The mechanical movement is the oldest operating method for a watch. For several decades, it has been replaced by quartz movements (and thus battery-powered) in watches. Today, mechanical calibers are primarily used in mid-range and high-end watches.
And why? Simply because this type of movement is considered more “noble” and more expensive than its counterpart, but also more durable. On the mechanical movement page, you will find its operating mode, as well as the difference between automatic mechanical movements and manual mechanical movements.
The Operation of the Mechanical Movement
Thanks to simple mechanical parts that utilize energy stored by a spring, this type of caliber can tell time for several tens of hours, or even over a hundred hours. But how do they work?
In a mechanical watch movement, we find:
The Power Source: This component supplies energy to the entire movement. In a mechanical watch, it is primarily a spring (the barrel spring), and in pendulum clocks, a weight. The barrel spring seeks to return to its initial shape by unwinding, thereby distributing its energy (stored through winding) to the next stage.
- The Gear Train: This consists of a set of gears (mostly in the form of cogs, but sometimes also chains) that transfers energy from the power source to the rest of the movement, particularly to the escapement and resonator. It is also through these multiplying gears that time is displayed via specific wheels (center, second, and intermediate).
- The Escapement: The purpose of this component is to receive energy from the gear train, which is then regulated by an escapement. The escapement counts the oscillations of the movement. There are several types of escapements, the most well-known being the Swiss lever escapement.
- The Resonator or Regulator: This very important component regulates the mechanical energy of the movement into equal time intervals (with frequency varying by model) thanks to an essential element: the balance wheel and its hairspring. It is through this that a reliable time indication can be achieved.
- The Winding and Setting Mechanism: This is where the main difference between a manual and an automatic movement lies. Both types can be wound via the winding stem, which also serves for setting the time. However, the automatic version is primarily wound by an oscillating weight, or rotor, which is activated when the wearer moves their wrist.
The Two Main Types of Movements
There are two main types of movements: the manual winding mechanical version, which is the oldest, and the automatic winding version, which appeared over a century ago.
The Automatic Movement
Operating like a standard mechanical movement, the main difference lies primarily in the winding mechanism, as it is no longer solely handled by the winding stem but also by an oscillating weight or rotor.
More Information on the Automatic Movement
The Manual Movement
This is the basic version of the mechanical watch movement. But how does it work, and what is its history?
More Information on the Manual Movement
List of the Different Components of a Caliber
In a watch movement for mechanical watches, there is a whole set of parts and components. The simplest calibers have only about fifty, while the most complex can reach 500, or even 1000 for exceptional pieces.
Among the most common components are the barrel, the escapement, the lever, the balance wheel, the gear train, etc.
Watch Complications
Most watches offer time reading (with hours, minutes, and sometimes seconds), but others go a little further, or even much further! A watch complication is an additional function offered by a mechanical watch. Among the most well-known are the date display (quantième), the tourbillon, GMT, and the moon phase.
How to Disassemble and Reassemble a Watch?
Are you wondering how a watch movement works and want to verify it for yourself? Then you can embark on disassembling and reassembling a watch and a watch caliber.
More Information on How to Disassemble or Reassemble a Movement