Discover the mechanism of the oscillating mass in watchmaking

The oscillating weight represents a crucial element within automatic watch movements. This ingenious mechanism automatically recharges your watch, harnessing the kinetic energy generated by the natural movements of the wrist. In this article, let's dive into an in-depth exploration of how the oscillating weight works and is important within automatic watches.

How the oscillating weight works

The oscillating mass is a rotor which is connected to a gear wheel, it turns on itself thanks to the kinetic energy produced by the movements of the wrist. When the oscillating weight rotates, it drives the gear wheel which, in turn, automatically winds the watch's power reserve. It is a simple and effective system which allows the watch to be automatically wound without having to intervene manually.

The different types of oscillating weight

There are several types of oscillating weight, each with its own characteristics. The most common oscillating weights are rotor-shaped oscillating weights, micro-rotor oscillating weights and eccentric rotor-shaped oscillating weights.