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> Like other analog products that persist in a digital age (see vinyl, print media, and board games), much of the popularity of mechanical watches can be attrib

> Like other analog products that persist in a digital age (see vinyl, print media, and board games), much of the popularity of mechanical watches can be attributed to nostalgia. Quartz watches are superior in almost every metric: they cost less, tell better time, pack more features, and are far easier to repair. Yet it's mechanical watches that are the world's most sought-after, expensive timepieces. This is a fascinating point. When it comes to our hobbies, romanticism trumps pure utility, and I think that's a lovely thing.

roblh 4y ago
Seiko’s “Spring Drive” is a really cool bit of technology that sort of bridges the gap between quartz and mechanical watches. It’s basically a movement that mechanically generates power but has a quartz regulator that makes it exceptionally accurate. Still expensive, but at least they’re breaking some boundaries.
Closi 4y ago
I really enjoy having a mechanical wrist. I could have the exact same watch in Quartz and it would be cheaper, more reliable and more accurate, but there is something about having something 'non-electronic' on me that is a pure marvel of engineering that gives me joy. I think your word 'romanticism' is right - there is a sort of semi-magical quality of a mechanical watch for me about how a vanishingly small series of weights, springs and cogs manages to keep time with zero electronics. It's not to say that there isn't a bit of magic in a quartz watch - but that type of magic doesn't feel as magical in a world of iPhones and laptops. Putting my watch to my ear and hearing ticking that sounds like a victorian automoton however feels like an entirely different type of magic, and one which is far less common.
Eddy_Viscosity2 4y ago
I would disagree its about nostalgia when it comes to mechanical watches. I like them because they are a thing of engineering beauty. I even watch youtube videos of people taking them apart because they are just so amazingly intricate. No nostalgia for me, just a pure appreciation for a really well made thing.
- amelius 4y ago
  Well made, but just one huge bad decision at the beginning of the design process.

roblh 4y ago

Seiko’s “Spring Drive” is a really cool bit of technology that sort of bridges the gap between quartz and mechanical watches. It’s basically a movement that mechanically generates power but has a quartz regulator that makes it exceptionally accurate. Still expensive, but at least they’re breaking some boundaries.

Closi 4y ago

I really enjoy having a mechanical wrist. I could have the exact same watch in Quartz and it would be cheaper, more reliable and more accurate, but there is something about having something 'non-electronic' on me that is a pure marvel of engineering that gives me joy. I think your word 'romanticism' is right - there is a sort of semi-magical quality of a mechanical watch for me about how a vanishingly small series of weights, springs and cogs manages to keep time with zero electronics. It's not to say that there isn't a bit of magic in a quartz watch - but that type of magic doesn't feel as magical in a world of iPhones and laptops. Putting my watch to my ear and hearing ticking that sounds like a victorian automoton however feels like an entirely different type of magic, and one which is far less common.

Eddy_Viscosity2 4y ago

I would disagree its about nostalgia when it comes to mechanical watches. I like them because they are a thing of engineering beauty. I even watch youtube videos of people taking them apart because they are just so amazingly intricate. No nostalgia for me, just a pure appreciation for a really well made thing.

amelius 4y ago
Well made, but just one huge bad decision at the beginning of the design process.