The history of clock- and watch-making over the past four centuries chronicles the ever-increasing miniaturisation of mechanisms. Up until now, the power needed to drive a wristwatch mechanism has been a limiting factor in terms of design and innovation. Greubel Forsey’s fundamental work on Mechanical Nano, based on the mastery of energy and available space, is once again confirmed and now applied in a watch mechanism.
In the process of developing the 180-day power reserve movement, the decision was taken to apply Mechanical Nano to the foudroyant jumping seconds mechanism. This watchmaking complication consists of a hand that makes one rotation every second to indicate the fractions of a second. This first application focuses on the reduction of inertia and on the energy savings it made possible. The display of the Nano Foudroyante EWT is by a miniature hand. This is made clearer to read by an optical system with 23x magnification.
Compared to a traditional foudroyant jumping seconds mechanism, the Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT consumes 1,800 times less energy and occupies 96% less space. All of this research has made it possible to create a truly original and innovative foudroyant jumping seconds mechanism that makes best use of energy and available space in the movement of a mechanical timepiece.