Asco 375

 
Asco 375 | 17jewels.info - The Movement Archive

Asco 375

Description

The Asco 375, made around 1972/1973 is one of the earliest german quartz movement with analog time indication.

With a diameter of 31mm (13 3/4 lignes) it is exceptionally large, mainly due to the large battery and the huge quartz.

Unfortunately, this specimen lacks the electronics plate, mounted above, which gives one (or two?) impulse per second to deflect the balance and put it back into the initial position afterwards.

Asco 375: base plate

base plate

Since this movement used only reduction stages and the required force is lower from gear to gear, only a few bearing jewels were neccessiary, only for the lever, the seconds wheel (only on the gear train bridge) and the third wheel.

Asco 375: gear train

gear train

The balance, which is driven actively electromechanically, advances the center seconds wheel with the help of a pin lever. A spring avoids the wheel turning backwards.

The center seconds wheel drives the third wheel, which drives the hands on the dial side.

Asco 375: movement without balance

movement without balance

The mechanical part of this movement was made by Durowe, and you can even see it by the fact, that the balance wheel is beared in two Duroswing shock protections, made by Durowe.

Asco 375: balance

balance

The balance, which carries the moving coil is a little masterpiece. It is powered by the hairspring on the one side, and by an ruby-isolated pin, onto which a second hairspring is attached on the movement side, from the electronics plate.

Asco 375: missing magnets

missing magnets

The hairspring has no effect on the precision and cannot be adjusted. Its only purpose is to deliver the electrical current and to bring back the balance into the left position, in the time between the every second pulses.

Its functionality is so the same, as on a moving coil instrument.

Asco 375: magnets

magnets

The two magnets can be released, like on most electromechanical movements.

Asco 375: empty dial side

empty dial side

At 5 o’clock you can see, how the third wheel engages with the minute wheel and drives the hands.

Asco 375: minute wheel with slipping cluth

minute wheel with slipping cluth

The minute wheel carries a slipping clutch.

Asco 375: calendar mechanism

calendar mechanism

The calendar mechanism of the Asco 375 is pretty modern. The date ring is beared in four metal rings (a bit like on Rolex calendar mechanisms). The switching lever is deflected by a moveable switching cam (at 7 o’clock) over the whole day and unloads instantly at midnight by a spring, advancing the date ring one step.

In the middle crown position, there’s a quickset mechanism for the date, with the help of a switching star wheel at 4 o’clock.

Asco 375: Asco_375: Dial side

Asco_375: Dial side

Although the calendar mechanism of this movement was a modern and contemporary one, it is clear, that this oddly constructed movement was no success. It was way too quirky, too sensitive, too large and too expensice. Only for collectors, it is big cinema.

Technical data

Manufacturer:Asco
Caliber:375
Size:13 3/4''' (measured: 31,0mm)
A/h:7200
Number of jewels:10
Escapement:Quartz
Balance types: balance with coil
Shock protection(s): Duro-Swing
Balance bearing / direction hairspring:Clockwise
Moveable stud:yes
Construction type:pillar construction
Winding mechanism:yoke winding system
Setting lever spring:3 hole(s)
Features:
  • SCD (direct center seconds)
  • QG (date indication (aperture))
  • RDR (date corrector)
  • Q (quartz controlled)
Production period:197x
Inventory number:20045

Links

This movement is a kind donation from Horst Kull. Thank you very much for your kind support of the movement archive!

Other movements from Asco