Accuracy of mechanical watches. How to adjust the accuracy of mechanical watches?

Swiss or, perhaps, Japanese, mechanical or quartz - which watch is the most accurate? Is it true that the accuracy of the Swiss mechanical watch is the reference clock? Who generally needed the most accurate clock in the world? How to adjust the accuracy of the clock? In this article you will find the answer to all these questions.

Mechanical clock - accuracy, time-tested

For many centuries people have been constantly inventing different ways and methods for measuring and determining time. For example, on a clear and sunny day, time was determined by the movement of the sun's shadow, but in cloudy weather and at night this method was absolutely useless. Also, water and candle clocks were used to determine the time.

The first mention of the clock, which had a water trigger, dates back to the III century BC. E. At the end of the 10th century, watches with a mercury trigger mechanism were invented in China. So, the first anchor watch was invented in China, in 725 year. Later Arabian engineers improved the water clock and first used mechanical transmissions to start spinning elements. Mechanical wall clock with a pin trigger was created in the middle of the XIV century. And already in the beginning of the XVI century, spring mechanisms and the first samples of pocket watches were created . Then the most accurate clock with a pendulum mechanism was invented.

The first mechanical watches were without a dial, resembled a bell in shape and sounded signals at a certain time interval. The earliest hours without a dial, which still have not lost their performance, are the hours of 1386 released in the British monastery of Salisbury. Well, the oldest pocket watch is a portable chronometer made by Peter Henland in 1504 in Germany. In 1790 in Switzerland the company "Jacquet Droz and Lasho" presented the first collection of wrist watches.

Accuracy - the politeness of kings

The most accurate clock is atomic. There are cesium, rubidium and hydrogen atomic clocks, while in the most accurate hours a cesium atom and an electromagnetic field with sensitive detectors are used.

Several years ago, the most accurate clock in the world - Quantum Logic Clock - was produced in the USA. Their only drawback is the cumbersome boxes in which the mechanism of the device is located, therefore, despite the extreme, standard, accuracy, at home such watches are absolutely impractical, and for measuring the exact time, normal mechanical or quartz watches are quite suitable.

Today you can buy wristwatches of various design, functional purpose and price category, but the main parameter in choosing a watch is the device of their watch movement.

Quartz and mechanical chronometers

The main difference between them is what exactly is used as a source of energy to ensure the operation of the watch mechanism. The work of the mechanism in mechanical models is provided by a spiral spring, which is located in the drum with a notched edge. At start-up, the spring turns up to the maximum level and during the unwinding process drives the drum, which, when rotated, starts the entire clock mechanism directly. The main drawback of the spring mechanism is the unevenness of the speed of its unwinding, which affects the accuracy of the mechanical clock. The standard value of the discrepancy with the exact time for mechanical watches is -20 / + 60 seconds per day, best if the error does not exceed 4-5 seconds per day.

Principle of operation of quartz watches

The work of the clockwork in quartz watches is carried out with the aid of a quartz battery, which feeds the electronic unit and the stepping mechanism of the watch. The electronic unit sends a pulse every second to the engine, which drives the hands of the clock. Thus, the frequency stability and the accuracy of the movement is ensured by the quartz crystal, thanks to which the clock has its name. The accuracy of the move is 20-25 seconds per month, the error rate of the most accurate hours does not exceed 5 seconds per month. Quartz watches do not require a regular winding, while the battery life may be several years.
It can be said with certainty that even the most expensive mechanical watches are much inferior in accuracy to measuring the time of any model of quartz analogues.

It is believed that the mechanics are more reliable and durable in comparison with quartz watches, but this is absolutely not the case. The resource of moving elements and parts in quartz watches in many respects has similar parameters with mechanical models, therefore quality products have a long operational term. Unlike quartz watches, mechanical models have a higher cost, even Russian mechanical watches, not to mention foreign products, which is associated with the technological and labor-intensive process of their production. Adjustment of the mechanism of mechanical watches is carried out only manually, and most parts for quartz products are made on automated lines.

So what is better - mechanics or quartz?

Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question. Mechanical Swiss watches belong to the classics of watchmaking. For many, such watches are more familiar, proven and even more prestigious option. Quartz watches have a greater accuracy and do not require regular winding, in addition, such models are easier and more convenient to use. Therefore, the choice of watches is an individual matter and depends first of all on personal preferences.

Cheap swiss watches

Japanese watch movements are not inferior in accuracy and many other parameters to quality Swiss watches. At the moment, high-quality products of the watch industry of Japan confidently hold the leading positions in the world market due to the successful combination of classical technologies with innovative developments, which allows to constantly improve the mechanical watch, filling them with new functions and capabilities. Now many Swiss watch companies are trying to borrow Japanese electronic technology in the production of their own products.

Japanese technologies in the manufacture of watches

For example, a Japanese watch with a classic design Citizen Chronomaster is the most accurate wristwatch all over the world, the annual error of them does not exceed ± 5 seconds per year. The cost of this model is 70 000 rubles.
The choice of both male and female models of wrist watches is really great. The models differ in their original exterior design, they can be made of different materials, but all products are equipped with a unique mechanism that ensures the continuity and accuracy of the movement of mechanical watches. The most famous Japanese brands are Seiko, Citizen, Casio, Orient, Pulsar.

A striking example of Japanese craftsmanship is the Citizen Promaster Sky chronograph, which has a unique and original design, as well as an interesting way to get information about the exact time. The main advantage of clock with radio synchronization is that such products absolutely do not have an error in measuring time, because time is constantly checked against the radio signal that comes from the atomic clock. Unfortunately, this signal is not caught all over the world.

Electronic watches

Especial attention deserves electronic models of Japanese watches, which have a huge variety of additional functions. All models are made in metal housings made of strong steel. The products possess high precision and have a high level of water protection and increased resistance to mechanical damage.
The leader in Japanese watchmaking is still the company Seiko, who recently invented the watch with the innovative 9F caliber. Thanks to him, their annual error does not exceed +/- 10 s.

American watches

The history of the development and existence of the American watch has been around for several decades, while the manufacturers try to match the classical style when creating their models, and the accuracy of the mechanical watches made in the USA is absolutely the same as for the mechanisms produced in Switzerland or Japan. Well, a variety of models of different price categories, which are presented both in classical and sports versions, will surprise even the most demanding consumer.

The military models of watches are particularly accurate. The company Bulova several years was engaged in the development of a new collection of wrist watches for women and men, which was named Precisionist, which in literal translation means "accuracy." It is this indicator that is more characteristic of the products of this collection, while the error in the course is +/- 10 s per year. Quartz models have many other innovative features - a new design, a floating second hand, which allows you to reduce the adverse effects of temperatures without the use of additional microcircuits, responsible for the processes of thermoregulation. Also, the watch has a triangular crystal, the vibration of which is several times higher than that of two-sided crystals.

Adjusting the accuracy of the movement of clockwork

Undoubtedly, the most important characteristic of any models is the accuracy of mechanical watches, despite the permissible deviations, which in most cases amount to 30 seconds per day. In the manufacture of watch mechanisms manufacturers adhere to the established certification. All the settings of the manufacturers are carried out directly at the enterprises. Mechanical mechanical clocks, like manual ones, are a complex mechanism, so their accuracy depends on the coordinated operation of all systems and parts in the design of the device.

During the manufacture of watches with a mechanical mechanism, a manual adjustment is provided, in which it is possible to reduce the error in the accuracy of the stroke. To perform the adjustment it is necessary to know the device and the specifics of the work of the clockwork mechanism.

Simple (single) thermometer

Adjustment of the accuracy of the movement of mechanical watches occurs with the help of an integral part of the bridge in the balance node, which is called a "thermometer". The thermometer represents a lever, at one end of which there are two pins or a locking lock, at the other end there is a small protrusion. With this projection, you can adjust the accuracy of the mechanical clock and adjust the working length of the spiral. "Graduates" differ from each other in a design that can have a different length of the arrow, the diameter of the split apple and various forms of pins. "Degrees" are simple (single) or complex (double).

Mechanical wrist watches are expensive

If we talk about wrist watches, they are painted on the hands of people with high incomes.

The cost of products can exceed a hundred thousand euros. Therefore, we can stop on another option, the price will be much lower, of course, if you are ready to sacrifice accuracy in favor of economy and prestige.