But in mechanical watch, minute gear should make 1 rotation per hour — contradiction.

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:29:17 +0000

Understanding the Minute Gear in Mechanical Watches: The Common Misconception In the intricate world of mechanical watches, every component plays a vital role, yet few are as misunderstood as the minute gear. A frequent question arises: “In a mechanical watch, why doesn’t the minute gear rotate once per hour when it clearly moves every minute?” This misconception sparks curiosity—and the answer lies in the precise engineering behind mechanical horology. ### The Minute Gear: A Step Per Hour, Not Per Minute Contrary to intuition, the minute gear in a mechanical watch does not complete one full rotation every hour. Instead, it rotates once per hour. This might seem counterintuitive because each tick of the minute hand corresponds to one gear rotation, but the key lies in gear ratios.