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Main Forums => General Discussion - Modern Watches => Topic started by: acurusaragon on July 14, 2011, 07:24:54 AM

Title: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: acurusaragon on July 14, 2011, 07:24:54 AM

Just trying to understand what does this term "jewels" means ..

some watch mentioned 25 Jewels , some 35 Jewels etc.

Anybody can share the actual meaning of this ?

Thanks.
-sam

Title: Re: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: takashi78 on July 14, 2011, 07:35:51 AM

2 second search on google.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_watch

Title: Re: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: takashi78 on July 14, 2011, 07:36:19 AM

One more.

http://elginwatches.org/help/watch_jewels.html

Title: Re: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: siodee on July 14, 2011, 08:21:54 AM

Nice article, here is the interesting point

"Around the 1960s this 'jewel craze' reached ridiculous heights, and manufacturers made watches with 41, 53, 75, or even 100 jewels. Most of these additional jewels were totally nonfunctional; they never contacted moving parts, and were included just to increase the jewel count.

So more jewels do not mean the more expensive the watch should be, just to increase the sale of jewels only  :Laughing_on_floor: :Laughing_on_floor:

Title: Re: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: mnazri.tan on July 14, 2011, 08:22:17 AM

in simple word....imagine ball bearing.....in any machine....

ball bearing is in principle similar to jewel on watches. Instead of contact between metal to metal in the watch movement in which resulting to higher coefficient of friction (µ) ( a scalar value used by engineer to measure force of friction between two part touching each other...higher COF means it has high friction. Lower mean it is slippery. In the world of automotive, lower COF on the body give better aerodynamic impact and in way transalated into faster car...) the jewel help reduce the friction force.

Jewel nowadays mostly made of synthetic sapphire or ruby.

The benefit of jewels are

a) Lowering COF
b) Lower COF = minimal power loss = better efficiency = great accuracy
c) jewels (sapphire or ruby) added life to bearing. Without jewels , bearing and part touching will have faster wear and tear effect. All human made will have life span. Jewels help prolong it


You will find some watches have 17 jewels ...some have more (even heard of 99 jewels) but you dont need to many of it. 17 to 28 i reckon good enough in any movement. Please be aware for those movement claiming having like 99 jewel, majority of it is non functional jewel, added to give "impression" of super accuracy...purely marketing gimmick so you have to pay more.....hehehehehhe

that is from my understanding...in simple word.

Title: Re: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: acurusaragon on July 14, 2011, 09:20:13 AM

Superb info guys! ..

My initial limited impression was that the jewels is only the normally red pieces seen on the see through back case of my watches .. :thumbsup:

Title: Re: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: Omnipotent on July 14, 2011, 09:28:45 AM

mine says 26 jewels...excluding 2 family ones between my legs  :Laughing_on_floor: :Laughing_on_floor:

Title: Re: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: tcboy on July 14, 2011, 03:21:34 PM

Perhaps medical technology should incorporate jewels to replace knee cartilage as the latter wears off as we age. And the jewel will help reduce the wear and tear of our knee joints by reducing friction!  :Cheers:

Title: Re: What does "Jewels" means?
Post by: besview on July 14, 2011, 08:20:05 PM

Nothing more than a hub for lubrication and a friction point for moving parts