Watch GlossaryAlarm

What Is An Alarm Function In A Watch?

While alarm clocks are a common occurrence, it’s not too often that one finds wristwatches with this feature. In fact, considering how useful this function is, it’s a bit surprising that one does not find this featured too frequently in mechanical watches. An alarm function in a watch uses a mechanical movement instead of a digital mechanism to activate an alarm. Here, typically, a second mainspring is wound by a second crown to store the energy, which is required to operate the alarm function. The process sounds fairly simple but is actually a complex one. When the timepiece is about to strike the time for which the alarm is set, the energy stored in the spring is released, and a small hammer vibrates against a metal spring to create the alarm sound and/or vibration. This is probably a reason why many brands refrain from adding this function to their watches since it is complex and expensive to produce.

While this was initially only available in bulky clocks, this feature gradually found its way to mechanical wrist watches as well, and no one can deny their utilitarian nature. While one may argue that there is technically no need for them since we have our smartphones; they cannot match the beauty and the artistic creativity of these mechanical timekeepers with the alarm function. And one cannot deny the huge cost attached to these masterpieces. Perhaps, this is what keeps watch connoisseurs also hooked on since their demand is high and availability is scarce.

While alarm clocks are a common occurrence, it’s not too often that one finds wristwatches with this feature. In fact, considering how useful this function is, it’s a bit surprising that one does not find this featured too frequently in mechanical watches