Silicon Watch Gears

02005-04-22 | Uncategorized | 4 comments

Frothy prose aside, it’s extremely interesting to see that Patek Phillipe, the centuries-old watchmaker, has entered the Jet Age by using Silicon wheels that are punched out of a wafer—just like high-tech computer chips. The silicon apparently wears better over time and doesn’t require the regular lube jobs mechanical watches require.

For more than fifteen years, Patek Philippe has been interested in a particular domain: the development of new materials that don’t need lubrication.

They may not need lubrication, but you’ll still have to wind them up.
Patek Philippe, tradition points to the future [EuropaStar]
(Via Gizmodo.)

I love mechanical watches. And no, you don’t have to wind most great mechanical watches, they wind themselves – using the movements of your arm.

4 Comments

  1. Yumiko

    My uncle was a jeweler who repaired watches. Each part had to be dismantled, cleaned (the machine almost works like a tiny washing maching), put back together and timed. It took a great deal of patience to put together each tiny, tiny piece belonging to each watch. It is almost like a jigsaw puzzle. Heaven forbid if a watch part fell on the floor and you had to find it.

    Reply
  2. Panj

    You are soooo lucky Yumiko!!! I think the insides of watches and clocks are gorgeous!
    Ottmar…you keep such perfect time…no wonder you love time keepers!!!…:-)

    Reply
  3. Matt Callahan

    OK, I’ve got to know. What watch do you wear?

    Reply
  4. Balwearie

    My father collects and restores watches — mostly pocket watches. He moved into that hobby when he got tired of clocks. My SO just received his degree in mechanical engineering in Dec. ’03 and as a graduation present received a really swell Invicta Skeleton watch. Those are so kewl! An interesting side note to all of this is that now he works in the semi-conductor industry.

    Reply

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