Tiffany Square Watch: Rediscovering the Square Root

Tiffany Square Watch commemorating the 180th anniversary of the brand’s founding (1837 to 2017). It features an in-house manual-winding movement housed in a 27mm by 35.88mm case in 18K yellow gold. Limited to 180 pieces and priced at SGD21,500. Photo: © Tiffany & Co.

The Tiffany Square Watch is not just a commemorative piece for the 180th anniversary of the brand’s founding (1837 to 2017), it also marks “… a return to in-house calibre manufacturing with a rare square manual-winding movement.”

This in-house Tiffany movement, housed in a 27mm by 35.88mm case in 18K yellow gold, is described as one that has been “… designed, engineered and manufactured by the brand’s craftsmen in Switzerland”.

The Tiffany Square Watch exudes a strong vintage feel. This should not come as a surprise as its design was inspired by a 27mm square Tiffany watchcase from the 1920s.

This in-house Calibre is a form movement as it fits its square case. “This timepiece is remarkably thin and has perfect proportions,” says Nicola Andreatta, vice president and general manager of Swiss Watches for Tiffany & Co.

“The large opening of the dial, the subtle use of materials and the perfect legibility are based on the idea of the perfect match between functionality and beauty.”

Tiffany & Co’s horological journey began in 1846 when clocks were acquired for their second store at 271 Broadway.

The brand’s venture into watch manufacturing is said to have commenced in 1866, a year after the American Civil War (1861 to 1865) with its factory operating at Place Cornavin in Geneva, deemed the largest of its kind back then.

Why does the solar eclipse move from west to east?

A total solar eclipse as seen on Monday, August 21, 2017 above Madras, Oregon. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of South America, Africa, and Europe. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

We all know that the Sun rises from the east and sets in the west.

This is because Earth rotates around its own axis eastwards. Similarly, the Moon orbits around Earth from west to east.

So why does the solar eclipse move from west to east? In other words, why does the Moon and its shadow, move eastwards rather than westwards?

Do view this video from NASA that shows the animation of the Moon’s shadow moving from west to east during the solar eclipse on 21 August 2017:

From the above NASA video, one can observe that the path of totality includes Casper which is where Robert Crifasi obtained his superb photo of the total solar eclipse as seen in the article: Total Solar Eclipse on 21 August 2017: An experience in totality.

As explained on space.com, the Moon moves to the east in its orbit at about 3,400 km per hour. Earth rotates to the east at 1,670 km per hour and the lunar shadow moves to the east at (3,400 less 1,670) = 1,730 km per hour near the Equator.

You cannot keep up with the shadow of the eclipse unless you travelled at Mach 1.5 or 50% faster than the speed of sound which is around 1,838 km per hour.

In other words, because the Moon is moving faster than Earth eastwards, its shadow will move from west to east.

Another YouTube video we recommend that explains the Moon’s shadow moving from west to east during the solar eclipse comes from Free School: