Balance wheel
part · 1400 · Middle Ages
An oscillating wheel with a hairspring — the “pendulum” of portable timepieces.
What it is made of
- Spring — has part. A spiral hairspring returns the balance.
Principles and materials it uses
- Hooke’s law — uses. The Hooke–Huygens hairspring.
- Iron — is made of. Early balance wheels were iron.
Where it is used
- Pocket watch — is part of. The balance wheel with its hairspring sets the frequency.
- Marine chronometer — is part of. The pace is set by a temperature-compensated balance.
- Stopwatch — is part of. A balance wheel sets the pace.