What is at the heart of a watch?

When we look at a watch, we first see its dial. Behind the hands, however, lies a system that may work in very different ways. Understanding that system is the first step towards understanding watchmaking. In a mechanical watch, energy is stored in a wound mainspring. As it unwinds, movement passes through the gears and regulating mechanism to the hands. In automatic movements, the motion of the wrist also contributes to winding. An everyday movement can therefore meet part of the watch's energy needs. Quartz watches use an electronic circuit and the vibrations of a quartz crystal to measure time. In analogue quartz watches, electronic signals work with the system that moves the hands. Two watches may have similar dials but very different inner workings. These differences do not require us to rank all watches on a single scale. Accuracy, habits of use, maintenance and an interest in mechanisms lead to different preferences. Education in watchmaking can begin with curiosity about the mechanism before any of those preferences are formed. Next time you look at your watch, consider not just its brand but where its energy comes from. Discovering what lies behind the dial reveals how much knowledge a small object can contain. Additional sources: Seiko — Quartz: https://www.seikowatches.com/ca-en/customerservice/knowledge/quartz-knowledge

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