This video has been around for a bit (it was made in the 1940’s after all, and on YouTube for almost two years) but it has been making the rounds on some of the blogs again recently and I’m jumping on the bandwagon and posting here as well.

It actually is a well done video illustrating the basics of how a mechanical watch works. There are a lot of little components in there that can be confusing and honestly a bit daunting at times to figure out. This video blows them up to jumbo size for easier viewing and they do simplify things just a bit to make it easier to understand. It’s remarkable how the basics of a mechanical watch have existed relatively unchanged for over a century. It’s under ten minutes long, enough for a quick, educational work break.