History And Working Of A Wristwatch

By: Roberto Sedycias
Submitted: 2008-02-03 16:54:56
Print this article | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

A wristwatch (relogios) or a watch is a kind of a timepiece that a person wears for referring to time. Watches first came into existence in 1600s as a modification of spring powered clocks. Modern watches have a lot of other functions like that of a calendar in addition to the display of time.

Most common type of wristwatch (relogios) is worn on person`s wrist and is tightened with help of a watchband that is made up of nylon, leather, any other plastic strap, metal link or sometimes, even ceramic. Before this, watches were pocket watches which were carried separately.

Watch designed was greatly improved in the 21st Century due to technological advances in the field of metallurgy, physical vapor deposition and composite materials. Better materials are now used for making watches which are more durable, more accurate, more aesthetic and more reliable.

Escapement is a kind of mechanism that limits and controls the unwinding in the watch. It converts a simple unwinding into a periodic energy release. This is done by gear interlocking that switches among `driven` and `free` state.

Balance wheel along with the spring or Hairspring forms a harmonic oscillator. This oscillator controls the gear system motion in the watch. This is similar to a pendulum clock.

Tourbillon is a rotating type of frame used for escapement. It cancels out the effects of the bias in timekeeping using gravity. Otherwise, the watch would have to be kept in the same position for a lot of time.

Movement in a watch is the mechanism which measures the time and hence helps to display the correct current time. The movements can be mechanical, electronic and maybe, even both. Most of the watches use electronic timekeeping these days even if the face of watch has a mechanical hand.

Watches (relogios) are mostly classified on basis of their movements. The classifications are Mechanical Movements, Tuning Fork Movement, Electronic Movement and Radio controlled movement. The source of power used can be a spring. There are Self Winding springs also present. Some modern watches off the movement of the wearer, some watches run with the help of the batteries, or electronic power. Some watches are light powered, while some of them are powered by the body heat.

Time display is generally done in the form of Analog or Digital display. Analog display is done using two hands, one each for hour and minute and sometimes another hand is used to display seconds. In digital display, usually there is a LCD screen on which the time in digital format appears.

All the watches (relogios) show the time in atleast hours and minutes. Few watches also show the date, day and some of them even have alarms. Some more complicated watches have stopwatch, lunar phases, Perpetual Calendar, Minute repeater and equation of the time.

When the sales of Swiss watch makers went down, they redesigned it and produced a much cheaper version in end of 20th Century. With the help of some graphic designers, they also launched an array of Fashionable watches. Dual time watches (relogios) for international travelers were designed. Collectable or Jewelry type watches were designed which had high miniaturization and precision along with nice aesthetic look. Some of the leading companies for this kind of watches are Papet Phillipe, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Rolex. Mass production is done by companies like Omega, Tag Heurer and Breitling.

Other type of watches (relogios) include computerized multifunction watches with electronic items like Calculators, Digital Cameras, Video Games, GPS receivers, Cellular Phones ad Keydrives were embedded in the watches. Some recent watches have also been marketed as Water Resistant as they are not as much affected by water as other watches and are categorized on the basis of their water repelling capability.

This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the Article section of page www.polomercantil.com.br/relogios.php

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Product Reviews category

  • What's Great About Fellowes Helios Binding Machines - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Fellowes is an office machine manufacturer that has always made cutting-edge products for a variety of applications such as paper shredding and lamination. They also make great binding machines and their two new Helios 30 and 60 thermal binders are some of their best products yet. Let's take a look at what makes these products so great and why you should get one for your office.
  • The Eight Great Features of the Royal Sovereign RBM-1500 Plastic Comb Binding Machine - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Plastic comb binding is one of the quickest ways to create documents that you can be proud of. Whether you're binding a report, proposal, or anthology, this is one document finishing method everyone can use. One of the best products available for this type of binding is the Royal Sovereign RBM-1500. This device has a lot of great features and is compact enough to carry around. So, read on to discover the eight great features of the Royal Sovereign RBM-1500.
  • Royal Sovereign RBE-2000 Comb Binding Machine Review - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Plastic comb binding is a great way to bind your reports, proposals, anthologies, and more. If your organization needs a device that has a terrific binding capacity and can work fairly quickly, the Royal Sovereign RBE-2000 might be just the ticket.
  • Royal Sovereign RBM-1200 Comb Binding Machine Review - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Plastic comb binding is an easy way to put together your important documents, but to do so, you really need to have the right machine. A device that was designed for light, occasional use is the Royal Sovereign RBM-1200. Here are the pros and cons of this product.
  • The Pros and Cons of the Royal Sovereign CS-900 Laminator Review - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Royal Sovereign has a respectful lineup of pouch laminators and one of their smallest devices is the CS-900. This is an extremely small laminator that is reasonably priced and can be used easily, but it does lack a few key features, such as a reverse mode. Let's take a look at this product's pros and cons so you can determine is this is the device for you.
  • The Top Five Features of the Royal Sovereign CS-900 Laminator - By: Jeff McRitchie
    A laminator is a great device to have on hand if you want to protect your important documents and even do crafts, such as creating your own bookmarks. One machine that's particularly good for both professional and personal use is the Royal Sovereign CS-900 Pouch Laminator. It is a very affordable product that looks great, can laminate lots of different kinds of items, and is easy to operate. Lets take a look at the top five features of the CS-900 so you can see what this machine can offer you.
  • Quartet Standard Whiteboards - A Review - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Quartet is one of the most popular whiteboard manufacturers and they make products for a wide variety of applications. Their Standard Whiteboards are some of their more basic products and they are good for occasional and personal use. Here is a review of these products, including a look at how well they erase, what frames are available, and accessories they come with. Read on and discover if one of these products is what you've been looking for whether you need one for your home office or your cubicle at work.
  • The Great Features of the Quartet Prestige Total Erase Whiteboard - By: Jeff McRitchie
    A whiteboard is a handy tool to have in the workplace because it can help you communicate with co-workers and jot down notes during staff meetings. One of the best whiteboards you can buy at the moment is the Quartet Prestige Total Erase Whiteboard. This product has some great special features that make it easy to use and it's available in a number of different sizes so you're likely to find one that's just right for your workplace. Lets take a look at the terrific features of this board.
  • Eight Reasons to Check Out the Royal Sovereign RMB-1200 Comb Binding Machine - By: Jeff McRitchie
    A plastic comb binding machine is a great addition to any office that needs a quick way of putting together those important reports, proposals, and brochures. If your office is in need of one, a device that's great for light to moderate use is the Royal Sovereign RMB-1200 Comb Binding Machine. This product is one that offers easy operation, the ability to bind documents containing up to 150 pages, and other great features. Here are eight reasons you should check out this product for your binding needs.
  • Reviewing the Royal Sovereign RHD-2201 Pouch Laminator - By: Jeff McRitchie
    When you have a pouch laminator in your workplace, document protection is right at your fingertips. One laminator that's ideal for professional use is the Royal Sovereign RHD-2201. This is a commercial-grade device that has some of the most sought-after features a laminator can have, including a cold setting and the ability to accept mounting boards. It is also easy to operate and laminates beautifully. However, it does have a couple of minor flaws that also need to be discussed, such as its inability to turn itself off. That said, here are the pros and cons of this product.