- a device for measuring time, showing the current time in certain segments (seconds, minutes, hours, etc.).
According to the principle of operation, watches are divided into atomic, quartz, mechanical, sand, solar, electric.
The main indicators of the watch are the accuracy of the course and the duration of action.
The accuracy of the movement is determined by the change in the readings of the clock compared to the standard (exemplary clock) at a temperature of 20 ± 5 ° for a certain period of time. The rate accuracy on average varies within the following limits: for mechanical balance watches from ± 10 seconds to ± 120 seconds per day, for household pendulum watches up to ± 30 seconds per week and for electric ones up to ± 5-10 seconds per day.
Some models of smart bracelets, for example, or, or, also receive notifications and notify us. On the positive side, we can say that "in most of them" the download is complete after a couple of hours. We take it one step further and we simply explain what the main job of a mechanical mechanical watch is. We hope that with this new release you will find out which watch best suits your needs. That is why it is the most common type of clock in church towers, town halls and large buildings.
However, over the years it has also come to wristwatches and pocket watches. It's pretty simple system, which originated in classical weight watches. These primitive clocks worked with a balance mechanism, which, when placed at the end of a rope, was wound around a rotating drum. The weights dropped under the force of gravity and made the clock work.
Mechanical watch. The principle of operation of the clock mechanism of a mechanical watch is the oscillatory movement of the regulator, which spends a strictly defined period of time on each movement. The duration of the oscillatory movements of the regulator is summed up by a counting mechanism indicating the process of accumulation of the number of oscillations by the arrows moving along the dial.
Later came the spring or coil spring motor which, by replacing the weight system, made it possible to build clocks that were more portable and loadable at the turn of a key. The motor drove a gear, which in turn drove other smaller wheels.
They improved this system. Mechanical watch with wrist watch are a very complex and very refined mechanical set. This makes this type of watch very valuable for those who love and understand the craft. Among its small components we can find screws, bridges, rubies, platinum and wheels, among others. By winding the watch, the movement is transferred between different gears and we activate the working mechanism that is responsible for maintaining the momentum of the watch and therefore the movement of the needles.
According to the type of regulator, mechanical watches are divided into balance and pendulum.
Mechanical watches
Mechanical balance watch
Mechanical balance watches have a regulator in the form of a strictly balanced wheel and a thin spiral spring (so-called hair). A feature of mechanical balance watches is their ability to work flawlessly in any position with relative accuracy.
In addition to what has been added to previous posts on cleaning related issues, the main precaution we should have with a mechanical watch is winding it up every morning. We must also remember to have a periodic review every 3 - 5 years by our trusted watchmaker to avoid any possible deterioration.
Another of his worries is that due to the many small pieces he places, it is advised to avoid strong vibrations and vibrations. The high precision in its manufacture and adjustment, as well as the materials used in its construction, make mechanical mechanical watches a whim for the majority. However, we are facing a type of watch that is built to last. In fact, most of the lifetime clocks that occur in legacy are of this style, many of which are over a hundred years old.
The watch consists of a motor, a gear train, trigger, a regulator (balance) with a hair, a winding, transfer and pointer mechanism, and in some brands of mechanical watches - from a number of additional devices. The details of the external design of mechanical watches include the case, dial and hands.
The engine in a mechanical balance watch is a spiral S-shaped spring made of carbon or stainless steel. The spring can be open or closed (placed in a drum). The closed spring is used in all pocket and wrist watches, as well as in the best examples of wall and table watches. Closed springs have a higher coefficient useful action, retain lubrication better and protect the spring from dust and dirt. Winding a mechanical watch is done by winding the spring with the help of a rotating shaft. winding mechanism. The gear system transmits movement from the spring to the hands and balance. The gear train is designed so that the hands move at different speeds and can show the current time in seconds, minutes, hours or longer periods of time.
They tend to fluctuate over time, although not on a regular basis. Some days may be ahead or behind more or less than the previous ones. Its constitution calls for it, but it is also true that they have more charm than other types of watches.
Undoubtedly, this is a watch designed for those who love mechanics, nice watch and classic style. Because of its special care, service and price, this is the perfect track for those who love what they wear on their wrist, but not for those who only need to see the time.
We often have to deal with the purchase of a watch, either for personal use or to give a gift to someone special. However, we are faced with the question of which is the best watch or the best one to buy. We may ask ourselves, what is an automatic watch? In the coming days, we will be blogging about Watches with Style and simple ways each of the watch mechanics that exist on the market.
Supports (stones) of the most important gear axes, escapement and balance to reduce friction and wear of parts and thereby ensure better adjustment, durability of watches and stability of their movement are made of synthetic ruby and their number in mechanical balance watches of the USSR ranged from 4 to 22 or more.
Automatic watches are exclusively produced by the most traditional way and handmade by master watchmakers, giving a distinct and elegant characterization to those who wear it. The energy source is the spring, which is automatically wound around the mechanics due to the oscillating mass. This mass replaces the traditional hand wind and is the one that is propelled by our vibrations.
So it works without the need for a battery or winding it up by hand. Of course, for the first time of use or, after several days of inactivity, it is necessary to wind it by hand by turning the crown ten times. Nothing happens, the watch has a reserve of 36 hours of operation. You can get it back in motion by rolling it.
watch stones
Watch stones: 1 - through; 2 - waybill; 3 - pallet; 4 - ellipse
The number of jewels is one of the indicators of the quality of a mechanical balance watch.
Here is an approximate placement of stones in a balance watch on 15 stones:
2 overhead balance axis
2 through axle balance
2 through axle anchor fork
1 Ellipse Balance Roller
2 pallets Anchor fork
2 through axis escape wheel
2 through axle seconds wheel
2 through Axle intermediate wheel
Is maintenance difficult?
Nothing out of the ordinary, though you should take extra care in keeping it, as it's not good to keep it for any length of time. A good constant cleaning and avoidance of scratches and bumps is enough to keep it as good as the first day. A wristwatch is one that is worn on the wrist attached by a strap, as opposed to a pocket watch which, as the name suggests, is carried in a pocket secured by a small chain.
Wristwatches are complex instruments made up of many parts and components. In addition, depending on the type of movement, whether mechanical or electronic, they may have different elements. The materials used in the manufacture of watches are also very important, not only for aesthetics, but also because some materials can cause allergic reactions.
In addition, stones can be placed for the axis of the central wheel (1-2 through), for the axis of the escape wheel (2 overhead), for the axis of the central second hand and for the axes of various additional devices. In watches with a smaller number of jewels, the location of the latter may be different, mainly in the nodes of the balance and anchor fork.
Let's look at the main components present in mechanical and electronic models. It is made of stainless steel, titanium, gold plated, gold, silver, platinum, aluminum or plastic. Frame: A piece in the form of a ring located on the top of the watch case where the glass is inserted. The frame can be fixed, movable with a hinge or rotating, in which case it usually has some sort of auxiliary graduated scale that allows you to measure certain quantities, such as speeds or distances. Dial: Also called a sphere or dial, it is the component of a watch that contains numbers, indices, or a surface design. Although the dial of most wristwatches is round, they also exist in square, pentagonal, or hexagonal dials. In its construction, you can use the same materials used in the boxes, more copper or brass, decorated and covered with porcelain on the visible side. Strap or bracelet: used to attach the watch to the wrist. It can be made of metal, plastic, rubber, fabric, synthetic materials or leather. Leather belts are elegant but easily degraded, being able to be the skin of various animals such as lizard, calf, ostrich, shark, etc. metal straps usually consist of a series of linked pieces, usually in the same style as the watch case. The closure is usually a buckle, usually with a simple pin, or a metal folding clasp that connects both ends of the bracelet. Crystal: This is the cover located on the visible surface of the watch. It is made of mineral crystal, which is mainly used in medium and low range wristwatches, and synthetic sapphire crystal, which is very scratch resistant and used in high quality wristwatches. Sometimes glass has an anti-reflective treatment that reduces its scratch resistance. Box: This is the piece that contains the insides of the watch. . As for the specific components of a mechanical watch, we have the following.
Kinematic diagram of the pocket watch mechanism
The system of gears is connected to the escape wheel, which transmits impulses to the balance through the anchor fork. An anchor wheel, an anchor fork and a balance constitute a trigger mechanism, the purpose of which is to periodically inform the balance of impulses and convert the free rotational movement of the wheels into a uniformly intermittent one. In the watches of the Soviet Union, the escapement was made free. With a free anchor descent, the regulator freely oscillates, only for a moment coming into contact with the anchor fork. The anchor fork can be with synthetic ruby pallets or steel pins, and depending on them, the descent can be called pallet or pin. The pallet escapement is more reliable and trouble-free in operation, has less energy loss and is subject to negligible wear.
It can be a manual or automatic mechanism that works due to the movement of the user's wrist. Crown: a striped device with which the clock is wound, the time is set or the date of the calendar is changed. Its clutch must be sealed to prevent water from entering, which can damage the mechanism. Main or Motor Spring: This is a sheet of metal coiled into a coil that acts as a power source as it is responsible for starting the movement of the watch. When winding the watch, it spins, conserving the energy of torsion. Gear train: A series of gears whose function is to transmit the energy of the main spring to the control wheel. Exhaust wheel: a special gear that connects the gear to the generator. Limits gear movement by measuring travel time in equal and regular sections. Balance wheel or generator: A balancing wheel that converts the rotational motion of the gears into an oscillatory one.
- Winding mechanism: used to wind the main spring.
- The output usually has several positions, for different functions.
Anchor pallet run
Anchor pallet run: 1 - pallets; 2 - escape wheel; 3 - balance; 4 anchor fork
The balance with a hair regulates the intermittent, strictly uniform movement of the gear train and the hands associated with it, and to a large extent ensures the average daily accuracy and stability of the watch. The hairs were usually made of an iron-nickel alloy and have increased rigidity, high compensatory qualities, and practically do not change their elastic properties with changes in air temperature. Most often, in pocket and wrist watches, hairs with the so-called end curve (breguet) were used. The presence of a breguet hair ensures greater accuracy of the watch.
Quartz Crystal: A piece of quartz that generates the pulses needed to measure time. Buttons: electronic wrist watch usually have different buttons like start, stop, reset and others. These are usually button batteries. . Steel, an alloy of iron and carbon, is a material commonly used in watchmaking.
Alternation per hour represents the frequency of balance fluctuations from one point to another. A self-winding mechanical watch is a watch whose movement is powered by energy that is naturally provided by the movements of the wrist. The oscillatory weight responsible for rearming the barrel spring is moved by the driving force behind each of our actions.
To adjust the clock rate, the balance has a special device (thermometer), with which you can increase or decrease the length of the working part of the hair and thereby speed up or slow down the clock. The balance bridge was marked or letter designation"-" or "y" (decrease speed) and "+" or "p" (add speed).
Wrist watch mechanism "Victory"
Buckle clasp is a common watch band closing system, similar to a belt strap. The barrette is a small articulated metal tip that is placed in one of the holes in the leather strap to block the buckle. When arming the watch, it is necessary to manually or automatically tension the barrel spring so that the latter can store energy, which will then be distributed in motion.
It is the moving part of the movement, circular in shape, which oscillates on its axis of rotation. Its function is to adjust the advance or delay of movement by oscillation in the normal way. The barrel is a cylindrical box containing a spring that stores the force stored by that spring in order to distribute it to the wheels. Starting the spring is done by wrist action for self-winding movement and by winding the winding for manual winding.
In order for the action of the spring to be stable and not noticeably weaken by the end of the watch winding period, the full winding of the watch is designed for a period of action somewhat longer than the standard winding frequency. Thus, the frequency of winding a watch can be daily, weekly, ten-day, two-week, etc., and the period of validity of a watch from one full winding, respectively, is provided for at least 26, 180, 200, 260 and 360 hours. To maintain the duration of the watch from one full winding, and, consequently, for a more even course, some brands of wristwatches were produced with a spring winding mechanism using an unbalanced load. To maintain a uniform rate, it is necessary to wind the watch at the same time.
One of the main indicators of watch quality is the accuracy of movement. The accuracy of the course is determined by the change in the readings of the tested watch with the reference watch at the same temperature. Accuracy in balance mechanical watches can be normal, precision and chronometric. Mechanical balance clocks with normal accuracy allow deviation of the daily rate up to ±120 seconds; precision (accurate; from French precision - accuracy) - up to ± 30 seconds and chronometric (especially accurate; from the Greek chronos - time and metreo - I measure) - up to ± 10 seconds. The accuracy of a mechanical balance watch depends on the duration of the watch from one full winding, depending on the presence of the end curve of the hair (breguet), the presence of an open or closed spring, as well as its type, type of trigger (pallet or pin), adjustment accuracy, the presence of stones, as well as operating conditions.
Additional devices in a mechanical balance watch are anti-magnetic properties, water resistance of the case, calendar, stopwatch and signal devices, automatic winding, anti-shock and brake devices.
Antimagnetic properties were created by shielding the case (making it from permaloy or mumetal), using a hair from the nivarox alloy, an anchor fork and a wheel, as well as arrows and some other parts made of non-magnetizable materials, such as brass.
Such watches can work flawlessly and accurately in a constant magnetic field with its induction up to 1000 gauss, after which the accuracy of the course and the reliability of the action are violated. Ordinary watches are already magnetized at 30-40 gauss.
Hull water resistance watches is provided by a screw fit of the lid on a special seal (polyvinyl chloride or other materials) and a seal around the winding roller.
calendar device allows you to show numbers, names of days and months, phases of the moon and some other information. The movement of indicators is carried out by a special mechanism consisting of additional pairs of gears associated with a gear.
stopwatch device consists of additional pairs of gears, control levers and hands and allows you to use the watch as a stopwatch, i.e. keep timekeeping. They can be with one or two arrows and a counter of the measured time. They have start, stop and return to zero stopwatch hands.
signaling device allows you to give sound signal at a predetermined time and according to the principle of action resembles a regular alarm clock. The signal is produced under the action of a special spring by hammer blows on a pin mounted on the membrane located between the mechanism and the watch cover, or directly on the watch cover itself.
Winding automatic is carried out by an unbalanced weight located under the cover of the watch and a special mechanism during their operation on the hand. When stationary, the watch does not wind up. Self-winding watches have better running characteristics due to the greater torque stability of their springs.
shockproof device allows, when the watch is dropped or hit, the thin trunnions of the balance axis and the fragile stones of the balance unit are protected from breakage and ensure the continuity of the accurate operation of the watch when it is sharply shaken. This is achieved by using elastic shock-absorbing supports, which allow the balance axis to shift radially and vertically and rest against the stationary parts of the watch not with thin pins, but with thicker and more durable parts.
Brake device makes it possible to stop the clock and thereby set the exact time when the indications of the hour, minute and second hands will completely coincide. Stopping the watch is achieved by pulling the crown back to the position for moving the hands.
For the blind pocket and wrist watches were produced, which, instead of a rim with glass, have a metal cover that folds down when pressed, and on the dial near the numbers of the hour scale there are convex points that allow the blind to determine the time by touch by the position of the hands and points.
Mechanical balance watches are pocket, wrist, wall and table (fireplace).
Mechanical balance pocket watches usually have a steel chrome-plated case, round, open, with a glazed dial (organic glass) and a bottom cover with a latch.
Case sizes ranging from 40 to 50 mm in diameter. The dial is metal, covered with white or light enamel of other colors, the numbers are printed or applied, the hands are blackened. According to the accuracy of the daily course, the following groups were produced.
Chronometers with an accuracy of ±10 seconds and a duration of 42-60 hours from one full winding.
Precision with an accuracy of ±15 seconds and a duration of 36 hours from one full winding.
Normal with an accuracy of ±30 seconds. Produced in the early sixties in the following range:
"Spark" - on 17 stones, the duration of action from one full winding is 32 hours, with a side second hand;
"Ray" - on 18 stones, the duration of action from one full winding is 32 hours, with a side second hand;
"Lightning" - on 15 stones, otherwise the same as "Iskra".
Normal with an accuracy of ±45 sec. Produced in the following range:
28-ChK - on 19 stones, with a stopwatch device, the duration of action from one full winding is at least 32 hours, with a side second hand;
"Zlatoust" (K-43) - on 15 stones, the duration of action from one full winding is at least 30 hours, with a side second hand.
Normal with an accuracy of ±60 sec. Produced in the following range:
77-ChK - on 15 stones, the duration of action from one full winding is at least 32 hours, without a second hand. The front cover also opens with a latch. There are raised dots next to the numbers. Designed for the blind.
Mechanical balance wrist watches are for women and men.
Women's watches are different from men's sizes and bodywork. Wrist watch cases are round, oval, oblong, square, shaped, etc. Attachment of the lugs for the belt is also of various shapes. The bottom cover of the watch can be on a latch or have a bayonet or screw closure. Cases were made of aluminum, nickel silver, stainless steel and gold (583-carat). Aluminum cases can be anodized to match the color of gold, and Nickel-plated, gold-plated and chrome-plated from nickel silver. Sizes of women's cases are from 16.5 to 28.5 mm in diameter, men's from 26.6 to 36.2 mm. The size (caliber) and shape of the watch mechanism determine minimum size corps. Some wrist Ladies Watch produced with cases built into a bracelet for wearing them. The mechanism of watches of various brands and factories may have a number of design features that do not affect the consumer parameters of watch quality. The color and finish of the dial and hands are very different. Digitization is complete, even or partial, figures are printed or embossed.
The duration of the watch from one full winding is at least 34 hours. ("Wave" - 42 hours, "Vostok" - 46 hours.). With the same indicators, watches can differ in the size and shape of the case, the finish of the case and dial, digitization, hands, etc.
Women's mechanical balance wrist watches were produced with an accuracy of ±45, ±60 and ±90 seconds.
Hours, with an accuracy of ±45 sec. produced in the following range:
"Star" - on 15 stones, with a side second hand;
"Sura" - on 15 stones, with a central second hand and an anti-shock device.
Watches with an accuracy of ±60 seconds were produced in the following assortment:
"Aurora" - on 15 stones, with a central second hand and an anti-shock device;
"Spring" - on 17 stones, with a central second hand and an anti-shock device;
"Comet" - on 16 stones, with a side second hand.
Clock with an accuracy of ±90 sec. produced in the following range:
"Volga" - on 16 stones, without a second hand;
"Dawn" - on 16 stones, without a second hand;
"Era" - on 17 stones, without a second hand.
Men's mechanical balance wrist watches were produced with precision and normal accuracy of ±30 and ±45 seconds.
Watches with precision movement accuracy were produced in the following range:
"Vostok" - on 22 stones, in a dust and moisture-proof case, with a central second hand.
Watches with a normal accuracy of ±30 seconds were produced in the following assortment:
Mechanical pocket and wrist watches
Mechanical pocket and wrist watches: 1 - pocket K-43 ("Zlatoust"); 2 - pocket "Ray"; 3 - wrist men's "Arrow" (with a stopwatch); 4 - wrist men's "Motherland"; 5 - men's wrist "Volga"; 6 - wrist men's "Friendship"; 7 - men's wrist "Saturn" (with calendar device); 8 - women's wrist "Comet"; 9 - men's wrist« Satellite"; 10 - wrist women's "Spring"; 11 - women's wrist "Volga"; 12 - women's wrist "Era"; 13 - women's wrist "Volga"
Clock for the blind
Watches for the blind: 1 - pocket watch "77-CHK"; 2 - wrist watch "Petrodvorets"
Clock "Chelyabinsk"
Surprisingly good watch. These have never broken in their entire existence.
"Cornavin" 27 jewels, automatic, shockproof stainless steel, back water protected, USSR
Wrist watch "Cornavin", USSR
Wrist watch "Cornavin", USSR
