On the Course - Repetitive Impact on a Watch

I have long been around the world of watch partnerships and the game of golf. Having had aspirations of being a professional golfer, I can’t count the number of golf courses I’ve played tournaments at that had a Rolex clock near the clubhouse (Pinehurst No. 2 and Atlanta Athletic Club come to mind immediately, and the lesser known Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pennsylvania gets an honourable mention). With golf being a sport where you can literally be told that “you’re on the clock,” it is no surprise that Rolex has been the Official Timekeeper of all major PGA and LPGA tournaments, as well as other tournaments with significant purses. Doubtless this is a marketing strategy that benefits both the golf course and Rolex: essentially a stamp on the course, the clock is a symbol of “the quest for perfection,” while the course is enriched by the ethos and rich history associated with such a luxury brand. The partnership is a paradigm emphasizing the pursuit of elegance, precision, and perfection. Rolex has its roots in golf from its initial association in 1967 with Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player. Since then, Omega, Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, Tag Heuer, and more are among the various watch brands seen on players’ wrists.

The discussion around whether you can, or should, wear a timepiece to play golf in has been a longstanding topic of debate. (Not included in this discussion is the category of digital watches used for identifying yardages.) Without going into other types of watches, the scope of this article will focus on sports watches in general within the context of wearing one during an activity with repetitive impact such as golf (or tennis, another sport where Rolex is an Official Timekeeper). Sports watches are functionally intended for recreations such as diving, racing, and flying. In fact, the idea around watches being designed for different purposes is highly interesting, and therefore should be devoted its own article.

Watch Anatomy

Aside from the discomfort of wearing a watch while playing, my intention is to explore on a high-level the mechanics behind why there even is such a conversation. Let’s start by identifying the watch from the outside in. The case is the outer shell, which protects the entirety of the watch. A clear crystal covers the dial (face) and hands, and it is sealed by the bezel which is the ring around the case. Usually the bracelet is made of the same material as the case and bezel; if the bracelet isn’t metal, it is known as a strap. The crown is a knob on the side of the watch used to wind the watch or to change the time. (It is occasionally accompanied by one or two more buttons known as pushers that have additional functions such as a stopwatch on a chronograph.)

Any activity performed, especially high impact, while wearing the watch is a chance for scratches, dents, cracks, or malfunctioning on any of these parts. The differentiation is in the material. Whether the encasing is softer and therefore more prone to scratches, such as stainless steel or precious metals, or more durable like titanium or ceramic can dictate how resistant the watch is against impact. In high-end watches, the crystal cover tends to be synthetic sapphire crystals, which are scratch-resistant and have higher visual clarity than other materials like mineral or acrylic glass. It should also be mentioned that while a more pliant material may be less prone to breaking, the tradeoff is that it might be more susceptible to scratches. This is the balance between scratch resistance and durability against impact; sapphire crystal may be highly scratch-resistant but could shatter upon a strong impact, while mineral glass is less scratch-resistant but more malleable and less likely to break.

The Movement

Looking past the surface, the more focused concern is that the fine components within the watch are unable to withstand the repetitive shocks and vibrations of a round of golf, given that the watch relies on the precise positioning and interaction of minuscule parts to keep time accurately. This is called the movement. A balance wheel generates energy as it swings back and forth (oscillates), enabled either by motion from the wearer or by winding the watch, and the escapement transfers that energy back to the balance wheel to ensure it oscillates at a certain tempo. Winding the watch tightens a spring that accumulates energy to be released at a persistent rate. The spring unwinds inside a part known as the barrel, causing it and its connected gears to rotate, which drives the hands on the dial. The balance wheel and escapement are layered among various delicate gears, springs, and bearings and the intricacies can be unsettled by the shocks and vibrations.

Some watches incorporate shock absorption systems into their designs to protect the movement from the impact of sudden and repetitive shocks. A prime example is Richard Mille’s RM 055 for Master’s winner Bubba Watson:

“The movement is held in place by four shock absorbers, cradling it within the external case framework in an effort to reduce the impact of vibrations. The bridges and baseplate of the movement itself are also made from grade 5 titanium to create a flat, strong and stable platform for the gear train. The theory behind this is that any flex in the baseplate could lead to wheels jumping out of bridges or other elements moving around under high G-forces, so the stiffness of titanium pays off. Keeping the whole watch as light as possible also reduces the forces on it; the case is a high-tech mix of titanium and something called alumina-toughened zirconia.”

In the same article, the head of IWC Schaffhausen’s research and innovation division, Dr. Lorenz Brunner, mentioned, “in all the sports, the G-forces your watch sees are roughly between 20G and 60G.” During their shock-resistance tests, each model experiences G-forces up to 5000G before being released to the market. Omega has also subjected their watches to the same limit. Truly, our recreational hobbies are no match for these exceptionally engineered timepieces.

The Verdict

Therefore, a sports watch can withstand impact, but that is contingent upon each brand’s approach. As you can see, Richard Mille has no problem with you taking the timepiece onto the course, as is the case with Omega. Rolex’s mission statement to make incredibly robust movements as well as their heavy involvement in the game of golf should assuage your doubts. You can feel safe with IWC’s sports collection of the Ingenieur and Big Pilot (able to sustain up to 30000G), but perhaps not their other models.

Some brands explicitly recommend not subjecting your watch to shocks, such as Grand Seiko, Blancpain, and Cartier.

To be sure, please refer to official watch maintenance suggestions.

References

“Anatomy of a Watch.” Crown and Caliber. Retrieved from https://www.crownandcaliber.com/pages/anatomy-of-a-watch
(2022, November 22). “How a Manual Watch Movement Works.” Initium. Retrieved from https://initium.swiss/en/blog/how-a-manual-watch-movement-works/
A. (2020, March 30). “The Different Materials Used in Watchmaking.” Code41. Retrieved from https://inside.code41watches.com/the-different-materials-used-in-watchmaking
Arthur, B. (2020, March 09). “Types of Watch Glass – Which Is Best? Types Of Watch Crystals Explained.” Ben’s Watch Club. Retrieved from https://www.benswatchclub.com/blog/types-of-watch-glass
Winstanley, B. (2022, April 06). “Can Playing Golf Ruin Your Watch?” Mr Porter. Retrieved from https://www.mrporter.com/en-ca/journal/watches/golf-damage-watch-g-force-shock-absorber-iwc-richard-mille-10630598