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Life of clock hands: from
creation to the present day
Modern watch movements are
real works of art created by experienced craftsmen. They are admired by
everyone without exception, and all because their design carefully thought out
and selected even the smallest details. And the hands of the clock are no
exception. This at first glance it may seem that they do not constitute
anything supernatural - ordinary pieces of metal showing time. But in fact, the
creation of clock hands is a separate industry, and there are entire
enterprises engaged exclusively in their manufacture.
A
brief excursion into the history of the creation of arrows
A few hundred years ago, all
watch movements had only one hand. But at the end of the 17th century, one
British watchmaker managed to arrange an arrow on the same axis as the hour
hand showing the minutes.
At that time, everyone used
a pocket watch on which there was no protective glass, so the arrows made
coarse and massive. Yes, they were resistant to damage, but they lacked the
very refinement that we are all able to see today. After some time, the watchmakers
still managed to make a pocket watch with glass, as a result of which new
varieties of hands began to appear. They became more elegant, acquired refined
forms, and many of them reached our time.
Varieties
of Time Hands
Have you noticed that the
hands of different models of watches are radically different from each other?
Moreover, each of their forms has its own name and its own history. In this
article we have collected for you the most common types of hands, which can be
seen on modern wristwatches.
Baton
In French, the word
translates as a stick or a stick. Indeed, the long and narrow arrows with a
blunt end very much resemble sticks. Due to their very concise form, they are
most often used in classic models of watch movements. Such hands do not attract
too much attention, but complement the dial well and make it restrained and
elegant.
Dauphine
This arrow in the form of a
blade attracts rave views with its sophistication, although at first glance it
seems a bit coarse. Yes, it is wide at the base, but gradually narrowing turns
into a thin edge. On the opposite side of the arrow has the same shape only
smaller. Along the center, it is divided by a slightly rising edge, from which
two identical faces roll down. Dauphine hands can be seen in both classic and
trendy models of watches. They are universal and their original look perfectly
complement any dial.
Alpha
These arrows have a rather
wide flat panel and a narrow base, which is attached to the axis. They are very
easily confused with the arrows of the Dauphine form, but if you look closely,
it becomes clear that the Alpha arrows do not have a continuation from the
opposite side. This design is also considered universal and is used in all
models of modern watches.
Sword
From the name it is clear that
the shape of the arrow resembles a sword: it expands from the base to the end,
and then narrows again, taking the shape of an isosceles triangle at the end.
This type of hands is most often used in watch movements made in the form of
casual and military. Very effectively the hands of swords look on the dials
with light accumulating coating.
Skeleton
Arrows-skeletons are used in
conjunction with the same dials. In such accessories the center of attention is
the clockwork itself, which is open to the human eye. That is why the
watchmakers make the hands light and airy, leaving only a thin metal frame.
This is an excellent example of how important it is in watchmaking to pay
attention to details and correctly complement the overall design without
overloading it..
Breguet
This form of arrows is often
called “apple”. The thing is that it resembles a thin spear, on which the fruit
of contention, as it were, was strung. Now you can find many variations on this
topic, close and distant from the classics, but it is important to understand
that the circle located at the end of the arrow determines its belonging to the
Breguet type. The hands of this form perfectly complement the classic models of
watches and make them even more luxurious.
Fleur de lys
The arrows with the magnificent
name “Lily Flower” at the end are decorated with coats of arms borrowed from
heraldry. These emblems are indeed remotely reminiscent of lily flowers and are
associated with the French nobility. Wrist watches with hands of this form have
a special refinement and are perfectly combined with Roman numerals on the
dial.
Syringe
Syringe arrows are so named
because of the similarity with the medical instrument. They are made in the
form of a barrel and topped with a sharp tip-needle. Their minimalistic design
is perfectly combined with the same restrained dial in its expression. An
excellent example of what strength really lies in simplicity.
Cathedral
Cathedral, or cathedral,
hands are traditionally used in watches, made in the style of military. They
are named so because of the fact that they are made a special pattern, echoing
in texture with the stained-glass windows of the cathedrals of the Middle Ages.
Such hands are quite massive, and they are perfectly combined with small minute
tick marks on the dial.
Feuille
Translating the name from
French, these arrows are often called leaf-shaped, and all because they are
really very similar to the thin long leaves of some plants. These narrow at the
ends and at the base and wide in the middle of the hands perfectly complement
the discreet design of classic watches.
Here is a far from complete
list of types of clock hands. The fact is that the development of modern dials
and new models of watches initiates the creation of exclusive hands, which will
be beneficial to complement accessories. Therefore, from time to time, watch
manufacturers delight their customers not only with classic and long-loved
options of hands, but also with their new original forms.