Coloring Watches: PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) and ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition)
There are two key technologies used for the coloration of luxury watches and movements, PVD and ALD. Segio Galanti takes a quick look at color treatments.
IWC has Ceramic in its History and Today in its Pilot’s Watch collection
IWC has a long history with ceramic cases and today they are usually found in the brand’s Big Pilot^s Watch collection.
Hairsprings: Origins, Progress, and (Dare I Say) Exciting Future
The tiny, delicate, nearly impossible-to-create hairspring is the one of the biggest advances for modern scientific technology there is. Here Joshua Munchow takes a dive into the muscle of the beating heart of most mechanical watches: the hairspring.
How a Mechanical Watch Works with Simple to Understand Animations
In theory, a mechanical watch is very simple: it’s ‘simply’ a spring (the mainspring) unwinding at a constant rate with hands attached to gears that rotate as the spring unwinds. Easy! Ian Skellern highly recommends anyone at all interested in mechanical watches to watch this video as it clearly highlights how a mechanical watch works.
A Watchmaker’s Technical Look at the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Fire: A Dual-Balance Watch with a Difference – Reprise
The Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Fire has captivated everybody with the mesmerizing appearance of its twin balances and the unusual, long, sinuous, grey spring gently oscillating along the middle of the watch. ‘The Horological Journal’ editor and watchmaker Justin Koullapis asks the question, “Does it live up to the hyperbole?”
Equation of Time (EoT): What is It and What’s the Attraction? – Reprise
In its simplest form, the equation of time is defined as the difference between the time displayed by the position of the sun (as by a sundial) and the mean time displayed by any modern clock or watch. But that’s just the beginning. Watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains more.
Measuring the Time Between the Seconds: The Truth Behind High-Frequency Movements – Reprise
Marketing material for the modern mechanical watch almost always includes a description of the movement’s frequency. You may have even sensed that the higher the frequency, the more accurate a movement gets. But is this entirely true? Find out here.
The Science of Steel: The Stuff of Cases, Mainsprings, Hairsprings, Pinions, Escapements and the Backbone of Watchmaking – Reprise
Joshua Munchow talks about steel here, the metal that made the world! Watch cases and other movement components are commonly made from certain stainless steels, 304 and 316L being the most frequent. It also happens that some brands hold exclusive rights to use specific alloys in the production of its watches. Here’s what you should know about steel.
The Retrograde: One of My Favorite Complications – Reprise
The retrograde indication is one of Joshua Munchow’s favorite “Because We Can” (BWC) complications. Gears are an amazing invention and have allowed watchmakers to make incredible creations. Simple gear systems leave a multitude of openings for creativity. Look at some great retrogrades here.
The Truth about Magnetism and Watches – Reprise
General everyday contact with magnets isn’t going to cause your beloved wristwatch any real harm, but overdoses of magnetism may still present a problem, causing erratic timing and even stoppage altogether as watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains. What to do when this happens?