Barron's Penta

A Watch-Movement Primer

For novice collectors, here's an introduction to the history and construction of high-end mechanical watches.

July 4, 2014 3:14 a.m. ET

Watch-collecting novices generally know that the industry is divided between high-end mechanical watches, powered by a mainspring, and mass-market quartz watches, powered by a battery. After that, things get fuzzy. Mechanical-watch movements are built out of springs that provide power (mainspring) and regulate power (hairspring); gears and levers, which transmit the power of the mainspring; and finally bridges, which are the structural elements that hold all movement parts in place. For a detailed explanation, pick up Donald De Carle's Watch & Clock Encyclopedia and George Daniels' detailed Watchmaking. To see...

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