The term 'Atomic' when applied to domestic clocks and watches purely refers to the source of the time signal.
The transmitter signal is picked up by the watch or clock and sets the time and date automatically.ĭoes my watch contain any radioactive material? The atomic clock is the standard measure of time: the electron resonance frequency of the Caesium 133 atom is 9,192,631,770 cycles per second which is measured to give a time accurate to greater than +/- 1 second per million years.
Radio controlled watches and clocks receive a time signal from a radio transmitter tuned to a caesium or 'Atomic Clock'.
