High precision watch in 2011

Though at the SIHH 2011 Audemars Piguet’s high-beat escapement did not take center stage, it remains a quiet hum in the background as APRP head Giulio Papi hinted that he continues to experiment with even higher oscillations speeds than the 43,200 vph escapement that was introduced at the 2009 SIHH.

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele explained at Baselworld 2011 that the company now has a finalized version and will introduce it in a limited edition by the end of the year. Chopard chooses to capitalize on the gains that silicon brings, utilizing it in the high-beat escapement the company has been experimenting with for two years now.

At Baselworld 2011, TAG Heuer continued the thought and brought out the Mikrotimer Flying 1000, a concept watch operating the same way, but its chronograph is ten times faster, beating at 3,600,000 vph (500 Hz). While the watch itself has a standard power reserve of 42 hours, the chronograph, whose hand can show 1/1000th of a second only has a power reserve of 150 seconds.

TAG Heuer premiered its Carrera Mikrograph, an integrated chronograph that can measure 1/100th of a second using a frequency of 360,000 vph (50 Hz). The secret of this speed lies in the fact that it has two spring barrels, two gear trains and two oscillation systems – one for the movement (28,800 vph) and the other for the chronograph (360,000 vph) with a power reserve of 90 minutes.

Watchmakers are continuously in search of elements to aid in improving precision. New watches featuring high oscillation frequency appeared throughout the spring with this goal in mind.