Destructured hours: Urwerk EMC

Urwerk’s EMC Caliber is equipped with an optical sensor connected to the balance. It oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and features an electronic oscillator with a frequency of 16,000,000 Hz.

By Vincent Daveau

Contributor

The above frequency is that of the EMC quartz. The performance of the balance vibrating at 4Hz is compared to the quartz oscillator to obtain the most precise measurement possible. The piece has a calculator processor, which determines the difference between the movement’s power and the reference oscillator.

Every microsecond of difference is displayed as a daily gained or lost second on the mechanical movement. A manual winding generator that works through a micro-rotor powers the electronic and optical watch. The micro-rotor is produced by the Swiss company Maxon, the same company that produced the engine of the Martian “Pathfinder” module.

Technical details:

Case: 43 x 51 x 15.5-mm titanium and steel
Manual winding UR-EMC mechanical in-house Urwerk movement
Arcap balance
Double vertical barrels, superimposed and connected in series
80-hour power reserve
Indications: Hours, minutes, seconds, performance indication (gain or loss), power reserve and movement adjusting screw.
Strap: alligator

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This article is an extract of our page dedicated to New Horology