For this assignment, I chose a technological item that piqued my curiosity and then explained its function. I separated the item into its various components and subparts. Subsequently, I supplied extensive descriptions for each part and subpart, taking into account their usefulness and significance. To improve the clarity of my technical description, I included images that I took myself and labeled them properly. When I used photographs from the Internet, I made sure to properly cite them using the APA method. Each image was assigned a figure number and accompanied by a caption, which contributed to a thorough description of the technological item.
Human life has always depended on keeping track of time. People have been attempting to precisely measure time since the dawn of civilization to plan their activities, which range from farming and hunting to trading and fighting in wars. As the world has evolved, so too have the tools we use to keep time. Since the 15th century, when the first timekeeping instruments were created, they have developed into sophisticated, precise timekeeping devices. However, the history of the automatic watch may be traced back to the late 18th century when Abraham-Louis Perrelet developed the automatic mechanism.
The need for a watch that can run without the requirement of a battery replacement or manual winding leads to the necessity for an automated watch. Automatic watches are self-winding and rely on the movement of the wearer’s arm to keep the timepiece ticking. This makes them extremely convenient and useful for everyday use.
Automatic watches are sophisticated timepieces that require numerous components to work in unison to keep accurate time. The movement of a watch, which is the mechanism that powers it and enables it to keep time, is one of the most crucial components. The movement is the “heart” of the watch, and without it, it is little more than a piece of jewelry. Anyone interested in watchmaking or simply admiring the beauty and craftsmanship of these watches must understand the separate components of the movement and their roles. In this section, we will go through the various sections inside of a watch in detail, as well as their subparts and functions.
One of the most important parts of a mechanical watch movement is the mainspring. It is the watch’s power source, delivering energy to the movement to keep it working correctly. The mainspring is a long, thin, coiled spring composed of a specific alloy that can store a significant quantity of potential energy. The mainspring is contained within the barrel, which is a cylindrical container that protects the mainspring and regulates its energy output. The mainspring is coiled tighter when wound, accumulating potential energy. As the mainspring progressively uncoils, it releases its stored energy, which is sent to the escapement and balance wheel via the gear train. The amount of power stored in the mainspring defines the watch’s power reserve, or how long the watch will run after it has been fully wound. The power reserve varies according to the mainspring size, barrel size, and frequency of the watch movement. It is critical to have the mainspring tensioned at a steady level to maintain accurate timekeeping. Overwinding the mainspring can lead it to break or become damaged, while underwinding the watch can cause it to lose accuracy or stop it from working entirely.
Figure 1
The balance wheel and hairspring work together to maintain the precision of timekeeping in an automatic watch. The hairspring is a delicate spring that controls the oscillation of the balance wheel, whereas the balance wheel is a wheel-shaped component that oscillates back and forth at a specific rate. The balancing wheel is often composed of metal and has a number of spokes spreading out from the center. It is supported by a pivoting staff, allowing it to freely rotate back and forth. The balance wheel also has a small lever known as the impulse pin, which interacts with the teeth of the escapement wheel to produce the energy required to keep the watch running. The hairspring is a delicate, coiled spring composed of a specific alloy that can withstand temperature and magnetic field fluctuations. It regulates the frequency of vibrations made by the balance wheel. The hairspring expands when the balance wheel turns in one direction, and contracts when it rotates in the opposite direction. The hairspring’s back-and-forth action helps control how quickly the balance wheel oscillates. The mass of the balance wheel, along with the length, width, and thickness of the hairspring, all affect how quickly the balance wheel and hairspring oscillate. To ensure that the watch is running as correctly as possible, expert watchmakers can modify the hairspring to ensure that it is operating at the proper frequency.
Figure 2
The escapement, which controls the mainspring’s energy release and the action of the gears, is an important component of a mechanical watch movement. It is made up of many interlocking wheels and levers that work together to control the rate at which the mainspring unwinds. The escapement’s two basic components are the escape wheel and the pallet fork. The escape wheel is a toothed wheel attached to the watch movement’s primary gear train. The pallet fork is a lever with two prongs that engage with the escape wheel’s teeth. The escapement can decide how the pallet fork moves based on the movement of the hairspring and balance wheel. The pallet fork is pushed back and forth as the balancing wheel swings back and forth. The pallet fork engages the escape wheel’s teeth, allowing it to rotate forward by one tooth. This releases a small quantity of energy from the mainspring, allowing the watch hands to move. The pallet fork is pushed back to its original position when the escape wheel goes forward. The pallet fork then engages the next tooth on the escape wheel, and the cycle continues. This back-and-forth motion of the pallet fork and escape wheel produces a regular ticking sound and controls the flow of energy from the mainspring, ensuring that the watch keeps exact time.
Figure 3
The gear train is a collection of gears that work together to move a watch’s hands. These gears are linked to the escapement, which oversees keeping the watch accurate. The gears in the gear train are known as the fourth wheel, third wheel, second wheel, and seconds wheel. The fourth wheel, which is linked to the escapement, rotates back and forth. It is linked to the third wheel, which moves slowly and is responsible for moving the minute hand. The second wheel, which is smaller than the third, is responsible for moving the hour hand. The first wheel is the smallest and is responsible for moving the seconds hand. All these gears work together to transfer the motion from the escapement to the hands on the watch.
Figure 4
The oscillating weight, commonly known as the rotor, oversees winding the mainspring. It is a semicircular weight attached to a central pivot that travels back and forth in reaction to the wearer’s wrist movement. The oscillating weight rotates a ratchet wheel, which is linked to the barrel of the watch movement. This revolution winds the mainspring, which stores energy that powers the watch mechanism. The oscillating weight is often built of a solid material, such as tungsten or platinum, to guarantee that it has the mass to create enough energy to wind the mainspring. Furthermore, the weight is made to be as small as possible to have the least potential effect on the watch’s size and weight. The oscillating weight in a watch serves a practical purpose by winding the mainspring, but it also frequently serves as an ornament. It could be adorned with complex engravings or created in a special shape or pattern that complements the watch’s aesthetic.
Figure 5
The external components of an automatic watch are essential parts that enable wearer interaction and guarantee the watch’s correct operation. The exterior component of the watch that shields the internal parts and offers water resistance is the case. It can be formed of a variety of materials, including ceramic, gold, titanium, and stainless steel. The crystal of the watch is the clear covering that guards the dial and lets the wearer see the time. Mineral, sapphire, or acrylic can be used to create it, with sapphire having the highest scratch resistance.
Figure 6
The short hand is the hour hand, and it indicates the current hour on the watch’s dial.
Figure 7
The long hand is the seconds hand, and it indicates the passage of time in seconds.
Figure 8
The bezel is the ring that encircles the watch face. It can be used for a variety of purposes on some watches, such as tracking elapsed time or as a compass.
Figure 9
The crown is a little knob on the case’s side that is used to set the time and date.
Figure 10
The pushers are little buttons on the case’s side that engage various watch functions, such as starting and stopping a chronograph.
Figure 11
The band or strap secures the watch to the wrist and is made of a variety of materials such as leather, metal, rubber, or fabric. The clasp holds the bracelet or strap in place.
Figure 12
Complications are extra features and operations that can be added to a watch movement in addition to its primary timekeeping function. These complications, which can be simple or intricate, require the installation of new gears and mechanisms to the watch movement. Complications come in a wide variety of forms, each with its own special set of capabilities. The date display is one of the most typical complications found in automatic watches. This straightforward complication uses an aperture in the dial or a revolving disk with digits to show the current date on the watch dial.
Figure 13
The chronograph is a stopwatch feature that can measure elapsed time and is another popular complication. On the watch face, chronographs frequently have one or more subdials that display the elapsed time in seconds, minutes, and hours.
Figure 14
The moon phase complication shows the current phase of the moon on the watch dial.
Figure 15
The tourbillon is a complex and expensive complication that can improve a watch’s accuracy by counteracting the effects of gravity on the mechanism. This is accomplished by encasing the watch’s balance wheel and escapement in a rotating cage that spins around its axis at a rate of one full rotation every minute.
Figure 16
Overall, the creation of automatic watches was a crucial milestone in the history of watchmaking, marking a critical turning point in the quest for timekeeping precision and convenience. Automatic watches are still a popular choice for watch enthusiasts and collectors today, with a wide range of brands and styles to fit a variety of tastes and budgets. The ongoing invention and refinement of automatic watches reflects the timeless appeal of these timepieces, which provide the ideal balance of utility, elegance, and convenience. As someone who owns a few automatic watches, it’s refreshing to see something so intricate yet entirely mechanical in today’s world.
