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Good evening everyone
July is coming to an end in the blink of an eye. Normally, the rainy season ends and the humid days continue, but how are you doing? This summer is likely to be one of patience, but at Commit Ginza, we are running our days hoping to hold some wonderful events in August.
Well, this time, as the second part of the "basic knowledge of watches" that I sent you last time, I would like to write about more in-depth and specialized knowledge. Many luxury watches have various models with various functions and mechanisms, and there are many that make you wonder, "What is this actually?" There is a background to how each of these functions and mechanisms was implemented, and many men in particular are attracted to this. This article will be useful not only for those who are thinking about trying luxury watches in the future, but also for those who already have some knowledge, so please read to the end.
GMT function
GMT is an acronym for "Greenwich Mean Time" and refers to Greenwich Mean Time. (*The mean solar time at the Greenwich Observatory in the UK. The Greenwich Observatory is located at longitude 0 degrees, and uses this as a base to determine standard time for countries around the world. Japan is located at longitude 135 degrees, so it is 9 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.)
In addition to displaying the time with hour and minute hands, the GMT function can also display the 24-hour time and show the time zones of multiple areas at the same time. There are several ways to operate this, but the most common method is to operate the current time zone (home time) and the second time zone (local time).
Representative model: Rolex GMT-Master II Ref.126710BLRO
Escape valve
An escape valve is a function that allows helium gas that has entered the watch to be expelled to the outside. Helium gas has a very small molecular structure, so it can enter the inside of the watch and expand when it rises to the surface, blowing off the entire watch crystal, so an escape valve was installed. It is often installed on the side of the case.
Representative model: Rolex Sea-Dweller Ref.16600
Moon Phase
Moon phase refers to a function that displays the age of the moon in a small window on the dial. Its history is very long and deep, but its purpose is still unknown. (One theory is that it was an important function for knowing the tides until the early 20th century.) Nowadays, regardless of its purpose, this design, which actually shows the waxing and waning of the moon, has an indescribable presence and has been established as a design.
Representative model: Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Moon Phase Ref.5125G-010
Power reserve
The power reserve refers to the time it takes for the mainspring to unwind from a fully wound state. Some models even display the power reserve on a dial, allowing you to check how much power is left. (This is mainly used for automatic winding watches, not hand-wound watches, as it is difficult to tell how much power is left.)
Representative model Lange 1 – LS1914AD 191.039 | A. Lange & Söhne
World Time
World time refers to a display mechanism that allows you to know the time in major cities around the world. The names of cities are written on the subdials or on the outer edge of the dial, and you can see the current time zone (home time) and the time in each city on a single watch (dial).
Representative model: Patek Philippe Ref.5130/1G
Annual calendar
An annual calendar is a mechanism that can automatically distinguish between months with 30 days (small) and 31 days (large). (*Patek Philippe obtained the patent in 1996) Conventional date functions simply display the date and require adjustment on the last day of months that end with 30 days. On the other hand, an annual calendar can automatically determine the month, making it a highly practical complication that does not require adjustment. However, since February, which is a leap year, cannot be adjusted, the date must be adjusted only on March 1st.
Representative model: Patek Philippe Ref.5146G
Perpetual calendar
A perpetual calendar is a mechanism that can automatically correct and display even the long and short months of the annual calendar introduced earlier. On the calendar, one year is 365.425 days, and leap years are established to correct the error once every four years. Perpetual calendars can also adjust for leap years, and the technology is said to be the "most complicated," and many parts are used, so there are few brands that try to make them in the first place. For this reason, they are usually created by brands that excel in luxury watches, such as Patek Philippe.
Representative model: Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Ref.3940
*Reference: Sotheby's
Minute repeater
A minute repeater is a mechanism that tells the time by sound. They are often used in antique pocket watches and wristwatches, all of which are in the high price range. Different models produce different sounds, and many fans are drawn to the beauty of the sounds.
Representative model: Patek Philippe Minute Repeater Ref.5078P-001
Split-Second Chronograph
A split-second chronograph is a chronograph that can measure two different times at the same time. This function is very complicated and requires high precision, so it requires high technical skills. The two chronograph seconds hands start moving at the same time, and when you press the split button (center) once, one hand stops, and when you press it again, the first hand catches up with the second hand. (Normal start/stop is the upper button, and reset is the lower button) This function was designed to be used in sports such as measuring lap times.
Representative model: Patek Philippe Ref.5004
Tourbillon
A tourbillon is a mechanism that rotates the entire internal structure of a mechanical watch to correct deviations caused by positional differences and achieve stable operation (daily difference). If gravity continues to be applied from one side, regular movement will be hindered, but the tourbillon is an effective mechanism for countering the adverse effects of gravity and stabilizing precision. Many of the parts are highly precise and require advanced technology, so it takes an enormous amount of time to make, and it is said to be one of the most difficult technologies to achieve, along with perpetual calendars and minute repeaters.
Representative model: Breguet Tourbillon Extra-Plat 5377PT/12/9WU
Grand Complications
Grand complications are watches that are equipped with multiple complex mechanisms such as perpetual calendars, minute repeaters, split-second chronographs, and tourbillons. Mechanical watches equipped with grand complications are usually in the ultra-high price range, and are not easy to obtain. For this reason, it is rare to see an actual watch, and the number of them is proportional.
Representative model: Patek Philippe Grand Complication Minute Repeater Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar 5016P-018
Flyback
Flyback is a mechanism that instantly resets all chronograph hands to zero and restarts the measurement when the reset button is pressed during chronograph measurement. It is considered a very convenient function for measuring multiple times in succession.
Representative model: Breguet Type XX Aeronavale Flyback Chronograph 3800ST
*Reference: Christie's
Retrograde
Retrograde means "backwards" in French, and refers to a mechanism in which the hands move in a fan shape, and when they reach the end, they instantly turn around and return to the starting point. The basis of a watch is circular motion, with the gears rotating inside the movement and the hands moving in a circular motion in accordance with that movement, but retrograde deliberately breaks this regular movement. It is often used to display the hour and minute hands, second hands, calendars, days of the week, etc.
Representative model: Franck Muller Perpetual Calendar Chrono B Retrograde 18KWG Ref.6850CC QPB
Cloisonné
Cloisonné, also written as "wired cloisonné," is an enamel technique that is familiar in Japan. It is a very labor-intensive technique in which patterns are made using extremely thin gold wires of 0.7 mm, and colorful enamel is poured into them.
Representative model: Patek Philippe World Time Cloisonné Ref.5131G
Trivia
Manufacture
A manufacture is a watch manufacturer that has a system for "integrated in-house production" of all aspects of watch manufacturing. (*It can also refer to a manufacturer that produces its own movements.) Rolex and Patek Philippe are considered to be representative examples.
COSC
COSC is the abbreviation for the Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. It was established with the aim of improving the quality of watches and is an organization that carries out precision inspections and chronometer certification.
summary
This concludes the second installment of our "Basic knowledge of watches" series. What did you think? When it comes to luxury watches, there are many times when you are left wondering "What is this!?" just by looking at the product name and description.
You don't want to pay a lot of money to wear an expensive watch and then feel disappointed that you "don't understand anything about it."
In fact, I hear a lot of people say things like, "I was too embarrassed to ask," or "I couldn't ask because I was trying to look cool." I even hear people say, "There was no explanation at all!!"
Every time I hear such comments, I wonder if the same thing is happening in my own store. I feel a sense of responsibility. We are happy to answer any questions you may have, not only by visiting our store, but also by phone, email, or LINE, so please feel free to contact us even about small things.