Most exciting watch movements?

To start of with another option: high frequency quartz from Bulova

A. Lange & Söhne L132.1 from the Triple Split.

Most complicated chronograph ever created and the finishing is world class.

I’m a simple man, to me it doesn’t get better than JLC!

Spring Drive has to be one of the most interesting developments in movement tech in hundreds of years - way more interesting than quartz movements (to me).

Omega are always pushing the envelope (Co-Axial escapement, Spirate system and general anti-magnetism).

Rolex don't get enough kudos for their movements and recent developments like the Chronergy Escapement and previous silicone developments (Parachrom and Syloxi hairsprings) have kept them at the pinnacle of reliable, accurate and bullet proof movement design and manufacture.

What JLC did with the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 a few years ago was amazing.

AL and S's double split chronograph movement and MB&F's Legacy Machine are pretty wild too.

Other-

Co-axial & Spirate regulation.

For me it's the pursuit of mechanical accuracy is all that matters!!

Citizen's Caliber 0100 gets half (maybe a bit more than half) of my vote. The other half goes to the Spring Drive. Spring Drive is interesting mechanics-wise, but you gotta admire Citizens pursuit of perfection and the result: the most accurate stand alone watch movement humans were able to produce so far - Caliber 0100.

I'm not very well versed in movements, I'm just trying to understand the ones I wear - Seiko, Miyota, Vostok...

Yeah, there's nothing more exciting than a quartz movement!

I can stare at that static circuit board & lithium battery for hours in total awe! 🤣

BREGUET CLASSIQUE DOUBLE TOURBILLON 5345PT/1S/7XU

If you are into the tech, that doesn't necessarily require being able to see moving parts right? If the accuracy is your dig, to me it could be cool.

At the same time, I'm fully with you on the looks of a mechanical movement 🤓

👍👍

Any mechanical movement makes me smile, the simple, the complex. Always amazed how someone someday invented a few toothed wheels with a spring inside that was able to keep track of time with high precision.

Vintage movements showed a lot of experimentation and variety. The main challenge is that you can't usually see them. Some of my favourites are: The first automatic wristwatch design, invented by John Harwood and licensed by AS.

The Bidynator, the first bidirectional winding movement.

The first micro-rotor invented by Buren.

The last mass-produced pocket watch movement, the Unitas 6498

Easy, the FC-810 from Frederique Constant. Beating at 40 hz with 80 hours power reserve. For some reason, no one seems to care.

I honestly think the 9F is a bigger marvel than the spring drive. But that's me. Also citizens 0100 mentioned by @Matt_Kane

To me the MB&F LM Perpetual is one of the most amazing modern movement design stories there is. Stephen McDonnell a previous non-watch designer steps in an completely reinvisions the design of a perpetual calendar. Pure Genius.

https://www.mbandf.com/en/machines/legacy-machines/lmperpetual

That's a great read Hans.

I didn't know a thing about this movement. As he says in the article - it's a shame it isn't spoken of more in conversations like this.

I picked up an FC recently (Highlife) and it's a mighty impressive watch and an absolute bargain for the (heavily discounted) price I was able to pick it up.

Great article Mike. Thanks for steering me to it. Büsser is one of those guys an industry needs. Whether you like the aesthetic of what he does or not (and it's not for me tbh) you can't help but appreciate his vision.

Cheers mate.

Too many to choose. Some of those tourbillon posted recently were amazing as are the ones posted.

Why FC get so little praise for their movements is an enduring mystery.

Horage K2.

Thanks @Hans01, I heard about this 'monolithic' movement. It's super interesting, although availability is limited at the moment I believe..

I would be game for a highlife with this movement 😎

FC is part of Citizen and like everything Citizen, is not spoken about.

Spot on. Ditto La Joux-Perret.

A few Seiko movements are also neglected. The NE86/88 - column wheel, vertical clutch chronos. Almost zero coverage or awareness.

I think that the Citizen group:

1. Does not care about western customers and focuses on Asian markets.

2. Does not understand today's market practices, like doing "collaborations" with watch YouTubers, watch webzines such as Hodinkee and bloggers.

Seiko seems to be similar at point no.2

In the UK I get the impression that the Citizen group has an impressively wide retail distribution network, probably wider than Seiko/Lorus, and has done a good job marketing Eco-Drive, but isn't remotely interested in online watchfandom.

They do have some cobranding like with the Red Arrows and various comic and movie characters, but not with the watch "influencers" [shudder]

Other

Cartier Masse Mystérieuse

For me, the most interesting and cool movements on my wishlist are a Spring Drive and an Accutron.

The accutron is a good addition for sure! They look really exciting ⚡