[matthewtse]

It's so funny how the smoothness of the second hand has changed in desirability over time.

It started with mechanical watches that moved relatively smoothly at 3-6 beats per second. Then Quartz came along, and it became fashionable for seconds to move on the second (the "quartz crisis"). Then mechanical watches became fashionable again as quartz watches became commodities during the "Mechanical Renaissance", and it's now a sign of luxury for a "smooth sweeping" second hand again.

And then you have these modern outliers, like the F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain, which feature a "remontoire" that stores up energy before releasing it on the second for increased accuracy. So you can pay $250K for a watch that moves like a $10 quartz :)

[randomcarbloke]

Actually, at the very high end of luxury watchmaking they prefer lower beat movements as it increases the service interval, exotic escapements like the remontoir are primarily for exhibition purposes/bragging rights.

[dadoge]

I hear ya, it does all makes sense tho

Quartz jumping seconds was a novelty back in the day. No one now views it that way, being interested in it was a fad.

Spring Drive now is not a fad, but IMO a sustained niche for enthusiasts. It’s been around a while and has stood the test of time (pun intended!)

The F. P. Journe is high end mechanical art/creativity. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[quickthrowman]

If you’re on a budget and want a deadbeat seconds hand, Jaeger LeCoultre has a deadbeat seconds watch, the Geophysic True Second, which is ‘only’ around $15k :) I believe it has been discontinued and is only available on the secondary market.

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/one-watch-quarantine-pandemic-j...

[gogusrl]

I had an electromechanical Timex with a dead beat seconds complication. Which means it was a battery powered watch with a balance that was supposed to be ticking 4 times / second and an extra complication added (the dead beat seconds) to make it tick once per second.

If you'd put your ear to it you could hear it tick 3 times in the background and then a loud tock.

[mickael-kerjean]

I never understood the smooth second appeal, my local Ikea store sells clock with a buttery smooth second hand for a few bucks