ei8htohms
8555
not the first, but possibly the last...
Oct 19, 2008,01:05 AM
Hello Bernard,
I'm gonna have to disagree strongly with your observations about the significance and particularly "innovation" of using a peripherally mounted rotor. Citizen attempted this in the '60s with little success and so did Patek Philippe (Cal. 350 I believe) and it just doesn't work very well.
The problem is that you are basically putting all of the friction and even the working load (the geared engagement) of the oscillating mass far from the center of its rotation, as if attempting to nullifying any mechanical advantage otherwise gained by the leverage of the perimeter of the mass acting against surfaces closer to the center of rotation.
It's just a bad idea frankly and the high-tech materials and tweaks applied to the design in the A1000 will not save it from being far less efficient than a conventionally mounted rotor. Whether or not it leaves the movement still "efficient enough" for most wearers remains to be seen, but I am not hopeful. .
_john
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Yes. SJX's observations are correct. THIS is a movement of great importance.
By: bernard cheong : October 18th, 2008-18:00
The placement of the power gathering pinion off to the edge, away from the centre is of incredible significance. This will be the very first movement to do it. Complex and beautiful stuff can be placed over the movement to bring us all sorts of wonderful ...
not the first, but possibly the last...
By: ei8htohms : October 19th, 2008-01:05
Hello Bernard, I'm gonna have to disagree strongly with your observations about the significance and particularly "innovation" of using a peripherally mounted rotor. Citizen attempted this in the '60s with little success and so did Patek Philippe (Cal. 35...
I know of no universally agreed upon testing methods
By: ei8htohms : October 19th, 2008-08:47
Hi Kong, There may be quantitative tests used by engineering schools or other disinterested organizations to measure the efficiency of an automatic winding mechanism, but I am not aware of them or what they would involve. One can only assume that differen...
further technical observations
By: jfsuperior : October 19th, 2008-07:39
John, As a watchmaker I appreciate your technical input and I raise similar concerns though I would like to see the Bucherer movement in my hands to reach any definitive conclusions. But, I've attached a photo I stitched together of three different automa...
thanks Jack, interesting info about the Perrelet design
By: ei8htohms : October 19th, 2008-09:05
Hi Jack, I also would like to see the Bucherer movement in person, but it would take some kind of quantitative testing or substantial anecdotal reporting from wearers and watchmakers working on the movement to convince me of how ell it actually works. I'v...
