Entropy, Time, and the Art of Watchmaking
Exploring the Connection Between Thermodynamics and Horology
Gather ‘round as we embark on a journey through the somewhat mysterious concept of entropy1. You might be wondering what on earth this has to do with watches, but fear not, for by the time we’ve concluded our little thought experiment, you’ll see how this fundamental principle of the universe is as intimately connected to your prized pieces as the intricate gears within them.
Before we continue, I must add: This video had a profound impact on me, and I’ve watched it several times, including twice with my 8-year-old. I plan to watch it with my other kid at some point, too. I have discussed it with several collectors at length, and it remains one of my all time favourite videos. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of entropy, I’d suggest you start with this video and return to this post when you’re done - it might have more meaning to you this way. That said, it is not ‘required watching’ at all, so it’s entirely up to you!
Estimated reading time: ~ 20 Minutes
The Essence of Entropy
Imagine a world where everything remains pristine, where your meticulously organised watch collection never gathers dust, where the oils in your movements never degrade, and where the patina on vintage pieces never forms. Sounds boring, doesn’t it? Well, thank the cosmos for entropy - ensuring life remains a constant adventure of maintenance, restoration, and occasional despair!
Entropy, in its simplest form, is a measure of disorder. It’s the reason why the watchmaker’s bench, no matter how fastidiously you arrange it, inevitably descends into chaos by the end of a servicing session. It’s the force which transforms your pristine, box-fresh Rolex into a characterful companion bearing the scars of your shared adventures. In essence, entropy is nature’s way of charging us for the privilege of existence, a sort of universal VAT, if you will.
The concept was first brought to light by a chap named Rudolf Clausius, a German mathematician and physicist. Clausius, the weirdo, was puzzling over the behaviour of heat engines when he stumbled upon this universal truth. He noticed when energy is converted into work, there’s always a bit of wastage. This led him to coin the term ‘entropy’, derived from the Greek word for transformation.
Consider Clausius’s profound statement:
“The energy of the universe is constant. The entropy of the universe tends to a maximum.”
Admittedly, this is a sobering thought; The universe itself is winding down, very much like a fully-wound mechanical watch! It turns out, in this march towards disorder, we find the very essence of life, time, and indeed, the art of horology.
The Arrow of Time: Entropy’s Compass
Let’s delve deeper into the temporal implications of entropy. This concept provides us with one of the few pieces of evidence for the existence of time itself. The Arrow of Time, a term coined by the astronomer Arthur Eddington in 1927, points towards the future, guided by the steady increase of entropy.
Eddington put it like this:
“Let us draw an arrow arbitrarily. If as we follow the arrow we find more and more of the random element in the state of the world, then the arrow is pointing towards the future; if the random element decreases the arrow points towards the past. That is the only distinction known to physics.”
I’m sorry, but this is truly fascinating, and if you don’t agree, you might as well stop reading now. The concept which gives meaning to our watches - the forward march of time - is intrinsically linked to the increase of disorder in the universe. Every tick of a watch is basically a tiny rebellion against the cosmos, an effort to impose order on what seems to be ever-increasing chaos!
Think about a balance wheel in a mechanical watch. Its oscillations, so precise and regular, are a microcosm of our struggle against entropy. Each swing represents a small victory, a moment of order in a universe bent on disorder. Yet, inevitably, the mainspring winds down, the oils degrade, and the pivots wear.
Entropy always collects its dues.
Entropy in Horology: A Collector’s Perspective
As collectors, we are engaged in a constant battle against entropy. Every time we wind our watches, we are injecting energy into the system, temporarily staving off the relentless march of disorder.
Consider your watch box. Left unopened, entropy would have its way. The oils in your movements would congeal, the gaskets would dry and crack, and the cases would tarnish. Each time you carefully wind your watches, each time you send them for service, each time you gently polish a case or change a strap, you are engaged in a noble battle against entropy. You are, in your own small way, imposing order on the universe.
That said, entropy doesn’t always equate to a loss of value. Quite the contrary! Consider the patina on a vintage watch case, or the tropical dial of an old Rolex. These are manifestations of entropy, yes, but they’re also what make these watches unique and valuable. Isn’t it amusingly ironic? The same force which threatens to degrade our precious watches can also enhance their charm and value. Entropy, in its infinite mischief, basically plays a practical joke on depreciation 😂
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In embracing patina, we’re not just accepting entropy - we’re celebrating it. We’re acknowledging that the passage of time, with all its wear and tear, can add rather than subtract value. It’s a profound shift in perspective, one which challenges our notions of perfection and desirability.
This paradox speaks to a deeper truth about our relationship with time and objects. We value things for more than just their pristine, as-new condition; We value the stories they tell and the history they embody. This isn’t news to any SDC-reader. A watch bearing the marks of its journey through time becomes more than just a timekeeper. It becomes a historical artefact, a tangible link to the past.
So what does all this mean for us, the humble collectors? I would argue the understanding of entropy can make us better, more thoughtful collectors.
First off, it teaches us patience. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a truly impressive watch collection isn’t assembled overnight. It takes time, effort, and yes, a bit of disorder, to create something truly special.
Secondly, it encourages us to engage with our collections. Regular winding, occasional wearing, and proper storage are all ways we can temporarily stave off entropy. It’s a never-ending task, sure, but isn’t that part of the joy of collecting?
Next, it helps us appreciate the effort and craftsmanship which goes into our watches. Every innovation in watchmaking, from Nivarox balance springs to silicon escapements, can be seen as an attempt to resist entropy. By understanding this, we gain a deeper appreciation for the art and science of horology.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, entropy teaches us to embrace imperfection. A small scratch here, a bit of patina there - these are not flaws, but character marks, evidence of a life well-lived.
Preservation vs. Use also happens to be one of the great dilemmas facing any serious watch collector. On the one hand, we have the desire to preserve our precious watches in pristine condition. Some keep them in their boxes, safely ensconced in watch winders, protected from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (and the occasional door frame). It’s a noble endeavour, to be sure… an attempt to hold entropy at bay.
On the other hand, what is a watch if not worn? A watch locked away in a safe, never to see the light of day, is like a European Roller in a gilded cage - beautiful, perhaps, but unfulfilled. As the great English playwright Tom Stoppard so eloquently put it in his play Arcadia:
“When you stir your rice pudding, Septimus, the spoonful of jam spreads itself round making red trails like the picture of a meteor in my astronomical atlas. But if you stir backwards, the jam will not come together again. Indeed, the pudding does not notice and continues to turn pink just as before. Do you think this is odd?”
Replace ‘rice pudding’ with ‘watch collection’, and ‘jam’ with ‘wear and tear’, and you have a decent metaphor for the collector’s dilemma. Once you’ve worn a watch, you can’t unwear it. The entropy arrow only points in one direction.
So what to do? Well, we’ve kinda covered it above, but as with most things in life, the answer lies in balance. Wear your watches, enjoy them, let them fulfil their horological destiny. But also care for them, service them regularly, and yes, sometimes, let them rest in their boxes. For in this ebb and flow between use and preservation, we find the true joy of watch collecting.
After all, what is the point of owning a fine watch if one is too afraid to wear it?
The Watchmaker’s Dilemma
Now we turn our attention to watchmakers. These skilled artisans are engaged in a daily battle against entropy, armed with nothing more than their loupes, tweezers, and an indomitable spirit.
At first glance, a watchmaker’s bench might appear to be entropy incarnate. Tiny components strewn about, tools of all shapes and sizes scattered all over the place, half-assembled movements lying in various states of completion. To the untrained eye, it’s chaos.
Upon closer inspection, we see this apparent chaos is, in fact, a highly ordered system. Each tool has its place, each component its purpose. The watchmaker, like a conductor before an orchestra, brings harmony to this symphony of springs and gears.
In thermodynamic terms, one might say the watchmaker’s bench is a local decrease in entropy. Energy (in the form of the watchmaker’s skill and labour) is constantly being input into the system to maintain this order.
Is this not entropy in reverse? The creation of order from chaos, the imposition of will upon the unformed universe? Each watch leaving a watchmaker’s bench is a tiny victory against entropy, a small pocket of order in an increasingly disordered cosmos.
Even after creation, every time a watchmaker services a watch, they are effectively resetting the clock of entropy. They clean away the grime, replace the oils, and adjust the escapement. It’s a Sisyphean task, to be sure, for no sooner has the watch left their bench than entropy begins its insidious work anew.
Still, without entropy, without this constant degradation, would we need watchmakers at all? Would we have developed the incredible skills and technologies which go into modern watchmaking? I think not. Entropy, in its own perverse way, drives innovation and craftsmanship in the world of horology.
Consider the development of new materials in watchmaking. Silicon hairsprings, ceramic bezels, carbon fibre cases - all these innovations are, in one way or another, attempts to thwart entropy. They resist magnetism, corrosion, and wear better than their traditional counterparts. Yet even these marvels of modern materials science will, given enough time, succumb to disorder.
Surely this is enough to make one philosophical?! In fact, many already are. How often do you hear debates about silicon hairsprings lacking the purity of old watchmaking charm?2
Entropy and the Luxury Watch Industry
Ok, let’s zoom out a bit and consider entropy’s role in the broader luxury watch industry. At first glance, one might think an industry predicated on precision, quality, and timelessness would be antithetical to the concept of entropy. But how wrong one would be!
The luxury watch industry, like any other, is also subject to the whims of entropy. Brands rise and fall, trends come and go, and what was once cutting-edge becomes passé. It’s a constant battle between innovation and tradition, of pushing boundaries while respecting heritage.
Consider the quartz crisis of the 1970s and 1980s. Here was entropy in action on an industry-wide scale. The established order of Swiss mechanical watchmaking was thrown into chaos by the introduction of cheaper, more accurate quartz watches. Many brands didn’t survive this entropic event, but those that did, emerged stronger, more innovative, and arguably more luxurious than ever.
Even today, we see entropy at work in the industry. The rise of smartwatches, the changing preferences of younger consumers, the impact of global events - all of these inject disorder into the system. Yet, the industry adapts, innovates, and carries on.
The next one on the horizon is the rise of Chinese haute horology. I will not say more yet, but I feel Chinese watchmaking is an impending threat to the Swiss status quo. When the time is right, and my story is straight, I will lay it all out for you.
Entropy and Design
You might think watch designers, with their pursuit of precision and perfection, would be wholly opposed to the concept of entropy. In fact, many aspects of watch design are better viewed as a dialogue with entropy. Think about the idea of a dive watch. A robust case, screw-down-crown3, and unidirectional bezel are all designed to withstand the entropic forces of water pressure, corrosion, and accidental knocks.
What about the tourbillon? This supposed ‘complication,’ invented by the GOAT Breguet, was designed to counteract the effects of gravity on the accuracy of a watch. In essence, it is a miniature revolt against entropy, a tiny whirlwind of order in the face of cosmic chaos.
Even the materials used in modern watchmaking can be seen through the lens of entropy. Ceramics, sapphire crystals, and exotic alloys are all employed in the eternal struggle against wear, corrosion, and degradation.
The Entropy of Trends
Entropy plays as much havoc with trends as much as it does with the physical world.
Think about the rise and fall of watch sizes over the decades. From the diminutive dress watches of the mid-20th century, we swung to the oversized behemoths of the early 2000s. Today we find ourselves somewhere in the middle, with a trend towards more modest sizes. Basically the watch industry itself is seeking equilibrium, a state of maximum entropy where all sizes are equally probable!
Or how about the cyclical nature of vintage reissues. Brands delve into their archives, bringing back designs from decades past, only to see them reinterpreted and reimagined for modern tastes. Right now it feels like the ebb and flow of order and chaos, of tradition and innovation. I’ve already argued this is unhelpful for it promotes laziness and discourages genuine innovation, so I won’t bore you with that diatribe.
Even the materials used in watchmaking are subject to the whims of entropy. Steel, once the undisputed king of watch cases, now finds itself sharing the throne with titanium, ceramic, tantalum and carbon fibre. Gold, perhaps the most traditional of luxury materials, now comes in a rainbow of alloys, each with its own unique properties.
With this constant churn of trends and fashions, we observe entropy at work. The established order is constantly being disrupted, only to settle into a new equilibrium, which in turn will be disrupted again.
The Entropy of Value
We can’t forget the unpredictable world of watch values, for here, perhaps more than anywhere else in our hobby, we see entropy working its magic.
We’ve only recently witnessed the wild fluctuations in the prices of certain models. A watch that was once readily available at retail suddenly becomes as rare as hen’s teeth, commanding multiples of its original price on the secondary market. Then, just as suddenly, the bubble bursts, and prices come crashing down. It’s entropy in action, my friends, the constant movement from order to disorder and back again.
Or recall the rise of certain brands. A once-obscure manufacturer suddenly finds itself the darling of the watch world, its pieces adorning the wrists of celebrities and filling the pages of glossy magazines. Is this not entropy at work, disrupting the established order of the watch industry?
Even the concept of value itself is subject to entropy. What makes a watch valuable? Is it rarity? Complication? Brand heritage? The answer, of course, is all of these and none of these. Value, unlike energy in a closed system, can be both created and destroyed, and it can also be redistributed in ways which defy logic and prediction.
In this swirling maelstrom of hype, speculation, and investment, we see entropy in its purest form.
Entropy and Timekeeping
The very essence of watchmaking is the measurement of time itself. For here, in the relentless ticking of seconds, we find entropy engaged in its most fundamental battle.
Every mechanical watch, from the humblest pocket watch to the most complicated grand sonnerie, is engaged in a constant struggle against entropy. Each tick of the balance wheel, each rotation of the gear train, is a tiny victory against the forces of disorder. Yet, inevitably, entropy will have its way.
The oils lubricating the movement will degrade. The pivots will wear. The mainspring will lose its elasticity. Slowly but surely, the watch will lose its accuracy, its ability to keep perfect time eroding like a sandcastle before the relentless tide.
But here’s the beautiful thing: this very struggle is what gives mechanical watches their soul. It’s what separates them from their quartz and digital counterparts. A mechanical watch is not just a timekeeping device; it’s a miniature battlefield where the forces of order wage a constant war against entropy.
Consider the words of the renowned physicist Brian Cox:
“The Arrow of Time dictates that as each moment passes, things change, and once these changes have happened, they are never undone. Permanent change is a fundamental part of what it means to be human. We all age as the years pass by — people are born, they live, and they die.”
Is this not the very essence of horology? Our watches, like us, are born (or rather, assembled), they live (on our wrists or in our watch boxes), and eventually, they die (or at least, stop ticking). But in that journey, they become more than mere objects. They become companions, confidants, and storytellers.
The Entropy of Collecting Itself
Now let’s look at a collector’s journey - the meandering path taking us from wide-eyed novices to battle-hardened connoisseurs4. In this journey, we see entropy at work in the most personal of ways.
When we first dip our toes into the hobby, everything is new, exciting, and often, a bit overwhelming. We’re like molecules in a high-energy state, bouncing around wildly, our collecting habits erratic and unpredictable. We might buy a dress watch one day, a diver the next, and a quirky independent piece the day after that. It’s chaos, but a delightful chaos I suppose!
As time passes (measured, of course, by our ever-growing collection of watches), something curious happens. Our tastes refine, our knowledge deepens, and our collecting habits become more... shall we say, ordered. We develop preferences for certain brands, complications, or eras. We learn to appreciate the minutiae of finishing techniques and the nuances of movement architecture.
In thermodynamic terms, we might say our collecting energy is being channelled more efficiently. We’re no longer bouncing around wildly but moving with purpose. Yet, paradoxically, this increase in order often leads to an increase in the overall entropy of our collection.
How so, you ask? Well, consider as our tastes become more refined, our collections often become more diverse and complex. That Casio G-Shock that once sat proudly next to our Rolex Submariner now finds itself relegated to the drawer, replaced perhaps by a handmade piece from an independent watchmaker. Our once-simple three-watch collection has evolved into a carefully curated assortment of haute horlogerie, each piece chosen for its specific attributes and horological significance.
In essence, while our individual choices become more ordered, our overall collection becomes more complex, more diverse - in a word, more entropic.
It’s a pretty epic paradox, right?
After all that, perhaps the most profound lesson we can draw from these entropic adventures is this: in horology, as in life, perfection is not the absence of change, but the embrace of it. The most interesting watches, like the most interesting people, are those that bear the marks of their journey through time.
Let me add one last point.
These insights aren’t just academic musings. They can fundamentally change how you approach watch collecting. Are you obsessing over keeping your watches pristine? Maybe the time to embrace a few battle scars has come. Are you chasing the latest trends? Consider how they fit into the larger entropic tides of the industry.
Perhaps the collection you need to reassess is your own. I take this idea seriously, and while it is sometimes uncomfortable to apply these entropic principles to my own watches, it has been the most valuable part of my journey.
After all, in horology as in thermodynamics, the only constant is change. So keep winding your watches, give them wrist time, and remember… Every tick is a tiny victory in our struggle against the indifferent cosmos.
Surely this is a much more profound way to check the time?
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Answer: TOO OFTEN.
Woop! That reminds me, I need to do a post about this!
I exclude myself from this noble definition.
Amazing reminder that every moment spent is never gained back, but stamped forever .. looking forward to your piece on Chinese watchmaking already.
Well written Sir! Those old Rollies serve as a gentle reminder none of us will escape the big E! To paraphrase the late great Robin Williams in ‘Dead Poets Society.’ - “Because we're food for worms, lads! Carpe Diem!”