HOURS AND MINUTES DISPLAY
THE KEY
Reading the time
The hours and minutes are indicated by the arrows
of the shield, pointing on the hours and minutes dials.
Special rotation of the hours dial
A new mechanism has been developed especially
for Melchior. The hours dial stays in the same position
during the first 55 minutes of an hour ; then the dial
starts to turn slowly and regularly (no jump) during the
last 5 minutes of the hour ; to finally stop exactly at
the beginning of the next hour. This process is repeated
every hour.
The key is fixed on Melchior’s left arm with a magnetic
system.
To remove the key, place Melchior on a flat surface and
pull the key straight out from its left arm.
Be careful to hold the top of the arm to ensure that
Melchior does not tip over or fall.
To put the key back, approach the key always straight
towards the compartment, until the key is attracted
back into place by the magnetic system.
In this example it is forty-
seven minutes past two (2:47).
The hours dial has not
moved.
Here it is fifty-eight minutes
past three (3:58).
The hours dial has started
to turn.
In this example,
it is twenty-five minutes
past ten (10:25).
