

In the following the energy from the movement of the arm is stored in the tension spring of the movement. With each movement, the rotor tightens the tension spring and converts the mechanical energy into potential energy. The tension spring transmits the stored energy to the movement via the balance wheel and drives it. Inside the movement, the rotor is connected to the tension spring, which serves as energy storage for the movement. The movement of the arm, which is equivalent to kinetic energy, is converted into mechanical energy by the rotor. This movement generates a torque which is transmitted to the movement via the winding mechanism. Due to gravity, the rotor always falls back to the lowest position. Through the movements of the arm the clock is constantly brought into a new position. On the movement of each automatic watch lies the rotor, which is a semi-circular oscillating weight that can move freely. Nowadays automatic wristwatches work on a simple basic principle. How does a watch with an automatic movement work? The nearly crossing of the English Channel with a Rolex Oyster Perpetual did the rest to consolidate the name of Rolex and the superiority and robustness of automatic watches. In the early thirties Rolex also followed suit and patented the principle of a self-winding rotor. Fortis and Blancpain were the first companies to sell these new models. In 1926, the first model with the name „Rolls“ was followed by the first series-produced automatic wristwatch. In this way, the tension spring can be tightened inside the watch. John Harwood solved this problem by integrating a ball bearing into the movement, which moves back and forth in a frame. Thus, the winding mechanism was always the weak point of the watch, where water and dust could easily get into the movement. Nevertheless, these first wristwatches still had all kinds of teething troubles. For a long time, however, pocket watches that were wound manually were cheaper and as a consequence more popular.ĭuring the First World War, wristwatches replaced pocket watches because of their technical advances, such as luminescent dials and, in particular, their easier handling. At that time, a rotor and changer were already in use, providing a bidirectional winding system. The principle behind the automatic watch goes back to movements developed by Abraham-Louis Perrelet, Abraham-Louis Breguet and Hubert Sarton at the end of the eighteenth century. The story of the automatic watch winding system is, in addition to the general history of the development of watches, also a story of how the wristwatch prevailed over the pocket watch.
TAG HEUER AUTOMATIC WATCH WINDER MANUAL
And here, as it is with cars, the question of faith arises: manual or automatic? But what exactly are automatic watches and how do they work? The basic decision, however, is what kind of movement do you want. Chronographs, chronometers, tourbillons and complications. Not to speak of the different technical terms and designations which are also quite a lot. Once you start to get involved with watches, you are almost overwhelmed by the number of models, shapes and brands.
