TECHNICAL REASONS

The important parts of a mechanical watch are mainly those that move, i.e. the gears, the balance and the regulator. In the old days, the pivot points of these parts rotated directly in holes that were drilled in two thick brass sheets separated by posts. To facilitate assembly and repair, the top board was later replaced with separate elements called "panels".

The lower copper plate (called the "base plate") was drilled with small holes through which the ends of the rotating rods rested. These holes also contained small oil sinks from which oil flowed into the holes to lubricate the friction points of the turns. Over time, they had to be cleaned, because. the resulting combination of oil and dust formed an abrasive that acted like sandpaper, slowly filing away the softer base of the plate and to some extent even the harder steel rods. With prolonged use, the abrasive action of the oil dust mixture, working in concert with the turning action of the centers, made the holes oval. In this case, the clock would start running randomly and eventually stop.

These observations led watchmakers to look for a material that was stronger and would withstand more wear from the centers. The material they settled on was ruby, second only to diamond in hardness.

A LITTLE HISTORY

The use of the ruby ​​takes us back to 18th century England (the cradle of qualitative time measurement), where watchmakers first had the idea of ​​using small ruby ​​balls to support centers of balance. Ruby processing technique was invented by the Swiss optician and astronomer, Nicholas Fatio, who sailed to England in the hope of implementing his invention. He tried to get a "royal privilege" for his technique, but Fatio did not get it and as a result, other skilled workers began to manufacture rubies for watches.

In those days, these stones were second-rate, not popular in the jewelry trade. The technique to precisely cut rubies gave British watchmaking excellence for some 20 years. Thereafter, French watchmakers such as Abraham-Louis Breguet brought the techniques of the English masters to France. This was the beginning of the end of the British monopoly.

For many years, this relatively costly, labor-intensive technique has limited production to extremely high quality and expensive watches. Slowly, the manufacture of such watches has become more industrialized and their parts more accessible to other aspects of watchmaking.

Creating Synthetic Rubies:

top picture - creation of elongated pear-shaped parts of an artificial crystal.

bottom picture - the pear-shaped pieces are cut using a diamond cutting tool. The slices are then cut in half, into squares and circles ranging in size from 0.3 to 0.5 mm in thickness and 1.15 to 2.55 mm in diameter.

SYNTHETIC RUBIES

A further decrease in price accompanied the creation of synthetic rubies based on a method developed in 1902 by Auguste Verneuil, professor at the Paris Conservatory of Arts and Crafts. In fact, synthetic rubies, just like their natural counterparts, are corundum, that is, transparent aluminum oxide.

In the industrial fabrication process, the base constituent alumina (alumina) undergoes a series of operations, i.e. refining, heating, alloying and crystallization, which results in pear-shaped artificial ruby ​​pieces. Chromium oxide is added to give the red color of natural rubies.

The large-scale manufacture of rubies has allowed the creation in large quantities of synthetic stones more uniform in quality than those found in nature. The jewelry trade takes most of these stones. In watchmaking, the cost of rubies came mainly due to labor (training needed), as the cost of raw materials was relatively low. Having said that, it should be noted that approximately 90% of the ruby ​​is destroyed and only the remaining 10% is usable for watches.

COMMERCIAL TRICK?

In the mind of the public, the idea that a watch contains jewelry gives it a certain added value of prestige. Manufacturers were quick to exploit this belief and began adding unnecessary stones to increase the price of their products. The term "upjeweling" was an American term coined to refer to this dubious practice, which was quite widespread in the US at the time. Until it was overturned by the US Customs, which rejected "upjeweled" imports from entering the country. There are some people who suggest that their real motives may have been less noble and that this was just a sort of camouflage protectionism for the American watch industry.

Today, Swiss watchmakers no longer use this dubious practice, and their advertising is not based on the number of jewels in a movement. The total number of rubies, i.e. "jewelry", may change. In simple manual mechanical watches, the number of stones varies from a minimum of 14 to a maximum of 19. In automatic or more complex watches, the number of rubies is higher. One day someone started a rumor that a repairman stole rubies from watches and replaced them with copper parts. This is a completely baseless myth. For a watchmaker, it would take a lot of effort to remove rubies and replace them, and would certainly not be worth his time, given that imitation rubies cost a few cents.

To sum it all up, the presence of ruby ​​stones in a watch is of course a factor that adds to the quality of the watch. They are indispensable for the long and correct functioning of a good quality watch.

material taken from the site http://www.europastar.com/

Gems of Time

Very often, when it comes to the mechanism that “gives life” to one or another watch, one can come across such an interesting characteristic as the number of stones inserted into the watch mechanism. An uninitiated person immediately has a lot of questions about this. Before I figured out what was happening, the hour stone seemed to me like a piece of a solid fossil, it is not clear why it was inserted into a mechanism so overloaded with various gears, wheels and other “things”. Indeed, it is quite interesting, because the concept of "stone" contains a huge number of different meanings. Maybe the watchmakers, trying to add a little "pathos" to their ticking creation, introduce a moonstone under the watch case, which has the world-famous "cat's eye" effect, or the master watchmaker inserts a piece of facing stone left after the repair of the house into the mechanism? On the other hand, perhaps the great masters of watchmaking, together with mighty alchemists, having gained invaluable experience over the centuries-old history of the development of watchmaking, nevertheless found the legendary philosopher's stone and, for some reason only they understand, put it in their watches? Some romantics, like me, may come up with the idea that watch stones are some kind of “intertemporal wanderers” that help the Great Time count its endless steps. Well, these are all fairy tales. Undoubtedly, the most plausible assumption about the nature and type of the clockwork stone is the hypothesis that it is still one of the varieties of the precious stone. Exactly. Indeed, although we are not talking about external decorative inlay, but about the “internal organ” of the watch, the British call this “piece of fossil” in the clock mechanism the beautiful and meaningful word “jewel”, which means “precious stone” in Russian. Now it becomes clearer, however, the question of the functions of these stones in the smallest watch mechanisms remains open. So let's close it!

Historical reference

Undoubtedly, any watch guide, like any master watchmaker, will tell you without hesitation that the stones in a watch movement are the elements necessary to stabilize friction and reduce wear on the surfaces of the movement that are in constant contact with each other. The number of stones indicates a certain type of clockwork. This definition was officially adopted in 1965 by the Swiss organization NIHS (Normes de l'industrie Horlogere Suisse), registered in the NIHS 94-10 standard and has since been used as the only correct interpretation of the purpose of watch stones.
The unique idea of ​​creating a watch mechanism with precious stones belongs to the Englishman George Graham (please do not confuse with the namesake - a modern Scottish footballer), a famous watchmaker, inventor, geophysicist and member of the Royal Society of London for the development of knowledge about nature. George Graham (1673 - 1751) was a partner of the no less famous English watchmaker Thomas Tompion (Thomas Tompion, 1639 - 1713), and D. Graham became famous for the invention of the free escapement mechanism, demonstrated by the master to the whole watch world in 1713 (1715) . This mechanism is still used in modern wristwatches. Throughout his life, Graham was engaged in his favorite business - making watches, and the total number of pocket clocks he created is about 3,000 pieces, in which, starting from 1725, the watchmaker inserted axles, pallets and an impulse roller made of ruby.
So, the watch stones of the mechanism, the idea of ​​which originated in the bright mind of George Graham, became indispensable elements for watchmakers of the 18th century. This is due to the fact that watch mechanisms began to gradually decrease in size, so the parts quickly fell into disrepair under the influence of the mainspring. Precious stones, being a durable material, solved this problem. These stones for watchmakers were perhaps as great a find as the aforementioned philosopher's stone could be for alchemists. The first pocket watch with natural precious stones (rubies) inserted into the mechanism appeared back in 1704. Until the beginning of the last century, real gems performed two main functions: they served both as an adornment of the watch case and as one of the main components of the watch mechanism. However, soon, due to the rapid development of science, a radical change occurred in the watchmaking sphere...

Science for economy!

A radical turning point in the watch industry came in 1902, when a scheme was invented for growing artificial sapphire, which to this day is inserted into wristwatches as a transparent protective glass. Along with sapphire, chemists also learned how to grow an artificial ruby, which increased the number of watch models produced by several times, since the cost of an artificial stone differs markedly from the cost of its real “colleague”. Natural stones retained the function of decorating the external image of a watch. Thus, precise mechanical men's and became a commodity of mass production, and not an expensive little thing, accessible only to the upper strata of society. Currently, in an effort to reduce the cost of producing their models, watch companies insert only artificial precious stones into wristwatches. Based on my words, we can conclude that watch companies simply save on the production of their goods, but this is not entirely true. It is not customary to save on such an accessory as a mechanical wrist watch in the circles of watchmakers and fans of elite time meters. The use of fake stones is due not only to their lower cost compared to natural ones, but also to the fact that grown crystals are more stable in their properties, they are easier, so to speak, to “tame”, so artificial “clones” are much more convenient to process, often in they have fewer impurities, their structure is more uniform, and their strength is an order of magnitude higher. It follows from the above that the only reason why natural stones are now considered better than artificial ones is the aesthetic aspect. That is, the very fact that the mechanism of your watch is "rich" and has a certain amount of natural stones, delights the owner of the wrist time meter, and causes envy among others. Natural stones are found exclusively in high-end watches, such as limited editions, one-of-a-kind watches, or luxury watches created by the most famous watch companies in the world. For example, the elite men's wrist watch Debuts Richard Lange Tourbillon "Pour le Merite" with a superbly designed watch has 32 stones in its mechanism, one of which is a natural diamond (diamond endstone).

As for the type of precious stone, modern watchmakers prefer an artificial ruby, but it is very rare to find “cloned” sapphires or garnets. The use of ruby ​​stones in mechanisms is due to the fact that when transferring small moments to the running wheel, and then to the balance of the mechanism, friction losses should be minimal. Empirically, it was found that of all metals and minerals, ruby ​​(natural and artificial) has the lowest coefficient of friction (ideally, paired with steel). Ruby has a high degree of hardness and wear resistance; such stones do not oxidize and do not decompose watch oil. Well, the last weighty argument - the ruby ​​​​has a surprisingly beautiful appearance. This is especially important if the watch mechanism is clearly visible through the skeletonized dial or transparent case back. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule in every field. In this case, such an exception was the Swiss watch company, which created a magnificent men's watch Ulysse Nardin Freak 28800 Diamond Heart. Literally, the name of this watch is translated as "Fancy precious heart." Indeed, the heart of the watch, that is, the mechanism, is interesting in that it has a specially cultivated (i.e., artificial) diamond, which was obtained using plasma etching. As Swiss manufacturers assure, such a heart will work without failures, without grinding for at least several tens of thousands of years.

Clock stone as part of the system

Since we started talking about such an important element of the watch mechanism as a stone, it is necessary to fully understand its purpose and the features of its most complex functions. To do this, let's briefly recall the essence of the work and the device of the main organ of a wristwatch - the clockwork. Imagine: on average, a watch mechanism contains about 200 different parts (the number varies from model to model), each of which can be seen only under a magnifying glass. With the support of these smallest elements, the watch receives mechanical energy from the main spring, which is a coiled steel band. In the unfolded state, it is, of course, somewhat larger, and when the watch is wound, the spring is twisted back. The energy from the mainspring is transferred to the balance wheel by means of a gear train or wheel system. The balance (in simple terms, this is almost the same as the pendulum in a wall clock) is a system of wheels that moves the hands of the clock around the dial, counting minute by minute. Thus, the balance is a kind of center of the entire watch mechanism, which regulates the course of the watch. The speed of movement of the hands is influenced by the position and weight of the screws located along the edge of the balance. In order for an uninitiated person to imagine this system, he needs to have the brightest imagination, since the screws described above are so small that, for example, an ordinary thimble can hold about twenty thousand of these “crumbs”. We continue to consider the mechanism. So, there is also a starting wheel, which sets the balance in motion, connecting with the latter. It is this wheel that regulates the movement, making a characteristic sound that the common people call "ticking". Thus, it becomes clear that any watch mechanism has main axles that must be constantly energized. The poor axles simply have nowhere to go: on the one hand, the force of the mainspring presses on them, on the other hand, the balance-spring regulator, which restrains the rotation speed of the “occupied” axles. The balance support bears the greatest load - it performs reciprocating movements, plus it keeps the balance itself attached to it. The so-called trunnions (in other words, the elements on which something rests and is fixed) that are in contact with the bridges of the mechanism and the platinum are made as thin as possible in order to minimize the coefficient of friction. In any mechanism, even not necessarily in clockwork, bearings are installed to stabilize friction. In the wristwatch mechanism, the role of bearings is played by stones, also called “thrust bearings for axle pins”.
The above system of operation of the mechanism with watch stones, It would seem that it clearly confirms the definition of these jewels that I gave earlier. However, there is actually a catch here. If you think about it, it is easy to guess that the stones serve not only to reduce friction, because, for example, the coefficient of friction in a steel-ruby pair is equal to the coefficient in a steel-brass pair. Then what's the point of using gems as bearings? Pathos? Now let's figure it out. So, the trunnions of the axles have an incredibly small diameter - 100 microns (for the reader to correctly imagine the size of the trunnion, I will say that 1 micron is equal to 0.0001 cm), and, as you know, the pressure force is directly proportional to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bcontacting surfaces. It turns out that the task of the stones of the clockwork is not only to reduce friction, but also to increase the durability of the axle support. Gemstones are just right in this case, as it is an incredibly durable material, they are not subject to corrosion and have the cleanest possible surface. The watch mechanism, which the masters have been developing for several centuries, is a unique perfect system in which there is absolutely nothing superfluous. There are no minor details in it, all the elements are the main ones, which are subjected to intense impact during the operation of the mechanism. Therefore, the stones of the mechanism are inserted not only into the axle supports, but are also mounted on the shoulders of the anchor fork and the double balance roller. In these cases, watchmakers opted for precious stones, as they, like no other mineral, have such a degree of strength that they are able to withstand the pressure of the teeth of the escape wheel and blows against the horns of the anchor fork.
Summarizing the above, we can conclude that watch stones are part of a “great” system, integral elements of a powerful and mysterious watch mechanism. This is not just a whim of watchmakers and jewelers who seek to richly decorate their creations, but the material necessary for the precise movement of the movement, which is so valued by any men's and women's watches.

Classification of watch stones

Earlier, when talking about watch movement stones, I did not mention their shape, since the size and appearance of each watch stone is a separate topic for conversation. Moreover, after you get acquainted with the existing varieties of watch stones, it will be easier for you to understand the purpose of the latter. Precious stones in the wrist watch mechanism are classified according to their main functions, that is, stones of different shapes are set in different parts of the mechanism. Clockwork stones are divided into the following types: through, overhead, pallets and impulse. Some of the types of stones, in turn, are divided into several, let's say, subspecies. I will describe each type of stone more clearly.
Through watch stones are the main stones, although, as I said above, the concept of "main" in relation to any part of the watch does not sound quite right. However, judging by their number, in any “heart” of a wrist watch, through stones claim to be the main ones. So, in the classic mechanism containing 17 jewels, about 10 “jewels” are through. These stones are shouldered by radical loads in the axle bearings, that is, they serve as bearings for the pins of the axles and pinions. Suchtrunnions have a supporting shoulder, therefore through stones are characterized by cylindrical polishedholes. The next subspecies of through-cut stones are stones that have holes that are not cylindrical, but rounded, watchmakers call this hole olivage. A common feature of through stones is the presence of a special recess or oiler in which watch oil is located and held. In order to prevent these stones from splitting, craftsmen, who, as we understand, have incredibly sharp eyesight for working with such minute details, make a bullet-shaped lead-in chamfer in the through-cut stones during pressing.
The work of overhead stones is to reduce friction on the end surfaces of the axles, in the supports. As a rule, stones of this type are interspersed in the balance (on both sides) and in the axis of rapidly moving wheels, the axis of the anchor fork, anchor tribe. Such special stones are mainly found in mechanical wristwatches, as there are no thrust bearings in quartz models at all.
Pallets or anchor stones are also made from artificial ruby. These stones are made in the form of a rectangular prism. Pallets are also subdivided into two subspecies according to the angle formed by the momentum plane and the base surface. Thus, there are entrance pallets with a more obtuse angle and exit pallets, respectively, with a less obtuse angle. And one more thing - the lead-in chamfer of the input pallet is on the rest plane, and the lead-in chamfer of the exit pallet is against the rest plane.
An impulse stone or, as the craftsmen call it, an ellipse, is a cylindrical pin with a section in the form of a cut ellipse (hence the name). This type of movement stone, made of ruby, is responsible for the interaction of the balance with the anchor fork.
All of the above types of stones are used in each of the models of mechanical watches. The traditional arrangement of different watch stones is as follows: the balance support is supported by 4 stones, two of which are through, and the other two are laid on; two pallets for anchor fork; on the impulse balance roller - one impulse stone; as well as two precious bearings are located on the axes of the escape wheel, anchor fork, seconds and intermediate wheels, the central tribe. After simple calculations, we can come to the conclusion that the classic wrist watch mechanism contains 17 main stones. The number of gems can be different, it is believed that more expensive watches have more gems.
It happens that the manufacturing company, guided by
design considerations, removes some of the stones. It is believed that there is less pressure on the upper support of the central wheel than on the lower one, therefore, in the first, the masters press in a brass thrust bearing, and in the second, a ruby. Then you should look for an honest inscription on the watch case - 16 stones. Classic women's and , as a rule, have a central second hand, so there is no need to add an extra second axis, and, accordingly, an additional stone. In such a three-hand watch, the number of stones is 15 pieces. Therefore, if you suddenly come across a watch with 15-16 stones, then you should not scold the “lazy” and “greedy” manufacturer who took pity on the extra stone. In such models, additional stones speak of the wastefulness of the watch company. It is easy to guess that the number of stones in the mechanism is affected by various additional functions and complications of watches - a calendar, a stopwatch, automatic winding, etc. Recently, watchmakers do not skimp on “jewels” and often use 21 stones in their models. So, two pairs of overhead stones appeared at the ends of the axles of the escape wheel and the third wheel.
There are also wristwatches containing a huge number of stones in their mechanism, reaching up to 50 pieces or more. You should not immediately suspect manufacturers of lies, because it is likely that what is written on the cover is true. However, there is one "but" - all of the above types of stones are installed directly into the mechanism to improve its operation, these are necessary and irreplaceable elements. Another option is stones, which, so to speak, “do not count”. Next, we will figure out what should be considered and what should not.

To figure out which watch stones should be taken into account and which should not, it is necessary to understand which of the stones carry a functional load and which do not. To this end, the international organization for standardization ISO has clearly identified (although we will talk about the clarity of the wording below) two types of watch stones - functional (functional) and non-functional (non-fuctional). So, the functional "jewels" of the mechanism are exclusively stones, which serve to stabilize friction and reduce the degree of wear of surfaces that are in contact with each other. As you may have guessed, this wording echoes the basic definition of a watch stone. Functional stones include, for example, stones with holes that act as radial or axial supports, stones that facilitate the transmission of movement and force, as well as several stones combined into one functional unit (for example, ball winding clutches). Thus, stones that do not meet the requirement of section 3.2 (on functionality, according to ISO), that is, they are not axial support or serve as a support for watch parts (for example, drum and gear wheels), are called non-functional or decorative. Let's start with them.
Non-functional movement stones are most often used as decoration, they can be used to close gaping holes in the mechanism or decorate the elements of the watch's "heart". These stones look especially great if the mechanism is open to the watch owner's gaze through a transparent case back or a skeletonized watch dial. If there are functional and non-functional stones in the movement, the manufacturer indicates only the total number of the first ones on the case. Or at least should indicate. I say "should" because there have been instances in watchmaking history of non-compliance with this rule, which I will discuss below. Since 1965, the number of decorative stones has been forbidden to be marked on the case or mechanism of the time meter in order to avoid unnecessary confusion.
Having considered various models of watches, I, like some other watch experts, came to the conclusion that the concept of "functionality" is rather loose. Opinions regarding the functionality of a particular stone are divided. Thus, some watchmakers believe that the stones set for the smoothest movement of the calendar disc are not functional. However, if you think about it, they perform their special small function - significantly reduce friction. In a watch mechanism, a force of about 20 (25) grams per millimeter is required to set the calendar disk in motion. Watch stones, which allow to reduce this force by half, significantly reduce the undesirable load on the wrist watch mechanism. Well, it’s worth saying that this is quite a functional work, especially if the watch, in addition to the calendar, has the function of a moon phase indicator, power reserve, etc. Therefore, it is sometimes quite enough to judge the functionality of a particular stone seen in the movement difficult.

"Useless" stones or the price of deceit

Undoubtedly,
ISO's provision on functional and non-functional jewels has been of great help in calculating the "jewels" that a movement possesses. However, there are examples of such blatant lies and indecent pathos that it is impossible not to mention them. In order to more clearly describe a few of these "bad" examples, I took the liberty of arbitrarily identifying a third group of gems in the mechanism, which I called "useless gems". These are stones that, in principle, could be technically functional according to ISO, however, they are located on the mechanism in places where they have absolutely no load on themselves, but serve only for advertising purposes in order to “verbally” increase the number of “jewels” mechanism. So, if non-functional stones still have a “modest” aesthetic function, because their play and shine can be observed through the transparent parts of the watch, then their “useless” counterparts are often not even visible through an opaque case.
Let's start with a more "modest" example. So, from an anonymous manufacturer, who for unknown reasons did not indicate his name, they proudly inform watch lovers that their mechanism contains 41 jewels. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the manufacturer inserted as many as 16 stones into the drum wheel, perhaps so that it would not rub against the mainspring. I do not argue - friction is reduced, but the same result could have been achieved by a less wasteful method. It turns out that out of 41 functional stones - 25. This is already a pretty decent amount, why was it necessary to make such a rash act and add extra stones? Maybe some lovers of luxury will not agree with me, but I do not consider this version of the mechanism to be something special and deserving of praise. This is a shameless deception.

Other brightest
An example of the uselessness of extra watch stones can be a men's wrist watch from the American company Waltham, whose mechanism is allegedly protected and protected from wear and tear by as many as 100 stones. Surely, the manufacturers, developing this time meter, wanted to go down in history as the great creators of the first watch with a record number of precious stones, and therefore with the most reliable and accurate mechanism. However, the unscrupulous company was exposed, and today it is known throughout the world as a “watch liar”, and its wristwatch has become the only model in the world that has a record number of non-functional, but rather “useless” stones. Here it is - the price of deception! And the lie is as follows: the outer ring of the self-winding rotor in the watch is equipped with small flat rubies on both sides, the total number of which is 83 stones. Moreover, the manufacturer turned out to be so arrogant that he did not even bother to close the extra 84th hole made by negligence with an additional stone. I don't think that the Waltham team regretted another stone, it's just that the watch company took this step for promotional purposes, in an effort to achieve a round number of rubies. After all, the advertising slogan "Mechanism with 100 stones!" really sounds proud. So, out of 100 stones, the traditional 17 are functional, the remaining 83 on the rotor are “useless”. In fact, this watch had a modest, but quite reliable and without pretentious rubies, the Swiss movement ETA 1700. Perhaps the additional 83 jewels ensured a smoother running of the rotor, but the same effect could be achieved with the help of a smaller number of "jewels" involved. Well, it is worth paying tribute, a good attempt, but no one can deceive experienced watch specialists. Of course, there are a lot of negligent manufacturers seeking to get fame in dishonest ways, and not a single company has tried to fool customers around their fingers. But after the incident with Waltham, all the world's watch companies have become moreprudent, and the number of precious stones of high-quality Swiss
mechanism does not exceed a reasonable number.
However, resourceful manufacturers are looking for all sorts of workarounds to "functionally" increase the number of stones, using by no means efficient methods. So, for example, often up to 35 stones contain Chinese calibers. In them, five additional rubies are hidden in two reversible wheels for their locking and unlocking when winding the watch. There are 25 really necessary stones left. Another trick of the watchmakers is that the bearings, of which there are 2 in one caliber, have artificial gemstone rolling balls. We consider: plus 12 stones. There are also so-called modular watches, in which everything is generally primitive - the stones are simply duplicated due to the imperfection of the design. In such models, the number of stones is amazing - from 50 or more. But who can answer what is their meaning? And it just doesn't make sense. And the last thing I would like to add about the "uselessness" of some stones: the reliability and accuracy of the movement primarily depend on the professionalism of the watchmaker and the quality of the mechanism, and additional stones only increase the service interval. Some well-known Swiss watch companies, trying to keep up with fashion, increase the number of stones in their models (but within reasonable limits). For example, if the mechanism had the traditional 17 rubies, then the next version of the caliber can “get rich” with a few more stones. Well, why not? Although the 17-stone clock mechanism felt great.

Where is she, the golden mean?

I said above that 15 to 17 stones are enough for the accurate running of the watch and the smooth operation of the mechanism, and in modern watches - 21-25 rubies. The number of jewels in a watch movement mainly depends on the number of complications and additional functions that the watch is equipped with. It is clear that the number of stones varies depending on the number of different axles in the mechanism. For example, if your chronograph has additional dials with second hands, it would be nice to protect the trunnions of their axes with stones. Well, there is nothing to say about repeaters or jacquemarts - in such cases, the number of rubies is growing rapidly.
If we take into account the classic wristwatch with three central hands, then, according to watchmakers, the very number of stones has a minimal effect on the quality of the movement, that is, more than 17 stones is already a luxury. If your watch is self-winding, then the mechanism becomes richer by several precious stones (21-25 rubies). Also, a slightly larger number of stones have coaxial calibers, according to the design features of this escapement. So it turns out that the golden mean is an inappropriate concept for watch stones, it changes depending on the watch model. If the number of rubies exceeds reasonable limits, then you need to be on the alert, as there are many manufacturers who, when creating their next exclusive watch model, are guided by the principle “you can’t spoil porridge with oil”. It would seem that it’s okay, but this “rich porridge” is exclusively for your money. Everything is logical: more jewelry - more expensive watches. But here, for example, I don’t want to pay a lot of money for something that, in principle, can cost an order of magnitude cheaper. Although let's leave material issues, because we are not talking about money, but about great time and tools for measuring it.
In the watch industry, there is another "extreme" - these are women's
and men's wristwatches without movement stones. This is a wrist watch, which is rarely talked about in the circles of connoisseurs of watch mechanics - a quartz watch. In fact, quartz movements don't need jewels, as the wheel train only receives load when the stepper motor makes a turn. In this case, there is practically no tension in the axles, so the only thing that is required to reduce the coefficient of friction and prevent wear of the elements of the mechanism is to make the surfaces as light as possible. In this regard, the wheels and boards of quartz movements are made of almost “weightless” plastic. It is not difficult to guess that the coefficient of friction of steel on plastic or plastic on plastic is low. Consequently, in a quartz movement, only one stone can be functional, located in the support of the rotor of a stepper motor, since this is the only axis that experiences at least some kind of stress. However, there are cases when an expensive quartz movement (mainly from Swiss manufacturers) protects a fairly large number of rubies. For example, the Swiss watch company Omega introduced as many as 6 stones into its Seamaster Professional quartz watches, and another Swiss company Tissot uses even more gems in its quartz models, and none of them can be called non-functional. For example, the Swiss watch T-Sport has a reliable quartz movement with 15 functional rubies, which provide the watch with a smooth running and high accuracy. But do not chase the "wealth" of quartz. After all, if your quartz clocks are marked “1 jewel” (1 stone), “2 jewels” (2 stones) or even “No jewels” (0 stones), this does not indicate a low quality of the time meter. In this case, happiness is not in stones.

Now that our Dear reader, armed to the teeth with all the necessary information regarding the precious stones of the movement, it's time to look at specific examples from the modern world of wristwatches. As we can see, now 50 years after the "stone boom", when the fashion for an abundance of precious stones in the movement is a thing of the past, and examples of deception by unscrupulous watch manufacturers have served as an excellent lesson for modern watch companies, watchmakers equip their men's and women's watches quite a reasonable number of stones, focusing on their necessity, that is, functionality. I propose to pay attention to Swiss and Italian wristwatches, which manufacturers complete with a fairly decent amount of functional stones (that is, more than 25 rubies). Let's remember simple arithmetic and count the stones, the key characteristic of which is the word "functional".
Let's go ahead by increasing the number of gems. Let's start with a more "modest" example, if, of course, 28 stones can be considered a modest decoration. This number of rubies has an automatic caliber Cal. 80110, developed by the company and inserted into the Swiss men's wrist watch IWC Ingenieur Automatic (reference IW323603). This men's watch is not complicated by anything out of the ordinary, it has an indication of hours, minutes and seconds with the help of three central hands, as well as a date aperture at the 3 o'clock mark. The power reserve of this model is 44 hours, and the water resistance is 120 meters. In addition, this watch has an anti-shock system and a reliable Pellaton automatic winding system, for which additional rubies were required. The Swiss watch WC Ingenieur Automatic has a rather attractive design - a round dial and a rubber strap are made in deep blue, and the released series is limited to only 1000 pieces.
Next in line is the movement with 32 jewels. Cal. 896, which is equipped with Swiss watches from the world famous company Jaeger-Le-Coultre. This movement consists of 242 elements and operates at a frequency of 28,800 vph, with a power reserve of 43 hours.
One more stone is the Italian military-style wristwatch from the “time commander”. Fans immediately recognized this famous slogan. Italian men's watch Panerai PAM190 Radiomir 8-days, 45 mm case is made of high quality stainless steel, has a hand-wound movement equipped with 33 jewels. Two central hands on the dial count hours and minutes, and an additional small second hand at 9 o'clock just needs extra stones. The power reserve of this watch is unique - as much as 8 days, and the water resistance is relatively low for military watches - 100 meters.
Another unique automatic Cal. 1315 is found in the Blancpain 500 Fathoms Diving Watch, a Swiss watch designed for diving enthusiasts. This caliber, consisting of 222 elements, contains as many as 35 functional rubies. The power reserve of the Swiss time meter is 120 hours. The uniqueness and complexity of the caliber 1315 ot is that it has three barrels and a Glucydur balance, so all 35 gems fulfill their important roles.
The unique co-axial caliber deserves special attention.
OMEGA 8500 is a self-winding watch developed by the employees of the Swiss watch company Omega in 2007. A characteristic feature of this movement is that it was designed from scratch, and not on the basis of previously created calibers, which is a very rare occurrence in the modern watch industry. Caliber 8500 is equipped with 39 jewels, part of which was needed to reduce the friction of the Hour Vision Co-Axial escapement, as well as to make the two barrels in series run more smoothly for increased stability. The Swiss-made Omega movement has a power reserve of 60 hours. So, 39 stones - and each in its place! Bravo!
Finally, we smoothly cross the conditional line, limited by 40 stones, and the Swiss caliber Cal. 3120 with 40 jewels from a great company. The Swiss wristwatch Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars 3120 Classic has exactly this automatic movement, operating at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour and providing a power reserve of up to 60 hours. The most essential watch functions are hours, minutes, seconds (central hands) and date (around the 3 o'clock mark).
Please pay special attentionto another Italian watch company with a beautiful name. This relatively young company, born in Florence, has managed to gain a leading position in the global watch market thanks to its activity and success in the field of watch innovation. Today we are interested in the Italian wrist watch Anonimo TP-52 Fleet Racing (ref. 7000), namely its unique movement. So, the mechanism from Anonimo caliber Dobois-Depraz with automatic winding has an additional chronograph module and is equipped with 49 jewels, the power reserve is 40 hours. The automatic movement is assembled on the basis of the Swiss caliber ETA 2892A2 and operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. To understand some of the reasons for using so many gems, let's look at the functions of the watch. These are hours, minutes, additional dials at 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock. It is the additional dials, hands, and, accordingly, additional axes that are one of the reasons for the appearance of extra rubies. I would like to note that such a number of functional stones in a wrist watch mechanism is one of the world's record. In this regard, the Italian watch company Anonimo is in third place in our kind of "tournament board". We go further, let's see who got the silver and gold.
In honorable second place I, guided by how opinions of watch industry experts, and (to be honest) my own preferences, has placed the inimitable Swiss company Ulysse Nardin, which is known worldwide for its unique developments in the field of watchmaking and ultra-complex watch movements. If I say that Ulysse Nardin has a unique caliber 160 with 52 jewels and a complex double date on its account, then I will not be able to surprise our esteemed reader. So I'll give you another example. The fact is that the famous Swiss company Ulysse Nardin has produced an even more technically unique movement - this is an automatic caliber Cal. 67,placed in the Ulysse Nardin Sonata wrist watch case, the work of which is “closely observed” by 109 precious stones. Note that all 109 jewels are highly functional and not "useless" like the supposedly 100 jewel Waltham watch. The unique Swiss men's watch Ulysse Nardin Sonata operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, it is equipped with an alarm function, a power reserve indicator and a dual time system with the ability to instantly "transition" from one time zone to another. To describe this watch model, I cannot but use adjectives exclusively in superlatives. Well, worthy silver medalist!
And, finally, the magnificent Swiss watch company, whose name is widely known all over the world, became the winner of my small "competition" with their brilliant invention - Caliber 89. The number of precious stones of the movement is a record - 126 pieces! This rare movement, which took 9 years for the most experienced watchmakers to create, gives life to the Patek Philippe Caliber 89 astronomical watch, which has become world famous as the watch with the most complications. In total - 33 complications! Caliber 89 has 1728 elements, of which 184 gears, 61 axles, 332 screws, 415 axles, 68 springs, 429 mechanical parts and... 126 jewels. Accordingly, the weight of the watch is also decent - about 1 kilogram. Perhaps this model should not have been included in our original table of records, since the Caliber 89 is a pocket watch. In this case, the gold medal rightfully belongs to Ulysse Nardin. But how can one ignore such a huge and complex work done by the most brilliant watchmakers from Patek Philippe on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Swiss company. Applause for the winner!
The above models of wristwatches are only a small part of the examples of movements with functional gems, the number of which really positively affects the course of the watch and the life of time meters.

Wristwatch is a jewel

Each person, choosing a watch, relies on his own interests and preferences - someone likes simplicity and conciseness, another likes the glamor and brilliance of precious stones and the splendor of precious metals both outside and inside the watch. In my opinion, any wrist watch is valued not by the amount of jewelry, but, let's say, by the degree of its "worthiness", that is, the technical level of the mechanism, originality and originality of design. After all, every worthy watch is a jewel. Wristwatches can “put on” the worst or simplest “clothes” but have a treasure inside. And vice versa. I'm not talking about the fact that the number of stones of the mechanism does not affect its operation in any way, today we were convinced of this, and the main goal of watchmakers all over the world is the pursuit of perfection. Time, which is so fleeting and which is always so lacking for all people on our vast planet, is one of the main wealth of a person, and a wrist watch is a device with which we measure our treasure, a wrist watch is a kind of “guide” through the years and epochs. So let's finally begin to appreciate our main treasure, the price of which cannot be measured by any earthly money!

Stones in the watch mechanism are used to stabilize friction and increase the life of the contacting elements.

The source of energy in any watch mechanism is a spring, which looks like a flat steel band. When the watch is wound up, it curls up and absorbs energy. The second end of the spring band is attached to the drum, which transfers energy to the gears, creating a wheel system that provides energy transfer. The speed of rotation of the gears is controlled by the presence of a trigger mechanism, consisting of many moving elements mounted on axles.

Any mechanism that includes rotating axles needs to minimize the friction of the moving elements on the base. The less friction there is, the longer the watch can run without winding and the longer the parts will last. Any other mechanism could use bearings, but the same stones are used in watches. They are not afraid of wear and corrosion, and the polished surface of the stone remains perfectly smooth and clean for a long time. In addition, watch stones prolong the life of the mechanism, since the friction of a stone on metal does not affect the condition of the movement as much as the friction of two metal elements.

Special attention deserves an impulse stone, which is installed on the pendulum and constantly strikes the horn of the anchor fork. The impulse stone must be particularly hard-wearing.

What stones are used in the clock mechanism?

Natural diamonds and rubies in their watches are used only by manufacturers of premium products, and then usually only in limited editions or in models made to order. Mostly stones in watches are artificial sapphires and rubies. Some watch manufacturers, such as Seiko, even have separate divisions dedicated only to the preparation of watch stones. By the way, artificial stones even better cope with their tasks, as they have a more uniform structure and do not contain impurities.

Number of jewels in the watch

It’s worth clarifying right away that if 17 stones are installed in one watch, and 40 in another, this does not mean that the second is 2 times better than the first. In watches with automatic winding and three hands, a maximum of 25 jewels is installed, it will not be possible to install more even with a great desire. A greater number of stones are used only in watches with chronographs and other complex mechanisms. However, some manufacturers, trying to attract the attention of the buyer, deliberately install stones in places where they are not needed.

Modern manufacturers of mechanical watches use stones for four purposes:

• Through (accept radial loads in axial supports).
• Overhead (reduce friction at the ends of the axles).
• Impulsive (transfer energy to balance).
• Pallets (ensure the normal operation of the anchor fork).

The basis of any wrist watch is through stones, which should be at least twelve. Each through stone has a small indentation designed for watch oil. The generally accepted standard indicates that watches should be set with at least 17 jewels, although in recent years there has been a clear trend towards the use of 21 jewels, which has a positive effect on the wear resistance of movements.

Stones in the mechanism - in simple terms

scientific point of view

What are the stones?

The more stones in the watch, the better?

On the dials of high-quality mechanical watches, not only the brand and model are indicated, but also the number of stones. Inscriptions like "15 stones" on grandfather's "Victory" in childhood were always very intriguing. When it was possible to find out that it was rubies, the watch began to seem one of the most valuable things in the house.

Many have grown up and figured out why these stones are actually in the watch. If you still have not revealed this secret for yourself, then our material will help fill the gap.

How mechanical watches work

If you ask a specialist about the purpose of stones in watches, he will answer unequivocally: they are needed to stabilize friction and reduce wear on the contacting parts of the mechanism. That's all, simple and clear. Unless, of course, you have an engineering background. For the rest, a translation into a simpler language is needed.

To do this, you should at least in general terms understand how the clockwork works. The source of energy for it is a spring made in the form of a flat steel tape. When winding the watch, it twists and stores energy. The second end of the spring band is attached to the wall of the drum, which rotates and transfers the accumulated energy to the gears. Several of these gears (usually three or more depending on the layout of the watch) form a wheel system. It transfers energy.

Why do the gears not spend all the energy at once, but rotate gradually? A trigger mechanism is used to control the speed of rotation. It is he who does not allow the gears to spin faster than necessary. The trigger mechanism is controlled by a balance regulator. This is a kind of pendulum that works regardless of the position of the clock in space. It has a coil spring that causes the wheel to spin in one direction or the other at a constant frequency. This is how seconds are counted, which then turn into minutes and hours, reflected on the dial.

Stone is a bearing, but not only

There are many rotating parts in the clock mechanism, which are mounted on axes. The main axles are under significant and permanent stress. On the one hand, the mainspring exerts pressure, on the other hand, the rotation is limited by the regulator.

In any mechanism with rotating axes, it is necessary to minimize their friction against a fixed base. This is necessary both to reduce wear and to reduce energy consumption. Usually bearings are used for this, but in watches they are replaced by the same stones.

The axle bearings in watch movements are very thin. In such conditions, stones are needed not only to reduce friction, but also to increase the life of rotating parts. Stones are not subject to corrosion and wear. If they are preliminarily well polished, then their surface remains clean and perfectly even for a long time.

Stones, in addition to the supports of the clockwork, are also used in other places. For example, it is the wear-resistant mineral that is fixed on the pendulum in order to constantly hit the horn of the anchor fork. This is the so-called impulse stone.

Regardless of the type and location of installation, all the stones in the watch mechanism solve a common task - they reduce the wear rate. With the friction of metal on metal, it would occur much faster. In addition, the stones hold a special watch lubricant. To do this, when drilling, they are given a special shape.

About the jewel and the number of stones

Here we are forced to immediately disappoint - natural rubies and diamonds are rare in modern watches. They are used only by luxury manufacturers in limited editions or models made to order. In the bulk, synthetic rubies and sapphires are inserted into the movements. For example, Seiko in Japan has a subsidiary dedicated solely to stone making. Synthetic rubies are no worse than natural rubies, and often better due to the absence of impurities and a more uniform structure.

The number of stones is another interesting and exciting question for many. How many of them should be in a good model? Is 20 pieces enough, or will a watch with 40 jewels be twice as good in proportion to their number?

It is wrong to evaluate the quality of a watch only by the number of stones. If there are 17-25 stones in the mechanism, then this is quite enough to make all significant bearings from rubies. There is nowhere to put more than 27 stones on an ordinary watch with three hands and automatic winding. If the manufacturer indicates 40 or more functional stones, then almost always it is a chronograph or an even more complex mechanism.

Some factories deliberately overestimate the number of stones, knowing that this indicator is positively perceived by the buyer. In such cases, additional rubies are placed in places where it is quite possible to do without them.

However, not always a large number of stones is a hoax. Certain reputable brands do develop complex movements, which can contain more than 100 stones.

In such a situation, when choosing a watch by the number of stones, you need to figure out whether the functionality of the mechanism corresponds to this indicator.