Why do vintage watches tick?

Last Updated on December 15, 2024 by Jason

When people think of vintage watches, one of the first associations that comes to mind is the sound of ticking. Almost all watches tick, and this distinctive sound has become synonymous with the passage of time itself. A common belief is that quartz watches tick, while mechanical watches exhibit a sweeping motion. While this appears to be true on the surface, it is not technically correct. In reality, very few mechanically-powered watches exhibit a completely smooth sweeping motion. For now, let’s focus on the topic at hand: Why do watches tick?

The role of power sources in watches

To understand why watches tick, it’s important to start with their power sources. Broadly speaking in vintage watches, there are two main types of power sources: mechanical power and electric power. These sources of energy are what keep a watch running, allowing the hands to move continuously to display the time. A mainspring, a tightly coiled spring, generates mechanical power by storing energy as it tries to uncoil. It gradually releases this energy to drive the watch hands. A battery, on the other hand, produces electric power. The battery powers a small circuit that controls the movement of the hands in quartz watches.

While the nature and operation of these power sources are interesting in themselves, what matters most for our discussion is how they both regulate the release of energy. Without a regulatory system, the stored energy would be expended far too quickly. In a mechanical watch, a fully wound mainspring would uncoil all at once, and in a quartz watch, a battery would quickly be drained if the energy demand was too high. The solution to this problem is the escapement. It is the key component responsible for controlling the release of energy in a watch.

The escapement: controlling time

The escapement is the heart of the watch’s timekeeping function. It’s a series of components designed to regulate how energy from the power source is distributed throughout the watch. The escapement prevents the energy from releasing all at once, avoiding a brief, dramatic burst of movement from the hands. It gradually releases energy, allowing the hands to move in small, controlled steps and creating the ticking sound. This controlled release extends the power source’s life and reduces wear on the mechanical components transferring the energy.

In both quartz and mechanical watches, the escapement divides time into regular intervals, or “ticks.” While the ticking of quartz watches is more obvious, even mechanical watches “tick” at a rate determined by their operating frequency, which we’ll explore further below.

Quartz watches: one tick per second

In quartz watches, the ticking is particularly distinct because the second hand usually moves in one-second intervals. This is a result of the way the quartz crystal in the watch vibrates when subjected to electric current from the battery. The vibrating quartz crystal acts as a time base, sending out consistent electrical pulses. Most quartz watches are designed to move the second hand forward once per second, making a clear and audible tick.

However, it is possible for quartz watches to tick more frequently than once per second. High-frequency quartz watches, for example, have a higher operating rate, which gives the illusion of a smoother motion. While this may look similar to the sweeping hand of a mechanical watch, the more frequent ticks place a greater drain on the battery. This is why many quartz watches maintain the one tick per second standard to conserve power.

Mechanical watches: the effect of operating frequency

Mechanical watches work a little differently from quartz models. Their ticking depends on the watch’s operating frequency, which is typically measured in vibrations per hour (vph). A common operating frequency for vintage mechanical watches is 18,000 vph. This means that the balance wheel, a critical component of the escapement, vibrates 18,000 times per hour. Since each vibration results in a tick, this translates to five ticks per second (18,000 ÷ 60 ÷ 60 = 5).

Unlike quartz watches, where the second hand often jumps in large increments, mechanical watches with higher operating frequencies seem to have a smoother, sweeping motion. However, if you look closely, the second hand is still moving in tiny, almost imperceptible steps. Each of these steps corresponds to the ticking of the escapement as it regulates the flow of energy from the mainspring.

The role of the escape wheel

To understand the ticking in mechanical watches, it’s essential to focus on the escape wheel, a part of the escapement. The escape wheel acts like a brake, ensuring that the energy from the mainspring isn’t released all at once. When the balance wheel vibrates, it momentarily unlocks the escapement, allowing the escape wheel to move forward by one tooth. This motion releases a small amount of energy, which is transmitted through the gear train to the hands, causing them to move.

The ticking sound in mechanical watches occurs when the teeth of the escape wheel strike the pallet stones, small jewels mounted on the escapement’s anchor. Each time a tooth of the escape wheel hits one of these stones, it creates a distinct “tick.” This mechanism slows down the energy release, preventing the hands from spinning wildly. It allows the hands to move in controlled, consistent steps. Removing the escape wheel from a fully wound watch would make the hands whirl uncontrollably, draining all the energy in seconds.

The sound of time

The familiar ticking sound of a watch is essentially the result of mechanical collisions inside the escapement. The escape wheel teeth hit the entry or exit pallet stones, releasing energy in short bursts. Each impact produces a sound wave heard as a “tick”. The frequency and volume of the ticking depend on the specific design of the escapement, the material of the components, and the watch’s overall build quality. Vintage watches often have a louder tick, partly due to the older materials and technologies used in their construction. The Smiths De Luxe from my collection can clearly be heard ticking from across the room.

While quartz watches typically produce louder, more distinct ticks due to their one-per-second movement, mechanical watches tend to tick more frequently and softly. The higher the operating frequency of the watch, the smoother and quieter the ticking sound becomes, contributing to the sense of refinement associated with luxury mechanical timepieces.

Summary: why do watches tick?

The ticking of a watch is not just a quaint sound but a reflection of the complex mechanics inside. Whether powered by a mainspring or a battery, every watch relies on an escapement to regulate the flow of energy. This regulation is what prevents the power source from depleting too quickly and ensures that the hands move in small, measured steps. The ticking sound, whether it comes from a quartz watch with one tick per second or a mechanical watch with a higher frequency, is the audible manifestation of time being divided and measured.

The next time you hear a watch tick, you can appreciate that it’s not just keeping time, but it’s also performing an intricate balancing act, controlling the energy and guiding the hands forward in a dance that makes time readable for us all.