Omega (also) has a new balance spring!!!

[el-piloto]

Hi everybody !

Now THIS is yet another piece of BIG news for the guys at Bienne!!!

Omega has produced and introduced their new (and very own) balance-sprind
as well in BaselWorld 2008!!!

It is based (like the PP one) on Silicon!!!



And here are some details directly quoted from the Omega Press Texts:

Silicon is non-magnetic so the performance of the Si 14 balance-spring is
not disturbed by exposure to magnetic objects. This physical property of
silicon allows watches with the Si 14 balance-spring to deliver significantly
better chronometric performance than balance-springs made of traditional
materials.

While the performance of mechanical watches tends to deviate over time
as a result of small everyday shocks, these disturbances have very little
effect on Si 14 silicon balance-springs.

There is substantial freedom in the fabrication of balance-springs made of
silicon which allows the Si 14’s geometry to be modified for optimal
isochronism, the quality of oscillations occurring in equal periods of time.
This isochronous quality reduces the amount of deviation in the watch’s
accuracy.

The Si 14 silicon balance-springs are being introduced in the De Ville
Hour Vision Annual Calendar watch and in the Seamaster Aqua Terra
Ladies’ OMEGA Co-Axial Collection.

The “Si 14” identification marks engraved on the balance arm and on the
back of the watchcase serve as a reminder that these are among the
finest, most advanced, most accurate mechanical timepieces in the world.

The new Aqua Terra Ladies' models (the mechanical ones) feature the new
and smaller in-house cal. 8520/8521. They are also based on last year's
8500/8501 movts.
They are...

the first Co-Axial calibre designed especially for smaller
watches. The new Aqua Terra Ladies’ mechanical watches are also among
the first watches to be equipped with a silicon balance spring, a feature
which offers unprecedented chronometric performance in an
industrially-produced mechanical wristwatch.

(Quoted from Omega's Press Texts as well)

Here's a pic of the new (and smaller 8520):

Photo copyright by Harry of TimeZone!

Note that the new movement now again has a ball-bearing for the
automatic rotor (contrary to the 8500/8501) that had a "plain bearing"!

Wow... with a new (and very own) balance spring, Omega is reeeeeally
climbing the ladder up fast!!!

Amazing work!!! It won't be too long now and Omega might really get back
to where they were in their best decades... the 1940s, 1950s & 1960s!!!

The road is long, but they sure have taken the right direction to reach their
goal!!!
Glad to be with them too...

Wow...