Long power reserves - how???

[lm21]

As I understand it, the "typical" power reserve for most automatic watches is around 40 hours or so (my only references being my Breitling and my Rolex)...

So how do some brands/models have power reserves of seven days (or more)? Is there a simplified technical explanation that someone can give? It can't be as simple as a bigger/better/stronger mainspring ... or can it???

[weizhen77]

Omega's 8500 calibre has 60 hours of power reserve with twin barrel wheels.

[Nods]

Seven days!? I two would be interested to know of any mechanical watch that could 1:Do that or 2:If it could HOW.

[Balboa]

Seiko Spring Drive are the longest reserve of which I am aware. They are rated at 72 hours across the range.

There are certainly many watches I do not know about, but it seems that 6 or 7 days reserve is unlikely. The spring power required seemingly would make the watch too large to be practical.

I am here to learn. Enlighten me.

Mark

[lm21]

Originally Posted by Balboa

Seiko Spring Drive are the longest reserve of which I am aware. They are rated at 72 hours across the range.

There are certainly many watches I do not know about, but it seems that 6 or 7 days reserve is unlikely. The spring power required seemingly would make the watch too large to be practical.

I am here to learn. Enlighten me.

Mark

panerai has a 10-day model:
http://www.panerai.com/s_page.xpd?id...categoria=7292

iwc has a 7-day model:
http://www.swissluxury.com/iwc-watches-portuguese.htm

and i'm sure there are many more out there. i'm surprised no one else has chimed in...

[Balboa]

Thanks for the links.

The Panerai technique is very interesting. They use 3 spring barrels to provide the huge power reserve.

I have never seen theses watches. Are the quite thick? They do not give that spec on their site. Those extra "gas tanks" have to go somewhere. The watch looks quite large and bulky in the pictures, but hard to tell.

Mark

[lm21]

Is a barrel wheel the same as a spring barrel - and how do more than one function together in a watch?

[lm21]

Originally Posted by Balboa

Thanks for the links.

The Panerai technique is very interesting. They use 3 spring barrels to provide the huge power reserve.

I have never seen theses watches. Are the quite thick? They do not give that spec on their site. Those extra "gas tanks" have to go somewhere. The watch looks quite large and bulky in the pictures, but hard to tell.

Mark

the panerai is 44mm wide and the iwc is 41mm wide. don't know how thick the panerai is but it's less than a deepsea. i have no idea how thick the iwc is, but i can't imagine it would be even close to the pam...

[Rikki]

There's no part I know of called a barrel wheel just a mainspring barrel that happens to be a wheel, yeah I know confusing but that's what it's called. Rik

[Rikki]

Some of the small 8 day clocks I have worked on have 2 barrels but supply power through one pinion, I suppose taking the power from each barrel makes them run longer plus special gearing. Some of the early car clocks like Waltham or Elgin have one very large mainspring and typically run 8 days, called plater watches they are generally a large pocket watch and have been made for over 80 years. The technology has been around for over a hundred years but getting it into a smaller packgage has been the stumbling block.Take the tourbion watch only in the last 30 years or so have companies been able to incorporate them in a wrist watch but the technology has been around for 150 years. Now I believe Gruen has come out with the GyroTourbion and fit it in a wristwatch. So as tools and technology continue to improve I can't wait to see what's around the corner. One of my teachers back in the late 70's was working on the first wristwatch minute repeater a Gerard Genta, this watch had I believe 6 or 7 levels in it and was no bigger than a datejust. If I remember correctly the plates were made of gold and after a while the steel pinions of the center wheel would wear the plates to the point where the watch would bind up then stop so my teacher had to jewel all the plates which until then were not jeweled and that cured the problem, at that point the factory had to do the same to all the movements that came in for repair. I know I ramble but I live eat and sleep this stuff. Rik the watchmaker

[Rikki]

Does any one know what a LeCoultre Atmos clock is and how it works. Well it was designed in the late 20's early 30's and is the closest thing ever made to capture perpetual motion.It has an anerobic metalic bellow filled with ethel chloride that expands and contracts with a 2 degree change in temperature. The bellows is connected to a spring with a chain that winds a standard mainspring that runs the clock if kept clean it will run indefinately by itself with no winding at all by an outside source. Because of the slow nature of the escapement they need to be serviced about every 25 years or so amazing stuff. I have had customers that have run their Atmos's since the 50's before they had to have it serviced. Because of the slow nature of the escapement and low torq the escape wheel and jewels recieve no oil to do so would stop them too much drag from the surface tension of the oil. The last 3 Atmos clocks I serviced have been running for over 15 years so far. I know you guys love your Rolexes as do I but there's so many cool mechanisms out there it's scary. Rik the watchmaker

[weizhen77]

I felt like a young little frog living inside a well.

[lm21]

Originally Posted by Rikki

Does any one know what a LeCoultre Atmos clock is and how it works. Well it was designed in the late 20's early 30's and is the closest thing ever made to capture perpetual motion.It has an anerobic metalic bellow filled with ethel chloride that expands and contracts with a 2 degree change in temperature. The bellows is connected to a spring with a chain that winds a standard mainspring that runs the clock if kept clean it will run indefinately by itself with no winding at all by an outside source. Because of the slow nature of the escapement they need to be serviced about every 25 years or so amazing stuff. I have had customers that have run their Atmos's since the 50's before they had to have it serviced. Because of the slow nature of the escapement and low torq the escape wheel and jewels recieve no oil to do so would stop them too much drag from the surface tension of the oil. The last 3 Atmos clocks I serviced have been running for over 15 years so far. I know you guys love your Rolexes as do I but there's so many cool mechanisms out there it's scary. Rik the watchmaker

This is fascinating stuff and sounds pretty cool. I need to check out this Atmos clock...