cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
20995
It’s not to keep it on balance but to keep from breaking the tips of the balance shaft
thus ruining the movement. The shaft tips are human-hair thickness for minimal thickness and mass ... thus extremely fragile and the balance can be quite large relative to these ends.
Notice the red arrow pointing to the broken off tip on the right, and green to an intact tip which goes into the shock-absorbing jewel.
These balances are from pocket watches; the wristwatch equivalents are much smaller.
Shock protection systems
Noticed different types of shock protection systems in my watches. Very important little component. Upper left - Incabloc on Lange Datograph Up/Down Lower left - KIF on Habring Erwin Upper right - Seiko Diashock on Grand Seiko sbgw231 Lower right - Duofix...
Tremendous photography
I’d always been intrigued regarding these. Any idea what the relative effectiveness is?
The scariest component in the whole watch (with examples)
because it is a tiny brass spring atop an even-tinier circle of crystal, held under tension that must be released by the watchmaker but turning or unclipping it. It's a small amount of tension, no doubt, but given the low mass of the spring, it's enough t...
Something completely different: Derek Pratt's shock protection:
The usual shock protection wasn't enough for the Charles Frodsham wristwatch due to the precision needed in the escapement. Pratt's system should be better, or so he thought. The prototypes with this system were taken on daily bicycle commutes and used do...
He explained to me that the advantage was springing on each end of the balance shaft
Whereas the normal system just has a shock absorber on one end. Perhaps double the complexity and difficulty of lubricating, but overall that's not too much impediment in the sort of watches he was building. Mike PS 15 years ago next month with a few youn...
The pivot ends of the balance staff is actually made longer and smaller in diameter
The up and down movements are abosorbed by the 2 capped jewels with spring. Sideways movements is absorbed by the smaller diameter pivots ends of the balance staff.
Nice post
subscribed, as they say. I guess I never really think about the shock system and what it does. I will keep viewing responses and read some myself. Is this mechanism purpose to keep the balance shafts in alignment so a force to the case does not throw the ...
It’s not to keep it on balance but to keep from breaking the tips of the balance shaft
thus ruining the movement. The shaft tips are human-hair thickness for minimal thickness and mass ... thus extremely fragile and the balance can be quite large relative to these ends. Notice the red arrow pointing to the broken off tip on the right, and g...
Love this post and I am so excited to everyone else's post!!
Here are some cool ones from debethune, moritz grossman (I know the system is not too unique but the clear sapphire is pretty cool), and Bovet!! ...
Thank you for this great post
And thanks for all those who added all the rich input. This forum is amazing.