27 votes

Mechanical watch

12 comments

  1. [3]
    Banisher
    Link
    Very clear and easy to understand. I didn't know I was interested in mechanical watches until I started reading, but could not stop till the end.

    Very clear and easy to understand. I didn't know I was interested in mechanical watches until I started reading, but could not stop till the end.

    4 votes
    1. knocklessmonster
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Automatic watches (the ones with the weight that winds them) are why I'm at all into watches anyway. Watches and clocks are really cool mechanisms to study in general anyway.

      Automatic watches (the ones with the weight that winds them) are why I'm at all into watches anyway. Watches and clocks are really cool mechanisms to study in general anyway.

      3 votes
    2. FishFingus
      Link Parent
      If you dig this then I reckon you'd love Akiyuki and their Lego creations. Totally wicked mechanisms, and surprisingly elegant. The 3D cross-section of the watch was a brilliant bit of artistry.

      If you dig this then I reckon you'd love Akiyuki and their Lego creations. Totally wicked mechanisms, and surprisingly elegant.

      The 3D cross-section of the watch was a brilliant bit of artistry.

      2 votes
  2. [5]
    zonk
    Link
    For anyone who's fascinated by this, there are a ton of great watch servicing/restoration channels on YouTube. In particular I can recommend Watch Repair Channel and especially Wristwatch Revival....

    For anyone who's fascinated by this, there are a ton of great watch servicing/restoration channels on YouTube. In particular I can recommend Watch Repair Channel and especially Wristwatch Revival.
    These videos make an hour go fly by and get you addicted to this hobby (which I've thankfully resisted (so far)). A good starting point that I've heard being mentioned are Mark Lovick's tutorials. After you've watched a fair share of those videos, you can get some basic tools for a relatively low price and then get Pocket Watches off of eBay (they're widely available and therefore cheap and because of their big size and simplicity of the movements, they're easy to service as a beginner). But I'm going to deep again...
    But seriously, give these channels a try, it's seriously soothing and de-accelerating if you're into it :) (or want to get into it)

    4 votes
    1. [4]
      cfabbro
      Link Parent
      Seconding Wristwatch Revival. He doesn't put out videos very often but when he does they're always worth a watch. ;)

      Seconding Wristwatch Revival. He doesn't put out videos very often but when he does they're always worth a watch. ;)

      2 votes
      1. [3]
        JRandomHacker
        Link Parent
        Marshall has such good presentation - it always amuses me that his watch content never mentions his career doing commentary for Magic.

        Marshall has such good presentation - it always amuses me that his watch content never mentions his career doing commentary for Magic.

        1 vote
        1. [2]
          cfabbro
          Link Parent
          TIL! https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Marshall_Sutcliffe

          TIL!

          Marshall Sutcliffe is part of the Magic: the Gathering coverage team, often appearing at Pro Tour and Grand Prix tournament hosting video coverage of rounds. He is also the writer of the Limited Information column on magicthegathering.com and host of the Limited Resources podcast, showing his love for Limited as a format.

          Marshall is also an avid poker player and is passionate about watchmaking.

          https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Marshall_Sutcliffe

          2 votes
          1. JRandomHacker
            Link Parent
            That's the part that I find so amusing! He's the Magic coverage guy, and so when I found the channel, it was "hey look, Marshall is doing watch stuff" - but Wristwatch Revival is its own...

            That's the part that I find so amusing! He's the Magic coverage guy, and so when I found the channel, it was "hey look, Marshall is doing watch stuff" - but Wristwatch Revival is its own completely separate thing that's quite successful now, and that's super cool.

            1 vote
  3. JRandomHacker
    Link
    Bartosz's entire collection of articles is brilliant - his article on GPS from earlier this year is my favorite.

    Bartosz's entire collection of articles is brilliant - his article on GPS from earlier this year is my favorite.

    3 votes
  4. [2]
    Eric_the_Cerise
    Link
    I have wanted to buy a good but not crazy-expensive (let's say, <$200-ish) mechanical watch or (more likely) pocket-watch, for forever. But every time I dive into shopping for one, I am...

    I have wanted to buy a good but not crazy-expensive (let's say, <$200-ish) mechanical watch or (more likely) pocket-watch, for forever. But every time I dive into shopping for one, I am overwhelmed with the complexity and options and quality, brands, recommendations, etc ... that invariably, I get sick of trying to find one I like. I have gone thru this exercise-in-futility at least 4 times, probably more, over the past decade.

    I would appreciate it If anyone has a recommendation -- not so much on a specific watch (though, sure, specific watch recommendations would be good, too), but on a good way to navigate the jungle of mechanical watches and come up with a decent choice in less than a week ... I'd be grateful.

    2 votes
    1. zonk
      Link Parent
      To be honest, it's a fairly subjective thing to buy :) You need to like the hands, the face, the wristbands. It depends on what you want to use it for and which information you want. Watches look...

      To be honest, it's a fairly subjective thing to buy :) You need to like the hands, the face, the wristbands. It depends on what you want to use it for and which information you want. Watches look different on your arm, depending on how your arm shape is, yadda yadda. There's no point in recommending a watch to you that you don't like the looks of :)

      Sadly, I don't have much experience with pocket watches and pretty much all my knowledge comes from the watch repair channels I'm watching. The good thing is, many of the reputable watch makers are actually making good watches: Rolex, Seiko, Tissot, Omega, Tudor, Breitling. Many people know them and they generally make good watches and I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of brands here. You can also filter for mechanical watches on their websites and browse this way. After a certain price point, you can get good mechanical watches and higher prices are then just fueled by more features on the watch face or rarity/demand.

      I've seen a deal on the Seiko SSB379P1 one day (100 bucks) and decided to buy it to make it my first watch. It's nothing fancy and I can wear it every day. It uses a battery, though. After wearing it for a while, I've noticed that I don't use the stop watch feature way, way less than I thought and therefore found it more distracting than helpful.
      I've looked around on Seiko's website and found a watch that I've liked a lot for casual/daily wear: Seiko SRPG29K1. It doesn't have a stop watch, but glowing hands, the time is easier to read and it has a week day as well and not only the date! It also doesn't run on a battery and needs to be (manually) wound (another point of consideration for you). On top of it all, it has a small window on the bottom of the watch which lets you see the beautiful movement. It comes with a black or blue watch face and I tend to find the blue one more 'neutral'. So now I'm waiting for a deal for it :) It's currently about $250, which is a bit above my personal price point (though reasonable for the watch). To make it perfect, I wish it didn't have a seconds hand, but can't have it all :)

      As you can see, a lot of it is personal preference. Do you need glowing hands? Do you need the date? Do you need a seconds hand or even a stop watch? Do you need lunar phases? Time zones? Are you okay with a battery, do you want to wind it automatically or manually? Do you want to take it into water? Do you want Roman lettering on your face watch? Or none at all? There's a pocket watch with 57 complications. Which of these are useful to you no one but you knows. Think about the functions you want to get out of your watch and when you want to wear it. Then filter watches by those criteria and then go by aesthetics. Or just go by looks and be happy with the complications it comes. The watch making/repair/collection scene is a pretty big niche community with a tons of resources and places to exchange.

      I'm not fully sure if I made it better or worse with my attempt to help you :) But I hope I gave you some ideas and criteria. As long as you keep your spending reasonable, just keep 1-3 watches and see if/when you wear them what you like about them, what you dislike about them and go from there. And if you don't like them, they generally re-sell fairly well. I've seen my watch being sold on a local marketplace for 160 EUR, so I could even sell it for a profit (because the price for a new one is about 200).
      If you want one that's above your price point but you really want it, look for used watches that are sold as functioning and get them serviced by a professional watchmaker. It will run as new then :) (though obviously buying used stuff comes - as always - with a certain risk).

      I hope I could help you a bit!

      5 votes
  5. elcuello
    Link
    Goddammit! I come here to avoid /r/watches and my urge to seek out yet another watch. You're not helping!

    Goddammit! I come here to avoid /r/watches and my urge to seek out yet another watch. You're not helping!

    2 votes