In a universe of chaos, time seeks to bring order. It’s a manmade concept, completely contrary to the randomness of nature, yet we as a species have sought to perfect it for millennia. Today we have digital, atomic solutions to finding ever more accurate ways of keeping an even beat, but before the electronic age, mechanical was king.
source/image: Watchfinder & Co.
Reliable, precise and without a volt or amp to be seen, the mechanical watch is both a historical wonder and modern treasure. But how, exactly, does it work? A mechanical watch is a watch that uses a mechanism to measure the passage of time, as opposed to modern quartz watches which function electronically.
It is driven by a spring (called a mainspring) which must be wound periodically. Its force is transmitted through a series of gears to power the balance wheel, a weighted wheel which oscillates back and forth at a constant rate./wikipedia
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A device called an escapement releases the watch’s wheels to move forward a small amount with each swing of the balance wheel, moving the watch’s hands forward at a constant rate. This makes the ‘ticking’ sound characteristic of all mechanical watches.
