Gemstone bearings

SWC gemstone bearings are mainly used in high-speed, highly sensitive, and wear-resistant applications such as precision instruments and meters. They can reduce friction losses, improve operational efficiency and lifespan, and ensure the normal operation and performance of equipment.

The excellent properties of SWC gemstone bearings cannot be separated from the special material of itself. Taking ruby as an example, the static friction coefficient of brass against steel is 0.35, while the static friction coefficient of ruby against steel is 0.10-0.15. The surface of ruby is very hard and durable, with a Mohs hardness of 9 and a Knoop hardness of 1800, which allows gemstone bearings to maintain smoothness even without lubrication for decades of use, with minimal friction changes.

SWC gemstone bearing types
Based on the shape of the gemstone hole and the way the metal rod or needle contacts it, SWC gemstone bearings can be divided into the following four types:
1) Spherical gemstone bearings;
2) Curved gemstone bearings;
3) Straight hole gemstone bearing;
4) Cone shaped gemstone bearings.

SWC gemstone bearing application field
SWC gemstone bearings applied to mechanical watches
The main use of SWC gemstone bearings is in mechanical watches, where their low friction and predictable friction improve the accuracy of the watch and extend the bearing life. Manufacturers traditionally list the quantity of jewelry in a prominent position on the dial or back as an advertising point. A typical all gemstone chronograph watch has 17 gemstones: two gemstones, two pivot gemstones and one pulse gemstone for the balance wheel, two pivot gemstones and two escapement gemstones for the fork, as well as two pivot gemstones for each escapement, the fourth and third wheels, and the center wheel.

SWC gemstone bearings applied in mechanical measuring instruments
Another main use of SWC gemstone bearings is for sensitive mechanical measuring instruments. They are typically used for precision connections that require minimal force, such as ammeters, compasses, gyroscopes, universal joints, micrometers, micrometer calipers, and turbine flow meters. In such instruments, gemstone bearings are commonly used as the pivot for their pointers, which require reliable movement and low variability even when measuring small changes. The bearing holes are usually less than 1 millimeter and support a load weight of less than 1 gram, although they are made to be 10 millimeters large and can support loads of up to about 500 grams.