@futurebird Uh oh, you've touched off my horology nerd systems.

I've definitely thought about this, although I usually think about it with at least a $35 Chinese wrist watch movement. The modern "dollar watch" pocket watch movements like you are talking about are pretty darn crude.

Comparing a modern watch movement to, say, an 18th century movement, the modern ones are a marvel of precision miniaturization, but they hold nothing on the intricate beauty of the plates and bridges on the older ones. By the late 19th and early 20th century ones, they are remarkably similar to modern ones. Other than materials and machining improvements, the only really large design changes on a typical watch are the shock resistant jewel mounts and the automatic rotor systems.