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42

…SOLVED!

Chopard

Mille Miglia

Power Reserve

...Solved!

IWC

Annual Calendar

A watch complication is any function

that exists in addition to telling time on

a timepiece. These watch complications

enable special functions that are

performed and displayed on the watch

to enhance their use. Complications are

highly sought after for the ingenuity in

design and innovation, as well as the

complexity, precision and skill required to

create such a timepiece. When you view

the movement of a complicated watch

through its case-back, you’ll see technical

innovation and precise engineering.

The combination of several hundred

tiny gears, jewels and springs enables

the timepiece to complete incredible

functions; functions that are assembled

by hand and not completed by a robot.

Annual Calendar

A common feature on watches is the calen-

dar. Less common is the annual calendar. It

displays day, date and month. It automatically

adjusts the date displayed on the timepiece

based on 30 and 31-day months to ensure

that the correct date is always displayed.

This complication requires setting the date

once per year, at the end of February. It is a

relatively recent innovation.

Chronograph

A chronograph has an independent sweep

second hand; it can be started, stopped, and

returned to zero by successive pressure on

the stem. Less simple chronographs use ad-

ditional complications and can have multiple

independent hands to measure seconds,

minutes, hours and even tenths of a second.

The Tourbillon

Literally meaning “whirlpool” in French, this is

one of the classic complications dating back

to the early 19th Century. It compensates

for errors caused by the Earth’s gravitational

force in upright positions. The escapement

is mounted in a revolving cage with the

regulating balance at the centre. The escape-

wheel turns about the fixed fourth wheel.

The cage generally revolves once a minute

and, in doing so, compensates for errors of

rate caused by the position of the watch.

This delicate and complex structure is one of

watchmaking’s most ingenious mechanisms.

Power Reserve Indicator

The power reserve indicator is one of the

most useful features of a mechanical watch

besides the actual time display. The power

reserve indicator displayed on the watch

with automatic-winding movement shows

how long a watch will function when not

worn. On a manual winding watch, it shows

the time left until the watch needs winding.

Chanel J12

Flying Tourbillion

Omega

Seamaster Diver

300M ETNZ