Clocks - how do they work?

Discover how watches work - from the classic mechanical mechanism to quartz and smart technologies. A short guide that simply explains the secrets of your watch.

For a watch to be efficient and accurate, it requires three main components that function in complete and perfect integration.

The three components are:

• Energy Source

• Watch Regulating Mechanism (Time Regulating Mechanism also called Watch Movement)

• Display Mechanism

The energy source can be electronic, like a battery, or mechanical/automatic, like a spring.

The watch regulator is also divided into two types:

a. Mechanical Movements, including Automatic Movements

b. Quartz movements

In the following overview, we will discuss the first two components mentioned above.

Mechanical Movements

If the watch description mentions that it is powered by mechanical movements or that the watch is mechanical, then the watch's energy source comes from the winding of a spring. The energy is supplied to the watch by the release of that spring tension. The watch mechanism is operated by a beat regulator and a set of gears. The spring needs to be wound periodically to provide the necessary energy for the continued operation of the watch's movement mechanism. When the spring is fully unwound, the energy source is depleted, and the watch stops working until the next winding of the spring. Generally, one full spring winding provides energy for approximately 40 hours of watch operation. In exceptional cases, this winding can last for several days. The general design of mechanical watches has not changed significantly in the last fifty years. However, the development of technology and the availability of modern materials have drastically changed and influenced the manufacturing method of this type of watch.

Automatic Movements - (Automatic Watches)

Watches powered by automatic movements operate similarly to mechanical watches, with one difference: the spring is wound automatically. This means that whenever the spring is released and the energy source is depleted, an automatic mechanism winds the spring instead of it being done manually by the watch owner. How is this action performed?

Simply by moving the hand on which the watch is placed. The movement activates a rotor (oscillating weight) that is sensitive to such movements. The rotor winds the watch's spring, thereby providing the necessary energy for its operation. The clear advantage of this type of watch is that they do not require battery replacement and/or maintenance. However, it should be noted that sometimes such watches need to be readjusted to remain accurate.

Quartz Movements

This type of watch is the product of new technology developed only in recent years. Quartz is a mineral (silicon dioxide) with a unique property. When quartz is compressed and/or stretched, it releases a current of constant strength. This constant current is responsible for the regulating mechanism of quartz watches. Furthermore, the fact that the current produced by quartz crystals is of constant strength makes the regulating mechanisms and thus the movement of the hands extremely accurate and constant (movement with the same intensity each time) down to the second. Unlike mechanical watches based on spring winding, quartz watches rely on batteries as an energy source. The battery sends electronic energy to the crystal quartz, which in response to this energy stretches and contracts, thereby producing a regular current of constant strength. To convert the current into a constant energy source that can move the hands at a constant interval, the current is simply passed through a stepping motor. This motor converts the electronic energy into mechanical energy that operates the watch hands.

This type of watch became very popular from the 1970s onwards, both for manufacturers and consumers, mainly due to the fact that these watches are inexpensive and convenient to produce in large and commercial quantities.

Solar Watches

The newest technology watches that have developed in this world. Solar-powered watches use a miniature component that collects light rays. This component is located under the dial and collects light rays (artificial and natural). The component converts the light rays into energy and uses it to operate the watch's regulating mechanism. The energy received from the sun's rays is stored in a permanent battery (which cannot be replaced). The watch uses this battery when no light source is available.

Kinetic Watches

Kinetic watches borrowed the idea of hand movement from automatic watches, but the use of hand movement is not to move the dial but to provide electronic energy. The general idea is to conserve a quantity of kinetic energy caused and accumulated as a result of hand movement and convert it into electronic energy. The accumulated energy is stored in a capacitor whose discharge period after a full charge can sometimes last up to six months without recharging. This type of watch also does not require a battery.

Atomic Watches

This type of watch is incomparably accurate to any other watch. These watches synchronize several times a day via radio waves with the most accurate watch in the world. This watch is located at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. This watch is accurate to the level of one second per million years. Atomic watches also update automatically when transitioning between Time Zones and also update automatically for leap years and daylight saving time. Typically, atomic watches contain the quartz mechanism mentioned above to operate the watch between one synchronization and the next.