patek007

My apologies to get off subject for a bit, but below 'invention' is one of the more significant of 21st century, as far as quantum mechanics goes ... For those watch buffs as myself, this is big, in plain english, Swiss developed metal-against-metal technology, that does NOT require lubricants, while also does not exhibit wear-&-tear, for the 'useful life of a product'. There are no secrets, it's the specific alloy mix covering surfaces of the vital working parts that is taking credit here, yet apparently the results surprised the hell out of them.... Someone from over there said it took them 8 years of research... but they did it...

WIth gas approaching $3 this summer in SoCal, and with 17% efficiency of our motors, there are other ways to save fuel, such as below, i.e. in making parts work more efficiently, with less resistance, friction, etc. Of course I can only imagine motor oil/filter companies CRINGE over something like this... and their lobbyists before killing ANY NEW TECHNOLOGIES that would 'threaten' them, but this time... it's like pissing against the wind -- you do not mess with the SWISS watch industry - simply because aside from it and banks - they got NOTHING ELSE ... and any new innovations of such degree - is music to their ears.

I am certain this shall 'dissolve' into the fog... and we will never hear of this technology put into our autos... [as usual], yet it's nice to know that some new things are being discovered, and for a true mechanically-inclined buffs - these are breath-taking news...

.A.
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-Tackling what some say is the biggest enemy of
the automatic watch - the wear and tear of its winding rotor. Through research and joint-testing with a supplier, JLC has
opted for the zirconium oxide ball-bearing mechanism, which apparently allows the rotor to operate without lubricants.
Reportedly, it betrayed no wear and tear even after 1.5 million rotations when subjected to accelerated age-testing.

Source- http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/s...111982,00.html