After viewing John Duvall's slide show on pocket watch components, and bravo to John, that was great, I wondered what the difference is, if any, besides size, in wristwatch movements versus pocket watch movements. Care to comment?

I responded in John D' thread, with a suggestion of doing a slide show on a wristwatch movement!

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Most wristwatch movements are more "diverse" than most pocket watch movements, and many have complications (additional functions) that most pocket watch designers never dreamed about.

For example, most modern wristwatches have automatic winding mechanisms, which contain nearly as many parts as the entire rest of the watch. There are numerous ways to accomplish automatic winding, and all the different companies use different mechanisms.

The same is true for date functions, as well as day-date functions. A typical automatic wristwatch with day and date features, will contain about three or four times as many parts as a common pocket watch, and ALL of those parts are MUCH smaller! Of course, as overall size is diminished, so likewise are tolerances.

One of these days when I have time (and there's no telling when that'll be!), I'll post a picture of the movement that goes in one of my wife's dress watches. It's an Omega calibre 650, which is a 5.5 ligne round manual wind movement. I have average size hands, and the entire movement will fit on the nail of my index finger, without anything sticking off. It's about the size of an aspirin, and it contains all the same parts that are shown in the pocket watch in John's presentation. The entire movement will fit inside the mainspring barrel of a 12 size pocket watch, and rattle around inside; it's also significantly smaller than the balance wheel from an average 12 size pocket watch, and needless to say, it's MUCH smaller than those from 16 or 18 sizes!

In addition to being quite complicated and very small, many wristwatch movements are exceptionally thin. Another of my wife's dress watches contains a Piaget calibre 9P. That's a 9 ligne movement, which is approximately the same size as a nickel, not only in diameter, but also in thickness! While it's true that movements of that sort aren't common, they ARE out there, and they need service just like all other movements.

Anyone who hasn't seen any of these little "gems," really needs to have that opportunity. One of these days, I'm going to retire my AE-1 and buy a digital camera, and when I do, I'll try to show you guys some stuff!

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Steve Maddox
President, NAWCC Chapter #62
North Little Rock, Arkansas
IHC Charter Member 49

Steve Ma.
Thanks for your "eye opener" of wristwatch movements, particularly those diverse and complex movements you speak of. I stay away from ladies wristwatches; whey too small to even tell time.

Will look forward to seeing your pics in the future!

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979