These clock mechanisms are called movements in the trade, but are likewise recognized in nonprofessional terms as electric motors. They are responsible for moving the hands right into appropriate position to ensure that they direct at the symbols or numbers appearing on the dial, as well as they do this electronically, making use of software application, rather than via a difficult equipment network.

Since digital clock systems have a various mode of operation from the traditional ones, they are capable of attributes and characteristics that can sometimes appear quirky. The older method was to use a hefty weight or coiled springtime to use torque to a flywheel, partitioning the resulting turning using equipment proportions to get angular speeds representing seconds, mins, as well as hours. A pendulum, coupled with an escapement, controlled the timing.