Ball develops new anti-shock systems for watch that hopes to keep up with US Navy SEALs.

by James Buttery

You might not have heard of DEVGRU before but you will almost certainly have heard of its nomme de guerre. SEAL Team Six, is without doubt the United States? most recognised special forces unit.
Given the sort of scrapes the members of the Navy SEALs? foremost unit are sure to regularly find themselves in, they require equipment robust enough to keep up with them. Serving members of SEAL Team Six have now worked with Ball Watch Company to develop a watch capable of withstanding the kind of shocks SEALs take in their stride.

After the exacting requirements were laid out by the Navy SEALs, Ball?s new independent R&D centre, Patrick?s Labs, was drafted in to develop new techniques to improve the robustness of the mechanical watch and preserve the accuracy of its movement. Anti-shock
A patented anti-shock feature has been added to the regulator to both stabilise the system in the event of a shock and ensure it maintains its set position. A shock-absorbing, padded seal system also allows the ETA-based automatic movement and crown – which itself is enveloped within a crown guard – to move slightly in the event of an impact. Such play will also likely explain the somewhat modest 100m water resistance rating.

Ball?s patented SpringLOCK system, which encases the balance spring in a cage which prevents the spring from deforming in the result of an impact,...