Shock resistance technology

[Ed T]

I like watches and own a Hamilton Field Watch, Omega PO (2009), IWC Rudolph, Tag link and I’m looking to my next watch.

What is really starting to interest me is shock resistance technology in mechanical watches. I’ve been doing some research and can find lots of information on Rolex Paraflex etc etc... which I do find interesting and steering me towards a Rolex (even if I find it a bit weird all their modern watches use similar tech including the explorer - which I thought would differentiate more)

However Bremont do a good job with their MB it’s just too big for my wrists. If smaller would have fitted the brief and enough to withstand an ejector seat!

So a question - what other premium mechanical watches have good shock technology but also how the hell do i find out what shock tech my existing watches have....cannot find it anywhere.

Omega Planet Ocean 600m 42mm - what technology and how shock resistant?

IWC ingenier Chronograph Rudolph - as above what shock tech? Can it take a bit of a hit?

Or is it all marketing guff and most / all high end watches have similar / good shock resistance?

[Dynam0humm]

When most manufacturers refer to shock resistance they're usually just talking about the two cap jewels on the balance which have springs on them allowing for slight up and down movement on the balance wheel. There are different types of spring such as Paraflex, Incabloc and Diashock for example but they all work on the same principle and it's hard to say if one is better than the other. Just about every mechanical movement made from the 1960's onward has a shock protected balance and many manufacturers today will use shock protected jewels on other areas of the movement.

You can also have the entire movement suspended to provide shock resistance, such as Richard Mille who have made watches with the movement attached to the case by a cable, or at the lower end such as Seiko where they use a plastic movement spacer rather than metal for it's shock absorbing properties. I've even seen an old Omega where rather than a metal or plastic movement ring it had several pieces of rubber to fit between the movement and case acting as shock absorbers, although that was on an early 70's watch and one would have to ask if it was so effective why didn't Omega persevere with that method...



Edit to add: Just had a look at the Bremont and they use a rubber rubber spacer instead of metal for added shock resistance. The movement itself has the standard balance jewels found in every other Sellita movement.

Here's a gif showing how they work -

Edited by Dynam0humm on Monday 3rd August 00:19

[blingybongy]

Damasko watches are given to Typhoon test pilots due to their shock resistance.

[CptDangerous]

Ball watches. They have a patented spring lock system that puts a cage around the balance spring to reduce the effect of impact on accuracy.

https://www.ballwatch.com/global/en/technology/spr...

Most of the Engineer Hydrocarbon line are certified for 7500G (sounds super impressive but is equivalent to dropping the watch onto a hard floor from about a metre).

As tested by KISS drummer Eric Singer! Apparently the only automatic watch that doesn’t gain hideously if warn for the duration of a show.

https://quillandpad.com/2015/07/11/the-ball-watch-...

I declare a small interest. I have an Engineer Hydrocarbon GMT and it’s lovely. Base movement is an ETA 2893 but packed full of modifications, anti-shock, anti-magnetic and temperature resistant to -40C.

[Ed T]

Excellent insight thank you all...I’m spending the next hour googling Ball and Damsako watches.

I dropped my IWC once on a wooden floor when taking it off and it seemed to survive but it worried me for a while (still does to be honest and that was a year ago)

How do I go about finding what my current watches can withstand as they don’t seem to make it readily available! What G is considered good.

Thanks for the gif loved it.

[GC8]

Rolex have patented triangular rubber mounting rings. Id expect them to appear as a feature at some point.