Let us turn to five of the most accurate movements ever. This important mechanism within the movement is also made to different grades with an emphasis on precision, which in turn determine the accuracy of a movement. The balance spring: the balance spring as we know it today dates back to 1795, and regulates the oscillations of the balance due to its elasticity. Those factors will greatly influence accuracy, according to Kotospoulos. This is the opinion of expert watchmaker, Alkis Kotsopoulos, of New York’s Swiss Watch Repair Co., who states he will ask a client about how they intend to wear the watch, how often, what level of physical activity they will engage in while wearing the watch, how the client will store the watch when not work, and so forth. User habits: the way a mechanical watch is worn will also determine its accuracy. Chronometer (which must of course meet the ‘+6/-4 seconds per day’ COSC certification standard).These two-biggest Swiss movement makers both have ‘grades’ for their movements which are entirely based on accuracy. Manufacturer grades: The specs published by movement makers such as Sellita and ETA can offer guidance as to a movement’s accuracy. Whilst accuracy in mechanical movements is not always an exact science, there are some determining factors, which can include: ![]() The COSC also bases its certification on precision, which is derived from the average daily rate on the first 10 days of testing.įACTORS THAT DETERMINE MECHANICAL MOVEMENT ACCURACY In order to achieve a chronometer certification from the COSC, a mechanical watch must be in the ‘+6/-4’ range, meaning it should not gain more than six seconds or lose more than 4 seconds per day. After all, the word ‘chronometer’ refers to accuracy in timekeeping. However, a good rule of thumb regarding accuracy is that provided by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, or Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). The very word ‘accuracy’ will have different meanings for different people.ĭetermining watch accuracy is tricky. What makes a mechanical movement accurate is not a linear equation or straightforward assumption. This article will concentrate on accuracy of mechanical movements, although the presumption will be that precision is also an embedded feature. THE COSC STANDARD FOR MECHANICAL WATCH ACCURACY precisely.Īccuracy and precision are not interchangeable terms. A person not only wants a timepiece that is accurate, but also one that does so consistently every day, i.e. A mechanical movement must strive for both, of course. ![]() Therefore, accuracy does not require precision or vice-versa. Therefore, a watch that loses four seconds every day may not be accurate, but it is still precise in the amount of time it loses. The less variance there is, the more precise something is. Precision, on the other hand, is variation averaged over time. So, a watch that loses less than a second a day is more accurate in timekeeping than a watch that loses three seconds a day. The less deviation from its reference point, the more accurate something is. Accuracy is the measurement of deviation from a given reference or target. However, before we continue, it is worth noting that accuracy and precision are not interchangeable terms. It is the extent to which they lose time that differentiates great movements from the merely good.ĪCCURACY AND PRECISION ARE NOT THE SAME THING After all, isn’t being accurate and precise in keeping time the entire point of any timepiece? Strictly speaking, not really. ![]() Some might think that obsessing about the accuracy and precision of a watch may be rather redundant. This article will take a look at five such movements that deserve mention. But there are those mechanical movements that are astoundingly accurate. Not all timepieces are as accurate as people presume and a watch lover know that nearly every watch loses at least a few seconds a day. We too share in that obsession with our fellow watch lovers, having analyzed the factors that determine what makes a watch movement accurate and reliable, which you can read about here. That too resides in the quality of its movement. We here at LIV Watches share in that obsession, as can be seen in our article discussing our belief in Swiss-made Sellita movements.Īnother obsession for many horologists and watch lovers is that of the accuracy and precision of a watch. Little wonder that watch lovers obsess so much about movements. Let it be said: there are few things more beautifully engineered than a mechanical watch movement.
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