What's in a movement?

Back in 1999 when we got started there were dozens of quartz and mechanical movements one could buy off the shelf. Hours, minutes and seconds, perhaps a date. Ready to go. Just place the order. Today there are hundreds of them available.

But I wanted more. I wanted the essential cycles of the sun and the moon, the natural measures of time. Times for sunrise and sunset to start with.

Then as now, no off the shelf movement exists that captures these moments in time. Why? Because they are governed by complex time cycles that depends on latitude, longitude, time of year, TZ and DST. Mechanical and quartz movements are simply not capable of capturing this data. One must engage chip technology to solve this puzzle.

We had no choice but to build a movement from scratch. To date we have spent way into six figures on the development of this one of a kind movement. It knows time like no other.

Astronomical Algorithms
and
Chip Technology.

To calculate time for sunrise and sunset anywhere anytime, one must employ astronomical algorithms. The only technology that can independently decipher these algorithms on your wrist is chip technology. These cosmic cycles have been known to astronomers for millennia. Google the Antikythera mechanism for an interesting back drop and insight.

Jean Meeus, a Belgian astronomer, is credited with writing them for the modern age in 1979. Thanks to him and NASA for sharing them.

On top of these algorithms, we laid our programming for 650 cities, 24 time zones in 15-minute increments, coupled with the myriad of DST standards that exists worldwide. Both TZ and DST borderlines follow geographical borders and this must be considered in order to get correct calculations. The watch calculates time for the next 24 hours at midnight. Your personal settings are kept in memory even if the battery goes flat.

In addition to Sun data, we added Moon data, City data, multiple of alarms, a stopwatch, electronic compass and a range of setting options.

Bonding the master chip to the PCB.

Through a microscopic process, the chip is connected to the PCB with wire bonding. The over 100 tiny contacts in the chip bonds to the PCB that holds all the components and runs the LCD and watch operations. Once bonded, the chip is sealed forever with black epoxy.

The LCD screen.

The LCD screen was designed to interact with our programming to display the time data in a circular 24-hour format. To reflect the daily and seasonal changes of the sun and the moon as they happen. The LCD has 1094 segments in it. Pretty sure it is the most complex LCD ever manufactured. Still, it is very power effective.

The width on the contacts around the 3 edges is only 0.46 mm and offers effective use of space while still allowing maximum connectivity between PCB and LCD.

The servo-driven 24-hour analog hand.

A Swiss Ronda quartz movement where we slowed the 12-hour hand down to 24 hours, run by the master chip. To display a view of day and night only, a 24-hour watch makes sense. One hand that sweeps the dial once, tracking the suns path across the sky.

A sundial for the modern man.
Big and bold.

The wrist offers a tiny spot for a watch. The V7 measures in at 46x16mm with the lugnuts nested close to the case for a comfortable wear. The titanium makes it surprisingly light. Case drawings are done to exact standards. It takes a huge number of components to put this watch together. Considering all that it does, it is actually a lean and mean time machine.

The module consists of multiple components that stack together into a tight unit. Every single one of the parts modified or custom made.

Daytime and night time readability.

Readability has been key to bring forward the complexity of time shown in an intuitive way. The tritium tubes combined with super luminova LUME provides for a crisp nighttime readout. Built to pass T25 standard. Basically, it means less than 1 Gbq radio activity.

The wireless charging.

Powering a timekeeper has been a challenge since the dawn of time. Many things were tried: the sun, fire, water and sand, among them.

The V7 needs a steady supply of electric power; and the custom made wireless charging system does just that. The internal coil mirrors the coil in the charging bed. When charging, the distance between them is 2mm for maximum efficiency. On a full night of charging, you'll get up to 3 months of battery charge. Battery life depends on usage and age. Manufacturers spec is about 2 years, but if kept charged and cared for, my experience is that they last longer.

A note on Complications.

Complications: A word that holds great mystique in the watch-making world. It applies to free-standing wrist watches. Basically, every new and different thing the watch can do that relates to time is counted as a complication. Vacheron Constantin holds the world record with 57 complications built into a marvelous pocket watch that has a watch face on two sides. For a mere $8 million it can be yours.

Hours, minutes and seconds, for example, count as one complication. Sunrise and sunset count as two.

Just for the hell of it, I counted the number of complications we got in the V7:

1. Hours, Minutes, Seconds
2. Time Trim to +/- 1.0 seconds a month
3. Automatic motor driven 24-hour hand
4. Rotating bezel for second time zone
5. Active screen showing day and night
6. Length of day
7. Length of night
8. Day
9. Date
10. Month
11. DOY, Day Of Year
12. Week Number
13. Year
14. Automatic adjustment for leap year
15. Automatic adjustment for DST and TZ
16. DST can be set manually
17. 2400 format
18. AM/PM format
19. Digital time can be turned on and off
20. Can be set by latitude, longitude, DST and TZ
21. Pre-programmed to 650 cities worldwide
22. 10 favorite cities kept in memory, any one can be set as the AWAY city
23. Equation of time
24. Sunrise
25. Sunset
26. Zenith
27. True Midnight
28. Morning Twilight, all 3 levels
29. Evening Twilight, all 3 levels
30. Sunrise and Sunset alarm with 0-60 minute pre-alarm
31. Solstices to the minute
32. Equinoxes to the minute
33. Cross Quarters to the minute
34. Moon phase
35. % Lunar Illumination
36. Moonrise
37. Moonset
38. Waxing and waning moon
39. Lunar High Noon
40. Lunar Midnight
41. Time for next New Moon
42. Time for next Full Moon
43. Regular set alarm with snooze
44. 99 minute timer
45. 24 hour stopwatch with lap times to 1/100 second
46. Top of the Hour alarm with user choice of hours of operation
47. 999 day countdown/up alarm
48. Multiple outer yellow ring displays, SR/SS, SRSSALT, MR/MS, MINUTE
49. Electroluminescent backlight
50. LUME and tritium 24-hour dial
51. Electronic compass
52. 7 languages
53. Rechargeable battery with bar indicator, 3 month battery life
54. Sleep mode for battery power reserve

For reference the Rolex Submariner has 5 complications.

What customers say.

My two V7 watches arrived this week and they are stunning! The attention to detail is impressive, the operation is flawless, and I love the color combinations (WS-5B w/blue AM/PM bezel; WB-5B w/yellow symbol bezel). Thank you for bringing this project to fruition! You've had to work through many obstacles during the last year, and the quality product that you delivered is a testament to your dedication and high standards. All the best to you and your team in 2021!
Michael

Hi Bjorn,
I am loving the new V7, it is a truly worthy successor to the Zulu 4.0 and the Equilibrium. I am still awaiting the 5-link titanium band for it, but I must say the blue and white nylon band with the blue watch face looks sharp as hell!
I must give my thanks to you for your perseverance in seeing this watch through, it took a while to come to fruition but it was most definitely worth the wait! I especially like the hour hand on the new V7, it is amazingly accurate throughout the 24 hour cycle and is still reading accurately after a month with no adjustments. And the tritium tubes look awesome at night!
Truly yours,
Kevin

Bjorn,
I received my World Watch V7 today. It exceeds expectations, even considering I'm a return customer and loved my Zulu. Spent most of today playing with the new watch. It's thicker than expected, it's a big boy, love it. And, it's very light given it's bulk. Nicely done.
Pete

Hi Bjorn,
I received the watch!!! And I am loving it! It is amazing. A piece ofart! I wanted to congratulate you for your V7 project! And thank you for your constant support and fast answers.
Thank you very much.
Pablo

I just got the watch this morning. I was expecting it to be bigger and much heavier, I was shocked! It is so awesome! I can't believe that you were able to pack so many useful features into such an artistic masterpiece!
Timothy

Thank you so very much for your vision and creative drive, you have created a masterpiece!
John

Bjorn,
It is spectacular! Thank you so much.
Kevin

Hi Bjorn,
Received the V7 yesterday. Watch is amazing. Great job.
Steven

Bjorn,
Many thanks to you and your team, for making this. Winter Solstice and Grand Conjunction is so dynamic. For me, your new design's completion and arrival have made these astronomical events all the more meaningful to me. Your V7 is one of a kind.
Kevin

Dear Bjorn,
I just received the two V7 watches today and they are stunning! The attention to detail is impressive, and I love the color combinations. As soon as I remove a few links from the bracelet, I'll start wearing one of the watches and gain some hands-on experience. Thank you so much for bringing this project to fruition! You've had to work through many obstacles during the last year, and the quality product that you delivered is a testament to your dedication and high standards. All the best,
Ray

Pure awesomeness! Love the watch!
Landon

A quick note to let you know it has arrived. Everything came in good order, I wasn't inconvenienced by having to pay additional taxes on it (although you never know with these guys - I could always get a letter in the mail next month....). Holy Moly what a handsome watch! The black dial/body/ bracelet is sexy as hell. It's hard not to compare and contrast it with the version 2 that I have. Maybe I'll write my observations and take a few photos of it later. Kind regards and stay safe,
Charles

I received both watches yesterday. My sincerest thanks for your attention and service. The V7 is phenomenal. Despite its size and width it sits directly on top of the wrist and the silicon band is ultra comfortable. Stay safe and healthy Bjorn.
Sincerely,
Rick

Hello Bjorn,
I just wanted to let you know that I have well received my WorldWatch, and have been wearing it since then.It is gorgeous and looks even better than in pictures. I love it! I found out about it relatively recently and have spent quit some time avidly reading about it. It is really interesting to learn about the story of its development (both this particular V7 model and the evolution of the Yes Watch through the different iterations).
I really like the choices you made for this final version! Even though I feel like this is the ultimate model and I cannot think of anything to add nor to remove, I am now a convert and will keep an eye out for your next campaign!
Best wishes,
Romain
PS: I fall into the category of outdoorsmen. Being a wildlife biologist and often observing nocturnal and crepuscula creatures, I had been looking for a timepiece that would indicate at a glance moon phases, rising and setting times, twilight periods. The WorldWatch delivers it beautifully. :-)

Hi Bjorn,
It just arrived 2h ago, after a week stuck at EU customs, look at that beauty!!! it is perfect, size, weight, style etc..., it fits perfectly on my tiny wrist.
Now I'll be diving into the manual and play with all the new features.
To summarize... I love it
Thank you for all
Jerome

Among my watch collection is a YES WorldWatch V7. It truly displays the most comprehensive and practical horological picture with just a brief glance. The amount of horological data (both Astronomical and Man-made) that this watch is capable of displaying staggers the mind.
The rechargeable battery easily lasts two months between charges, and would probably go to three. Then just pop it on the clip charger overnight, and you are good to go for another quarter.
Bjorn is an absolute pleasure to deal with. Honest and reliable to a fault. There are not many watch companies in existence today where one may speak directly with the President of the company to offer suggestions for product improvement, or just to converse about the subjects of Astronomy and Horology.
Among my collection of some very high-end German and Japanese watches, it is far and away my YES watch that receives the most wrist time.
Jim Clement

This is a wonderful elegant and fantastically functioning watch. I use it as an art piece as well as checking it b4 leaving the house. Thank you for making this for us and hope that you do make $$$. I wish I had friends who would accept this as a gift or wish to buy it outright. I try... Again thank you for sharing your talents with the world. This watch truly adds to the wonderment of all of everything. Thank you.
Greg
PS: I do await your next project.

Bjorn,
I just got my watch from the Drop. This is an absolutely gorgeous work of art. I really love it. I mentioned that I'd had one of your watches on my wishlist for many years and I'm so glad I pulled the trigger. I feel like I'm going to run the battery down extra fast for the first several months because I keep messing with it. I'm really enjoying the ability to look up twilight hours, and all the extra data in it's memory. It's really just a joy to use and wear. I'm amazed at how light it is. The photos really do not do it justice.
(I'm mostly copy/pasting this in as a review as well.)
-Andy

Hello Bjorn,
I have been meaning to write you since I received my new V7 Yes Watch, bought for me by my family for Christmas 2020. The watch did not arrive in time for Christmas, which had been expected, because good watches take time, right?
The time taken by my new V7 was simply the amount of time it takes to get a good watch from South Africa to Victoria.
When it arrived I spent some time just admiring its color and checking to see how much the face and its buttons, etc, resembled my old watch. Since getting the watch I think we have had just one daylight savings time shift, which happened automatically without my even thinking. (That had not been true for the old watch for reasons I think you may remember).
I take extravagant care of my new watch. I have not yet got t o the point of being able to ignore it. I think I never will get to that point.
Thank you for making such a super watch. Keep me notified of any new developments.
Yours, Bill

Hi Bjorn,
I just wanted to let you know that I received the watches. They look mighty fine I must say - as always I should add. Kudos to you for work well done work. You truly have created some special with the Yes Worldwatch.
Hygge,
Kent

Hi Bjorn
The v7 has arrived and I've been wearing it for a few days now. I have to say, I love it!
The readability and extra information on the display is wonderful.
I think I prefer the deliberate feel of the ratcheted bezel. I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I stumbled upon the compass. I just wasn't expecting it, nor the auto hand movement in general. To be honest, I didn't pay a lot of attention to the specs prior to purchasing. I trusted that it would be an improvement on the previous versions that already loved, and it was.
WorldWatch. It's beautiful.
Well done and thank you Bjorn. It was well worth the wait!
Best,
Eddie