Swiss or maybe Japanese, mechanical or quartz - which watches are the most accurate? Is it true that the precision of a Swiss mechanical watch is a reference? Who ever needed the most accurate watch in the world? How to adjust the accuracy of the watch? In our article you will find the answer to all these questions.
Mechanical watches - time-tested accuracy
For many centuries, people have constantly come up with various 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 completely useless. Also, to determine the time used water and candlelight.
The first mention of the watch, 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 were invented in China. So, the first anchor watches were invented in China in 725. Later, Arab engineers improved the
water clock and first used mechanical gears to launch rotating elements. A mechanical wall clock with a pin trigger was created in the middle of the 14th century. And already at the beginning of the 16th century, spring mechanisms and the first samples of
pocket watches were created
. Then the most accurate pendulum clock was invented.
The first mechanical watch was without a dial, in shape resembled a bell and emitted sound signals after a certain time period. The oldest watches without a dial, which have still not lost their working capacity, are the 1386 watches, located in the British monastery of Salisbury. Well, the oldest pocket watch is a portable chronometer made by Peter Henlein in 1504 in Germany. In 1790, in Switzerland, the company "Jacques Droz and Lachot" presented the first collection of watches.
Accuracy - the politeness of kings
The most accurate watch is atomic. There are cesium, rubidium, and hydrogen atomic clocks, while the most accurate clocks use a cesium atom and an electromagnetic field with sensitive detectors.
A few years ago, the United States produced the most accurate watch in the world - Quantum Logic Clock. Their only drawback is the bulky boxes in which the mechanism of the device is located, therefore, despite the ultimate, reference, accuracy, such a watch is absolutely impractical in everyday life, and ordinary mechanical or quartz watches are quite suitable for measuring exact time.
Today you can buy mechanical watches of various designs, functional purpose and price category, but the main parameter when choosing a watch is the device of their clock mechanism.
Quartz and mechanical chronometers
The main difference between them is that it is used as an energy source to ensure the operation of the watch mechanism. The operation of the mechanism in mechanical models is provided by a spiral spring, which is located in a drum with a serrated edge. At start-up, the spring is twisted to the maximum level and during the unwinding process it sets the drum in motion, which, when rotated, starts the entire clockwork itself. The main disadvantage of the spring mechanism is the uneven speed of its unwinding, which affects the accuracy of the mechanical watch. The standard indicator of discrepancy with the exact time for a mechanical watch is -20 / + 60 seconds per day, it is best if the error does not exceed 4-5 seconds per day.
The principle of operation of quartz watches
The operation of the clock mechanism in quartz watches is carried out using a quartz battery, which powers the electronic unit and the step mechanism of the watch. The electronic unit sends a pulse every second to the engine, which drives the clock hands. Thus, the frequency stability and accuracy of the movement is ensured by a quartz crystal, due to which the watch got its name. The accuracy of the course 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 regular winding, while the battery can last several years.
It is safe to say that even the most expensive mechanical watches are significantly inferior in accuracy of time measurement of any model of quartz analogues.
It is believed that mechanics are more reliable and durable compared to quartz watches, but this is absolutely not so. The resource of moving elements and parts in a quartz watch 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. The mechanical clock mechanism is set up only manually, and most parts for quartz products are made on automated lines.
So what is better - mechanics or quartz?
Unfortunately, there is no single answer to this question. Mechanical Swiss watches are classics of watchmaking. For many, such a watch is a more familiar, proven and even more prestigious option. Quartz watches have greater accuracy and do not require regular winding, in addition, such models are lighter and more convenient to use. Therefore, the choice of watches is an individual matter and depends primarily on personal preferences.
Japanese watch
Japanese watch movements are not inferior in accuracy and many other parameters to high-quality Swiss watches. At the moment, Japan’s high-quality watchmaking products are confidently holding a leading position in the world market thanks to a successful combination of classic technologies and innovative developments, which allows to constantly improve mechanical watches, filling them with new functions and capabilities. Now many Swiss watch manufacturing companies are trying to borrow Japanese electronic technology in the production of their own products.
Japanese watch technology
For example, a Japanese watch with a classic Citizen Chronomaster design is the most accurate wristwatch in the world, its annual error 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 watches is really great. The models are distinguished by their original appearance, can be made of various materials, but at the same time, all products are equipped with a unique mechanism that ensures uninterrupted and accurate 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 obtain information about the exact time. The main advantage of clocks with radio synchronization is that such products have absolutely no errors in measuring time, since time is constantly checked against the radio signal that comes from an atomic clock. Unfortunately, this signal is not caught all over the world.
Electronic models of Japanese watches
Particularly noteworthy are electronic models of Japanese watches, which have a huge variety of additional features. All models are made in metal cases made of durable steel. The products have ultra-precision and have a high level of water protection and increased resistance to mechanical damage.
The leader in Japanese watchmaking is still Seiko, which recently invented watches with the innovative 9F caliber. Thanks to him, their annual error does not exceed +/- 10 s.
American watch
The history of the development and existence of American watches has been going on for several decades, while manufacturers, when creating their models, try to comply with the classical style, and the accuracy of mechanical watches manufactured in the USA is absolutely no different from the accuracy of movements produced in Switzerland or Japan. Well, the variety of models of various price categories, which are presented both classic and sports versions, will surprise even the most demanding consumer.
Military watches are especially accurate. For several years, Bulova was developing a new collection of women's and men's watches, which was called Precisionist, which literally means “accuracy”. It is this indicator that to a greater extent characterizes the products of this collection, while the error of the course is +/- 10 s per year. Quartz models have many other innovative functions - 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 thermoregulation processes. The watch also has a trihedral crystal, the vibration of which is several times higher than the same indicator of dihedral crystals.
Adjusting the accuracy of the movement
Undoubtedly, the most important characteristic of any models is the accuracy of a mechanical watch, despite the permissible deviations, which in most cases are up to 30 seconds per day. In the manufacture of watch movements, manufacturers adhere to established certification. Manufacturers make all the settings directly at the enterprises. Mechanical wall clocks, like manual ones, are a complex mechanism, therefore their accuracy depends on the coordinated work of all systems and parts in the device design.
During the production of watches with a mechanical mechanism, manual adjustment is provided, in which it is possible to reduce the accuracy accuracy of the movement. To perform the adjustment, you need to know the device and the specifics of the clockwork.
Simple (single) thermometer
Adjustment of the accuracy of the mechanical clock is carried out using the component of the bridge in the balance node, which is called a "thermometer". The thermometer represents a lever, on one end of which there are two pins or a lock-clamp, at the other end there is a small ledge. With this protrusion, you can adjust the accuracy of the mechanical clock and adjust the working length of the spiral. “Degrees” differ in their design, which can have different arrow lengths, the diameter of a split apple and different shapes of pins. “Degrees” are simple (single) or complex (double).
Mechanical watches - an expensive pleasure
If we talk about mechanical watches, then they show off in the hands of people with high incomes.
The cost of products may exceed one hundred thousand euros. Therefore, you can stop at another option, the price will be much lower, of course, if you are willing to sacrifice accuracy in favor of economy and prestige.