#Mass drop seiko automatic watches series

Some watches opt for a micro-rotor (above), a smaller version of the traditional semicircular rotor that does the same job but is recessed into the movement rather than mounted above it, allowing for the overall mechanism to be thinner. The most popular is a center-mounted, semicircular mass that somewhat resembles a hatchet blade, can swing in either one direction or both, and covers about half of the back side of the movement when it’s at rest. There are, however, different types of rotors. Are there different types of automatic movements?īy definition, all automatic movements use a moving weight connected to a gear train to wind the mainspring via the motions of the wearer’s wrist, so - aside from any additional complications incorporated into a given movement - there is very little difference mechanically in how they function. Conversely, if the watch remains motionless for too long - say, in a safe or on a nightstand - its mainspring will run down and the watch will need to be wound and set again to start timekeeping anew. Continually wearing this type of watch will “automatically” wind it. The two main types of mechanical movements are manually wound (or “hand-winding”), in which the user needs to periodically wind the watch via the crown to keep it working and automatic (or “self-winding”), in which the mainspring is wound by a rotor (or “oscillating weight”), usually a rounded semicircular mass that swings with the natural motions of the wearer’s wrist. It isn’t really a question of difference: the latter is simply a specific type of the former, à la a Cognac and a brandy. What is the difference between a mechanical movement and an automatic movement? Later, a type of movement was developed that could be wound “automatically,” through the motions of the wearer’s wrist. Originally, the mainspring needed to be wound periodically by hand, first by a key, then by a winding crown attached via a stem to the movement. The balance wheel’s oscillations are linked to an escapement, which periodically releases the gear train to move the hands forward to record the passing of hours, minutes, and seconds.

#Mass drop seiko automatic watches series

What is a Mechanical Movement?Ī mechanical movement, the oldest type of movement in horology, uses a coiled metal spring, called a mainspring, that releases energy as it uncoils through a series of gears to drive a weighted, oscillating wheel called a balance wheel. In this comprehensive guide to watch movements, we will attempt to answer every question that you might have about movements - their different types, their important parts, who makes them, and even a bit of history and trivia. Watch movements, like the engines in cars, are the mechanisms that make the whole thing run, and if you're new to the world of avid watch enthusiasm, there's more to learn about them, and how they work, than you think. 0% interest for up to 24 months available on select brands.