Skeleton clock
Encyclopedia
A skeleton clock is any clock
or wristwatch
, though typically mechanical in nature, in which the parts that usually conceal the inner workings of the mechanism have been removed or significantly modified so as to display these inner parts.
It is considered to be a showcase design and intentionally exposes to plain view the various gear
s, wheels and springs
within the movement
itself. There is no official definition of a skeleton clock per se, but a major portion of the main parts of the timepiece should be openly visible from the front of the clock and most often from the back as well in order for it to be considered and accepted as a skeleton clock. The parts most commonly showcased by a skeleton design are those exhibiting either the most movement or the most attractive design. These may include, but are not limited to the escapement
, balance wheel
and balance spring
, mainspring
, and tourbillon
. Generally there is either no dial present in a skeleton clock, the dial is clear, or it has been limited to a ring around the edge of the case to provide a mounting surface for the hour markers. In the case of skeleton wristwatches, the back will usually be made of sapphire crystal or another clear material that affords easy examination of the parts protected within both from the front and from behind.
Clock
A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
or wristwatch
Watch
A watch is a small timepiece, typically worn either on the wrist or attached on a chain and carried in a pocket, with wristwatches being the most common type of watch used today. They evolved in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century. The first watches were...
, though typically mechanical in nature, in which the parts that usually conceal the inner workings of the mechanism have been removed or significantly modified so as to display these inner parts.
It is considered to be a showcase design and intentionally exposes to plain view the various gear
Gear
A gear is a rotating machine part having cut teeth, or cogs, which mesh with another toothed part in order to transmit torque. Two or more gears working in tandem are called a transmission and can produce a mechanical advantage through a gear ratio and thus may be considered a simple machine....
s, wheels and springs
Spring (device)
A spring is an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. Springs are usually made out of spring steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication...
within the movement
Movement (clockwork)
In horology, a movement is the internal mechanism of a clock or watch, as opposed to the case, which encloses and protects the movement, and the face which displays the time. The term originated with mechanical timepieces, whose movements are made of many moving parts...
itself. There is no official definition of a skeleton clock per se, but a major portion of the main parts of the timepiece should be openly visible from the front of the clock and most often from the back as well in order for it to be considered and accepted as a skeleton clock. The parts most commonly showcased by a skeleton design are those exhibiting either the most movement or the most attractive design. These may include, but are not limited to the escapement
Escapement
In mechanical watches and clocks, an escapement is a device that transfers energy to the timekeeping element and enables counting the number of oscillations of the timekeeping element...
, balance wheel
Balance wheel
The balance wheel is the timekeeping device used in mechanical watches and some clocks, analogous to the pendulum in a pendulum clock. It is a weighted wheel that rotates back and forth, being returned toward its center position by a spiral spring, the balance spring or hairspring...
and balance spring
Balance spring
A balance spring, or hairspring, is a part used in mechanical timepieces. The balance spring, attached to the balance wheel, controls the speed at which the wheels of the timepiece turn, and thus the rate of movement of the hands...
, mainspring
Mainspring
A mainspring is a spiral torsion spring of metal ribbon that is the power source in mechanical watches and some clocks. Winding the timepiece, by turning a knob or key, stores energy in the mainspring by twisting the spiral tighter. The force of the mainspring then turns the clock's wheels as it...
, and tourbillon
Tourbillon
In horology, a tourbillon is an addition to the mechanics of a watch escapement. Developed around 1795 by the French-Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet from an earlier idea by the English chronometer maker John Arnold a tourbillon aims to counter the effects of gravity by mounting the...
. Generally there is either no dial present in a skeleton clock, the dial is clear, or it has been limited to a ring around the edge of the case to provide a mounting surface for the hour markers. In the case of skeleton wristwatches, the back will usually be made of sapphire crystal or another clear material that affords easy examination of the parts protected within both from the front and from behind.