What Is A Tachymeter? 

A tachymeter is a type of watch complication used to measure the speed at which the watch’s wearer travels over a fixed period of time. Tachymeters are typically featured on chronographs, specialized watches that feature multiple stopwatch functions in addition to the traditional watch display. 

A tachymeter is normally a part of a chronograph’s bezel. The bezel is an added component that orbits the face of your watch. Bezels are used to make different types of measurements, and different watches often include different features on their bezels. 

Many watch bezels are designed to rotate to make specific measurements and adjustments. For example, many aviation watches feature a dual-time display complication that can be adjusted by rotating the bezel of the watch. However, tachymeters are featured on watches with fixed, non-rotating bezels. 

Tachymeters can be used to measure the speed a watch’s wearer is traveling at over a specific period of time. Most tachymeters can make measurements over a period of anywhere from seven to 60 seconds. 

Chronograph watches feature a hand that can be started or stopped to make specific measurements. To use the tachymeter complication on your chronograph, you will line up this hand with a specific point on your tachymeter scale. You can then make some quick calculations using a simple formula to determine your speed over a specific period of time.

Tachymeter Measurements Step One: Know The Formula 

Making measurements with your tachymeter relies on some basic math. There are 3600 seconds in an hour, and the formula that you use to calculate speed based on your tachymeter reading is T=3600/t. This formula translates the measurement on your tachymeter scale into speed traveled in units per hour by dividing the number of seconds in an hour by the amount of time elapsed on your chronograph.

Knowing this formula means you can calculate your average speed over a certain distance by dividing the amount of time elapsed on your chronograph by the number of seconds in an hour. Based on this formula, you can determine how fast you are traveling from one point to another by starting your chronograph at point A and stopping it at point B. The number on your chronograph is the number of seconds it took to get from point A to point B. The number on your tachymeter is the speed (in miles per hour) you would need to be traveling to reach point B from point A at the speed that you did. That means you now know how fast you were going between point A and point B.

Tachymeter Measurements Step Two: Does Your Watch Have A Tachymeter? 

Not all watches, and not even all chronograph watches, include a tachymeter. Tachymeters are often featured on racing watches, whereas the bezel on other specialized types of watches may include another complication. Tachymeters are typically labeled, making them easy to spot.

Another easy way to tell whether or not your watch has a tachymeter is to see if the bezel on your watch rotates. Remember, tachymeters are fixed in place – unlike other complications located on the bezel of a watch, they do not rotate. If your watch has a numeric complication on its bezel that rotates, it is likely a tool other than a tachymeter.

Tachymeter Measurements Step Three: Know The Distance Between Two Points 

Tachymeter measurements are based on prior knowledge of the amount of ground you are covering in a fixed period of time. To get an accurate measurement of your speed in miles per hour using your tachymeter, you need to know exactly how far you (or the object you are speed-tracking) have traveled. 

The easiest way to get an accurate tachymeter reading is to look for two points with a distance between them that you know. Thanks to smartphones, you can determine the distance between two points with relative ease using a navigation app. Because tachymeters can measure speed over up to 60 seconds, you can track speed over relatively long distances if you are traveling fast enough. 

Once you know the distance between points A and B, you are ready to make an accurate tachymeter measurement. All you need now is to start your chronograph at point A and stop it at point B.

Tachymeter Measurements Step Four: Know How To Read Your Chronometer 

If you have a chronograph watch with a tachymeter, you need to familiarize yourself with your watch’s chronometer, which plays a key role in tachymeter measurements. Your chronometer serves as the stopwatch function on your watch, with a starting and stopping hand that can be used to track elapsed time. A chronograph has a third hand, which starts spinning when the wearer engages the chronometer using a button on the side of the watch. 

The numbers on your chronometer correspond to seconds passed. However, the units on your tachymeter correspond to speed traveled in miles per hour based on your chronometer reading. In other words, you need your chronometer to read your tachymeter.

Once you are familiar with your chronograph’s stopwatch function, you are ready to use it to read the tachymeter on your watch’s bezel. With these two complications working together, you can track the speed of an object over a certain distance.

What Types Of Watches Have Tachymeters? 

The main type of watch that includes a tachymeter is the racing watch. Iconic for its sleek design and its place in the rich history of competitive driving, the racing watch is a perfect timepiece for more than just car enthusiasts. Anyone can make good use of the chronometer and tachymeter included on a racing watch to track speeds and times, and these watches are uniquely stylish.

Racing watches are characterized by a few key features. A high-contrast dial is a hallmark of the racing watch design, a must-have feature for drivers traveling at high speeds. Standard watch faces can be difficult to read when moving extremely fast, and the racing watch design has competitive drivers in mind, giving them a highly readable display.

The racing watch design also features a stopwatch function, which can correspond with multiple chronometers for measuring times and distances. In addition to the chronometers, a racing watch includes a tachymeter on its bezel. When used with the stopwatch, the tachymeter can come in handy in many contexts at the racetrack, allowing for the tracking of speeds at certain points in a driver’s route.

A less common complication featured on some racing watches is a pulsometer. This complication is designed for measuring the pulse of a driver. However, the pulsometer is not considered as much of a staple of the racing watch design as the tachymeter or chronometer. 

Why You Should Consider A Racing Watch 

Racing watches have a unique appeal that reaches far beyond the world of competitive driving. These watches have a number of distinct features that can be useful for anyone measuring times, distances, and speeds. The complications featured on a racing watch make this type of timepiece indispensable for use in a wide variety of competitive sports, from swimming and sprinting to eating contests.

The chronograph has long been relied on in a host of contexts to measure elapsed time. Interacting with a chronograph watch is uniquely satisfying. A well-built watch with useful complications can quickly become not just a favorite accessory but also a highly useful tool that comes in handy in a wide variety of situations. The chronograph on a racing watch can be used in many day-to-day circumstances, and its applications reach beyond the realm of driving and other competitive sports.

In addition to being highly useful, a racing watch has a look that is a unique blend of classic and modern. Jack Mason’s Mirabeau Racing Chronograph has a design that is modeled after components of classic cars from the mid-20th century, making it look like a timeless piece of automotive history that you can proudly wear on your wrist.

The stylish looks and numerous uses of a racing watch make it a worthy candidate for everyday wear. Racing watches can be paired with straps made from a wide variety of materials but tend to look best with a metal or leather band. Using quick-release watch straps, you can easily swap out the strap on a racing watch to transform its appearance. With multiple straps at your disposal, your racing watch can be right at home on a weekend drive, at a formal gathering, at the office, or anywhere else you may find yourself. 

The versatile design of the racing watch makes it a jack-of-all-trades that is both stylish and practical. You won’t regret making it a part of your wardrobe, whether you like to drive fast or not. For automotive enthusiasts and casual commuters alike, racing watches have a lot to offer, and their looks and functionality set them apart from other types of timepieces.

Sources:

https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/use-chronograph-tachymeter-wristwatch/

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g15376545/the-coolest-racing-watches-ever-made/

https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a27479488/tag-heuer-motorsport-history/

Not All Watches Work The Same 

The mechanism that keeps your watch ticking and telling the time accurately is called its movement. The three types of watch movements are mechanical, automatic and quartz. Each of these movements uses a unique mechanism to keep your watch running smoothly.

A watch’s movement is one of the primary factors that can distinguish it from other similar timepieces. The movement of a watch not only makes it function in a certain way, it can also determine how user-friendly the watch is for the wearer. In addition, certain watch movements can make a watch lighter or heavier than others.

When it comes to watch movements, there is no objective best option that is preferred by all wearers. Instead, your choice of watch movement comes down to personal preferences, budget, and the amount of time you plan on investing in caring for and maintaining your watch.

One of the most popular watch movements, automatic movement, has been used to power timepieces for centuries. Automatic movement has stood the test of time and remains a staple in luxury watches to this day. When you are on the lookout for an ideal watch, you’ll want to make sure to consider automatic movement.

This post goes in-depth about the inner workings of an automatic watch, as well as the history of the movement. Automatic watches may be centuries old, but the movement has stayed popular among watchmakers and enthusiasts alike – and with good reason.

If you’re curious about what goes on under the surface of your timepiece, keep on reading. We’re about to shed some light on how automatic watches work, their history, and why you should consider making automatic your movement of choice.

A Brief History Of One Of The Most Popular Watch Movements 

Automatic watch movement was pioneered as early as the 1770s. The first automatic watchmakers created an innovative mechanism that was designed to transfer energy generated by a watch wearer's hand movements to a weighted rotor inside the watch.

When automatic watches were first invented, they were handheld pocket watches. These early automatic watches were not as accurate as the wrist-worn ones to come, and over a century would pass before automatic wristwatches became available to the public.

During the early 20th century, automatic watch movement was further innovated, and became even more cemented in watch-wearing culture. In the 1920s, watchmakers began making and selling wrist-worn automatic watches. These watches could transfer much greater amounts of energy from the wearer to the mainspring. This increase in energy transfer and storage gave automatic wristwatches the ability to stay ticking for much longer than their handheld predecessors. 

At this point, automatic watch movement was beginning to compete with mechanical movement, which required wearers to manually wind their watches. Automatic watches offered convenience and accessibility that made them attractive to consumers, and automatic movement was just as reliable as mechanical movement when used by an expert watchmaker.

Automatic Watches: The Pros 

An automatic watch’s weighted rotor spins as the wearer turns his wrist, allowing for energy to be stored in the watch’s mainspring. The energy stored in the mainspring can then keep the watch ticking accurately without manual winding for long periods of time. This mechanism makes automatic watches extremely convenient for the wearer. 

The weighted rotor mechanism inside an automatic watch gives it a distinct heaviness. For many watch enthusiasts, the weight of an automatic watch has a unique appeal. High-quality automatic watches typically weigh more due to the use of a heavier weight, and one of the best ways to discern an automatic watch’s quality is by how it feels in your hand. A heavy watch is not necessarily a better watch, but the heft of an automatic watch tends to be a promising sign.

Automatic watches also have a unique appeal for purists who prefer to keep things as classic as possible. Since quartz watches have become more and more prevalent in the last few decades, sticking with an automatic watch can be an act of devotion to a longer-running form of watch movement. For watch purists, wearing a mechanical or automatic watch is an opportunity to take a unique level of pride in one’s timepiece.

Automatic Watches: The Cons 

The only thing that stands in the way of an automatic watch continuing to work without manual winding is if it is not worn. For an automatic watch to keep ticking, it needs to be worn consistently. The transfer of energy from your wrist to the watch’s mainspring by way of the weighted rotor is what keeps your automatic watch ticking. So, if you leave your watch off for long periods of time, it may need to be wound manually.

The need for manual winding from time to time makes automatic watches inherently higher-maintenance than quartz-powered watches. Opting for an automatic watch means making a commitment to taking some time to maintain your watch to keep it running smoothly. In contrast, a quartz watch, powered by a battery, will run and keep time accurately until its battery needs to be replaced.

Choosing to wear an automatic watch can also be less appealing for some based on the weight of the automatic mechanism. In the same way that the heaviness of automatic watches make them desirable for many watch wearers, this weight can also make an automatic watch feel cumbersome for some. If you prefer a watch that feels as light as possible, a quartz watch is likely a better pick for you. 

What Kind Of Automatic Watch Should I Get? 

Once you decide that automatic movement is right for you, you still have plenty of freedom to choose what your watch will be like. A watch’s movement is completely independent from its outward design– that means you can have an automatic dive watch, pilot’s watch, and more with automatic movement. 

Knowing that your watch’s movement is independent from its type, it is always worth it to explore the different types of watches once you decide what movement is right for you. Depending on your lifestyle, fashion preferences, job, and other factors, you can find an ideal watch design that meets all your needs. 

Your watch is one of the most important elements of any outfit you wear. A watch can make or break your look, so knowing how to pair your timepiece with different outfits and occasions is a precious skill. Whether you are someone who tends to dress formal or more casual, a watch can complement your style and take an outfit to the next level. It’s all about knowing how to choose the right one for you.

The Automatic Dive Watch: A Timeless And Versatile Timepiece 

If you are looking for an ideal everyday watch that is right at home paired with a suit and tie or a t-shirt and jeans, an automatic dive watch might be exactly what you are after. With a classic look that has been sported by generations of sharp-dressed men, the dive watch is both simple and elegant. 

Dive watches were originally designed to withstand the high pressure of the ocean’s depths. However, their good looks made these timepieces attractive to more than just deep-sea divers. Dive watches quickly became staples in men’s fashion in the mid-20th century, and they haven’t gone anywhere ever since. With an automatic dive watch, you can count on the perfect combination of form and function. Dive watches traditionally have minimal complications, and can be worn well with either a leather or metal band.

Automatic Aviation Watches: Useful, Great-Looking, And Steeped In History

When international flights and passing between time zones became the new normal for aviators in the 20th century, pilots needed a watch that could meet their specific needs. During this aviation renaissance, the modern pilot’s watch was born. Featuring a wide array of unique complications, a pilot’s watch is excellent for professional pilots and hobbyists alike, as well as for the fashion-conscious gentleman who appreciates a well-crafted timepiece.

Aviation watches are uniquely elaborate in their design, often featuring a date complication and a multi-scale chronograph, a pilot’s watch can complement a formal or casual outfit.

Quartz Vs. Automatic: Is There A Winner?

When it comes to watch movements, there is no objective best option that we unanimously recommend. The modern era of watchmaking has seen quartz movement rise up to compete with automatic movement. Quartz is a worthy contender as a watch-powering mechanism, powered by a battery instead of a rotor. Quartz watches are famously low-maintenance, and often feel lighter to wear than their automatic or mechanical counterparts.

Ultimately, there are pros and cons of each type of watch movement. For most men, the decision is typically between automatic and quartz, and both are excellent choices. Automatic watches have a longer-running history than quartz-powered timepieces, and they often appeal to fans of the classics. However, quartz watches offer a unique level of accessibility and take the cake in terms of user friendliness. The choice between the two is, in the end, up to each man to make for himself.

Sources:

https://www.gearpatrol.com/watches/a93012/how-does-an-automatic-watch-movement-work/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-24/how-world-war-i-changed-watches-forever

https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/quartz-mechanical-automatic-movements/

A Brief Introduction To Watch Movements 

There are three different types of mechanisms, known as movements, that are used by watchmakers when crafting watches to keep them ticking and telling time actively. These three types of movements are mechanical movement, automatic movement, and quartz movement. 

Quartz movement, one of the most common watch-powering mechanisms in the modern market, relies on a battery rather than the traditional wound mainspring. The battery in a quartz watch emanates an electrical current that vibrates a piece of quartz. The vibrations of the quartz are at a precise frequency, and these precise vibrations regulate the ticking of the watch. Quartz watches are low-maintenance, lightweight, and remarkably simple in comparison to their mechanical predecessors.

Automatic movement, a direct descendent of mechanical movement, employs a weighted rotor mechanism to allow a watch to wind itself. As the wearer rotates his wrist while wearing the watch, the movements engage the weighted rotor, spinning to self-wind the mainspring inside the watch. The energy stored up by this mechanism allows for an automatic watch to keep ticking accurately for long periods of time without requiring manual winding by the wearer.

Finally, mechanical movement, the main focus of this post, is the forefather of automatic and quartz movement and the most elaborate and intricate of the movements. A mechanical watch relies on manual winding to tick. The wearer will wind the watch himself using a dial called a crown on the exterior of the watch.

Mechanical movement is the oldest of the movements, with a rich history spanning centuries of watchmaking. Mechanical watches are staggeringly intricate and fascinating to look inside. Inspecting the inner workings of a mechanical watch, you have to marvel at the ingenuity of watchmakers working in decades and centuries past who handcrafted such tiny components and made them work together in harmony.

These three types of watch movement all have devoted fans and followers in the modern era. However, mechanical movement has become somewhat antiquated with the advent of simple, lower-maintenance mechanisms of watch movement. Mechanical watches are still dearly loved by collectors and enthusiasts, but the movement has largely been overshadowed by automatic and quartz movements.

Even as mechanical watch movement’s popularity has waned, it has not become any less intriguing. In this post, we’ll take a deep dive into the inner workings of a mechanical watch, uncovering what’s going on under the surface of this incredibly intricate type of timepiece. Prepare to have your mind blown.

A Guide To The Key Components Of A Mechanical Watch 

Mechanical watches are made from a wide array of small (sometimes incredibly tiny), interconnected parts. Below is a simple guide to the main components of a mechanical watch. After you familiarize yourself with these parts, we’ll move forward to discuss how each of the components of a mechanical watch work together to make the watch tick.

The key component in a mechanical watch that plays a crucial role in its winding is the mainspring. The mainspring is a small, circular piece of wound steel that is interconnected with a mechanical watch’s wheel train and escapement, which regulate the timing of the mainspring’s release of stored energy. 

The wheel train attaches to the mainspring. A set of interconnected gears, the components of the wheel train turn at timed increments, regulated by the escapement. The escapement is a combination of some of the most delicate parts of the watch. Inside the escapement assembly are the balance wheel, regulator, and hairspring, which maintain the watch’s rate of released energy from the mainspring. This regulation keeps the watch ticking accurately. 

To keep a mechanical watch ticking, power must be released from the mainspring and regulated by the escapement. To regulate this release, the escape wheel, a component in the escapement, is held in place by a pin. As the balance wheel in the escapement rotates, the pin periodically releases the escape wheel, allowing it to spin. When the escape wheel spins, the mainspring is unwound in tiny increments, known as beats.

Why Does A Mechanical Watch Tick? 

Mechanical watches tick thanks to a “click” inside the escapement each time the pin that holds the escape wheel catches the teeth of the wheel. When the balance wheel allows the escape wheel to spin, the pin that holds the escape wheel in place is lifted, catching the escape wheel and making a soft ticking noise. 

The “beats” of the spinning escape wheel occur approximately six times per second, translating to 21,600 beats per hour. That means a mechanical watch is “ticking” more than once per second and that the ticks do not correspond to the passing of seconds. Instead, a mechanical watch’s ticks are the natural noise generated by the movement of the escape wheel.

What Holds A Mechanical Watch Together? 

The delicate mechanism inside a mechanical watch that keeps it ticking is held up by a sturdy support system. The bottom of a mechanical watch is called the main plate. The main plate holds all of the inner mechanisms of the watch together, supporting them and keeping them from shifting out of place.

Atop the main plate, a mechanical watch contains a series of layers of gears, cogs, and interconnected mechanisms known as bridges. The balance bridge, directly on top of the main plate, holds the balance wheel, the most delicate component of a mechanical watch. The balance wheel’s oscillation triggers the release of the escape wheel, allowing for energy to be released as the mainspring unwinds.

Above the balance bridge is the pallet bridge, which houses the pallet fork of the watch. Attached to the balance wheel, the pallet fork houses the escape wheel, periodically releasing it as the balance wheel oscillates. This oscillation and release allow the escapement to regulate the release of energy from the watch’s mainspring.

On top of the pallet plate is the wheel train bridge. The wheel train is the series of interconnected gears that connect the escapement and the mainspring. Without the wheel train, the escapement would not be able to regulate the release of energy from the mainspring. 

Finally, the top bridge layer of a mechanical watch is called the barrel bridge. This layer houses the mainspring, connecting it to the wheel train and escapement. 

Every Part Matters 

Each of the components in a mechanical watch plays a key role in regulating the release of energy from the mainspring. Without the delicate balance of the parts working together, a mechanical watch would be inaccurate or non-functioning. The abundance of moving parts creates a lot of potential for problems requiring expert attention. However, as high-maintenance as they are, mechanical watches are truly fascinating inventions, powered by a combination of human ingenuity and expert craftsmanship.

The intricacies of a mechanical watch make these timepieces both works of art and collectors’ items. Mechanical watches are often appraised at thousands of dollars due to the craftsmanship and artistry behind them. These watches may also be beautifully embellished, and some are made of gold or other precious metals. Ultimately, all of these factors have made mechanical watches more of antique collectibles than accessories fit for everyday wear.

Why Did Mechanical Watches Decline In Popularity? 

Overall, the decline in the popularity of mechanical watches came as a result of innovation in watchmaking. Automatic and quartz movement gave watches previously unseen levels of convenience and accessibility to wearers. With less need for maintenance and fewer fragile moving parts, automatic and quartz watches became the industry standard as the 20th century unfolded.

In the early 20th century, automatic wristwatches became widely accessible to the public. After World War I, there was a surge of innovation in many industries, watchmaking notwithstanding. From this surge came the popularity of automatic watches, which offered a new level of convenience to wearers.

Whereas mechanical watches required manual winding to keep ticking and telling time accurately, the first automatic watches were inherently lower-maintenance thanks to the presence of a weighted rotor mechanism. This mechanism, attached to a similar mainspring to the one found in a mechanical watch, allows an automatic watch to wind itself as the wearer moves his wrist. 

A few decades later, in the late 1960s, legendary watchmakers Seiko introduced the first quartz watch. Quartz watches, powered by batteries, were even more low-maintenance and user-friendly than their automatic or mechanical predecessors. These watches’ batteries vibrate an embedded piece of quartz at a specific frequency, allowing for remarkable levels of accuracy. The battery-powered mechanism in a quartz watch is also much lighter than the weighted rotor mechanism in an automatic watch.

If you are lucky enough to own a mechanical watch, hang onto it. These incredibly intricate timepieces are worthy of being family heirlooms, passed down through generations with great symbolic significance. While mechanical watches may not be the most practical option for the modern man, their ingenuity and the expert craftsmanship behind them is undeniable.

Sources:

https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/clocks-watches/question285.htm

https://www.esquire.com/uk/watches/g9664/9-most-expensive-watches-in-the-world/

https://www.businessinsider.com/mechanical-watches-worth-buying-2016-9

NATO Straps: An Introduction 

NATO watch straps have a rich history behind them, not to mention decades of being proudly worn by multiple generations of well-dressed men. The history of the NATO strap is one of its biggest selling points, and it is worth digging into this style of strap’s background, whether you wear one already or are considering making one your strap of choice.

Is Your Watch Too Loose On Your Wrist? 

Metal watch bands are elegant and versatile, pairing well with a wide array of types of watches. Metal accessories can complement many outfits, and stainless steel is one of the best options out there for your watch band.

Are You A Newcomer To Watch-Wearing?

Making changes to your style can feel like a daunting undertaking. If you don’t tend to branch out much with the way you dress, it’s easy to start feeling stuck in a rut. One of the simplest ways to get out of that rut is to start accessorizing, complementing your outfits with a high-quality wristwatch.

Metal Watch Bands Are Stylish And Versatile 

A great watch is made even better when paired with the right strap. The material that you choose for your watch band can have a major impact on your overall look, and knowing which material to pair with your watch is one of the keys to watch-wearing success.

Understanding Mechanical Watches From The Inside Out

Mechanical watch movement is the oldest and one of the most complex watch-powering mechanisms. Mechanical watches have been worn for centuries, predating automatic and quartz watches. For a long stretch of watchmaking history, mechanical wristwatches were the only variety available. These watches require manual winding by the wearer to keep ticking and telling time accurately.

 

Types Of Date Displays On Mechanical Watches 

Mechanical watch complications, including date displays, are regulated by additional gears and mechanical components within a watch. Complications provide a watch wearer with additional useful functions that can be accessed via a watch’s face. Because mechanical watches function without any electronic components, any complications featured on the face of a mechanical watch will be entirely analog.

The two primary types of date complications found on watches are annual calendars and perpetual calendars.

Annual date complications are commonly found on mechanical watches. This type of date complication is the simplest possible, relying on a mechanical date wheel. Annual calendars display the day of the week, month, and date in a compact interface. One of the primary drawbacks of an annual date complication is the need to reset the calendar during the month of February. These calendar complications are designed to accurately track 30-day and 31-day months but need to be manually adjusted during the 28 or 29-day month of February. 

Perpetual calendars are designed to compensate for any changes to the number of days in a specific year, keeping the accurate date even during leap years. These types of date display complications are much more sophisticated and elaborate than the classic annual calendar. 

Perpetual calendars are calibrated to accurately track the number of days a year for up to a century, meaning their displays will not be adjusted for an entire lifetime. Perpetual calendar displays are more common in automatic and quartz watches than in mechanical watches and are a more recent invention.

How Annual Calendars Work 

If a mechanical watch features a date display complication, it is likely an annual calendar. This type of calendar display can be manually adjusted by the wearer, similarly to how a mechanical watch can be manually wound. This type of calendar relies on a date wheel, a cycling string of printed numeric elements that periodically switch out every 24 hours.

Exploring The Different Mechanisms That Make Watches Tick 

Watches can be powered by a variety of different mechanisms. Each of these mechanisms, known as watch movements, use different technology to keep a watch ticking accurately.

The three primary types of watch movement are mechanical movement, automatic movement, and quartz movement. These types of movement were invented in the order they are listed above – mechanical first, then automatic, then quartz.

Watchmaking is both an art and a craft. Making fine watches takes skill, precision, and intensely paying attention to each detail. The inner workings of a watch are incredibly complex regardless of its movement, and each of the types of watch movement is fascinating in its own right. Watchmakers pay careful attention to each and every component of a timepiece, and every element of a watch plays a key role in contributing to its functionality and aesthetic beauty.

This post gets in-depth about each of the watch movements – mechanical, automatic, and quartz. If you are about to buy your first watch or are a seasoned veteran with a growing collection, this is information you don’t want to go without. 

Watch Movements Vs. Watch Types 

Before we start exploring the different watch movements, it’s important to first distinguish between watch movements and watch types. A watch’s movement is the mechanism that allows it to keep ticking and telling time accurately. A watch’s type, on the other hand, is its categorization based on its design and specific features.

Popular types of watches include nautical, aviation, racing, field, and dress watches. Each of these watch types has specific features that distinguish it from others. Some of these features are functional – these are known as complications and provide added convenience to the wearer by displaying the date, an additional time zone, or other useful functions. Other features are purely for aesthetic purposes and can lend to a watch’s unique look.

Each type of watch can be found with quartz, automatic, and mechanical movement. The movement used to power a watch is independent of its categorization by type. In other words, a dive watch can be either quartz, automatic or mechanical, as can any other type of watch.

Knowing how to find the best watch for you takes a combination of exploring watch movements and watch types. A watch’s movement can have a major influence on your watch-wearing experience, as can its type. Depending on your lifestyle, hobbies, fashion preferences, and other factors, you can determine which type of watch is best for you.

How Watch Movement Evolved Over Time 

When watches first started to become staples for both fashion and function, they were designed to be carried in a pocket, often attached to a chain. These first pocket watches were powered by mechanical movement, requiring the wearer to periodically wind the watch to keep it ticking.

The earliest wristwatches appeared in the 1800s and were also powered by mechanical movement. Shortly thereafter, automatic movement was introduced. However, this new form of movement was initially only found in pocket watches. It wasn’t until after the first World War that automatic movement started being used to power wrist-worn watches.

In the late 1960s, Japanese watchmakers Seiko released the Quartz Astron 350SQ, the first quartz-powered watch. Seiko revolutionized the watch market by providing exceptional accuracy and increased convenience through the use of a movement that relied on a battery instead of a wound mainspring. Since the release of the Quartz Astron 350SQ in 1969, quartz movement has grown in prevalence, becoming a long-running competitor with automatic and mechanical movement.

The invention of each of these three types of watch movements marked major turning points in watchmaking history. Innovations in the realm of watchmaking have changed the world for the better, giving watch wearers the opportunity to keep time accurately while sporting a well-made timepiece.

Mechanical Movement: What Started It All 

The earliest watches were powered by mechanical movement. The pioneers of watchmaking crafted intricate mechanical pocket watches using a combination of interconnected gears, all turning at a precise rate to keep a watch ticking accurately. 

In order to keep ticking and keeping time, a mechanical watch needs to be manually wound. When a mechanical watch is wound, the wearer turns a small metal knob known as the crown. When the wearer winds the watch by turning the crown, the mechanical watch builds and stores momentum in the mainspring, a small piece of coiled metal that is interconnected with the watch’s gears.

The stored momentum in a mechanical watch’s mainspring is released in precise intervals that are regulated by the watch’s intricate design. A mechanical watch contains a mechanism called an escapement that regulates the mainspring’s release of power to make the watch tick in timed intervals. The escapement works in tandem with the balance wheel, which is one of the most delicate components in a mechanical watch. 

Mechanical watches are fascinating, and their intricacies make them worthy of being considered collector’s items and works of art. As automatic watch movement and quartz movement have made it less common to find mechanical watches on the market, these timepieces have become even more desirable for collectors.

Automatic Movement: Evolving And Innovating For Convenience And Functionality 

As watchmaking continued to evolve, timepieces became lower-maintenance and more user-friendly with the advent of automatic movement. First appearing in the late 1700s, automatic movement took a similar approach to powering a watch to mechanical movement. However, automatic watches were unique in that they were self-winding – an automatic watch harnesses the energy from the movements of the wearer’s wrist and stores that energy in the watch’s mainspring.

When wearing an automatic watch, the movement of your wrist engages a weighted rotor mechanism. This rotor spins to store energy in the watch’s mainspring, allowing the watch to wind itself. Thanks to the presence of a crown and winding stem, automatic watches can still be wound manually if necessary. However, consistently wearing an automatic wristwatch makes it rarely necessary for the wearer to wind the watch himself. 

Because an automatic watch contains a weighted mechanism, this type of timepiece has a uniquely hefty feel on the wearer’s wrist. For many men, this weight serves as a conscious reminder of a watch’s quality. Like a sturdy, well-made pair of jeans, an automatic watch’s weight makes it feel durable, reliable, and comfortable on the wearer’s wrist.

For many watch enthusiasts, the convenience of automatic movement was enough to render mechanical watches obsolete. However, for others, additional convenience and ease of use have not been enough to replace the timelessness of a mechanical timepiece. While the majority of watch wearers have moved on to either automatic or quartz movement, some avid collectors and dedicated purists have stuck to mechanical watches even as others have moved on.

Quartz Movement: Battery-Powered And Low-Maintenance 

Invented in the mid-20th century, quartz movement is one of the simplest, most convenient watch-powering mechanisms. A quartz watch relies on a battery to keep ticking, eliminating the need for winding by the wearer. The battery in a quartz watch generates an electric current that creates a vibration in a piece of quartz inside the watch. This piece of quartz vibrates at a specific frequency, keeping the ticking of the watch accurate.

Quartz watches are remarkably accurate. More lightweight than automatic watches and much easier to maintain than mechanical watches, watches with quartz movement have begun to dominate the analog watch market over the last few decades. There is still a devoted following for automatic watches and a committed niche group who have stuck to mechanical watches. However, quartz has quickly become one of the most prevalent watch movements on the market. 

Which Movement Is Best For You? 

When it comes to choosing the best watch for you, there are a few key factors to consider. As you can tell, the different types of watch movements require varying levels of maintenance and upkeep from a watch’s wearer. 

Depending on your level of investment in watch-wearing as a hobby and a habit, your tolerance for watch upkeep may be lower or higher. Mechanical watches will typically require the most attention and maintenance from the wearer, especially since they need to be manually wound to continue working. However, the process of caring for and wearing a mechanical watch is a rewarding experience for many.

If you are looking for a timepiece with a solid balance of tradition and innovation, an automatic watch is worth considering. Automatic watches are lower-maintenance than mechanical watches but still rely on the classic mainspring mechanism to work. The weightiness of an automatic watch sets it apart as well, giving it a distinct feel that appeals to many watch-wearers.

When you are looking for a watch that is as easy as possible to maintain, quartz movement is the way to go. A quartz watch offers unparalleled convenience to the wearer, making adding a great watch to your outfits simple. Quartz watches are ideal when every second counts, sparing time and energy for men with especially demanding schedules.

Sources:

https://global.epson.com/innovation/core_technology/origin/quartz_watches.html

https://www.explainthatstuff.com/quartzclockwatch.html

Your Watch Band Is Just As Important As Your Watch Itself 

A strap can make or break a watch. A low-quality watch band can ruin the look of your watch and your outfit as a whole, but an excellent strap can take your timepiece to the next level. Choosing the best strap for you and your watch can often be as challenging and exhilarating as choosing the watch itself.

Metal Watch Straps: Modern, Sleek And Durable 

Metal is another watch band material that is extremely popular. Metal watch bands typically match the color of a watch, creating a look that is cohesive and pleasing to the eye. Pairing your watch with a matching metal band gives the watch a look that is right at home when paired with both casual and formal outfits.

Metal watch bands are typically made from a chain of interconnected stainless steel links. However, some are made out of precious metals like silver and gold, particularly those found on luxury watches and antique mechanical timepieces. Most of the time, though, if you come across a metal watch band, it is made of stainless steel.

Stainless steel is an excellent material for a watch band because of its durability and versatility. However, one important consideration to make when donning a metal watch band is how the material can be affected by temperature. As you have probably experienced when buckling your seatbelt on a triple-digit degree summer day, metal can get hot. Likewise, the material can also get extremely cold in below-freezing temperatures. In extreme weather conditions, a strap made from a material that is unaffected by temperature changes may be a better option.

In addition, whereas the majority of other watch bands can be quickly adjusted, resizing a metal watch band can take some extra time and effort. If your metal strap is too loose, you will need to manually remove some of its links. If it is too tight, you will need to add additional links to expand the strap.

Nylon And Rubber Straps: Casual And Convenient 

Coming in a variety of colors, nylon straps are often found on more casual timepieces such as field watches. The most common variety of nylon strap is the NATO watch band, distinguished by its unique double-stripe pattern. These straps come in a wide variety of colors and are easy to swap out with each other using the quick-release strap system.

Rubber straps are another more casual variety of watch bands. Although rubber has a reputation for primarily being paired with digital and smartwatches, the material can also look great with a dive watch or another sleek, minimal analog design. A rubber strap is ideal for keeping in your watch band arsenal to diversify the number of looks your watch has to offer you.

Nylon and rubber are less common watch band materials than metal and leather, but they have their own set of perks. These materials are easy to clean and maintain and are largely unaffected by temperature. In addition, both rubber and nylon are ideal for circumstances where your watch needs to be able to take a beating. If you are an outdoorsman or adventurer of any kind, keeping a strap made from one of these highly durable and weather-proof materials in your arsenal is a great move.

A Guide To Choosing The Best Watch Band For You

Wearing a high-quality watch is a surefire way to take any outfit to the next level. However, as any diehard watch enthusiast will tell you, there are numerous defining aspects of each individual watch that can make it more fitting as an accessory for a certain type of outfit. 

If You’ve Been Looking For The Perfect Pilot’s Watch, Look No Further

Whether you are a professional pilot, an aviation aficionado, or the proud owner of your own personal aircraft, you need an aviation watch. Steeped in rich history from decades of airline innovation, the pilot’s watch design is perfect for seasoned aviators and newcomers alike.