I know that a lot of high-end manufacturers produce micro-rotor movements.

It seems to me that having a micro-rotor movement is thinner than one with a full rotor. They are also incredibly beautiful to look at. I would expect that the moment of inertia for the balance wheel would be lower for a micro-rotor movement - although I am not certain of this - in that way, I am sure that it takes a little more to keep it running accurately.

Here is my question - what is the benefit of a micro-rotor. I recall that Walt Odets posted about how thin movements were one of the great achievements of high-horology. Is the virtue the watchmaking skill it takes to build such a watch?

I can certainly appreciate a 7mm watch with a 60 hour power reserve and chronometer certification like the ones that Chopard makes.

I appreciate all your thoughts on this.

 

Nevermind. I found this.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/micro-rotor-automatic.131402/

I guess it does have to do with the thinness of the movement.

 

Correct. But there are downsides to them, which is why traditional full-rotor automatic movements continue to dominate the mechanical watch landscape.