Taking on the challenge of resonance mechanisms

1. What is the resonance mechanism in a wristwatch?
First of all, resonance is a musical term meaning "resonance." I'm sure that those who have heard of "noise-canceling" headphones are also "daily users." Those who know that there are different types of speakers, such as "passive" and "active," are particularly knowledgeable about sound. So why resonance in a watch?
"Active noise canceling" does not use any physical method, but cancels noise by "frequency," while "passive noise canceling" cancels noise physically.
There is an important connection between noise cancellation and the resonance mechanism of a watch.
There are seats in a theater where you can hear little noise and seats where you can hear a lot, right?

Canceling one sound with another. In this case, sound A is called "positive phase" and the canceling sound is usually called "anti-phase."

If you generate an "out-of-phase" sound based on this sound correlation diagram, the sound will disappear. This is what is known as "noise canceling."

At the same time, there are watches that keep accurate time and watches that go out of sync.
This is because we are trying to produce what is called "normal" sounds in music as much as possible, so the frequency graph is very clear, but it also contains low and high tones, as well as harmonics that make the sound appealing. Of course, this also includes sounds that are called "noise." It is common in the world of music to think that it is okay to include everything.

However, when it comes to watches, their purpose is different. A watch that displays the time artistically, that is, a watch that does not show the exact time, is a little different from the purpose of a wristwatch (this is just my personal opinion).
Can we create a precise mechanism using analog technology? That is the stepping stone to the fascinating world of watches.

The resonance mechanism is a "resonance mechanism" in which two independent balance wheels rotate simultaneously, resonating with each other and canceling out unnecessary frequencies before transmitting them to the balance wheels. This is a precisely calculated mechanism that seems like the magic of mechanical watches.

"Spring Drive" and "Quartz" watches use quartz crystals and IC circuits to adjust their frequency, which is similar to what is known as "active noise canceling" in music. However, the "resonance mechanism" is made entirely of analog machinery, and the frequency control is also analog, which is an unusual construction in the watch industry.

2. Who was the first to implement it in a watch?
First of all, Breguet was the first to get involved in this project. The "Breguet No. 178" is famous for having two pendulums placed close to each other, creating a subtle resonance that improved accuracy, but unfortunately it is now difficult to find.

Today, brands such as FP Journe, H. Moser & Cie, and Armin Strom are reissuing modern resonance watches.

This is why it is called a luxury watch. Of course, a watch with such elaborately developed mechanisms requires a huge budget, human wisdom, and effort.

The title photo is a new piece by Armin Strom.

3. Why do watch enthusiasts insist on analogue watches?
There are many possible answers, but personally, I believe that restoration is absolutely possible if you have the blueprints. Repairs are only possible if all IC chips and crystal oscillators are replaced. Since it's unclear how many years the raw materials will remain, I think replacement is the easiest repair technique.

However, if analog is corrected by analog, then analog can be created by hand by a repair technician, just like a painting. FP Journe, H. Moser & Cie., and Armin Strom also designed and carved out parts through trial and error, so the same parts can be redesigned thousands of times later.
No matter how much AI technology and CAD software evolve, we will never be able to reach the original idea, so we will cherish that idea and keep it in our hearts. Either way, repairs will be difficult.

Photo: FP Journe Chronometer Resonance ( time is corrected by the resonance of two balance wheels )

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