Baselworld: TAG Heuer’s Mikrotimer Flying 1000 Challenges Chronograph Design

Baselworld is starting off with a bang. Yesterday, TAG Heuer revealed that the results of their top secret “Project Apollo” was the production of the Mikrotimer Flying 1000, the only mechanical chronograph to measure and display the 1/1,000th of a second. The heart of this Mikrotimer vibrates at an astounding 3,600,000 beats per hour. That means that the Mikrotimer Flying 1000 is approximately 125 times more accurate than the standard chronograph and is more than 10 times faster than TAG Heuer’s last timepiece phenomenon, the Carrera Mikrograph 1/100th second that was presented last year at Geneva.

TAG Heuer lists that in 1/1000th of a second:

– Usain Bolt ran 1.2 centimeters while establishing his new 100 m world record of 9.58 seconds
– a cheetah at top speed travels 3 centimeters
– the Maglev train between Pudong International Airport and Shanghai travels 14 centimeters
– an Airbus 380 between Zurich and Singapore flies 24 centimeters
– a supersonic airplane breaking Mach 1 flies 33 centimeters
– a M16 bullet flies 97 centimeters
– Apollo 10 traveled 10 meters while establishing the fastest-ever speed for a manned craft in 1969
– the Earth rotates 29.8 meters around the Sun
– a fast neutron travels 10 kilometers
– light travels 300 kilometers

. . . and most of all it can determine the difference between first and second place in a Formula 1 race.

TAG Heuer has a long standing reputation for challenging the limits of the mechanical precision in timepieces. TAG Heuer introduced the first 1/100th Mikrograph stopwatch as early as 1916. Also, all of TAG Heuer’s latest timepiece innovation has been completely developed and manufactured in-house and contains two escapements, regular time which has 28,800 beats per hour, and ultra fast time with has 3,600,000 beats per hour.

The ground-breaking design of this unique chronograph currently has eleven patents pending. Some of the innovations of this chronograph include:

1) No balance wheel
2) A mechanical regulating body with a high frequency 500Hz spiral
3) A dynamic lever/wheel transmission that rebounds on the wheel instead of sliding
4) A Launcher-Hub-Brake system controlled by a column wheel and made possible because of the increased rigidity of the spiral

The chronograph movement is contained within a 45mm titanium carbine coated case with a double anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The dial is black gold with white and green superluminova Arabic numerals. Water resistant up to 100 meters. The team at TAG Heuer says that the Mikrotimer Flying 1000 is still in the concept stage and still needs to be put through the series of testing that all TAG Heuer watches are subjected to.

Established in 1912, King Jewelers has proudly styled jewelry and timepiece aficionados from around the world. A pioneer among independent couture jewelers, King Jewelers has built an outstanding reputation steeped in quality, value and first-class customer service. King Jewelers offers bridal consultations for brides and grooms with the expert advice of its in-house bridal stylists and diamond specialists. King Jewelers offers brides and grooms a first-class experience, conveniently offering wholesale diamonds, custom designs for engagement rings and wedding bands, luxury designer bridal jewelry, watches for him, bridal party gifts, and gift registration, as well as engravings, appraisals, and expert jewelry cleaning. With two store locations in Aventura, FL and Nashville, TN, King Jewelers has won numerous awards as the Southeast’s top jewelry store and diamond wholesaler. King Jewelers is the luxury destination in Miami and Nashville for fine jewelry, diamonds, and Swiss timepieces. King Jewelers is Nashville diamonds and engagement rings wholesale store which specializes in bridal custom designs. King Jewelers is a member of the Jewelers of America, American Watch Guild, and the American Society of Appraisers. King Jewelers has GIA Certified Gemologists and offers expert jewelry and watch repairs. For additional information, please visit www.kings1912.com.