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Atmos And Other Ways Of Winding

  1. CanberraOmega Rabbitohs and Whisky Supporter Nov 14, 2012

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    I was in canberra's only vintage watch store and they had a JLC Atmos clock.

    I'd never heard of these - a capsule filled with chemicals expands and contracts with temperature changes, winding the mainspring. A 1degree temperature change will wind the clock sufficient for 24 hours! No need to hand wind at all. Are these available in watches? Could it be?

    Apart from manual wind and kinetic (I.e. automatic) have there been any other ways of winding mainsprings or powering mechanical watches?
     
  2. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 14, 2012

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    The thing with an Atmos is they're extremely efficient, extremely low friction, and extremely fragile. Automatics take a massive beating and keep on ticking (well at least the good ones do ;))
     
  3. Gavin It's the quiet ones you have to 'watch' out for. Nov 15, 2012

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    The change in temperature powers them up but they have to be placed on a flat level surface. If not, they will gain/lose time.
     
  4. N2FHL Omega Qualified Watchmaker Nov 15, 2012

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    The Atmos clock is based on the anniversary clock- so called because you only wind it once a year. This is accomplished by having a very strong mainspring and a torsion pendulum which only "ticks" every 30 seconds. A balance wheel large enough to turn that slowly, a strong mainspring and a diaphragm to power the whole contraption would be too large to cram into a wristwatch.

    Steve
     
  5. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 15, 2012

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    Don't have much to add, except this:

    [​IMG]

    This clock is far more accurate than any mechanical watch I own. Off maybe a minute every couple of months.
    gatorcpa
     
  6. Alpha Kilt Owner, Beagle Parent, Omega Collector Nov 16, 2012

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  7. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 16, 2012

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    There's another interesting way of running a clock, some companies use this magical crystal, that when an electrical charge is applied, vibrates at a specific frequency, allowing accurate timing of the clock under battery power.
     
  8. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 16, 2012

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    Sometime around 1918, this same concept was used with clocks that ran on that new-fangled alternating electrical current at 60 cycles per second.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_clock

    There is nothing new under the sun,
    gatorcpa
     
  9. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Nov 16, 2012

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    I know, what I was describing above was Quartz :p
     
  10. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 16, 2012

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    The concept of using a battery to power a clock is even older than the harnessing of electricity.
    gatorcpa
     
  11. ulackfocus Nov 16, 2012

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    I got it, just don't ask if I thought it was funny. :D
     
  12. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Nov 16, 2012

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    Shhhh...I got it, too. ;)

    Just don't tell Ash,
    gatorcpa