Beat rate
Also called beats per hour, vph
Beat rate is how many times per hour a mechanical movement's balance swings back and forth, usually stated in beats or vibrations per hour.
A higher beat rate can make a watch more stable and gives the seconds hand a smoother sweep, but it also uses more energy and can mean more wear. Different calibers are designed around different rates.
When you test a watch on a timegrapher, the machine needs to know the beat rate to read the movement correctly, so it's useful to know the rate specified for the caliber.
Related terms
Where this comes up
Pages on this site that use the term.
Learn the trade, not just the word
Plain-English guides to buying, pricing and selling watches as a business. Free, and written to be used at the counter.