Watchlords

Marketing material for the modern mechanical watch almost always includes a description of the the movement’s frequency. Whether it is described in terms of Hertz (Hz) or vibrations/beats per hour (vph/bph), you will have likely grown familiar with frequencies that range between 2.5 and 5 Hz (18,000 to 36,000 vph).

You may have even sensed that the higher the frequency, the more accurate a movement gets.

But is this entirely true?

If higher frequency really delivers better performance, why do watches still exist that run below 5 Hz (36,000 vph)? And what happens when you turn it up to 10 Hz or even beyond?

In this post, I try to dispel some of the myths and clarify some of the truths about high-frequency mechanical movements. But first: the basics.



https://quillandpad.com/2018/10/28/meas ... s-reprise/