Journal

Some of the newest timepieces to hit the market, solar watches are marvels of modern watchmakers. They combine the best parts of earlier types of watches while still maintaining the classic look of a traditional wristwatch, all while being a modern and eco-friendly alternative to other contemporary watch movements.

If you’re new to the world of solar timepieces and are hesitant to adopt this fascinating new technology, fear not—we’re here to explain how these cutting-edge timepieces work.

The Different Watch Movements 

In order to understand why the solar watch is such a revolutionary invention in the world of watchmaking, we must first explore the other types of watch movement. A watch’s movement is, for lack of a better phrase, the thing that makes it tick. Some movements use batteries, and others use hand-wound mechanical components, but they all fulfill the same purpose: telling time. These are the various types of movement that watches are made with:

Mechanical 

Mechanical watches, as the name suggests, are fully mechanical. They’ve been around for centuries—long before lithium batteries were invented—and derive power from a tiny, tightly coiled strip of metal called the mainspring.

The mainspring is wound by the watch’s wearer by twisting the crown of the watch (the crown is the knob on the side of the watch), and the other components of the watch work together to gradually release tension from the mainspring in small, measured increments that ultimately make the dial move.

The mechanical watch is truly a marvel of mechanical engineering, but it does come with one problem: it needs to be wound. If you put your mechanical watch down for a few days, you’ll pick it up to find that it’s slowed and the time is inaccurate—or that it has stopped running altogether. It can be time-consuming and inconvenient to constantly have to wind your watch, especially if you’re a collector with multiple mechanical watches or even a watch bracelet in your collection.

Automatic 

The automatic watch was invented to solve the problem of mechanical watches. Instead of needing its wearer to manually wind its mainspring, an automatic watch winds itself—sort of.

An automatic watch is built with a special weighted rotor that rotates as the watch moves. When the watch’s wearer swings their arms as they walk, this weighted rotor spins around, gradually winding the watch’s mainspring.

While the automatic watch is certainly more convenient than the mechanical watch due to its self-winding capabilities, it comes with a similar problem: you have to be wearing it in order for it to wind itself. If you set it down anywhere from for a few days to a long period of time, just like with a mechanical watch, it will slowly lose power and eventually stop working.

You can always wind the watch and set the time again, and you can also get a special automatic watch winder, but if you’re looking for a watch that doesn’t need to be wound at all, you’ll need another option.

Quartz 

The quartz watch is a 20th-century invention made possible through the use of a lithium battery. These tiny batteries replace the mainspring, making it possible to engineer a watch to tell accurate time for a long period without needing the watch’s wearer to do the work of winding it.

Many watches these days are built with quartz movements because of the ease of production and use—because they don’t use a mainspring, they can be made more compact and with fewer moving parts than their mechanical and automatic counterparts.

The one problem with these lithium batteries is that they need to be replaced regularly in order for the watch to maintain accurate time. As soon as they start to run out of power, the watch will start to lose accuracy, until eventually it no longer is useful as a timepiece.

Lithium batteries are not to be confused with lithium-ion batteries, which are more complex and powerful. They are used to power computers, cameras, and tablets. 

Solar 

Enter the solar watch onto the watch scene in the 70s. The newest of the watch movements, the solar watch harnesses the power of the sun to fuel its rechargeable battery while it stores energy. How does it do this? Read on for a detailed exploration of this cutting-edge technology.

Solar Watches 

Solar watches rely on the power of the sun in order to run, constantly converting light energy into electronic energy through the use of a solar cell. A solar cell unit is in pretty much every type of solar-powered item that relies on light exposure, whether it’s a small sun-powered garden lamp or a massive panel in a solar farm. 

How Solar Cells Work

As previously mentioned, the solar cell is the device that makes solar-powered watches possible. These solar cells (also called photovoltaic cells) work by receiving light energy from the sun and turning it directly into electricity—they’re like batteries, but instead of making electricity through the use of chemicals the way that batteries do; they harness the power of the sun.

Light is made of tiny particles called photons, and a beam of sunlight can carry trillions of photons to earth. If a solar cell is placed in that sunbeam, the solar cell catches the photons and converts them into a flow of electrons, making an electric current.

While large solar panels are able to power entire houses, it doesn’t take a giant panel to power a watch—all that’s needed is a single, small solar cell cleverly implanted in the watch. To look at a solar watch, you may not even see the solar, rechargeable cell—but it’s there, and it’s always working, even during a cloudy day, as long as there’s light to convert into electricity. 

Are Solar Cells Efficient? 

If you think back on your physics classes, you may remember the law of conservation of energy—this law states that energy can’t be created or destroyed. What that means for solar cells is that they can’t create any more energy than they receive from the sun. And while the sun sends a lot of light energy cascading down to earth, solar cells are really only able to absorb a small amount of that energy—converting about 10-20 percent of the energy they receive into electricity for a solar watch charge.

Still, solar cells are a much better source of electricity than fossil fuels, which emit vast amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every day.

What About Batteries? 

You might find yourself thinking, “well, watches don’t emit greenhouse gases,” and you’d be right—your mechanical, automatic, quartz, or solar watch doesn’t pollute the planet from your wrist. And if you’re a fan of the quartz movement for its use of batteries, you might assume that the battery inside of that watch doesn’t cause any pollution, either.

The problem is that the production, transportation, and disposal of batteries by watch manufacturers can cause a lot of pollution. Not only do factories that produce batteries emit a lot of greenhouse gases, but the methods used in mining natural resources for use in batteries can be very costly. Batteries can also cause harm once we’ve used them—disposable batteries can wreak havoc on the environment long after they’ve outlived their usefulness in your remote control, your flashlight, or your watch.

The Impact Of Batteries 

If you’ve ever purchased a new battery for your quartz watch, you might know that the batteries used in watchmaking aren’t your standard AAAs, but small, round, metallic batteries called lithium batteries—named for the material used in their production.

The lithium used in lithium batteries (the kind found in quartz watches) doesn’t come out of thin air—it needs to be mined. And lithium mining can have devastating impacts on the environment, killing vast amounts of wildlife—not just the fish that live in water but the animals that drink that water as well.

It’s undeniable that batteries offer a much more sustainable energy solution than fossil fuels, but they don’t come without their own problems. We can lessen our impact by using as many rechargeable batteries as possible rather than disposable ones—so that we use fewer resources and contribute less waste.

Jack Mason’s Solar Watch 

At Jack Mason, we’re proud to offer a solar watch in our collection. Our solar watch is made with sustainable materials and a solar-powered movement, but its eco-friendliness is only one of its many features. Complete with a compass for the avid outdoors people among us—and engineered to be water-resistant up to 100 meters for the divers in our midst, our solar watch is a highly versatile piece of timekeeping equipment.

In Conclusion 

There are many reasons why solar watches, especially beautiful analog versions, have become so popular today across the time zones of the world. Not only are they convenient and long-lasting, but they’re also environmentally friendly. In today’s world, we’re constantly looking for ways to lessen our individual impact on the planet we call home. 

While watches are always a stylish accessory, not all are created equal in the way that they affect the earth—and a solar-powered watch from an eco-conscious manufacturer is a perfect purchase for anybody who’s looking for a timepiece that reflects their environmental values. If you’re hoping to find a watch that’s accurate, convenient, and environmentally friendly, clasp a solar watch onto your wrist.

Sources:

Law of conservation of energy | Energy Education

How do solar cells work? | Explain That Stuff

The spiralling environmental cost of our lithium battery addiction | Wired

Since almost the beginning of time, humans have relied on the sun as a light source and to help us tell the time. Early humans could figure out how long they had until nightfall by looking up at the sky and gauging the position of the sun in the sky; later, the invention of the sundial allowed people to check the time by looking at the shadow cast by the sun across the dial’s face.

In today’s technologically advanced world, we’ve again come to the point where we can rely on the sun to aid in our timekeeping abilities. The solar watch is among the newest and most advanced inventions in the world of watchmaking. There are many reasons why solar watches have become so popular recently—and we have every reason to believe that their popularity will only grow as more people become aware of the benefits and features of these fascinating timepieces.

The Different Movements 

In order to understand why solar watches are such a revolutionary invention, we must first look at the other types of watch. The thing that makes a watch work is referred to as its movement, and there are only a few different types of movement:

Mechanical 

The first watches were invented way back in the late 16th century, and they were purely mechanical (batteries wouldn’t be invented until hundreds of years later). In order to power these mechanical watches, watchmakers engineered their timepieces with a tiny, tightly coiled strip of metal called the mainspring.

The mainspring is what makes a mechanical watch work—it’s essentially the engine of the watch. The watch’s wearer winds the mainspring by twisting the watch’s crown (the knob on the side of the watch), which increases the tension of the mainspring. The other components of the watch work together to gradually release tension from the mainspring in tiny, measured increments—as tension is released, the various components of the watch tick forward, allowing the watch to tell accurate time.

Mechanical watches are marvels of mechanical engineering and must have seemed magical when they were first invented. Today, you can still find mechanical watches for sale, and they’re incredible timepieces. There is one problem with mechanical watches, though—they have to stay wound in order to work. If you set your watch down for a few days, you’ll pick it up to find that it’s no longer running (or, if it is, that it’s slowed to the point where the time is no longer accurate). It can be time-consuming and inconvenient to have to constantly wind your watches, especially if you have a sizable collection.

Automatic 

The automatic watch was invented to solve the problem of constantly having to wind mechanical watches. Automatic watches are engineered to wind themselves—kind of. Inside of an automatic watch, you’ll find a special weight rotor. As the watch’s wearer walks, the natural motion of their swinging arms makes the rotor spin around inside the watch—and as the rotor spins, it winds the mainspring.

Because of this self-winding mechanism, automatic watches are much more convenient than mechanical watches—but they still come with a caveat. In order for an automatic watch to wind itself, the internal rotor needs to be put in motion by human activity. So, as with the mechanical watch, if you set your automatic watch down for a few days, it will need to be wound again before it can accurately tell the time.

Quartz 

The quartz watch is a 20th-century invention, and it was made possible because of advancements in battery technology. Instead of relying on a mainspring to power the watch, quartz movements use a small internal battery—a lithium battery.

The use of lithium batteries allows watchmakers to design compact, relatively simple quartz watches, which is why many inexpensive watches feature quartz movements.

The one problem with quartz movements, however, is that batteries inevitably need to be replaced. Over the life of a quartz watch, you may end up having to replace the battery several times. Not only can it be inconvenient and expensive to go to a watch repair shop to have somebody replace the battery, but disposable batteries can have devastating impacts on the environment.

Solar

The newest of the types of watch, solar watches combine the best features of all the other movements: the longevity of mechanical and automatic movements with the accuracy of quartz movements. And when you factor in that they’re efficient and eco-friendly, it’s no wonder why watch enthusiasts and environmentalists alike should be big fans of the solar watch.

Like quartz watches, solar watches are equipped with internal lithium batteries. The biggest difference is that solar watches’ lithium batteries are rechargeable, and they’re constantly charging by using the power of the sun.

How Do Solar Watches Work? 

You may have seen a solar panel affixed to the roof of a house, or maybe you’ve driven past a massive farm of solar panels. While solar panels are obviously too large to put on a wristwatch, solar watches use the same technology of solar power, although in a much smaller form.

Solar Cells 

Solar cells are the smaller pieces that make up giant solar panels, and they can be very small—in the case of solar watches, they can be small enough to be well hidden on the watch’s face, so the wearer doesn’t even notice as it converts light into power.

To overlook the complicated details of their mechanics and provide a basic explanation: solar cells work by absorbing light energy and converting it into electricity. When a solar cell is placed on a solar watch, this electricity is used to recharge the lithium battery.

Do They Need The Sun?

The name “solar” might be something of a red herring—solar watches can absorb any kind of light and don’t need to be in direct sunlight in order to function. So even if you live at the office and barely see the light of day, your solar watch will still absorb and channel power from artificial light into its battery.

Benefits Of Solar Watches 

While the inner workings of a solar watch are pretty incredible, most people find themselves interested in solar watches for their many features and benefits. Not only are solar watches reliable and long-lasting, but they’re durable and eco-friendly, turning solar power into electrical energy. There are plenty of reasons to consider adding a solar watch to your collection:

Reliability And Accuracy 

Because solar watches are constantly recharging their batteries, they reliably tell time with unparalleled accuracy—with many solar watches vastly outperforming their atomic timekeeping, quartz, mechanical, and automatic counterparts.

Longevity And Efficiency

Even though solar watches rely on light in order to recharge their batteries, those rechargeable cells have a long life. Solar watches can retain battery life for anywhere from a week to several months—and that’s without any light at all. As soon as light hits the solar cell inside the watch, its battery will begin to charge again.

When the solar cell needs to be charged once more, your watch will signal the alarm by moving at two-second increments.

Durability And Water Resistance 

Solar watches are often incredibly durable. This is due in large part to the fact that you don’t need to access the battery or wind the watch much—so their cases can be made with heavy-duty materials like titanium and hardened crystal.

Solar watches are also often highly water-resistant for the same reason. Because solar-powered watches don’t often need to be opened or fiddled with, the rubber gaskets that protect the inner workings of the watch from water penetration don’t wear out as quickly as with mechanical, automatic, or quartz watches.

Eco-Friendliness 

It’s no secret that fossil fuels are harmful to the environment, and it may seem like batteries are a much more efficient and eco-friendly power source than materials like oil and coal. That is mostly correct, but batteries come with their own problems.

Not only does the production, transportation, and disposal of batteries create carbon emissions, but the mining of the materials used to make batteries can cause some pretty harmful effects to the environment. And when disposable batteries have outlived their purpose, the chemicals that leak from them when we throw them away can pollute the ground and the water.

Still, batteries are better for the environment than burning fossil fuels, but there are ways we can use them wisely. We can lessen our negative impact by using as many rechargeable batteries as possible, which limits the amount of resources used and the number of battery replacements that we throw away.

Jack Mason’s Solar Watch 

At Jack Mason, we’re proud to offer a solar watch in our collection. Our solar watch with an analog display is bold and modern and designed with the wellbeing of the planet in mind—the case is made from recycled stainless steel, and the strap is made from recycled ocean plastic with a velcro clasp. One of the best solar-powered watches, it's complete with a fully functional digital compass and engineered to be water-resistant up to 100 meters; this is the signal of the perfect watch for the avid outdoors people among us.

With Jack Mason, all our bands are replaceable. If you prefer a leather strap, swap out the bands for an instant dress watch. You can have a multi-band collection with your favorite solar stainless steel watch.

You may enjoy our other adventuring watches: the Halyard Sport Chronograph with stopwatch and countdown timer capabilities and luminous hands or the Mirabeau with Japanese quartz movement. The date tracker will help you keep track of world times as you travel.

Whether you’re traversing through the wilderness or diving into the ocean to catch a glimpse of life below the water’s surface, Jack Mason’s solar watch offers the reliability, durability (protected by sapphire crystal), and functionality to get you where you need to go.

Sources:

A History of Watches and Timepieces | Racked

The spiralling environmental cost of our lithium battery addiction | Wired

How Do Solar Panels Work? | Photovoltaic Cells | Live Science.

Long before the traditional chronograph watches were invented, people could tell the time by watching the sun cast a shadow across a sundial. Centuries later, after generations of innovation in watchmaking, we’ve come full circle. Thanks to modern advances in timepiece technology, people are once again using the sun to tell the time—but with something a bit more contemporary than the sundial.

We’re referring, of course, to the solar watch.

Solar watches are among the newest and most advanced timepieces in existence, and it’s no wonder that watch collectors and enthusiasts are such big fans of these incredible devices. If you don’t know much about solar watches or have never even heard of them, don’t worry—we’re here to tell you all about them and why you should add one to your collection.

Different Movements 

Before we get into the specifics of the solar watch, it’s important to understand the basic mechanics of watches—namely, what makes them tick. Up until the invention of the solar watch, there were three different mechanisms (called movements) that made watches different from a standard bracelet and overall, how they work: mechanical, automatic, and quartz.

Mechanical 

Mechanical watches, as their name suggests, are watches that work purely mechanically. A mechanical watch derives its power from a device called a mainspring, which is a tightly wound strip of metal that releases tension at tiny, measured increments—as tension is released from the mainspring, power flows through the various components, like the dials, of the watch.

The problem with a mainspring is that it eventually will run out of power, so watches that rely on mainsprings must be regularly wound in order to keep running. That’s easy enough, but if you have multiple mechanical watches for different occasions, it can be annoying and time-consuming to have to wind a watch and set the time every time you take it off the shelf.

Automatic 

Built with many of the same mechanics and components of mechanical watches, automatic watches also rely on a mainspring in order to function. The major difference between mechanical and automatic watches, however, is that automatic watches wind themselves—kind of.

While a mechanical watch needs a human—or a special watch winder—to twist its crown (the knob that’s used to wind the watch), automatic watches are built with a weighted rotor. As the automatic watch’s wearer swings their arms, the rotor turns inside the watch, constantly winding the mainspring.

Although this is an amazing feature, automatic watches’ self-winding mechanism comes with a caveat: if you don’t wear the watch, the rotor won’t wind it, and it’ll run out of power. You’ll have to wind it by hand in order to get it running again.

Quartz 

For those who don’t ever want to wind a watch, quartz movements offer a simple and modern alternative to the mainspring: a battery.

Built with internal batteries, quartz watches never need to be wound—they keep running as long as their batteries have power. Of course, as everybody with a remote control knows, all batteries eventually need to be replaced. If your quartz watch has a lot of special features, they might run down its battery fairly quickly—and constantly replacing watch batteries can get expensive.

In 1969, the watch manufacturers at Seiko invented the Japanese Quartz movement.

Solar 

This brings us to solar watches—watches built around newer movements that harness the power of the sun (or strong artificial light). Instead of relying solely on batteries, solar watches absorb light and convert it into energy that keeps the watch running through solar power.

There are many benefits to this type of movement, and we’re going to get into all of them up ahead.

Why Solar? 

There are many reasons why watch enthusiasts are crazy about solar watches these days. Not only does their ability to harness the power of light make them effortlessly perfect for even the most fast-paced lifestyles, but they also are incredibly well-designed in every other aspect.

Light Is Everywhere

The name “solar” might be something of a red herring, as solar watches don’t specifically require sunlight in order to work—any light source will do. So even if you never see the light of day, as long as there are some light sources (even artificial ones), your solar watch will continue to power itself.

Special Features Often Come Standard 

Because solar watches don’t rely on the power of a mainspring in order to keep running, it’s possible to add plenty of additional features to solar watches that would otherwise drain less advanced watches. You might see similar features in some mechanical watches, but these features will use up more of the mainspring’s power, which means you’ll have to wind it more frequently. But with a solar watch, you don’t need to worry about that—you can just enjoy their special features.

Compass 

We can’t always rely on our smartphones to get us from point A to point B, especially if we find ourselves in a location without cell service. If you’re an avid outdoors person, you need to have a digital compass with you to aid in navigation—with a solar watch equipped with a compass, you already have one right on your wrist.

Barometer 

Even if you’re constantly checking the weather, you can never fully trust the accuracy of a weather forecast. That’s why many solar watches come equipped with a barometer that helps measure barometric pressure—so you can act as your own weatherperson simply by looking at your watch. Who needs a thermometer when you have a barometer?

Durability And Water Resistance 

Solar watches are often made from very durable materials, such as titanium or stainless steel for their cases and hardened crystal or sapphire for their

Watches that are water-resistant are incredibly useful—both for those who forget they’re wearing their watch when they hop into the shower, and those who need to keep an eye on the time when they’re underwater.

Because you don’t need to access the battery of a solar watch very often, and there’s no need to wind it, solar watches experience limited wear and tear of their external parts. The rubber gaskets that maintain a watch’s water resistance can wear down over time after many windings and battery replacements—but with a solar watch, those gaskets can keep working for longer.

Longevity 

Even though solar watches rely on light in order to keep running, they still have very long battery life. Many solar watches can last without sun for over a week or even up to six months—so whether you’re working in a coal mine or living through an Alaskan winter with one sunrise, your solar watch will keep on ticking.

Accuracy 

Telling time accurately is arguably the most important aspect of a watch, and solar watches accomplish that task amazingly well—they’re among the most accurate watches on the market, outperforming most watches with mechanical, automatic, and quartz movements.

Environmental Friendliness 

While fossil fuels like oil and coal are the cause of major air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, batteries have their own negative impact on the environment. They’re a much cleaner energy source than fossil fuels, but they still come with problems—the production, transportation, and distribution of batteries consumes plenty of natural resources and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Not only that, but when you dispose of batteries, they can end up polluting the water that we drink and that animals live in. For these reasons, rechargeable batteries are much better for the environment than disposable ones.

Because solar watches don’t need their batteries replaced nearly as much as quartz watches, the negative environmental impact of a solar watch is much smaller than that of its quartz counterparts. So if you’re looking for an eco-friendly watch option, the solar watch may be the perfect choice for you.

Affordability 

To hear about all the incredible features of solar watches, you might find yourself thinking that they must be obscenely expensive luxury pieces—but they’re not. While some solar watches can run as high as $1,500, you can also find them for much more affordable prices.

Jack Mason’s Solar Watch 

At Jack Mason, we’re proud to offer a highly fashionable, functional, and affordable solar watch with an analog face. Built with a recycled stainless steel case and a sapphire crystal, our solar watch is incredibly durable. Good for casual divers, it’s also water-resistant up to 100 meters and comes equipped with bright and easily readable SuperLuminova® markings, making it a handy tool for underwater use. The strap is made from recycled plastic, and the clasp is handy velcro. It comes with a deadly accurate second hand and compass on the bezel. The calendar will help you keep track of world times. Our solar watch is a smart, stylish option for any watch enthusiast to add to their collection.

In Conclusion 

Solar watches may be one of the newest types of watch on the market, but they’re still a classic-looking option for those looking for a stylish, durable, long-lasting watch that comes with the added benefit of being one of the most eco-friendly options in the watchmaking world.

As we continue to forge new frontiers into how we tell time, it’s also important to think about the impact that we have on the world in which we live. Solar watches draw on the natural power of the sun and use few resources compared to other watches. While solar watches may look timeless and classic, they’re highly modern timepieces that are perfect for our rapidly changing world.

Sources:

Sundial | Definition, History, Types, & Facts | Britannica

Why Should I Carry A Compass? | Your Hike Guide

Environmental Problems That Batteries Cause | Sciencing

With the summer fast approaching, Father’s Day is coming up. It’s time to start thinking about what we’re going to get our dads for the one day that they get all the attention—and our dads deserve the best.

It can be hard to know what to get your dad, and many dads don’t make it easy (“don’t get me anything!” isn’t a very helpful hint—and even if he means it, everybody appreciates being given gifts). Luckily, even if you don’t know what your dad wants, you know who your dad is and what he likes, which can help narrow down some possibilities.

If you’re having trouble figuring out the perfect gift, never fear. We’ve put together this handy guide to help you decide on a gift that your dad will be able to cherish for years to come.

Watches 

A well-crafted watch can make an excellent gift for Father’s Day. Even if your dad had retired to a life of leisure, he still needs to be able to tell them time—and he might as well be reminded of his kids every time he checks his watch. And because a good watch can last anywhere from several years to several decades, he’ll have that pleasant reminder for a long time.

No matter what your dad likes to do with his time, there’s a watch that’s perfectly engineered to complement his lifestyle. There are highly water-resistant watches for divers and sailors, incredibly technical timepieces for pilots and sports car fanatics, and even eco-friendly options for our environmentalist dads.

Before settling on a purchase, first, consider what it is that makes your dad tick—and then it’ll be easy to find a watch that he’ll absolutely love.

Dive Watches 

If your dad is an avid scuba diver or snorkeler, consider looking into dive watches. Also known as diving watches or diver’s watches, dive watches are engineered to withstand high amounts of water pressure—many designed to go to depths of 300 meters or more.

Even if your dad isn’t a deep diver, a water-resistant watch can be a great gift for guys who forget to take their watches off before jumping in the pool or the shower. If your dad is as forgetful as some of our team’s, he may appreciate the thought that goes into protecting his timepiece.

Pilot Watches 

Your dad doesn’t need to be a pilot in order to appreciate the stylish functionality of a pilot watch. While these watches were originally designed to accompany aviators as they navigate through the clouds, the many incredible features of pilot watches can come in handy in many different situations—and make a fashionable accessory regardless of the need for technically complex bezels and tachymeters. Pair with a vertical striped dress shirt for a classic look.

And if he is by any chance a pilot (whether commercially or recreationally), a pilot watch is an essential tool that can help him make quick time-speed calculations, allowing your dad to safely navigate through the skies and back home.

Solar Watches 

As the world becomes more aware of individuals’ impacts on the environment, our dads are becoming more aware of how their own actions affect the planet that their kids and grandkids will inherit.

Your dad can rest easy with a solar watch, knowing that the long-lasting, solar-powered, rechargeable battery won’t contribute to pollution like disposable batteries do. And if you get your environmentalist dad a watch made from recycled materials (like Jack Mason’s Solar Watch—made with recycled stainless steel and ocean plastics), he’ll be impressed with your concern for the earth.

Racing Watches 

We’ve never met a dad that doesn’t appreciate making good time. Whether it’s a quick stop at the grocery store or a cross-country road trip, many dads want to efficiently manage the time spent in stores, rest stops, and tourist traps.

Racing watches were designed to help racecar drivers measure their speed in real time—using tachymeters and chronometers to help the watch’s wearer make quick speed and distance calculations.

Whether your dad drives a fully-loaded sports car or a reliable minivan (“It’s good on gas, too!” he says), everybody can appreciate the functionality of a good racing watch.

Heritage Watches

Designed to perfectly accessorize even the most formal attire and pay homage to the vast history of watchmaking—heritage watches are beautifully streamlined timekeeping devices. Even if your dad has retired from life at the office, he still has occasions to dress up—and he should have a watch to go with his best suit.

At Jack Mason, we crafted our Canton Day-Date Automatic to be the perfect heritage watch. Inspired by the most timeless and iconic watch silhouettes in history, the Canton Day-Date Automatic is understated yet incredibly stylish. Featuring an exhibition caseback that shows off the inner workings of the watch’s movement, this timepiece allows its wearer to marvel at its intricate machinery—perfect for the dads who love to see how things work.

Cases 

If you’ve bought your dad a watch for Father’s Day, or if he’s an avid collector, one thing that will come in rather handy is a travel case. There may come a point when he’ll want to travel with his watch without having to wear it—maybe he’s heading to the beach for the day and doesn’t want to risk damaging his watch. Or perhaps he may want to bring an extra watch along with him (so he can wear a casual watch for day-to-day activities and have a dressier option for a romantic evening out); this gift makes those situations hassle-free. 

With a handy travel case, he can rest easy—knowing that his watch is protected even when it’s out of his sight.

Accessories 

Aside from protective travel cases, there are plenty of additional accessories that can accompany your dad’s new watch (or his existing watch collection). Whether he’s a man of many watches or prefers the silhouette of his favorite watch, there are ways to help him switch things up a bit—or to make it easy to cycle between many favorites.

Straps 

One simple way to take a watch and change up its look to swap out its strap for one of a different color or material. Simply by changing the strap, you can make a casual watch more dressy—or a dress watch more casual.

Not only can swapping out the strap change the appearance and formality of a given watch, but it can also make it more appropriate/durable for certain settings. If your dad has a water-resistance watch with a strap that isn’t made to withstand deep water, you may want to look into a waterproof silicone strap.

At Jack Mason, all of our watches are made with quick-release pins, making it easy to change their straps in mere moments. And we offer a wide range of styles, from classic Italian Leather to casual Nylon. Our interchangeable strap program allows your dad to tailor his Jack Mason watch to his individual style.

Automatic Watch Winders 

If your dad has a number of automatic watches, it’s very likely that he constantly needs to wind them and set their time. Even though automatic watches are engineered to wind themselves (sort of), they need to be worn in order to do so—it’s the motion of the wearer’s arms that allows an automatic watch’s internal rotor to spin around inside the watch and wind the mainspring (the component that powers the watch).

With an automatic watch winder, your dad can set his automatic watch in a specially designed case that rotates his watch while he’s not wearing it. Automatic watch winders can come in many different sizes, with the smallest designed to hold and wind one watch at a time—and the larger models built to hold and wind several watches at once.

Jack Mason Gift Cards 

Sometimes it can be so hard to pick a gift for our dads that it makes more sense to guide them to the right place and let them pick something out for themselves.

At Jack Mason, we offer gift cards ranging from $25 to $300—so if you’re stumped as to what type of watch your dad would truly love, you can always get him a gift card and set him free to peruse our collection. Whether he’s in need of a new watch or some accessories for his favorite Jack Mason timepiece, a gift card can help him get whatever he needs.

In Conclusion 

We know that it can be hard to pick the perfect gift for your dad, but it shouldn’t feel impossible. After all, there’s something for everybody—and that’s especially true when it comes to the world of watches.

No matter how your dad likes to spend his time, he deserves to look and feel his best while doing it. Whether he’s an avid outdoorsman, automobile enthusiast, or just a great dad, a beautiful watch makes a perfect gift.

Sources:

16 Trips You Should Take With Your Dad - Father-Son and Father-Daughter Vacation Ideas | Country Living

Rechargeable Batteries: A Better Choice? | One Green Planet

A History of Watches and Timepieces | Racked

When first invented, there was only one type of watch: the pocket watch. As the decades ticked on, many new designs became available—by the end of World War I, the wristwatch had overtaken the pocket watch in popularity.

These days, there are countless wristwatches for sale, each with its own features and limitations. With so many options on the market, we wanted to walk you through the various types of watches that are available—not only is it important to be an informed customer, but we think it’s fascinating to learn about how these timepieces work. Read on for a description of everything you’ll find when looking for a new watch.

Types of Watch Movements

There are three different types of mechanisms, known as movements, that watchmakers use to craft their watches: mechanical, automatic, and quartz.

Mechanical 

This is the classic. The first watches were mechanical, containing intricate inner workings that revolve around the use of the mainspring—the component that powers the watch.

The tightly-wound mainspring gradually releases tension over a set period of time, in turn activating all of the wheels and other components inside the watch. Over a long enough time, it will eventually lose tension; to keep your mechanical watch ticking, you have to keep that mainspring wound.

Automatic 

Also known as a self-winding watch or a perpetual motion watch, automatic watches contain all of the same intricacies of mechanical watches—with an added feature.

While the old-school mechanical watch needs to be wound by hand to keep working, an automatic watch has a self-winding mechanism that uses the kinetic energy of the watch’s wearer (i.e., when they swing their arms as they walk) to keep the mainspring wound.

Quartz 

This is a more recent method for powering watches. Instead of all the intricate inner workings of mechanical and automatic movements, quartz movements use an internal battery. Because of their simplicity, many quartz watches are more affordable than their complex counterparts.

Watch Displays 

Seeing as the main purpose of a watch is to tell the time, how the time is displayed is very important. Here are the different designs that you’ll see (or feel):

Analog 

This is the most traditional and common display type for watches—and timepieces in general. Pretty much every classroom in America has an analog clock on the wall…and pretty much every student in America has found themselves staring at the second hand at some point in their tenure. If the clock has hands that turn and point to numbers on a dial, that’s an analog display.

Digital 

Digital displays use an LCD screen to show the time. You’ll find digital displays on ovens, microwaves, coffee machines, and pretty much any appliance that includes a timekeeping feature.

Digital watches are popular for their ability to instantly tell time without having to interpret the positioning of the hands on a watch’s face—people who have difficulty reading analog displays will probably prefer digital options.

Hybrid 

As one might assume from the name, this is a combination of analog and digital. Many different watch types feature hybrid displays, ranging from simpler designs—with a traditional analog face and an additional digital display—to those with more complicated features (for instance, watches that include fitness trackers or the ability to connect with a smartphone).

Tactile 

This specialized type of watch can tell time without needing to look at a display. Tactile watches were created in the early 1800s so that people could discreetly know the time without having to take their watch out of their pocket (back in the days before wristwatches).

These days, tactile watches are helpful for the blind. Braille watches are also available for that purpose.

Touchscreen 

The Information Age has brought us some pretty incredible equipment, including smartwatches. While tiny little wrist computer-communicators used to be a thing of science fiction, reserved for the likes of James Bond and Buzz Lightyear, these days, smartwatches are available from a variety of retailers.

Since smartwatches offer multitudes of features and applications, there’s not enough room on the watch face to display everything at once—necessitating a touchscreen display. This feature makes it possible to switch screens and scroll through messages and articles. (Extra points if you’re reading this article on a watch right now.)

Watch Styles 

While the inner workings of a watch and how it displays time are perhaps the most important aspects of a watch’s design, many people are just as concerned with the style of watch—and for a good reason.

There are a wide variety of watch styles, from the extremely casual to the ultra-luxurious. You don’t want to show up to a gala with a $20 drugstore watch on your wrist (unless you’re trying to make a specific statement), and you might invoke the disdain of fellow gymgoers if you show up to your workout sporting a limited-edition, vintage designer timepiece. So you need to know about the different styles of watch, and in what scenarios they’re most appropriate.

Casual Watches

Casual watches can be worn for almost any occasion. Casual watches are by your side for  day-to-day activities, whether you’re running errands or finishing up work at the office. You can wear a casual watch to the gym, the store, on vacation, etc.

If your casual watch appears classy enough to wear to a wedding or an opening night, more power to you, but many casual watches look too informal for many important events.

Dress Watches

Dress watches are perfect for formal and semi-formal events—they can bring a look together or stand out as an interest piece, but ultimately they fulfill the purpose of being a component of a formal outfit.

Fashion Watches

There’s little agreement on what constitutes a fashion watch, but generally, the term applies to watches made by a brand that’s well known for their reputation in the fashion world—not for their expertise in making watches.

“Fashion watch” can be a derogatory term in that sense since it refers to a watch that may not be of the highest quality, but is aesthetically attractive and often expensive due to its manufacturer’s brand recognition.

Luxury Watches 

Not to be confused with fashion watches, companies with long histories of watchmaking manufacture luxury watches. Many luxury watches contain precious materials, and their manufacturers use high-end movements and other carefully crafted components in their designs.

Luxury watches can cost thousands (or millions) of dollars. Those that can afford them are attracted to their undeniable craftsmanship.

For most people, the most important differentiation is that between casual and dress watches. Having at least a couple of options for each isn’t a bad idea. That way, you can pair any watch with any outfit—and any occasion.

Specialty Watches 

There are also plenty of options when it comes to specialized types of watches. Some of the best watches have features that allow their wearers to make essential calculations, be water-resistant, or make it possible to submerge to dizzying depths.

Diving Watches 

As the name suggests, diving watches are made for diving. Water resistance is the most important feature here, and the best diving watches are capable of going underwater at any depth.

Many watches have some degree of water resistance, but not all water-resistant watches have the same durability level. Make sure to double-check the features and limitations of your watch before taking it for a swim.

Pilot and Racing Watches 

Pilot watches were originally designed for pilots; racing watches were designed with racecar drivers in mind. These watches can have chronometers (stopwatch capabilities) and tachymeters (customizable measurement components) that may be relied upon even in life or death situations. 

Solar Watches 

While there are some shortcomings to mechanical and automatic watches when it comes to maintaining accuracy (mechanical watches need to be wound and automatic watches need to be worn in order to wind themselves), solar watches combine the longevity of mechanical and automatic movements with the pinpoint accuracy of quartz movements.

Solar watches constantly charge their batteries, drawing on both natural and artificial light to do so, and are some of the most accurate watches on the market.

In Conclusion 

Ultimately, the type of watch you pick is unique as you are. You might want a simple design that’s classic enough to wear every day but classy enough to wear with a suit; you might want a flashy design with plenty of additional features.

Whatever it is that you’re looking for, Jack Mason has the watch for you. Be it casual or dressy, automatic or quartz, classic or cutting-edge, we have it all. Check out our collection and see what we have to offer—we’re sure you’ll find the perfect watch for you.

Sources:

CNN | Most Expensive Watches

The Atlantic | History of the Wristwatch

Collider | James Bond Movies

It’s not the size that counts—it’s what you do with it: an adage as true for sports cars as it is for watches.

Whether worn on the wrist of everyone’s favorite British spy or the first man on the moon, a unique watch can make quite the statement and set trends for decades to come. Some of the world’s most fashionable watches achieved their popularity by their proximity to fame; people wanting to wear a tuxedo and order a martini—shaken, not stirred—need to have the appropriate wristwatch to go with the ensemble.

On the other hand, while some timepieces have obtained their elite status through high-profile product placement, others need no introduction. These watches, meticulously crafted by well-known luxury watchmakers, draw their exclusive appeal from the brand names inscribed on their dials—names like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille…the list goes on.

While some watches gain prominence because of their association with fame, and others maintain a high profile due to their manufacturers’ reputation, one thing is undeniable: a unique watch is a priceless addition to any watch enthusiast’s collection.

Here are some of our favorite unique watches that have captured the attention of collectors throughout history.

The Name’s Submariner—Rolex Submariner. 

Rolex should be applauded not only for crafting a high-quality luxury watch but also for their skill at marketing and product placement.

The luxury watchmaker released their first water-resistant watch, the Oyster, in 1926—and they knew to get it onto the wrist of Mercedes Gleitze, the first British woman to swim the English Channel. The swim lasted for over 10 hours, and when Gleitze made it to dry land, the Oyster was still in perfect working order.

Likewise, when Rolex released the Submariner, another dive watch, their design found itself on the big screen, famously accessorizing Sean Connery’s James Bond.

While some watch collectors had bought up dive watches before the 007 movies, the Submariner’s popularity skyrocketed after Dr. No, the first Bond movie that featured the classic timepiece. It also appeared with Connery in From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball—and the watch is now so closely associated with the fictional secret agent that it’s referred to as the James Bond Submariner.

Because of the watch’s place in Hollywood history (and people’s desire to be compared to James Bond), Submariners fetch a very high price. In 2018, a Submariner 6538 with a rare dial design sold for $1,068,500, making it the most expensive Rolex Submariner ever sold at auction. Today, you can find secondhand Submariners online, starting at around $20,000.

If you want a dive watch to pair with your shaken martini but can’t afford the premium price tag of a Rolex Submariner, check out Jack Mason’s stunning Seatrek Automatic—a classic-looking dive watch with modern capabilities. Its movement is a Seiko (SII) Caliber NH35A, which houses 24 jewels and has a power reserve of 41 hours. This beautiful timepiece features dual-colored Swiss Super-Luminova® markings for high legibility—so you can easily read the time, even if you’re in high-speed, underwater pursuit of a brilliant supervillain.

A Watch For Astronauts 

Highly specialized watches have found themselves on the wrists of adventuring professionals, such as pilots and racecar drivers. Still, very few timepieces have had the privilege of joining their wearers in outer space.

Enter the Moonwatch. Officially the Omega Speedmaster Professional, this watch got its nickname for being the first watch on the moon. NASA had provided Speedmasters (also called Speedies) to the crew of the Apollo 11 mission before takeoff.

In addition to the Omega, Rolex, Longines, and Hamilton all submitted their hopeful designs. NASA engineer James H. Ragan performed a series of rigorous tests on all of the watches to assess their ability to handle deep-space elements. The Speedmaster outperformed them all. 

Featuring a signature black dial, a small seconds sub-dial, a 30-minute recorder, and a 12-hour recorder, this deceptively simple-looking timepiece came with many valuable tools so that astronauts could stay safe while far, far away from home.

The 50th anniversary of the lunar landing was just a few years ago, and a first-generation Speedy from 1958 sold for almost $410,000—an astronomical price (sorry, we had to) that indicates that many of today’s watch collectors care more about functionality and history than simple luxury.

The World’s Most Expensive Watch

Held in Geneva, Switzerland every other year, Only Watch is a high-profile luxury watch charity auction that features unique watches made by the world’s finest watchmakers. Each piece sold at Only Watch is one-of-a-kind, making this event a watch collector’s mecca—as long as those collectors are able to pay the exorbitant prices fetched by these unique timepieces.

Luc Pettavino founded the event in 2005. That year, Pettavino’s son had developed Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a horrible disease that eventually took his life. Since its inception, Only Watch has raised millions of dollars to benefit research on the disease, with 100% of the proceeds from the event going to this cause.

While these watches are well out of the price range of most collectors, their uniqueness can’t be denied—and we have to mention their top seller: the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime.

This unique timepiece sold at Only Watch 2019 for $31 million—the highest price paid for any watch ever sold at auction. 

This watch was crafted specifically for Only Watch and is the only Grandmaster Chime that will ever be made in stainless steel. With four spring barrels driving 20 complications—including a minute repeater, instantaneous perpetual calendar with a four-digit year display, second time zone, day/night indicator, day/date, month, leap-year cycle, and many more—this is an exquisitely designed wristwatch, and the most complicated watch that Patek Philippe has ever produced. And just to remind admirers that this watch is one-of-a-kind, there’s an inscription on the dial that reads: “THE ONLY ONE.”

This is an especially sought-after timepiece because this kind of Patek Philippe watch has never been made available for purchase by the broader public. In the past, Grandmaster Chime watches have been considered “application timepieces,” which means that collectors need to submit an application to Patek Philippe in order to prove themselves worthy of owning one.

A Prototype of Olympic Proportions

Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille has a knack for crafting timepieces that combine sportiness with luxury; their uniquely-shaped watches are sought-after for their exceptional performance and distinctive style.

Yohan Blake, a Jamaican sprinter, was the original wearer of Richard Mille’s RM038. This famous watch would later appear at the Only Watch auction.  

Blake won the gold medal for the 100m at the 2011 World Championships, making him the youngest 100m world champion in history, and would place second at the London Olympics for both the 100m and 200m races. As Blake became the second-fastest man ever in both races, he sported an iconic Richard Mille prototype that was sporty, fashionable, and eye-popping.

At Only Watch 2013, Richard Mille offered the prototype that Blake had worn across the finish line. Bright and flashy, the sports luxury watch featured the yellow, green, and white of the Jamaican flag. Artfully displayed in a magnesium case, the prototype movement is completely visible, showing the timepiece’s inner workings in all their Olympian glory.

So Many Unique Watches, So Little Time 

While having millions of dollars in spending money certainly has its benefits, you don’t need to be a millionaire to own a high-quality wristwatch. There are countless models on the market that are made with painstaking care—but that don’t come with an unimaginable price tag.

At Jack Mason, we create watches that are able to be worn every day while lasting a lifetime—and they come with a lifetime warranty to prove it. We offer this warranty because we are confident that our watches come second to none. The Jack Mason watches are made from top-quality materials, including Japanese and Swiss movements, sapphire crystals, and Italian leather straps.

And because we believe that premium watches should be affordable to everybody, we make sure to offer Jack Mason watches at a reasonable price. Nobody should have to pay $31 million for a watch that they love—so our collection is full of exquisitely crafted watches that don’t break the bank.

Like James Bond’s Submariner, all Jack Mason watches are water-resistant, allowing them to be taken underwater. And while we haven’t submitted any offerings to NASA just yet, we hope that a Jack Mason Pilot Watch will someday fly among the stars. For now, we’re very happy with our unique collection—and we think you will be too.

Sources:

How Sean Connery Turned a Regular Rolex Into “The Bond” | GQ

Omega’s Moonwatch Enters the Stratosphere | The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Meet The World’s Most Expensive Watch: $31 Million Patek Philippe Sets World Record At Only Watch Auction | Forbes

The Most Unique Watches In The World: Only Watch | Forbes

Watches are incredible devices. They’re the perfect blend of fashion and function—providing a stylish accessory to any outfit while also allowing their wearers to tell the time with a subtle glance at their wrists.

That’s why it can be frustrating to pick up one of your favorite timepieces only to see that its hands have stopped turning. In order to accurately tell the time, you now need to reset the watch to the correct time and wind it so that it maintains enough power to keep running.

While this isn’t necessarily the most labor-intensive of tasks, it can take time out of your day. Luckily, there are devices on the market that allow you to set your watch down and not worry about having to rewind it when you pick it back up. These devices are called automatic watch winders, and they can be a valuable addition to any watch enthusiast’s collection.

How do automatic watch winders work, and do you really need one? While we won’t tell you what you do and don’t need to (that’s up to you), we’re here to tell you how these devices work—but first, let’s talk about the devices that they maintain: watches.

Mechanical Watches 

The first watches were purely mechanical. With a complex series of simple (and tiny) machines, watch movements were composed of many moving parts that worked together to keep time. These early watches weren’t incredibly accurate, but they were more convenient than searching for a clock tower or asking a stranger to check the clocks in their home. These were the days before wristwatches, when the pocket watch was the only portable timepiece available.

Over the course of centuries, timepieces were engineered to be more accurate, but they were still completely mechanical—and these miniature mechanical marvels were made possible by the invention of one component: the mainspring.

The Mainspring

The mainspring is a tightly-wound, ultra-thin strip of metal that provides all of the power for a mechanical watch (you can think of it as the watch’s engine). The mainspring operates inside with the help of the mainspring barrel—a tiny canister that keeps the mainspring tightly wound and prevents it from releasing tension all at once.

The mainspring is connected to the crown of the watch. The crown is the knob that you use to wind your watch (or to move the watch’s hands). With a mechanical watch, when you twist the crown, it, in turn, increases the tension of the mainspring.

While the mainspring barrel keeps the mainspring from unwinding all at once, it does allow tiny amounts of tension to be released gradually. As tension is released, the mainspring provides power to the various wheels inside the watch. Some of these wheels are attached to the watch’s hands—as they turn, so do the hands.

A collection of parts know as the escapement controls the gradual release of the mainspring’s power. The escapement is composed of the pallet fork and the escape wheel.

The Pallet Fork and Escape Wheel 

The pallet fork and escape wheel work in tandem to allow power to flow from the mainspring in tiny, measured increments. As power is released, the pallet fork ticks back and forth, locking into an escape wheel tooth with each swing. As the pallet fork slips free, the escape wheel moves forward ever so slightly. As the escape wheel turns, so do the other wheels of the watch.

As long as there is mainspring power in the watch, this process keeps repeating.

Have you heard that it’s impossible to improve upon the wheel? Well, it’s pretty hard to improve on the watch, too! It’s endlessly fascinating that such simple machines from long ago are still the basis upon which we craft the modern watch. 

The One Problem With Mechanical Watches

Mechanical watches are undeniably incredible, but they come with limitations. Because they’re purely mechanical, these watches need to be wound frequently to maintain accuracy. If you don’t wind your mechanical watch, the mainspring will gradually run out of power, and the watch will slow and eventually stop. Of course, once you rewind your watch, power will return to the mainspring, and the watch will start working again.

But what if you don’t want to have to wind your watch constantly? This was the question that led watchmakers to invent other types of watch movement: quartz and automatic.

• Quartz – the most modern type of watch movement, quartz movements rely on a battery rather than a mainspring to power the watch. Because of this, these watches are often much simpler than mechanical watches—they don’t need as many moving parts because so many of the watch components’ tasks only rely on a single battery. With a quartz watch, you don’t need to wind the watch at all—the battery keeps it running.
  
  
• Automatic – very similar to mechanical watches in almost every way, automatic watches have many of the same components as mechanical watches. However, the big difference is in the watch’s ability to wind itself as its wearer moves.

How Do Automatic Watches Work? 

Similar to a mechanical watch, automatic watches rely on a mainspring to power the watch’s other components. The tightly wound mainspring gradually releases power through the escapement, and the watch’s wheels move in turn.

But instead of relying on the wearer of the watch to wind the mainspring using the crown, automatic watches have a specially designed rotor system that’s attached to the mainspring. As you walk, you swing your arms; as you swing your arms, the rotor inside the automatic watch spins around—winding the mainspring and providing power to the watch’s movement.

Why Do You Need An Automatic Watch Winder? 

At this point, you may find yourself asking, “if automatic watches wind themselves…why would I need an automatic watch winder?”

That’s a good question, and the answer comes down to how often you wear your automatic watch. If you wear it all the time, every single day, you may not need a winder. But suppose you occasionally take off your automatic watch and set it down, whether to switch to a different watch in your collection or to go watch-free for a couple of days (we don’t know how anybody can do that but to each their own)? In that case, you might find yourself with a problem.

Because automatic watches rely on your movement to wind themselves, they’re not quite self-winding—they still need you to wind the mainspring, even if they’re depending on your movement instead of your taking the time to twist the watch’s crown. A person’s natural movement in their day-to-day life can create enough spin in an automatic watch’s rotor to keep a watch running for around 35 to 45 hours.

So, if you leave your automatic watch on the shelf for a few days, you’ll have to wind it again to get enough power in the mainspring to make the watch work again.

Whether you have a mechanical watch or an automatic watch, it needs to be wound from time to time—and if you have multiple watches in your collection, it can be very tedious to have to constantly wind your timepieces by hand.

That’s where the watch winder comes in.

How Does A Watch Winder Work? 

Watch winders work by slowly rotating your automatic watch on a sideways turntable within a specialized case or device, eliminating the need to wind the watch by hand. As the winder rotates, the rotor inside the watch spins, slowly winding the mainspring.

Watch winders come in many different sizes. Some of the simpler models hold and wind one watch at a time. These single-watch winders can be a good option for beginner collectors who want to delve into the world of automatic watch winders.

For watch collectors with multiple automatic watches that they want to keep wound at all times, there are automatic watch winders that can hold several watches at once and keep each one spinning on an individual turntable. These cost substantially more than the simple single-watch winders, but they’re very handy for the experienced collector who doesn’t want to wind the mainspring and set the time whenever they put on a different watch.

While these watch winders aren’t necessary, they can make for highly useful tools in a watch enthusiast’s arsenal.

Winding Down 

Whether you’re a beginner watch collector or a longtime enthusiast, there are definite benefits to owning an automatic watch winder. It’s not necessary, but watch winders aren’t about necessity—they’re about improving quality of life. If you find yourself frustrated in the tedium of constantly winding your watches and resetting the time, an automatic watch winder might be the perfect solution to your problem.

Of course, if you enjoy the ritual of winding a watch by hand, that’s understandable—while watches are stylish accessories, they’re also tactile ones. It can be satisfying to take a moment to reacquaint yourself with your treasured timepiece, knowing that every twist of its crown is providing its mainspring with the power to get you through another day.

Sources:

6 Simple Machines: Making Work Easier | Live Science

History of Pocket Watches - Invention of Pocket Watch | History of Watch

What Is a Watch Mainspring and How Does It Work? | Bloomberg

In the beginning, there were no watches. Humans relied on the sun to tell the time, originally just by looking up and interpreting the orb’s position in the sky to understand how much light they had left in the day. The sundial was a more scientific way of relating the sun’s motion to the passage of time, and that was the primary way of telling the time until the invention of the clock in the 14th century.

Also known as a diving watch or a diver’s watch, a dive watch is water-resistant. Many dive watches can withstand intense pressure and can be taken into deep waters, but none are truly “waterproof,” as the term implies that there are no circumstances under which they can leak. In the watch industry, we refer to a watch’s ability to hold up against water pressure as water-resistance.

In our fast-paced world, time moves quickly—and so many of us run to keep up with the latest fashion trends when it comes to clothing and accessories. Watches are no exception; all the best modern watchmakers compete to offer their clientele the latest in technological advancements and contemporary styles.

The wristwatch is one of those classic accessories that has been highly sought since its inception for both its stylishness and its usefulness. Being able to tell the time by glancing at one’s wrist is a technological marvel that many people take for granted these days—it’s easy to forget that such an action was barely possible a hundred years ago.