When you think of open-source hardware, you probably think of electronics and maker tools– RepRap, Arduino, Adafruit, et cetera. Yet open source is an ethos and license, and is in no way limited to electronics. The openmovement foundation is a case in point– a watch case, to be specific. The “movement” in Openmovement is a fully open-source and fully mechanical watch movement.
Openmovement has already released STEP files of OM10 the first movement developed by the group. (You do need to sign up to download, however.) They say the design is meant to be highly serviceable and modular, with a robust construction suited for schools and new watchmakers. The movement uses a “Swiss pallets escapement” that runs at 3.5 Hz / 25,200 vph. (We think that’s an odd translation of lever escapement, but if you’re a watchmaker let us know in the comments.) An OM20 is apparently in the works, as well, but it looks like only OM10 has been built from what we can see.
If you don’t have the equipment to finely machine brass from the STEP files, Openmovement is running a crowdfunding campaign to produce kits of the OM10, which you can still get in on until the seventh of June.
If you’re wondering what it takes to make a mechanical watch from scratch, we covered that last year. Spoiler: it doesn’t look easy. Just assembling the tiny parts of an OM10 kit would seem daunting to most of us. That might be why most of the watches we’ve covered over the years weren’t mechanical, but at least they tend to be open source, too.
It is neither “escarpent” or “escarpment”.
Also “movment”.
Apart from that it’s a fine article.
Fixed, thank you.
I’ll have you know that my wartch has both and escarpment and a movment, you insensitive clod! /s
There is also a missing “(“, presumably before “we think that’s an odd…”
What does a steep slope or long cliff have to do with a watch movement? Perhaps you’re referring to an escapement rather than escarpment?
The Swiss have no shortage of either!
(fixed. I blame the frailties of the human condition, and also autocorrect.)
An escarpment being a sort of land dune, it’s something I’d normally picture in hilly areas, whereas Switzerland’s vibe is more whole-ass mountains, so I wonder if it actually does have any? I don’t see how this thread can continue until geographers resolve the crisis.
Anyway
I’d never considered watchmaking, but I suddenly realise that I do have a fairly precise CNC machine, plus a bunch of tiny endmills from back when I thought that might be a good way to mill PCBs, so perhaps I should give this a look. Although I’m guessing I still need to make or buy a bunch of jigs and stuff to put it together, and buy jewels and springs and what not.
In case you haven’t, I’d suggest watching the clickspring youtube channel for relevant content. You may get addicted to watchmaking, intimidated by the exhibited skill level, or maybe both.🙂
I also recommend some channels on YouTube dedicated to clock repairs. There are a number of them out there, but my favorite is Wristwatch Revival.
The level of precision required for a mechanical clock movement is insane, the pieces are tiny and you have to step up your machining game for that (I believe I saw a video talking about sub-micron precision, but I may be misremembering it).
Unfortunately, they are not actually crowdfunding kits. They are asking for donations to create tooling so that sometime in the future, they can make kits. But your $$ now does not actually get you a kit. Quite different…
The correct name is “swiss lever escapement.” The swiss lever has two pallet stones on the pallet fork that are what catch the teeth on the escape wheel and provide controlled impulses of power to the balance wheel to make the thing tick.
If they had a manufacturer lined up, I’d seriously go for it. But buying the tools to start manufacturing? That seems too much of a stretch.
(Love the idea though…)
IMHO, interesting how the mechanical watch making regularly makes full circle and comes back to the point they left more than 100 years ago – precise-making each part in such a way that they’ll all fit together well in one unit.
It was the US watch makers (some were UK watch makers who decided to seek better opportunities, btw) who figured out that it is easier/cheaper to make a lot of spares en mass, each with its own specific irregularity, then match the parts that would work more-or-less-well together during the assembly, so that exact/precise tuning can be simplified to the point, where unskilled/cheap labor can be used during the assembly. UK watch makers stubbornly insisted on exact piece making thus making fewer and better quality watches, but eventually the influx of the US-made cheaper watches won. There is fascinating book that describes this and many other things in excellent details, out of print, obviously, but worthy reading, “Revolution in Time” by David Landes.
BTW, I still think the Bulova’s Accutron was the best hybrid between the two, electrical watch, so to speak, since it eschews the need for the entire enchilada, escapement, etc. One large wheel that’s being spun by a quartz-activated tuning fork. No need for the extensive escapement solution that compensates for the differences in the released force of the wind up spring.
If one is to seriously go the rabbit hole of purely mechanical watch making, tourbillon would be the next logical step.
I no need watch, but NEED gasoline engine!
ideal, for small device with, certificate etc. Ideal!
Wait a while, and somebody, somewhere, will build a watch powered by one if those great, but tiny, V8 engines.
Wow, what a wealth of valuable and interesting comments deleted because someone at HAD disliked that one poster thought digital was better and so deleted all the replies as well. Shame HAD, shame on you.
Don’t you remember the clownshow https://hackaday.com/2024/10/12/if-you-cant-say-anything-nice/
It wasn’t a clownshow though. One person commented on digital vs analog and precision and numerous people weighed in with valuable perspectives including on what precision means and industry insider knowledge that you really can’t find outside of comment sections like this.
What happens when you start deleting a lot of comments i.e. to enforce a mood rather than a TOS is that people with valuable knowledge stop posting and we are left with the above useful comments like “it’s a fine article” which add nothing.