The Most Accurate Timepiece In The World

Watch
Source: alexkerhead, cc-by-3.0, flickr

How accurate does your means of telling the time really need to be? Most of us need to know the time but a minute’s discrepancy here or there rarely makes a difference and the odd second probably never will. I guess that if you are worried about fractions of a second then you really should get a life but it is quite interesting to contemplate how accurate our time keepers truly are.

Our Watches and Gadgets

Most people will expect a mechanical watch to gain or lose a few seconds here or there. It is tempting to think that our electronic gadgets and quartz watches are very accurate but the truth is that even these lose or gain time every day. The margins are so small that it is only over a lengthy period that the discrepancy will matter and then you just make the appropriate adjustment to your device.

Aesthetics

The truth is that accuracy is now fairly low on the list of priorities for consumers looking to purchase their next timepiece. Back in the 1970’s when quartz watches first appeared their futuristic qualities and increased accuracy over mechanical watches saw the new models account for over 80% of watch sales. The story is very different toady as although even the cheapest plastic number from the local market will keep time perfectly well, watches are now valued for their aesthetics. Let’s face it you don’t need a watch to tell the time anymore with the prevalence of mobile phones so the reasons for buying one have changed from the practical to the aspirational.

Watch Accuracy

Mechanical watch sales are strong because they are now fashion statements, status symbols and collectors’ items. For the record they are impressively accurate too. A modern mechanical watch will average 99.9942% accuracy and a quartz watch 99.9998%. It is unlikely than anyone would feel the need to improve on that in their daily lives but for anyone who does the news that a new timepiece has become the most accurate in the world could be of interest.

Record Breaker

The new record breaking clock is the strontium lattice clock, an atomic clock which is accurate to less than 1 second in 5 billion years. It is 50% more accurate than the previous record holder, the National Institute of Standards and Technology quantum logic clock. The impressive timepiece was developed by the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics who have plans to improve the performance still further.

Unfortunately this level of technology is not available for the wrist or even the home and if it was there may be a shortage of interested parties who could afford the investment. It is nice to know that almost perfect accuracy is achievable but we don’t really need it in our daily lives. The odd second or two is unlikely to cause us to miss a train, an appointment or anything else for that matter. It does pay to check your watch from time to time and to make adjustments. Whether you are wearing a £5 model from the petrol station, a nice Citizen or a valuable Patek Phillipe, it will gain or lose a few seconds here and there and over a number weeks it could be out enough to make catching that train an issue.

Sally Stacey is a keen writer and business owner who divides her time between writing and running her shop,