If quartz can be micro(nano?)fabricated to make quartz crystals for battery powered movements, in principle it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to scale up that process to build larger components? And of course it's synthetic so it'll be transparent.
Well that's an excellent question – I'd have to dig a bit to see what the relative strengths are of quartz vs. sapphire or diamond might be; I think you might still run into the same potential problems of failing under shear or impact forces though. If only I had a prototyping lab with a multimillion dollar budge 😀
There would be some serious materials science work going on. One could dope teh crystals to get different characteristics, and there could be a way to increase tensile strength and reduce the chance of failure (gears cracking). The only issue I could forecast is that the doping of the crystals tends to change their color.
I bet the costs are going to come down with time. Synthetic diamonds are decreasing in price every year. Furthermore, they can be grown to order, so there will not no need to polish them down into gears. I think with clocks it would not be too bad because components could be thick. With wrist watches it gets tricky because of how thin the gears would need to be. The bridges can simply be clear polycarbonate (or whatever synonym for plastic you think would be least offensive to small-minded, child-like watch buyers who all appear to have larger watch budgets than me, so perhaps I am the idiot here). With plastic bridges, they can be clear and so long as any frictional points have a sapphire or diamond jewel or similar, they will remain clear.
Personally, I would want to avoid a sapphire case simply out of cost, but if cost were no object, Hublot is already making them. Furthermore, getting a sapphire case to sound right in a minute repeater sounds like something from Dante's 7th or 8th levels (if you have not played Diablo 4 yet, definitely the art is improving over time for both hell as well as temples to Baal and such). A sapphire sandwich with a gold or silver case for ringing is the best path forward. I personally would love a silver case and silver hammers just for the sound.
If quartz can be micro(nano?)fabricated to make quartz crystals for battery powered movements, in principle it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to scale up that process to build larger components? And of course it's synthetic so it'll be transparent.
Well that's an excellent question – I'd have to dig a bit to see what the relative strengths are of quartz vs. sapphire or diamond might be; I think you might still run into the same potential problems of failing under shear or impact forces though. If only I had a prototyping lab with a multimillion dollar budge 😀
There would be some serious materials science work going on. One could dope teh crystals to get different characteristics, and there could be a way to increase tensile strength and reduce the chance of failure (gears cracking). The only issue I could forecast is that the doping of the crystals tends to change their color.
You missed out the major reason why nobody really wants a transparent wrist watch.
Arm hair
All that effort is wasted when the background is not lightness and airiness but dark matted hairiness
Depends on who you are I am half Asian so the hair doth lie but sparsely upon my forearm 😀
Fascinating theoretical considerations, but for me the main reason not to go for full transparency is simple: I love to watch the movement in action!
I bet the costs are going to come down with time. Synthetic diamonds are decreasing in price every year. Furthermore, they can be grown to order, so there will not no need to polish them down into gears. I think with clocks it would not be too bad because components could be thick. With wrist watches it gets tricky because of how thin the gears would need to be. The bridges can simply be clear polycarbonate (or whatever synonym for plastic you think would be least offensive to small-minded, child-like watch buyers who all appear to have larger watch budgets than me, so perhaps I am the idiot here). With plastic bridges, they can be clear and so long as any frictional points have a sapphire or diamond jewel or similar, they will remain clear.
Personally, I would want to avoid a sapphire case simply out of cost, but if cost were no object, Hublot is already making them. Furthermore, getting a sapphire case to sound right in a minute repeater sounds like something from Dante's 7th or 8th levels (if you have not played Diablo 4 yet, definitely the art is improving over time for both hell as well as temples to Baal and such). A sapphire sandwich with a gold or silver case for ringing is the best path forward. I personally would love a silver case and silver hammers just for the sound.
I believe the chronograph brake in the caliber 1861 was made of Delrin, not Nylon.
Yeah you're right, they're similar but not the same; I always thought Delrin was a type of nylon but nope. Thanks for pointing that out.
A very enjoyable read, Jack!
I am a fan of the Cartier mystery watches. I would love to see a minute repeater version.