Why you should own at least one mechanical watch

In a world where modern technology accompanies us every second, it is hard to imagine using something every day that is not powered by complex electronics. It no longer occurs to us that behind the notifications on our phones, the taps on the keyboard, or the air conditioning in our cars, there are millions of digital operations that perform incredibly complex tasks in the background within thousandths of a second. Amidst all these technological advances of the twenty-first century, there still stands proudly a machine composed of hundreds of tiny parts, operating on a purely mechanical principle, just as it did hundreds of years ago. And despite direct attacks from technological giants, it bravely resists and finds its way into our lives. Welcome to the world of the traditional mechanical watch. Together with experts from the Watch de Luxe watchmaking network, we have prepared a super quick guide for you, which will hopefully not only convince you that having at least one good watch is everyone's duty, but will also help you delve into the seemingly complex world of mechanical watches. Mechanical watches, let's not beat around the bush, are not exactly cheap. However, they are worth every penny you pay for them. They are manufactured using extremely time-consuming processes, assembled by the best watchmakers in the world, who undergo many years of practice before becoming the ones who put their hand to making world-famous watches. However, this is precisely what contributes to the fact that, unlike their main competitor – smart watches – they are most likely to outlive you. While the latest Apple Watch will measure your heart rate and motivate you to train, you will hardly hand it over to your son on his eighteenth birthday. The durability of things is often exaggerated these days. We talk about it with many products, but nothing, really nothing, can travel through generations like a mechanical watch. By owning one, you have a perfect machine on your hand that will never stop. Isn't it amazing?

Clockwork as a clock engine

Before you look at the face of a watch, it's important to understand its motor. The movement determines how the watch is powered. The vast majority of wristwatches you find in stores are, to put it very simply, battery-powered watches.

If you are serious about watches, then with a few exceptions, you need to look for completely mechanical movements. These movements are charming little things, ticking at twenty-eight thousand vibrations per hour. They are composed of hundreds of small parts that are precisely manufactured, polished and assembled by hand and together create a perfect harmony of accurate time with the help of only the tensioned spring that gives the watch its breath. Master watchmakers often insert a translucent glass not only on the front of the watch, but also on the back, so that you can watch this micro-orchestra undisturbed whenever you want.

Dressy, sporty, or what?

Choosing your first watch is a very personal matter. It is an emotional investment in yourself, which should reflect not only your taste or character, but especially your lifestyle. If you are a person who spends all day in a suit, it is not right for your only watch to be a sporty one with a rubber strap. On the contrary, if you run around construction sites, it is not ideal to have a delicate, thin watch suitable for the theater on your wrist, not only for aesthetic, but also for practical reasons. In practice, the more socially dressed you are, the more delicate, discreet and elegant the watch you should wear. A thin watch with a leather strap will belong to more formal events, while massive dials with a metal strap will do you more good on the weekend.

History belongs to the clock

The history of the manufacturer and, in many cases, the watch models themselves can also make your choice much easier. It goes hand in hand with the aforementioned lifestyle. If you're a long-time fan of motor racing, there's no need to introduce the iconic Tag Heuer, whose models like the Monaco, Silverstone, and Carrera were worn on the wrists of big names like Steve McQueen, Niki Lauda, ​​and Ayrton Senna. Aeronautics enthusiasts are certainly familiar with the connection between this industry and Breitling, while hockey fans will certainly not disdain classic Tissot watches.

Complicated complications

But to complicate things a bit, you can also throw a bombshell into the mix in the form of watch functions. The more functions a watch has, the more difficult it is to manufacture them. Remember that all of these functions, called complications in watchmaking jargon, are purely mechanical, with no electronics involved. Probably the most common function you'll encounter is the date, a traditional number that changes to another every midnight. Moving forward, watches with a complication called day-date offer a further step, which shows you the day of the week in addition to the date. If you often travel around the world and are constantly adjusting your watch according to time zones, the GMT function will definitely come in handy. It's simply another hour hand that shows the time in another part of the world of your choice.

Is it all worth it?

Finally, there is still an unanswered, but probably the most burning question on the table, and that is the price. It is true that watch prices can climb to the prices of not exactly the cheapest car, but these astronomical, clickbait numbers often do more harm than good to the watchmaking craft. A quality Swiss watch, which many a collector turns to, can be obtained for half the price of a regular smart watch. When you calculate their usefulness over the years, it is even like free. Moreover, even though it is true that investing in a watch is, with a few notable exceptions, more of a wishful thinking than a reality, they do not lose their value nearly as quickly as other things. Finally, try selling a three-year-old Android watch for 80% of its original price... Buying a watch is not a decision based solely on logic, it is a sum of emotions that result in the ownership of something that has no substance in itself, but at the same time becomes one of the most personal things in a man's life. A watch will grow close to your heart and from a fashion accessory it will become a part of your personality like no other thing you will ever own. Behind every little scratch there will be a story, behind every winding there will be a memory of the moment when it happened. In today's fast-paced world, this is something unheard of. We just hope that you will remember us when you pass them on to the next generation. We would like to thank the Mirror Bar in Carlton for providing the space for the photo shoot.