New Technology and New Mechanisms Close-Up
The Swatch Group has been performing particularly well at Baselworld in recent years, and their robust development capabilities were no exception at this year's TIME TO MOVE. In addition to the Cal. 3861, which has been a hot topic among our readers, we would like to take a closer look at some of the noteworthy movements and exterior technologies.
Cal. 3861
This movement adds 15,000 gauss magnetic resistance to the legendary Cal. 861. The escapement has been changed from a Swiss lever to a coaxial, the balance spring is silicon, and the balance is free-sprung, eliminating the regulator. Accuracy is 0 to +5 seconds per day. An incredible movement. Manual winding. 26 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve of approximately 50 hours.
Of the three major groups, the Swatch Group, Richemont Group, and LVMH Group, the Swatch Group is probably the most capable in development. They first introduce new ideas on a trial basis to high-end brands, and once they have succeeded in mass production, they adapt the technology to more mainstream products. This method is unmatched by any other group.
This year's Time to Movement showcased a number of such new products and technologies. We began with the caliber 3861 introduced by Omega. It was based on the caliber 861, completed in 1968, and its successor, the 1861. This caliber was probably the world's first cam-operated chronograph to feature a brake lever. Since then, all cam-operated chronographs have been equipped with brake levers, eliminating the functional difference between them and column-wheel chronographs. This year, Omega worked on converting this masterpiece movement into a Master Chronometer. Gregory Kisling, who was in charge of development, explained:
"We ended up replacing most of the movement parts. Of those, 15 parts were replaced solely to improve anti-magnetic performance. We also improved accuracy. The existing movement's daily rate was between minus 1 and plus 11 seconds, whereas the new 3861 is within 0 to plus 5 seconds." The balance wheel's moment of inertia is 24 mg/cm2. Even though it is a low beat, it is one of the largest currently available mass-produced watches.
The power reserve has also been extended. "By narrowing the barrel stem, we were able to fit a longer mainspring. The power reserve is approximately 50 hours even when the chronograph is running, and over 60 hours when it is not running." CEO Raynald Aeschlimann explained that there are still high hurdles to overcome before mass production can begin, but we look forward to seeing it in the future.
Movement
The world's first flying tourbillon with a stop-seconds mechanism, zero reset, and minute detent. When setting the time, pulling out the crown activates a vertical clutch that locks the carriage and balance. Pulling the crown further advances the second hand clockwise to the zero position, and the minute hand advances to the next index. A "rotary damper" resets the carriage to zero. It likely has a separate power source and governor. Manual winding. 85 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve of approximately 70 hours.
There are other movements worth seeing. The Caliber 58-05 of the Senator Chronometer Tourbillon is a movement in which the entire carriage is reset to zero when the crown is pulled. In A. Lange & Söhne's 1815 Tourbillon, only the second hand is reset when the crown is pulled, but in this case a separate power source rotates the carriage, which resets it to zero along with the second hand. Details cannot be disclosed as the patent application is still pending, but it is a mechanism that is typical of Glashütte Original. Incidentally, this movement can perfectly synchronize the positions of the minute and second hands.
Jaquet Droz's Caliber 2653A2 is a masterpiece that depicts the four seasons and the flow of life in a four-minute automaton. A carp is attached to a rotating disk depicting four lotus flowers, and its axis strikes a wavy guide, causing the carp to wag its tail fin. At the center of the rotating lotus are blue sapphires, yellow sapphires, and red rubies, which themselves rotate. While one might think that the movement was developed with the help of an external supplier, it was actually developed in collaboration with Blancpain.
The 581 has now become Breguet's flagship tourbillon caliber. This model is a skeletonized version of it. It is completely chamfered, and some of the bridges are micro-guilloched. The baseplate and bridges are made of 18K gold. Breguet says, "This is the first time we've used this since Marie Antoinette." Automatic winding. 33 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve of approximately 80 hours.
This four-minute automaton was developed in collaboration with Blancpain. The photo shows a precious stone fixed in the center of the lotus. As the lotus passes under the dial and two leaves, the stone changes from blue sapphire to yellow sapphire to red ruby. The disc itself is quite heavy, but it is equipped with a shock-resistant mechanism. 56 jewels. 28,800 vibrations per hour. Power reserve approximately 68 hours.
Exterior
There are two main things to note about the exterior. The Seamaster Planet Ocean uses orange ceramic for its bezel. It was previously thought impossible to achieve such a color in ceramic, but Omega has managed to achieve a truly vibrant hue. Also, the titanium case used by Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms is understated but of very high quality. While the titanium case of the Bathyscaphe leaves something to be desired in the corners, this model is comparable to the excellent titanium cases of other companies.
