainspring provides an uneven source of power (its torque steadily decreases as the spring unwinds), watches from the early 16th century to the early 19th century featured a chain-driven fusee which served to regulate the torque output of the mainspring throughout its winding. Unfortunately, the fusees were very brittle,[ citation needed ] were very easy to break,[ citation needed ] and were the source of many problems, especially inaccuracy of timekeeping when the fusee chain became loose or lost its velocity[ citation needed ] after the lack of maintenance.

 As new kinds of escapements were created which served to better isolate the watch from its time source, the balance spring, watches could be built without a fusee and still be accurate.

 In the 18th century the original verge escapement, which required a fusee, was gradually replaced in better French watches with the cylinder escapement, and in British watches with the duplex escapement. Then in the 19th century both were superseded by the lever escapement which has been used almost exclusively ever since. A cheaper version of the lever, the pin lever escapement, patented in 1867 by Georges Frederic Roskopf was used in inexpensive watches until the 1970s.

 As manual-wound mechanical watches became less popular and less favored in the 1970s, watch design and industrialists came out with the automatic watch. Whereas a mechanically-wound watch must be wound with the pendant or a levered setting, an automatic watch does not need to be wound by the pendant; simply rotating the watch winds the watch automatically. The interior of an automatic watch houses a swiveling metal or brass "plate" that swivels on its axis when the watch is shaken horizontally.[23]

 See also [ edit ]

 * Chronograph
 * Jewel bearing
 * Quartz watch
 * Railroad chronometers
 * Skeleton watch
 * Tourbillon
 * Marine chronometer
 * ETA SA
 * Lemania

 References [ edit ]

 1. ^ Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). "Question 1.5: Why should I get a mechanical watch when a quartz watch is so much cheaper and more accurate?". Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0. TimeZone.com . Retrieved 2017-02-20 .
 2. ^ a b c Lynch, Annette; Strauss, Mitchell (2007). Changing Fashion: A Critical Introduction to Trend Analysis and Cultural Meaning. Berg. pp. 148–149. ISBN 978-1845203900.
 3. ^ a b Haines, Reyne (2010). Vintage Wristwatches. Krause Publications. p. 9. ISBN 978-1440214790.
 4. ^ Hand-winding Mechanical Watch Movement Mainspring
 5. ^ Mechanical Clock / Watch Movement Gear Train Photos
 6. ^ Nicolet, J. C. (2008). "What is a perpetual calendar watch?". Questions in Time . Retrieved 2008-06-07 .
 7. ^ The parts are shown in detail in Odets, Walt. "Illustrated Glossary of Watch Parts". TimeZone Watch School. TimeZone.com . Retrieved 2008-07-05 .
 8. ^ "The Theory of Horology", Charles-Andre Reymondin, et al., Swiss Federation of Technical Colleges, 1999, ISBN 2940025126
 9. ^ THE PURSUIT OF CENTER SECONDS BY WALT ODETS "The Pursuit of Center Seconds - Part 1 - TimeZone". Archived from the original on 2012-09-14 . Retrieved 2012-01-04 .
 10. ^ THE PURSUIT OF CENTER SECONDS Part 2 BY WALT ODETS "The Pursuit of Center Seconds - Part 2 - TimeZone". Archived from the original on 2012-01-12 . Retrieved 2012-01-04 .
 11. ^ a b Milham, Willis I. (1945). Time and Timekeepers. New York, USA: MacMillan. pp. 114–116.
 12. ^ "Jewel". Encyclopedia of Antiques. Old and Sold Antique Marketplace . Retrieved 2008-05-31 .
 13. ^ Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). "Question 1.1.4: Why do they use synthetic ruby?". Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0. TimeZone.com . Retrieved 2008-07-02 .
 14. ^ Hahn, Ed (2000-01-31). "Coefficients of friction for various horological materials". TZ Classic Forum. TimeZone.com . Retrieved 2008-07-02 .
 15. ^ a b Schlitt, Wayne (2004). "Why watches have jewels". Help. The Elgin Watch Collector's Site . Retrieved 2008-07-02 .
 16. ^ a b Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). "Question 1.1.3: What does 17 jewels mean?". Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0. TimeZone.com . Retrieved 2008-07-02 .
 17. ^ Milham, Willis I. (1945). Time and Timekeepers. New York, USA: MacMillan. pp. 114–116. ISBN 0-7808-0008-7.
 18. ^ What is a Watch? Advertising pamphlet. Illinois, USA: The Elgin Watch Co. 1950. on Wayne Schlitt's The Elgin Watch Collector's Site , retrieved on 2008-07-02
 19. ^ a b Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). "Question 1.1.5: Are more jewels better?". Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0. TimeZone.com . Retrieved 2008-07-02 .
 20. ^ a b c Berkavicius, Bob (September 25, 2002). "83 jewels too many?". From the workbench. TimeZone.com. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008 . Retrieved 2008-07-02 .
 21. ^ Photos of it can be seen in Berkavicius article
 22. ^ pp. 121 ff., History of the hour: clocks and modern temporal orders , Gerhard Dohrn-van Rossum, University of Chicago Press, 1996, ISBN 0-226-15510-2 .
 23. ^ "What is Automatic Watch Movement Disassembly - Automatic Winding mechanism Date Mechanism". horologyzone.com . Retrieved 11 January 2018 .

 External links [ edit ]

 * Animagraffs
 * Video Assembly of a Rolex 3135 Mechanical Watch Movement, Alliance Horlogere
 * Hand-winding Mechanical Watch Movement Disassembly
 * Disassembling a mechanical wristwatch, Horlogerie-Suisse
 * Reassembling a mechanical wristwatch, Horlogerie-Suisse
 * Working of a simple mechanical watch, Horlogerie-Suisse
 * Explanations Of The Mechanical Movements In A Watch, TimeZone.com
 * Automatic Movements Of A Mechanical Watch, How Stuff Works
 * Caliber Guide
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The hand-winding movement of a Russian watch  
A mechanical watch is a watch that uses a clockwork mechanism to measure the passage of time, as opposed to quartz watches which function using the vibration modes of a piezoelectric quartz tuning fork, or radio watches, which are quartz watches synchronized to an atomic clock via radio waves. A mechanical watch is driven by a mainspring which must be wound either periodically by hand or via a self-winding mechanism. Its force is transmitted through a series of gears to power the balance wheel, a weighted wheel which oscillates back and forth at a constant rate. A device called an escapement releases the watch's wheels to move forward a small amount with each swing of the balance wheel, moving the watch's hands forward at a constant rate. The escapement is what makes the 'ticking' sound which is heard in an operating mechanical watch. Mechanical watches evolved in Europe in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century.
 Mechanical watches are typically not as accurate as quartz watches, [1]   [2]   [3]  and they require periodic cleaning and calibration by a skilled watchmaker. [3]  Since the 1970s, quartz watches have taken over most of the watch market, and mechanical watches are now mostly marketed as a luxury product, purchased for their aesthetic and luxury values, for appreciation of their fine craftsmanship, [2]  or as a status symbol. [2] 
Components[edit]
      Mechanical wrist watch disassembled  
     
The internal mechanism of a watch, excluding the face and hands, is called the movement. All mechanical watches have these five parts:
 A mainspring, [4]  which stores mechanical energy to power the watch.
A gear train, called the wheel train, [5]  which has the dual function of transmitting the force of the mainspring to the balance wheel and adding up the swings of the balance wheel to get units of seconds, minutes, and hours. A separate part of the gear train, called the keyless work, allows the user to wind the mainspring and enables the hands to be moved to set the time.
A balance wheel, which oscillates back and forth. This is the timekeeping element in the watch. Its timekeeping accuracy is due to the fact that it is a harmonic oscillator, with a period of oscillation which is very constant, dependent on the inertia of the wheel and the elasticity of the balance spring.
An escapement mechanism, which has the dual function of keeping the balance wheel vibrating by giving it a push with each swing, and allowing the watch's gears to advance or 'escape' by a set amount with each swing. The periodic stopping of the gear train by the escapement makes the 'ticking' sound of the mechanical watch.
An indicating dial, usually a traditional clock face with rotating hands, to display the time in human-readable form. 
Additional functions on a watch besides the basic timekeeping ones are traditionally called  complications . Mechanical watches may have these complications:
   Automatic winding  or self-winding—in order to eliminate the need to wind the watch, this device winds the watch's mainspring automatically using the natural motions of the wrist, with a rotating-weight mechanism.
 Calendar—displays the date, and often the weekday, month, and year. Simple calendar watches do not account for the different lengths of the months, requiring the user to reset the date 5 times a year, but perpetual calendar watches account for this, and even leap years. [6]  An annual calendar does not make the leap year adjustment, and treats February as a 30-day month, so the date must be reset on March 1 every year when it incorrectly says February 29 or 30.
 Alarm—a bell or buzzer that can be set to go on at a given time.
  Chronograph —a watch with additional stopwatch functions. Buttons on the case start and stop the second hand and reset it to zero, and usually several subdials display the elapsed time in larger units.
 Hacking feature—found on military watches, a mechanism that stops the second hand while the watch is being set. This enables watches to be synchronized to the precise second. This is now a very common feature on many watches.
 Moon phase dial—shows the phase of the moon with a moon face on a rotating disk.
 Wind indicator or power reserve indicator—mostly found on automatic watches, a subdial that shows how much power is left in the mainspring, usually in terms of hours left to run.
  Repeater —a watch that chimes the hours audibly at the press of a button. This rare complication was originally used before artificial lighting to check what time it was in the dark. These complex mechanisms are now only found as novelties in extremely expensive luxury watches.
  Tourbillon —this expensive feature was originally designed to make the watch more accurate, but is now simply a demonstration of watchmaking virtuosity. In an ordinary watch the balance wheel oscillates at different rates, because of gravitational bias, when the watch is in different positions, causing inaccuracy. In a tourbillon, the balance wheel is mounted in a rotating cage so that it will experience all positions equally. The mechanism is usually exposed on the face to show it off. 
Mechanism[edit]
     
The mechanical watch is a mature technology, and most ordinary watch movements have the same parts and work the same way. [7] 
Mainspring and motion work[edit]
The  mainspring  that powers the watch, a spiral ribbon of spring steel, is inside a cylindrical barrel, with the outer end of the mainspring attached to the barrel. The force of the mainspring turns the barrel. The barrel has gear teeth around the outside that turn the center wheel once per hour — this wheel has a shaft that goes through the dial. On the dial side the cannon pinion is attached with a friction fit (allowing it to slide when setting the hands) and the minute hand is attached to the cannon pinion. The cannon pinion drives a small 12-to-1 reduction gearing called the motion work that turns the hour wheel and hand once for every 12 revolutions of the minute hand.
 For the same rate of oscillation, the duration of run, runtime or power reserve of a mechanical watch is mainly a question of what size of mainspring is used, which is, in turn, a question of how much power is needed and how much room is available. If the movement is dirty or worn, the power may not transfer from the mainspring efficiently to the escapement. Service can help restore a degraded runtime.
Most mechanical watch movements have a duration of run between 36 and 72 hours. Some mechanical watch movements are able to run for a week. The exact duration of run for a mechanical movement is calculated with the formula
 [8]  
where is the number of barrel teeth, is the number of center pinion leaves, is the number of revolutions of the barrel, and is the number of revolutions of the center pinion — the run duration.
Wheel train[edit]
The center wheel drives the pinion of the third wheel, and the third wheel drives the pinion of the fourth wheel. In watches with the seconds hand in a subsidiary seconds dial, usually located above the 6 o'clock position, the fourth wheel is geared to rotate once per minute, and the second hand is attached directly to the arbour of this wheel.
  Animated watch movement. For clarity in this diagram the watch gears are arranged in a line, with the balance wheel on the left and the hands on separate wheels, rather than located concentrically as in an actual watch.  
     
Escapement[edit]
The fourth wheel also drives the escape wheel of the lever escapement. The escape wheel teeth alternately catch on two fingers called pallets on the arms of the  pallet lever , which rocks back and forth. The other end of the lever has a fork which engages with an upright impulse pin on the  balance wheel  shaft. Each time the balance wheel swings through its center position, it unlocks the lever, which releases one tooth of the escape wheel, allowing the watch's wheels to advance by a fixed amount, moving the hands forward. As the escape wheel turns, its tooth pushes against the lever, which gives the balance wheel a brief push, keeping it swinging back and forth.
Balance wheel[edit]
The balance wheel keeps time for the watch. It consists of a weighted wheel which rotates back and forth, which is returned toward its center position by a fine spiral spring, the balance spring or "hair spring". The wheel and spring together constitute a  harmonic oscillator . The mass of the balance wheel combines with the stiffness of the spring to precisely control the period of each swing or 'beat' of the wheel. A balance wheel's period of oscillation T in seconds, the time required for one complete cycle (two beats), is 
   
where is the wheel's moment of inertia in kilogram-meter2 and is the stiffness (spring constant) of its balance spring in newton-meters per radian. Most watch balance wheels oscillate at 5, 6, 8, or 10 beats per second. This translates into 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 Hz respectively, or 18000, 21,600, 28,800, and 36,000 beats per hour (BPH). In most watches there is a regulator lever on the balance spring which is used to adjust the rate of the watch. It has two curb pins which embrace the last turn of the spring, holding the part behind the pins motionless, so the position of the curb pins determines the length of the spring. Moving the regulator lever slides the curb pins up or down the spring to control its effective length. Sliding the pins up the spring, shortening the spring's length, makes it stiffer, increasing in the equation above, decreasing the wheel's period so it swings back and forth faster, causing the watch to run faster.
Keyless work[edit]
A separate set of gears called the  keyless work  winds the mainspring when the crown is rotated, and when the crown is pulled out a short distance allow the hands to be turned to set the watch. The stem attached to the crown has a gear called the clutch or castle wheel, with two rings of teeth that project axially from the ends. When the stem is pushed in, the outer teeth turn the  ratchet wheel on top of the mainspring barrel, which turns the shaft that the inner end of the mainspring is attached to, winding the mainspring tighter around the shaft. A spring-loaded pawl or click presses against the ratchet teeth, preventing the mainspring from unwinding. When the stem is pulled out, the inner teeth of the castle wheel engage with a gear which turns the minute wheel. When the crown is turned, the friction coupling of the cannon pinion allows the hands to be rotated.
Center seconds[edit]
If the seconds hand is co-axial with the minute and hour hand, that is it is pivoted at the center of the dial, this arrangement is called "center seconds" or "sweep seconds", because the seconds hand sweeps around the minute track on the dial.
 Initially center seconds hands were driven off the third wheel, sometimes via an intermediate wheel, with the gearing on the outside of the top plate. This method of driving the seconds hand is called indirect center seconds. Because the gearing was outside the plates, it added to the thickness of the movement, and because the rotation of the third wheel had to be geared up to turn the seconds hand once a minute, the seconds hand had a fluttering motion. [9] 
 In 1948 Zenith introduced a watch with a redesigned gear train where the fourth wheel was at the center of the movement, and so could drive a center seconds hand directly. The minute wheel, which had previously been at the center of the movement, was moved off center and drove the minute hand indirectly. Any fluttering due to the indirect gearing is concealed by the relatively slow movement of the minute hand. This redesign brought all the train gearing between the plates and allowed a thinner movement. [10] 
Watch jewels[edit]
      Jewel bearing and capstone used in balance wheel pivot  
      Ordinary 'hole jewel' bearing  
 Jewel bearings were invented and introduced in watches by Nicolas Fatio (or Facio) de Duillier and Pierre and Jacob Debaufre around 1702 [11]   [12]  to reduce friction. They did not become widely used until the mid-19th century. Until the 20th century they were ground from tiny pieces of natural gems. Watches often had garnet, quartz, or even glass jewels; only top quality watches used sapphire or ruby. [11]  In 1902, a process to grow artificial sapphire crystals was invented, making jewels much cheaper. Jewels in modern watches are all synthetic sapphire or (usually) ruby, made of corundum (Al2O3), one of the hardest substances known. The only difference between sapphire and ruby is that different impurities have been added to change the color; there is no difference in their properties as a bearing. [13]  The advantage of using jewels is that their ultrahard slick surface has a lower coefficient of friction with metal. The static coefficient of friction of steel-on-steel is 0.58, while that of sapphire-on-steel is 0.10-0.15. [14] 
Purposes[edit]
Jewels serve two purposes in a watch. [15]  First, reduced friction can increase accuracy. Friction in the wheel train bearings and the escapement causes slight variations in the impulses applied to the balance wheel, causing variations in the rate of timekeeping. The low, predictable friction of jewel surfaces reduces these variations. Second, they can increase the life of the bearings. In unjeweled bearings, the pivots of the watch's wheels rotate in holes in the plates supporting the movement. The sideways force applied by the driving gear causes more pressure and friction on one side of the hole. In some of the wheels, the rotating shaft can wear away the hole until it is oval shaped, eventually causing the gear to jam, stopping the watch.
Types[edit]
In the escapement, jewels are used for the parts that work by sliding friction: [15]  
 Pallets - These are the angled rectangular surfaces on the lever that are pushed against by the teeth of the escape wheel. They are the main source of friction in a watch movement, and were one of the first sites to which jewels were applied.
Impulse pin - The off center pin on a disk on the balance staff which is pushed by the lever fork, to keep the balance wheel moving. 
In bearings two different types are used:
 Hole jewels - These are donut shaped sleeve bearings used to support the arbor (shaft) of most wheels.
Capstones or cap jewels - When the arbor of a wheel is in the vertical position, the shoulder of the arbor bears against the side of the hole jewel, increasing friction. This causes the rate of the watch to change when it is in different positions. So in bearings where friction is critical, such as the balance wheel pivots, flat capstones are added at each end of the arbor. When the arbor is in a vertical position, its rounded end bears against the surface of the capstone, lowering friction. 
Where they are used[edit]
 
Where jewels are used in watches [16]   [17]   [18] 
 
7 jewel lever watch - has these jewels:
 
 1 impulse pin
2 pallets
2 balance staff bearings
2 balance staff capstones 
 
11 jewel watch - adds:
 
 2 lever bearings
2 escape wheel bearings 
 
15 jewel watch - adds:
 
 2 fourth wheel bearings
2 third wheel bearings 
 
17 jewel watch - adds:
 
 2 center wheel bearings 
 
21 jewel watch - adds:
 
 2 lever capstones
2 escape wheel capstones 
 
23 jewel watch - adds:
 
 2 mainspring barrel bearings 
 
Self winding watches add 4 or more
in the winding mechanism, 
for a total of 25-27 
   
The number of jewels used in watch movements increased over the last 150 years as jeweling grew less expensive and watches grew more accurate. The only bearings that really need to be jeweled in a watch are the ones in the  going train  - the gear train that transmits force from the mainspring barrel to the balance wheel - since only they are constantly under force from the mainspring. [19]  The wheels that turn the hands (the motion work) and the calendar wheels are not under load, while the ones that wind the mainspring (the keyless work) are used very seldom, so they do not wear significantly. Friction has the greatest effect in the wheels that move the fastest, so they benefit most from jewelling. So the first mechanism to be jeweled in watches was the balance wheel pivots, followed by the escapement. As more jeweled bearings were added, they were applied to slower moving wheels, and jewelling progressed up the going train toward the barrel. A 17 jewel watch has every bearing from the balance wheel to the center wheel pivot bearings jeweled, so it was considered a 'fully jeweled' watch. [16]  In quality watches, to minimize positional error, capstones were added to the lever and escape wheel bearings, making 21 jewels. Even the mainspring barrel arbor was sometimes jeweled, making the total 23. When self-winding watches were introduced in the 1950s, several wheels in the automatic winding mechanism were jeweled, increasing the count to 25–27.
'Jewel inflation'[edit]
It is doubtful whether adding jewels in addition to the ones listed above is really useful in a watch. [20]  It does not increase accuracy, since the only wheels which have an effect on the balance wheel, those in the going train, are already jeweled. Marine chronometers, the most accurate portable timepieces, often have only 7 jewels. Nor does jeweling additional wheel bearings increase the useful life of the movement; as mentioned above most of the other wheels do not get enough wear to need them.
 However, by the early 20th century watch movements had been standardized to the point that there was little difference between their mechanisms, besides quality of workmanship. So watch manufacturers made the number of jewels, one of the few metrics differentiating quality watches, a major advertising point, listing it prominently on the watch's face. Consumers, with little else to go on, learned to equate more jewels with more quality in a watch. Although initially this was a good measure of quality, it gave manufacturers an incentive to increase the jewel count.
 Around the 1960s this 'jewel craze' reached new heights, and manufacturers made watches with 41, 53, 75, or even 100 jewels. [19]   [20]  Most of these additional jewels were totally nonfunctional; they never contacted moving parts, and were included just to increase the jewel count. For example, the Waltham 100 jewel watch consisted of an ordinary 17 jewel movement, with 83 tiny pieces of ruby mounted around the automatic winding rotor. [21] 
 In 1974, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in collaboration with the Swiss watch industry standards organization Normes de l'Industrie Horlogère Suisse (NIHS) published a standard, ISO 1112, which prohibited manufacturers from including such nonfunctional jewels in the jewel counts in advertising and sales literature. This stopped the use of totally nonfunctional jewels. However, some experts say manufacturers have continued to inflate the jewel count of their watches by 'upjeweling'; adding functional jeweled bearings to wheels that do not really need them, exploiting loopholes in ISO 1112. [20]  Examples given include adding capstones to third and fourth wheel bearings, jeweling minute wheel bearings, and automatic winding ratchet pawls. Arguably none of these additions adds to the accuracy or longevity of the watch.
World time[edit]
Some fine mechanical watches will have a world time feature, which is a city bezel as well as an hour bezel which will rotate according to the cities relative time zone.
 There are usually 27 cities (corresponding to 24 major time zones) on the city bezel, starting with GMT/UTC:
History[edit]
 Peter Henlein has often been described as the inventor of the first pocket watch, the "Nuremberg egg", in 1510, but this claim appears to be a 19th-century invention and does not appear in older sources. [22] 
 Until the quartz revolution of the 1970s, all watches were mechanical. Early watches were terribly imprecise; a good one could vary as much as 15 minutes in a day. Modern precision (a few seconds per day) was not attained by any watch until 1760, when John Harrison created his marine chronometers. Industrialization of the movement manufacturing process by the Waltham Watch Company in 1854 made additional precision possible; the company won a gold medal at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition for their manufacturing quality.[ citation needed ]
 Mechanical watches are powered by a mainspring. Modern mechanical watches require of the order of 1 microwatt of power on average.[ citation needed ] Because the mainspring provides an uneven source of power (its torque steadily decreases as the spring unwinds), watches from the early 16th century to the early 19th century featured a chain-driven fusee which served to regulate the torque output of the mainspring throughout its winding. Unfortunately, the fusees were very brittle,[ citation needed ] were very easy to break,[ citation needed ] and were the source of many problems, especially inaccuracy of timekeeping when the fusee chain became loose or lost its velocity[ citation needed ] after the lack of maintenance.
 As new kinds of escapements were created which served to better isolate the watch from its time source, the balance spring, watches could be built without a fusee and still be accurate.
 In the 18th century the original verge escapement, which required a fusee, was gradually replaced in better French watches with the cylinder escapement, and in British watches with the duplex escapement. Then in the 19th century both were superseded by the lever escapement which has been used almost exclusively ever since. A cheaper version of the lever, the pin lever escapement, patented in 1867 by Georges Frederic Roskopf was used in inexpensive watches until the 1970s.
 As manual-wound mechanical watches became less popular and less favored in the 1970s, watch design and industrialists came out with the automatic watch. Whereas a mechanically-wound watch must be wound with the pendant or a levered setting, an automatic watch does not need to be wound by the pendant; simply rotating the watch winds the watch automatically. The interior of an automatic watch houses a swiveling metal or brass "plate" that swivels on its axis when the watch is shaken horizontally. [23] 
See also[edit]
  Chronograph 
 Jewel bearing 
 Quartz watch 
 Railroad chronometers 
 Skeleton watch 
 Tourbillon 
 Marine chronometer 
 ETA SA 
 Lemania  
References[edit]
  ^  Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). "Question 1.5: Why should I get a mechanical watch when a quartz watch is so much cheaper and more accurate?". Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
^    a       b       c    Lynch, Annette; Strauss, Mitchell (2007).  Changing Fashion: A Critical Introduction to Trend Analysis and Cultural Meaning . Berg. pp. 148–149. ISBN  978-1845203900 .
^    a       b    Haines, Reyne (2010).  Vintage Wristwatches . Krause Publications. p. 9. ISBN  978-1440214790 .
  ^  Hand-winding Mechanical Watch Movement Mainspring
  ^  Mechanical Clock / Watch Movement Gear Train Photos
  ^  Nicolet, J. C. (2008). "What is a perpetual calendar watch?". Questions in Time. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  ^  The parts are shown in detail in Odets, Walt. "Illustrated Glossary of Watch Parts". TimeZone Watch School. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  ^  "The Theory of Horology", Charles-Andre Reymondin, et al., Swiss Federation of Technical Colleges, 1999, ISBN 2940025126
  ^  THE PURSUIT OF CENTER SECONDS BY WALT ODETS  "The Pursuit of Center Seconds - Part 1 - TimeZone". Archived from the original on 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  ^  THE PURSUIT OF CENTER SECONDS Part 2 BY WALT ODETS  "The Pursuit of Center Seconds - Part 2 - TimeZone". Archived from the original on 2012-01-12. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
^    a       b    Milham, Willis I. (1945). Time and Timekeepers. New York, USA: MacMillan. pp. 114–116.
  ^   "Jewel". Encyclopedia of Antiques. Old and Sold Antique Marketplace. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  ^  Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). "Question 1.1.4: Why do they use synthetic ruby?". Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  ^  Hahn, Ed (2000-01-31). "Coefficients of friction for various horological materials". TZ Classic Forum. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
^    a       b    Schlitt, Wayne (2004). "Why watches have jewels". Help. The Elgin Watch Collector's Site. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
^    a       b    Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). "Question 1.1.3: What does 17 jewels mean?". Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  ^  Milham, Willis I. (1945). Time and Timekeepers. New York, USA: MacMillan. pp. 114–116. ISBN  0-7808-0008-7 .
  ^    What is a Watch? Advertising pamphlet . Illinois, USA: The Elgin Watch Co. 1950. on Wayne Schlitt's The Elgin Watch Collector's Site, retrieved on 2008-07-02
^    a       b    Hahn, Ed; et al. (The TimeZone Community) (2003-10-04). "Question 1.1.5: Are more jewels better?". Mechanical Watch FAQ V1.0. TimeZone.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
^    a       b       c    Berkavicius, Bob (September 25, 2002). "83 jewels too many?". From the workbench. TimeZone.com. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  ^  Photos of it can be seen in Berkavicius article
  ^  pp. 121 ff., History of the hour: clocks and modern temporal orders, Gerhard Dohrn-van Rossum, University of Chicago Press, 1996, ISBN 0-226-15510-2.
  ^   "What is Automatic Watch Movement Disassembly - Automatic Winding mechanism Date Mechanism". horologyzone.com. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
 
External links[edit]
  Animagraffs 
 Video Assembly of a Rolex 3135 Mechanical Watch Movement, Alliance Horlogere 
 Hand-winding Mechanical Watch Movement Disassembly 
 Disassembling a mechanical wristwatch, Horlogerie-Suisse 
 Reassembling a mechanical wristwatch, Horlogerie-Suisse 
 Working of a simple mechanical watch, Horlogerie-Suisse 
 Explanations Of The Mechanical Movements In A Watch, TimeZone.com 
 Automatic Movements Of A Mechanical Watch, How Stuff Works 
 Caliber Guide
Mechanical watch - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_watch
https://www.thewatchbox.com/blog/mechanical-watch-guide.html
How Do Mechanical Watches Work? | WatchBox | The 1916 Company
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How Do Mechanical Watches Work? | WatchBox | The 1916 Company
https://www.thewatchbox.com/blog/mechanical-watch-guide.html
https://blog.crownandcaliber.com/how-a-watch-works-101/
How a Watch Works | 101
2020-01-31
Crown; Caliber
<div><article>
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<h2>Video Transcription</h2>
<p>It should be no surprise that here at <a href="https://www.crownandcaliber.com/">Crown &amp; Caliber</a> we love watches. From the most exclusive watches to quirky quartz watches we love them all. And sometimes we get so inundated with watches we forget most people don’t spend their day working around these fascinating instruments. So, we thought we’d create a Watch Basics – 101.</p>
<p>We’re going to go over two sections:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h2>General Watch Lingo</h2>
</li>
<li>
<h2>Important Mechanical Terminology</h2>
</li>
</ul>
<p>And this is just scratching the surface, but hopefully it helps you understand how these amazing machines function just a little bit better. So, let’s start with General Watch Lingo. First up is Mechanical watch.</p>
<p>A mechanical watch is any watch that is powered by a mechanism to measure time instead of quartz. A mechanism is often referred to as a movement or caliber. We like to think of this as the engine of the watch.</p>
<p>A quartz watch uses a small piece of quartz crystal with an electronic signal that pulses through it, creating a consistent vibration for the quartz to measure time. Quartz watches are extremely accurate because of the high frequency in which quartz vibrates.</p>
<p>The two types of mechanical movements are Manual and Automatic. As the name suggests, manual watch movements, must be regularly wound to keep the watch running. While automatic movements, once fully wound can maintain their time keeping if worn regularly. A mechanical watch will have a power reserve.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The power reserve is a measure of how long the watch will run before it stops. An average mechanical watch has a power reserve of around 48 hours. So, on a manual watch the power reserve is constantly running out which is why you need to regularly wind the watch. Now an automatic watch can maintain its power reserve because of the movement’s design. And we’ll dive a little deeper into how a mechanical watch works in a bit.</p>
<h2>C.O.S.C.</h2>
<p>Next up is C.O.S.C or The Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. This independent organization tests the isochronism of a watch movement. Isochronism is the same principle that allows a pendulum’s swing to be equal on both sides. The process of having a movement COSC certified is as follows. A manufacturer, like Rolex will send just the movement to the Organization and they will perform a series of tests to determine if the movement is within the standards. The most recognized criteria for the certification is the average daily rate, which is -4 or +6 seconds, or up to 10 seconds per day. If the movement meets this standard, as well as the others then the movement receives the “Chronometer” certification. The movement is then returned to the manufacturer and assembled into a watch.</p>
<p>The C.O.S.C. term is often misunderstood. The organization does not guarantee the movements abilities after the test, rather that at the point in time when it was tested it was able to maintain the standards. Think of it this way: For a car to be able to travel at 55 mph for 8 hours then the car needs to be over-engineered to achieve this feat and watch movements are similar in that as well. It’s also worth mentioning a watch that has the “chronometer” certification will not always operate within these standards and that is completely okay. Again, the COSC certification simply means that a movement met the criteria at one point in time.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Now let’s take a look at some of the more common mechanical terminologies used in watches.</p>
<h2>Mainspring</h2>
<p>The Mainspring: The mainspring in a mechanical watch is the “gas tank”. The mainspring is what you wind up to start a watch. It is also the main determinant in the watch’s power reserve. A mainspring is a thin ribbon of metal that is tightly wound and rests inside the Barrel.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Barrel</h2>
<p>The Barrel is essentially a hollow gear in which the mainspring is housed. When the mainspring is wound up, the barrel needs to unwind and that is where the power for the movement comes from. The power stored by the mainspring is transferred through the going train, which is a number of gears, called wheels, that lead to the escapement. A separate set of wheels coming off of the going train, called the Motion Work powers the hands of the watch.</p>
<h2>Escapement</h2>
<p>The Escapement is what ultimately prevents the mainspring from just unwinding all at once. It is made up of a few parts. The escape wheel, which looks like a funky shaped gear and the pallet fork which catches onto the escape wheel preventing it from just unwinding. The pallet fork clicks back and forth, allowing the escape wheel to rotate a little bit every time the pallet fork moves.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Hairspring and Balance Wheel</h2>
<p>The hairspring and balance wheel are the heart of the movement. Together they create the “measure of time”. The hairspring is a very delicate spring that creates torsion that allows the balance wheel to return to center. The balance wheel is the outermost weighted ring of the hairspring that uses inertia to swing back and forth. The back and forth oscillating allows the pallet fork to “click”. The Impulse Pin is attached to the balance wheel and is what catches the pallet fork. Now this is a basic understanding of how a mechanical watch runs, and what each of the main parts are called. Here are a few more mechanical terms worth knowing about a watch movement.</p>
<h2>Bridge</h2>
<p>The Bridge: The bridge refers to a piece of metal, often brass, that the gears sit in. It’s essentially the chassis of a watch. The average watch movement will have around 5 bridges.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Jewels</h2>
<p>Jewels refer to the tiny pieces of synthetic sapphire and ruby that serve to make watches more accurate. They can be found in a few places in a mechanical watch. Jewel bearings are at the center of most gears creating the lowest possible amount of friction. These can often be seen on a movement as tiny ruby colored circles. Jewels are also found on the tips of the palate fork and the impulse pin. They are used here because they reduce wear on the movement and lower friction to improve efficiency.</p>
<h2>Oscillating Weight</h2>
<p>The Oscillating Weight: The Oscillating Weight is the mechanism that automatically winds the mainspring in an automatic movement. Often this will be a half circle weight that uses the motion of the wearer, combined with gravity to wind the watch.</p>
<p>So, there’s our breakdown of General Watch Lingo and some Important Terminology, and this wraps up Watch Basics 101. Let us know if there is something you’d like us to dig into a deeper. And as always thanks for watching.</p>
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 How To, Watch 101

 How a Watch Works | 101

 By
 Crown & Caliber
 January 31, 2020
 0 Comments

 Video Transcription

 It should be no surprise that here at Crown & Caliber we love watches. From the most exclusive watches to quirky quartz watches we love them all. And sometimes we get so inundated with watches we forget most people don’t spend their day working around these fascinating instruments. So, we thought we’d create a Watch Basics – 101.

 We’re going to go over two sections:

 * General Watch Lingo

 * Important Mechanical Terminology

 And this is just scratching the surface, but hopefully it helps you understand how these amazing machines function just a little bit better. So, let’s start with General Watch Lingo. First up is Mechanical watch.

 A mechanical watch is any watch that is powered by a mechanism to measure time instead of quartz. A mechanism is often referred to as a movement or caliber. We like to think of this as the engine of the watch.

 A quartz watch uses a small piece of quartz crystal with an electronic signal that pulses through it, creating a consistent vibration for the quartz to measure time. Quartz watches are extremely accurate because of the high frequency in which quartz vibrates.

 The two types of mechanical movements are Manual and Automatic. As the name suggests, manual watch movements, must be regularly wound to keep the watch running. While automatic movements, once fully wound can maintain their time keeping if worn regularly. A mechanical watch will have a power reserve.

 The power reserve is a measure of how long the watch will run before it stops. An average mechanical watch has a power reserve of around 48 hours. So, on a manual watch the power reserve is constantly running out which is why you need to regularly wind the watch. Now an automatic watch can maintain its power reserve because of the movement’s design. And we’ll dive a little deeper into how a mechanical watch works in a bit.

 C.O.S.C.

 Next up is C.O.S.C or The Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. This independent organization tests the isochronism of a watch movement. Isochronism is the same principle that allows a pendulum’s swing to be equal on both sides. The process of having a movement COSC certified is as follows. A manufacturer, like Rolex will send just the movement to the Organization and they will perform a series of tests to determine if the movement is within the standards. The most recognized criteria for the certification is the average daily rate, which is -4 or +6 seconds, or up to 10 seconds per day. If the movement meets this standard, as well as the others then the movement receives the “Chronometer” certification. The movement is then returned to the manufacturer and assembled into a watch.

 The C.O.S.C. term is often misunderstood. The organization does not guarantee the movements abilities after the test, rather that at the point in time when it was tested it was able to maintain the standards. Think of it this way: For a car to be able to travel at 55 mph for 8 hours then the car needs to be over-engineered to achieve this feat and watch movements are similar in that as well. It’s also worth mentioning a watch that has the “chronometer” certification will not always operate within these standards and that is completely okay. Again, the COSC certification simply means that a movement met the criteria at one point in time.

 Now let’s take a look at some of the more common mechanical terminologies used in watches.

 Mainspring

 The Mainspring: The mainspring in a mechanical watch is the “gas tank”. The mainspring is what you wind up to start a watch. It is also the main determinant in the watch’s power reserve. A mainspring is a thin ribbon of metal that is tightly wound and rests inside the Barrel.

 Barrel

 The Barrel is essentially a hollow gear in which the mainspring is housed. When the mainspring is wound up, the barrel needs to unwind and that is where the power for the movement comes from. The power stored by the mainspring is transferred through the going train, which is a number of gears, called wheels, that lead to the escapement. A separate set of wheels coming off of the going train, called the Motion Work powers the hands of the watch.

 Escapement

 The Escapement is what ultimately prevents the mainspring from just unwinding all at once. It is made up of a few parts. The escape wheel, which looks like a funky shaped gear and the pallet fork which catches onto the escape wheel preventing it from just unwinding. The pallet fork clicks back and forth, allowing the escape wheel to rotate a little bit every time the pallet fork moves.

 Hairspring and Balance Wheel

 The hairspring and balance wheel are the heart of the movement. Together they create the “measure of time”. The hairspring is a very delicate spring that creates torsion that allows the balance wheel to return to center. The balance wheel is the outermost weighted ring of the hairspring that uses inertia to swing back and forth. The back and forth oscillating allows the pallet fork to “click”. The Impulse Pin is attached to the balance wheel and is what catches the pallet fork. Now this is a basic understanding of how a mechanical watch runs, and what each of the main parts are called. Here are a few more mechanical terms worth knowing about a watch movement.

 Bridge

 The Bridge: The bridge refers to a piece of metal, often brass, that the gears sit in. It’s essentially the chassis of a watch. The average watch movement will have around 5 bridges.

 Jewels

 Jewels refer to the tiny pieces of synthetic sapphire and ruby that serve to make watches more accurate. They can be found in a few places in a mechanical watch. Jewel bearings are at the center of most gears creating the lowest possible amount of friction. These can often be seen on a movement as tiny ruby colored circles. Jewels are also found on the tips of the palate fork and the impulse pin. They are used here because they reduce wear on the movement and lower friction to improve efficiency.

 Oscillating Weight

 The Oscillating Weight: The Oscillating Weight is the mechanism that automatically winds the mainspring in an automatic movement. Often this will be a half circle weight that uses the motion of the wearer, combined with gravity to wind the watch.

 So, there’s our breakdown of General Watch Lingo and some Important Terminology, and this wraps up Watch Basics 101. Let us know if there is something you’d like us to dig into a deeper. And as always thanks for watching.



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Video Transcription
It should be no surprise that here at Crown &amp; Caliber we love watches. From the most exclusive watches to quirky quartz watches we love them all. And sometimes we get so inundated with watches we forget most people don’t spend their day working around these fascinating instruments. So, we thought we’d create a Watch Basics – 101.
We’re going to go over two sections:
General Watch Lingo
Important Mechanical Terminology
And this is just scratching the surface, but hopefully it helps you understand how these amazing machines function just a little bit better. So, let’s start with General Watch Lingo. First up is Mechanical watch.
A mechanical watch is any watch that is powered by a mechanism to measure time instead of quartz. A mechanism is often referred to as a movement or caliber. We like to think of this as the engine of the watch.
A quartz watch uses a small piece of quartz crystal with an electronic signal that pulses through it, creating a consistent vibration for the quartz to measure time. Quartz watches are extremely accurate because of the high frequency in which quartz vibrates.
The two types of mechanical movements are Manual and Automatic. As the name suggests, manual watch movements, must be regularly wound to keep the watch running. While automatic movements, once fully wound can maintain their time keeping if worn regularly. A mechanical watch will have a power reserve.
 
The power reserve is a measure of how long the watch will run before it stops. An average mechanical watch has a power reserve of around 48 hours. So, on a manual watch the power reserve is constantly running out which is why you need to regularly wind the watch. Now an automatic watch can maintain its power reserve because of the movement’s design. And we’ll dive a little deeper into how a mechanical watch works in a bit.
C.O.S.C.
Next up is C.O.S.C or The Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. This independent organization tests the isochronism of a watch movement. Isochronism is the same principle that allows a pendulum’s swing to be equal on both sides. The process of having a movement COSC certified is as follows. A manufacturer, like Rolex will send just the movement to the Organization and they will perform a series of tests to determine if the movement is within the standards. The most recognized criteria for the certification is the average daily rate, which is -4 or +6 seconds, or up to 10 seconds per day. If the movement meets this standard, as well as the others then the movement receives the “Chronometer” certification. The movement is then returned to the manufacturer and assembled into a watch.
The C.O.S.C. term is often misunderstood. The organization does not guarantee the movements abilities after the test, rather that at the point in time when it was tested it was able to maintain the standards. Think of it this way: For a car to be able to travel at 55 mph for 8 hours then the car needs to be over-engineered to achieve this feat and watch movements are similar in that as well. It’s also worth mentioning a watch that has the “chronometer” certification will not always operate within these standards and that is completely okay. Again, the COSC certification simply means that a movement met the criteria at one point in time.
 
Now let’s take a look at some of the more common mechanical terminologies used in watches.
Mainspring
The Mainspring: The mainspring in a mechanical watch is the “gas tank”. The mainspring is what you wind up to start a watch. It is also the main determinant in the watch’s power reserve. A mainspring is a thin ribbon of metal that is tightly wound and rests inside the Barrel.
 
Barrel
The Barrel is essentially a hollow gear in which the mainspring is housed. When the mainspring is wound up, the barrel needs to unwind and that is where the power for the movement comes from. The power stored by the mainspring is transferred through the going train, which is a number of gears, called wheels, that lead to the escapement. A separate set of wheels coming off of the going train, called the Motion Work powers the hands of the watch.
Escapement
The Escapement is what ultimately prevents the mainspring from just unwinding all at once. It is made up of a few parts. The escape wheel, which looks like a funky shaped gear and the pallet fork which catches onto the escape wheel preventing it from just unwinding. The pallet fork clicks back and forth, allowing the escape wheel to rotate a little bit every time the pallet fork moves.
 
Hairspring and Balance Wheel
The hairspring and balance wheel are the heart of the movement. Together they create the “measure of time”. The hairspring is a very delicate spring that creates torsion that allows the balance wheel to return to center. The balance wheel is the outermost weighted ring of the hairspring that uses inertia to swing back and forth. The back and forth oscillating allows the pallet fork to “click”. The Impulse Pin is attached to the balance wheel and is what catches the pallet fork. Now this is a basic understanding of how a mechanical watch runs, and what each of the main parts are called. Here are a few more mechanical terms worth knowing about a watch movement.
Bridge
The Bridge: The bridge refers to a piece of metal, often brass, that the gears sit in. It’s essentially the chassis of a watch. The average watch movement will have around 5 bridges.
 
Jewels
Jewels refer to the tiny pieces of synthetic sapphire and ruby that serve to make watches more accurate. They can be found in a few places in a mechanical watch. Jewel bearings are at the center of most gears creating the lowest possible amount of friction. These can often be seen on a movement as tiny ruby colored circles. Jewels are also found on the tips of the palate fork and the impulse pin. They are used here because they reduce wear on the movement and lower friction to improve efficiency.
Oscillating Weight
The Oscillating Weight: The Oscillating Weight is the mechanism that automatically winds the mainspring in an automatic movement. Often this will be a half circle weight that uses the motion of the wearer, combined with gravity to wind the watch.
So, there’s our breakdown of General Watch Lingo and some Important Terminology, and this wraps up Watch Basics 101. Let us know if there is something you’d like us to dig into a deeper. And as always thanks for watching.
 
Get More Articles Like This in Your Inbox
We're constantly creating great content like this. So, why not get it delivered directly to your inbox? By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy but you can unsubscribe at any time.
How a Watch Works | 101
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