“Why more is not better”: Why you need jewels in watches
When it comes to mechanical watches, the number of “jewels” in their mechanism is often mentioned. For the uninitiated, this sounds mysterious: why do watches need precious stones? It turns out that these elements play a key role in the accuracy and durability of the mechanism, but their excess does not always mean an advantage, informs Ukr.Media.
Jewels in watches are not decoration, but a technical component. The main part of any mechanical watch is a massive wheel on a thin spring, which performs more than 200 million oscillations per year. And for accuracy, it needs a reliable bearing support, the role of which is played by jewels. Synthetic rubies or sapphires are usually used, which have high hardness and wear resistance. In addition to the main oscillator, watches have other rotating parts (balance wheel, gears, anchor fork), which also need jewels as a support. Here's what they are needed for:
Friction reduction: Stones reduce friction between metal parts, preventing rapid wear.
Improved accuracy: Less friction stabilizes the movement, improving accuracy.
Increased service life: Wear protection extends the life of the watch.
Until the 18th century, clocks used brass parts that wore out quickly. In 1704, the Swiss craftsman Nicolas Fatio de Duillier proposed using rubies as supports for the axes. This was a revolution: the mechanisms became more accurate and durable. By the 19th century, the use of stones had become the standard for quality clocks.
How many stones are really needed?
Good serial mechanical (not exclusive) watches usually have 15 to 17 jewels. More expensive models with additional functions and dials have more, up to 29 jewels. This is enough to provide support for all critically important elements: 5-7 jewels for the balance wheel. 2 for the anchor fork. The rest for the gears and the drum.
Quartz watches cost less (5-7 stones) because they have fewer moving parts.
Why isn't more always better?
Manufacturers sometimes indicate “40 jewels” or even “100 jewels” on dials, positioning this as an advantage. However, the excess of jewels often becomes a marketing trap.
Jewels are added in places where friction is minimal (for example, in decorative elements or automatic winding), which does not affect functionality, but complicates the design, which increases the risk of breakage and makes repairs more expensive. In addition, according to the ISO 1112 standard, watches can only be certified as “watch jewels” if their location is technically justified. Models with an inflated number often do not meet these requirements.
The famous watchmaker George Daniels, in his book “Watchmaking”, noted: “Jewels are a solution to an engineering problem, not a way to make an impression. Their number should be exactly as much as the design requires.”
In general, this is the same case where more does not mean better. So when choosing a watch, if you are a connoisseur of mechanical watches, rather than modern smartwatches and fitness bracelets, you should pay attention not to the numbers in the specifications, but to the brand's reputation and the quality of the mechanism.
Джерело: Source
