The Zeitwinkel blog

Welcome to the Zeitwinkel blog. While we report about current events or provide insights into our production process on our social media channels, those posts are not only short but usually also short-lived.

That’s why decided to establish this blog. It allows us to take watch collectors along into the world of Zeitwinkel beyond our watches. We explain what makes our timepieces special, we show you details of how we manufacture components and watches and we also shine a light on general questions about watchmaking.

The articles appear in a random order every time the page is reloaded. Every article is tagged, so readers can quickly jump to the topics that interest them most. We will not publish new content according to a specific schedule, but rather at irregular intervals. Make sure to come back from time to time and let us know if you would like us to write about a specific topic that is not yet covered here!

There are many reasons why an individual may choose to purchase a wristwatch beyond merely wanting to know the prevailing time. A timepiece may serve as a memento of an anniversary, birthday or other important milestone. Alternatively, a watch may be chosen as an accessory, complementing a sartorial ensemble. For some purists, a fine exemplar of horology is as an object of beauty where aesthetics, craftsmanship and mechanical virtue unite together.

For generations, great minds have sought to create timepieces that deliver peerless chronometric performance. Over the years, a variety of mechanisms have been employed to enhance precision, however, such complexity may be nullified if the timepiece is not correctly adjusted and regulated. By way of explanation, this feature looks at an array of terms employed in watchmaking and how these factors influence the performance and operation of a timepiece.

Typically, most watches contain two types of spring, the mainspring and the hairspring. In this feature, the focal point is the hairspring, however, in the interests of completeness, this article begins with explaining the difference between the two.

An unfortunate characteristic common to many products these days is that they are intrinsically obsolete. Products endowed with so-called cutting-edge technology invariably become outdated as innovation continues its relentless march. Furthermore, some objects are intentionally designed to fail once the warranty period has expired. Sadly, many modern-day goods are simply not intended to last.

The term ‘finishing’ is widely used in high-end watchmaking, but what are the reasons for spending inordinate amounts of time polishing and painstakingly decorating movement parts? This feature looks at the rationale for finishing and explores the many benefits it confers to the owner of a fine watch. The types of finishing typically employed on a Zeitwinkel timepiece will be discussed in a separate feature.

This is the second part about precision timekeeping.

The previous article navigated a course through an array of bewildering watchmaking terms. This feature includes the behaviour of the balance, how the movement is regulated and post regulation influences on the rate.