FIRST HIGH-END MECHANICAL WATCH WITH ELECTRONIC INDICATIONS
As a world first, the EMC “Time Hunter” marks the dawn of a new era; that of a fully mechanical watch enhanced by electronics allowing the owner to gauge both the state of the movement (AMPLITUDE) and its chronometric performance (PRECISION). EMC also enables the user to fine-tune the timing of the watch to better suit individual daily rhythm and pace of life.
BESPOKE BALANCE WHEEL
The balance is made of the non-magnetic and anti-corrosion material ARCAP. Its dimensions and shape have been carefully calculated to optimise data from the optical sensor, maximise aerodynamic efficiency and minimise loss of amplitude.
DIAL WITH FOUR SEPARATE INDICATIONS
Hours and minutes dial – New highly legible time display with central hours and minutes indicated with high-contrast black hands enhanced with bright white Super-LumiNova.
80-hour power reserve indicator
Seconds dial - A rotating disk displaying seconds at 1 o'clock is visually balanced by the power reserve indicator at its antipode at 7 o'clock.
Precision and Amplitude indicators
The dial in the top left corner at 10 o'clock displays the two EMC electronic indications:
-Precision: timekeeping precision to +/- 15 seconds per day
-Amplitude: amplitude of the balance in degrees (being a good indicator of the health of a movement and if it requires servicing)
As well as these two indications, a LED on the precision display between -5 and -15 seconds will shine either green for “all okay,” or red if one or both of the EMC indications fall outside acceptable parameters.
MAINSPRING BARRELS IN SERIES
Power is provided by two large mainspring barrels connected in series, mounted vertically on a single shaft, providing a long 80-hour power reserve conducive to stable and linear timing performance.
OPTICAL SENSOR
When activated, a tiny optical sensor on the balance wheel captures the precise rate of oscillation of the 4 hertz / 28,800 vph regulator for a period of 3 seconds. This sensor consists of a transmitter and a receiver positioned either side of the balance, and is triggered manually (after charging the super capacitor) by pressing a button on the left side of the case.
MANUAL-WINDING GENERATOR
The fold-out crank handle is first wound to generate power for the EMC indications (there are no batteries). The EMC’s monitoring unit is powered by a micro-generator made by the Swiss company Maxon, known for developing motors for NASA’s Mars rovers. The electrical energy generated is stored in a super capacitor (incorporated into the case) that even after 100,000 to 200,000 charge/discharge cycles loses very little performance.
E-BOARD
16,000,000-hertz electronic oscillator
The performance of the balance of EMC (4hz) is compared against this lightning-fast reference oscillator to obtain the most accurate measurement possible, better than 10 microseconds, that's 0.000001 of a second! The oscillator has an extremely long life; its instability is only 3 parts per million over a full year.
Artificial intelligence (the computer)
This determines the difference between the timing rate of the movement and that of the reference oscillator. Each microsecond difference between the two values is expressed as a gain or loss of a second per day of the timing rate. A variation of just 0.0000014 of a second per half-vibration translates as a variation of a second per day.
IN-HOUSE MOVEMENT
EMC is a fully 100% mechanical watch. The electronics of the EMC monitoring unit have absolutely no influence on the mechanical movement. The calibre was conceived, developed, crafted and calibrated in the URWERK ateliers. The movement’s chronometric performance has been tested in 5 positions for 30 days to ensure it meets the highest standards for a precision watch.
TIMING ADJUSTMENT SCREW
The precision of the movement can be simply adjusted faster or slower by turning the screw on the back of the watch which changes the active length of the balance spring.
This allows the owner to adjust the time to suit their own lifestyle.