Mechanical Watch (2022)(ciechanow.ski)
715 points by razin 1 day ago | 122 comments
tl;dr: An interactive, deeply illustrated walkthrough of how a mechanical watch movement works, breaking it down into seven core timekeeping components (mainspring, gear train, escapement, balance) plus complications like date display, keyless works, and automatic winding. Each part is explained with draggable 3D animations showing how energy flows from the wound mainspring through the escapement and balance wheel to drive the hands at precise rates, ending with a scale demonstration showing the entire mechanism fits within a credit card's footprint.
HN Discussion:
  • Article inspired hands-on real-world projects related to watch movements
  • Praise for the article's educational clarity and ability to explain complex topics simply
  • Admiration for the author's clean, vanilla code and universal browser compatibility
  • Personal reflections on fascination with mechanical timepieces and watch ownership
  • Recommendations of complementary resources like books and older demonstration videos