Why do mechanical watches use jewels?

　　Frequent enthusiasts of watches will all notice that there are jewels inside the watch movement, but do you know why mechanical watches use jewels? What is the actual purpose of the jewels in a mechanical watch? Below, Xiaoya will explain the role of jewels in mechanical watches for everyone.

　　What is the use of mechanical watch jewels?

　　The jewels in the movement refer to functional watch jewels. They mainly serve four purposes:

　　1. Acting as a pivot hole, commonly known as a jewel hole, it is embedded in specific parts so that the wheel arbor comes into contact with the jewel hole.

　　2. Acting as a cover plate, commonly known as an endstone, it functions equivalent to a bearing in machinery, restricting the vertical play of the pivot.

　　3. Acting as a circular diamond pallet pin.

　　4. Acting as rectangular pillar diamonds for pallet stones or fork horns.

　　Simply put, jewel bearings are protective stones for gear pivots. Perforated ruby jewel holes are fixed to the bridges and plates, embedded in the watch to function as bearings. Since jewel bearings are used to protect the gear pivots, naturally the more gears there are, the greater the number of jewel bearings. Generally speaking, more jewel bearings indicate a more complex movement. However, complexity is not everything, so one cannot judge the quality or grade of a movement based solely on the number of jewels. The number of rubies inside a watch reflects its design style, exquisite craftsmanship, and ingenious technology.

　　Are they real rubies inside mechanical watches?

　　Originally, the rubies used in mechanical watch movements were all natural rubies. Due to high costs, only high-end movements used them at the time. By 1902, synthetic rubies were born, replacing natural rubies and becoming widely used. The main component of synthetic rubies is aluminium oxide. After precision processing, they feature a high smoothness, low coefficient of friction, strong wear resistance, and high corrosion resistance, playing a very good role in improving movement quality and extending service life.

　　Are more jewels in a mechanical watch always better?

　　The answer is no. The number of rubies inside a watch reflects the design style, exquisite craftsmanship, and ingenious technology of the watch. For example: the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch has only 18 jewel holes. For such a complex chronograph, it only uses 18 jewel holes to meet the movement's requirements for reduced wear and lubrication. These are sufficient to convince those advocates of high jewel counts.

　　Top replica mechanical watch recommendations

　　[KW Perfect Edition] PANERAI Luminor 1950 Series PAM01312 Mechanical Men's Watch

　　Equipped with a Seagull edition P.9010 custom movement

　　Price: (Please contact customer service for the latest price)

　　Series:LUMINOR 1950 collection

　　Movement: Automatic mechanical movement

　　Strap: calfskin strap

　　Case: Stainless steel

　　Clasp: pin buckle

　　Bezel: Standard

　　Crystal: Sapphire crystal glass

　　Diameter: 44MM

　　Water resistance: 100 metres

　　Review:

　　◆ The reference number of this timepiece is PAM01312. Compared to Panerai's usual silver or black hands, this vibrant blue hand resembles a continuously beating musical note across the dial.

　　◆ Paired with the P9010 movement, the movement finishing is more refined, and the details around the shock absorber appear fuller in appearance compared to the previous 9001 movement.

　　◆ The dial craftsmanship is extremely refined, with every hour marker rendered in high relief, set deep into the dial.

　　◆ With a 44 mm case diameter suitable for Asian wrists, the classic crown guard design serves more of a decorative purpose than a practical one, complemented by the most powerful luminescence in the entire Panerai collection.

　　The operation of a mechanical watch movement relies on the continuous transmission of power through various gears, and the function of the jewels is to reduce friction and damage, thereby increasing the lifespan of the movement. Therefore, the role of jewels in mechanical watches is extremely significant.

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