{"id":99315,"date":"2025-09-22T13:52:38","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T11:52:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ohselection.com\/how-a-watch-works\/mechanical-movement-how-does-it-work\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T13:52:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T11:52:38","slug":"mechanical-movement-how-does-it-work","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ohselection.com\/en\/how-a-watch-works\/mechanical-movement-how-does-it-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Mechanical Movement: how Does it Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The mechanical movement<\/a> 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 For several decades, it has been replaced by quartz movements (and thus battery-powered) in watches.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. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

The Operation of the Mechanical Movement<\/h2>\n

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? <\/p>\n

In a mechanical watch movement, we find:<\/p>\n

The Power Source:<\/strong> 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. <\/p>\n