Automatic Watches

An automatic watch is a type of timepiece that uses the motion of the wearer's wrist to wind the mainspring, which powers the watch. Unlike a quartz watch, which runs on battery power, an automatic watch does not require any manual winding. Instead, the energy generated by the movement of the wearer's wrist is used to keep the watch running.

At the heart of an automatic watch is the movement, also known as the caliber. The movement is the mechanism that powers the watch and controls the timekeeping functions. It is made up of several different parts, including the mainspring, the balance wheel, and the escapement.

The mainspring is a tightly coiled spring that stores energy. As the wearer moves their wrist, the motion is transferred to the rotor, a small, weighted piece that spins on a pivot. The rotor is connected to the mainspring, so as it spins, it winds the mainspring, storing energy in the process.

The balance wheel is a small, oscillating piece that controls the rate at which the watch runs. It is connected to the escapement, which regulates the release of energy from the mainspring to the balance wheel. Together, the balance wheel and escapement ensure that the watch runs at a consistent rate, keeping accurate time.

In addition to the movement, an automatic watch also has other parts such as the case, the dial, the hands, the crystal, and the crown. The case is the outer housing that protects the movement, while the dial is the face of the watch that displays the time. The hands are the pointers that indicate the time, and the crystal is the cover that protects the dial. The crown is the button that is used to set the time and adjust the date.

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