WORLDTEMPUS - 18 March 2010
Elizabeth Doerr
The balance spring is one of the more critical components needed for portable timekeeping: its motion is tamed by the escapement, which portions it out to create the divisions needed for keeping accurate mean time. The balance spring was invented by Dutch physicist, geometer, and astronomer Christiaan Huygens in 1675.
At Baselworld 2010, Tag Heuer presents a major breakthrough in portable timekeeping: five years of research and development now allow TAG Heuer to introduce the first modern mechanical movement keeping time without the aid of a balance spring.
To understand this, one basic fact must also be understood: the energy of a mechanical watch movement goes through a metamorphosis by means of four basic operations: it is generated, stored, transmitted, and regulated. The regulation system generally comprises a balance wheel, balance spring, and escapement. Conventional watchmaking wisdom has always held that a mechanical watch without a hairspring would necessarily require another energy source for its regulation, such as a pendulum in a clock: the TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Pendulum concept sees the traditional hairspring replaced by an “invisible” or virtual spring comprising four high-performance magnets. The generated magnetic field provides the torque necessary for the alternating oscillations of the balance wheel. The movement built around this revolutionary oscillator is fully mechanical and does not contain any electronics.
This must-see invention is irresistible: oscillating at the high frequency of 43,200 vph (6 Hertz), it boasts significantly increased precision as well as stability thanks to the fact that it doesn't lose amplitude. This patent-pending concept is housed in a black titanium Grand Carrera case and will remain a “concept watch” for the time being.
