The video below shows TAG Heuer’s Mikrotimer Flying 1000 Concept watch in action. This mechanical watch times things to 1/1000th of a second – 300 times faster than a human blink. As the watch spins maniacally, it’s actually meting out 1/1000ths of a second at 500 Hz. That means the small balance wheel inside pops back and forth 3.6 million times an hour – a speed that would shatter many mechanical systems.
Still not impressed? The average Rolex measures time at about 28,800 beats per hour and would probably balk at measuring time at speeds higher than 50,000 bph. As Hodinkee notes, the Mikrotimer is an “incredibly powerful caliber.” In short, this watch is a completely mechanical device that runs faster than a sports car engine and comes in a package about as big as a silver dollar.
The watch isn’t available – it’s still a concept – but it’s a real beauty and surprisingly unique.