To the vast majority of the human population, the watch is a simple timekeeping tool, often accompanied by aesthetic appeal. However, to the trained eye and passionate collectors, a timepiece is an intricate blend of art and technology. Nestled within the case are complex movements that offer each watch unique qualities. As time has progressed, technological advancement continues to astound the watchmaking industry, and there is no doubt that these five moments that changed the world have transformed the horological landscape.
Jaeger-Lecoultre 920
The Swiss watchmaker renowned for its technological innovations created a movement of sophisticated construction that continues to be highly regarded amongst watch collectors. Following the Quartz Crisis, one of the predominant movements that played a role in the rebirth of mechanical watches was the Jaeger-Lecoultre 920. It was launched just two years before the Quartz watch was introduced, and the movement was a massive help when the mechanical watch industry struggled. Released in 1967, it was the thinnest watch movement in the world, and to this day, it still remains one of the thinnest, with a full-sized rotor. This ultra-thin design was a technical marvel that allowed watchmakers to create slim and elegant timepieces without compromising on functionality or reliability.
Although Jaeger-Lecoultre was the manufacturer that invented the 920 movement, it was never used in any of their timepieces. Its most prominent use was in the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, renowned for its slim silhouette. The CEO of AP has even credited the 920 movement with the survival of their company following the Quartz Crisis. It is also an extremely important movement to Vacheron Constantin, a brand that still uses the movement today. Powering some of the most iconic designs for decades, the Jaeger-Lecoultre 920 is a movement of legacy and boasts a prominent place in horological history.
Lemania 2310
With a rich history dating back to 1884, it is no surprise that Swiss watch manufacturer Lemania has made waves in the industry. As a testament to Lemania’s expertise and heritage, the Lemania 2310 movement became famous for its functionality and superior design. This manual-winding chronograph movement features a column wheel mechanism that controls the start, stop, and reset functions of the chronograph. A column wheel is considered to be a mark of high-quality chronographs due to its smooth and reliable operation, which ensures a timepiece has a seamless and accurate performance.
It was introduced in 1942 and has been the base caliber for many of the most prestigious chronographs crafted for the last eighty years. The project to design the Lemania 2310 was led by Arthur Gustava Piguet, a family with notoriety in the watch industry with his cousin the founder of Audemars Piguet. When it was released, it was the world’s smallest chronograph which made it highly adaptable to a diverse range of watch brands and case styles. Lemania regularly designed unbranded watch movements and it was originally commissioned to develop the 2310 movement by Omega. Deemed good enough to go to the moon, it was a movement in one of the world’s most historically famous timepieces, the Omega Speedmaster, the official watch of NASA’s US astronauts. It was used by multiple watch manufacturers throughout the years but it was Patek Philippe that cemented its reputation when the movement was used in the 3970 helping to revive mechanical watches following the Quartz crisis. Each brand was able to adapt the movement to fit their unique timepieces, making the Lemania 2310 one of the most impressive movements in the watchmaking world.
Zenith El Primero
The Zenith El Primero is one watch movement with a deeply rich history that is still being utilized in newly crafted timepieces today. With the hope to release the world’s first automatic chronograph movement to celebrate Zenith’s centenary, the manufacturer took on the challenge of creating a chronograph function fully integrated within the mechanism and actuated by a column wheel. It was also designed to be the most accurate movement in the world with the ability to measure time precisely to one-tenth of a second. Zenith was the first to announce they were working on the world’s first automatic chronograph, however, other manufacturers produced and launched quicker. Although the ambition was to launch the movement in 1965, it was not achievable and the movement was not mastered until four years after the anniversary celebrations. Finally released in 1969, this movement is still impressive more than 60 years later and is featured in Zenith’s latest releases.
During the time when the first automatic chronographs were bursting onto the scene, the aesthetic style for watches was slim and sophisticated. El Primero was a lot thinner than the Lemania 2310, a movement that was released the same year. Due to the Quartz Crisis, the El Primero initially had little success and Zenith stopped production of mechanical movements in 1975. It was the quick action of watchmaker Charles Vermot who saved the El Primero. Aware of the value of this movement, he took the initiative to move and hide tools and presses when the machinery was threatened. Almost a decade later, Rolex approached Zenith with an interest in the movement and Vermot revealed his secret stash of machinery. Zenith received a 10 year contract with Rolex and production of the El Primero resumed with the new generation of Rolex Daytonas boasting the El Primero movement. Not only did the El Primero make history with an impact on the watchmaking industry, it is also a story that watch collectors love.
Rolex 3135
With the Rolex 3135 slowly being phased out for the new generation 3235, now is the best time to invest in timepieces with the Rolex 3135 while both still feature in the catalog. As one of the most prestigious watch movements ever created by Rolex, the 3135 has a rich heritage and a high value that will only increase now that production of the movement is ceasing. Used in Rolex watches since 1988, the 3135 was completely designed with functionality in mind, ignoring any aesthetic appeal. The only goal when developing the 3135 was accurate timekeeping, a goal Rolex certainly achieved. It is a reliable movement for precision used across multiple Rolex Classic and Professional collections. While other movements may seem more impressive, the 3135 is celebrated for its simplicity and explicit functionality, a movement that remains one of the most accurate movements ever made.
Over the years, Rolex has managed to upgrade the 3135, keeping it up to date with technology within the watch industry. Rolex has kept quiet with these upgrades, silently introducing them to new timepieces and retaining the 3135 name rather than with a bold, public announcement as other brands do. The movement has evolved alongside the industry, a faithful companion to the Rolex brand, keeping the movement relevant and paving the way for the introduction of the new 3235. There is no doubt that the prestigious reputation of Rolex was built upon this movement, and it has powered some of the most notable Rolex releases for the last 35 years. The 3135 honors the reliability, functionality, and sophistication that the brand is renowned for and is a movement that changed not only Rolex but the watchmaking industry.
In addition, while many other movements are celebrated for their small size, the 3135 is loved for being a large movement. On these larger movements, extra complications can be added due to the extra space. It is also easier for watchmakers to work with the extra room to finetune timekeeping to the utmost precision. Although the 3135 may not win awards for its appearance, it is certainly unrivaled in other areas.
Seiko Spring Drive
After taking 20 years to develop, it is no surprise that the Seiko Spring Drive is one movement that drastically changed the watch industry. The Seiko Spring Drive is unique in its approach to timekeeping and significantly impacted horology when it was launched in 1999. Unlike traditional mechanical movements that rely solely on a balance wheel and escapement, the Spring Drive incorporates a glide wheel regulated by a tri-synchro regulator. This system combines mechanical, electrical, and electromagnetic energy to achieve unparalleled accuracy. With deviations of only one second per day, it is undoubtedly one of the most precise movements ever created.
The Seiko Spring Drive is so important because it challenged the conventional boundaries between mechanical and quartz watches. Offering a new level of accuracy and smoothness that was previously unattainable in mechanical movements, it took the watchmaking industry by storm and has been particularly influential on the luxury watch market. It reinforced Seiko’s reputation in the watch industry, further highlighting that the brand is a powerhouse of watchmaking.
Not only does the Seiko Spring Drive have unmatched precision, but it also boasts aesthetic appeal. With a smooth, sweeping motion, the movement is visually stunning with a sense of elegance that makes it highly desirable to watch collectors. This groundbreaking innovation is the perfect blend of beauty and reliability, an inspiration to movement design.
