IWC Pellaton Automatic Winding System Model

In 1950, IWC launched the automatic calibers 81 (small seconds) and 85 (center second) with a new automatic winding system developed by Albert Pellaton. I was able to get hold of a 5:1 scale model of this winding system made by IWC and present it to you here, as it illustrates the functioning of the Pellaton winding system particularly clearly.

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Retrograde Time Displays

A retrograde, i.e. reversing, display on a watch is a complication in which a hand, for example for the time or date, moves over a segment of a circle. Instead of turning completely in a circle, the hand jumps back to the starting position in a sudden manner as soon as it reaches the end of the segment scale.

Sea-Gull M171S with retrograde date and day of the week [Source: Sea-Gull] 

Do you need it and is it useful? Not necessarily! Why do you do it then? Because it is possible!

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American Pocket Watch Movements

Movements of American pocket watches differ in many details from their Swiss counterparts. Here we look at some basics about them, without getting lost in the many deviations from the standards. American pocket watches are a topic with a lot of interesting things to discover.

Pocket watch with Hamilton 12 size Model 1 Grade 900
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System Glashütte – What’s that?

Glashütte was famous for its watch industry more than a hundred years ago, producing pocket watches of the highest quality. Ferdinand A. Lange was certainly the most renowned Glashütte manufacturer, but watches by Großmann or Assmann were also sought-after and expensive.

Movement System Glashütte, unknown manufacturer, diameter 13 1/4´´´
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