Mechanical = "Has Soul"

[Seriously]

[WWII70]

What are you talking about, Barry White. This graph has no soul (my Movado quartz)!

[Kronos]

I live happily in both worlds. I am happy that I don't need to choose one or the other.

I love mechanical and automatic watches -- vintage and modern. In addition to the beauty of the cases and the dials and the hands and the fluidity of their motion -- I find that they provide a sense of connection to previous generations.

In addition to the obvious practicality of quartz watches, which makes its own statement, the outer design (dials, cases, hands, etc.) does not need to take a back seat to mechanicals. I also find beauty in the simple practicality of a well executed quartz watch. The Seiko SNDA 57, to take one example, is a twelve hour chrono; it is extremely accurate; it has a simple, well designed interface, it is highly legible, it is solidly built with a nice feel and great fit and finish. It can be had new in the box for U.S. $100. There is something enormously satisfying to me about owning such a watch and about Seiko's ability to produce it at this price point.

Finally, I get great pleasure from my G-Shocks and other digitals. I love the enormous variety of functions, past and present, which run the gamut from incredibly useful to quite whimsical. I love the ever advancing technology -- "atomic" time keeping, solar power, barometers, compasses, etc. along with more traditional items like stopwatches, countdown timers, multiple alarms and so on. I love the unrivaled toughness of some of these models -- particularly when coupled with a simple, understated efficiency and a price that puts such amazing functionality into the reach of just about everyone. I love the bit of "rebel" built into some of these designs -- using untraditional shapes and colors -- all of which, I think, remind us that it is good to shake things up sometimes and to turn conventional wisdom and tried and true style on their ears.

It is the same in other arenas too. I love my computer and my iPhone, but I will never give up my fountain pens (or my felt tips, rollers, ballpoints and pencils for that matter).


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[Seriously]

The Seiko SNDA 57, to take one example, is a twelve hour chrono; it is extremely accurate; it has a simple, well designed interface, it is highly legible, it is solidly built with a nice feel and great fit and finish. It can be had new in the box for U.S. $100.

Shhh, don't tell Mr Tribe , he's just paid (what we thought as reasonable) £135

[Perseus]

I tend to think of mechanical watches as having "old school cool". The are not necessary and we now live in a world that offers cheaper and more more accurate alternatives but to me they just are amazingly complex and they are a surviving monument to the great design and craftsmanship of yesteryear. Now if that means they have soul …….then so be it.

I love old school stuff too. In the winter I wear my Dads old over coat that gets more compliment than anything I've ever worn and it's older than I am. I used to drive a vintage Mustang that is older than I am. The Mustang is gone buy my Dad's '59 Chevy Apache pickup is my garage. There is something about firing up old cars and hand cranking the windows that puts a smile on my face.

[Perseus]

He's also a philistine, with no appreciation of the finer things in life (except, of course, when it comes to women).

I told him that his watch would run without him. That it would run lying in the back of a dark drawer with the same cold efficiency it exhibited on his wrist. That it didn't need him.

My mechanical on the other hand, has a symbiotic relationship with me. It requires interaction with its human companion in order to function. It has no life without me.

Wow...I never thought of it that way. I love it!

[Perseus]

Gorgeous dog! What kind is it?

I prefer mechanicals, but I dig my Eco-drive beater for it's grab and go simplicity and ruggedness. I'll wear this today for my quartz brothers.

[Perseus]

Seeing that hairspring moving reminds me of a heart pumping so I can see how someone would say a mechanical watch has soul. In my experience it's usually said at the expense of a quartz watch which doesn't add any value to the discussion. It seems to be human nature to exalt one thing buy putting down another.

While I think quartz watches are cool (check out all the parts in the ETA 955.112 below) they are generally used because they are cost effective or have some ultra cool tech like the Garmin Fenix 2. Everything the Fenix 2 can do is really amazing and very helpful, but I view it more as tool than a cherished possession. If it was stolen or damaged I'd be sad because it's fairly expensive not because I lost something I really enjoy.

There is something about mechanical watches that strikes a different chord with me. I love the idea that the watch was made by someone, rather than some thing. It took craftsmanship and skill to manufacture and assemble. In many ways mechanical movements are unnecessary. Quartz is cheaper, faster to make, and more accurate but they do seem to lack a certain something that makes us passionate about our watches. Maybe that is the soul people are talking about.

[tribe125]

Shhh, don't tell Mr Tribe , he's just paid (what we thought as reasonable) £135

Not a problem. US prices plus import tax, plus delay, plus courier incompetence...

[Seriously]

I love the idea that the watch was made by someone, rather than some thing. It took craftsmanship and skill to manufacture and assemble.

Of course there are some brands which are crafted by craftsman (with a lot of help from machines), but a lot are virtually completely made by machines, just with a final bit of assembly (and QC) by a human.