What's the allure to having to wind a $20k watch?

03Hemi · Oct 22, 2019

I'll admit it, I've only recently gotten into luxury watches, but at one time I had a draw full of vintage, solid gold older pieces from the 40s-50s, all manual wind. I still have a couple, but they rarely get worn because I hate having to wind a watch just to wear it. So what am I missing that someone would pay an exorbitant amount on a watch they have to wind every week or so? I get the mechanics of it and all, but damn, automatics seem to be the best of both worlds.

rkman11 · Oct 22, 2019

I have both, but personally I love the time spent winding my watches. Conscious connection with the mechanics. Like vinyl vs cds or mp3s. Sure, they’re “easier” but I love setting the needle, flipping the album. It’s a connection.

BUT that’s my personal feeling. Great thing about this hobby/obsession is that there’s something for everyone. And most importantly, it’s your money so I’d suggest only spending it on something you enjoy, regardless of how others feel.

vbrad26 · Oct 22, 2019

Why would anyone buy an old Ferrari when they could just buy a new one?
There are plenty of answers here...and to each their own.

MikiJ · Oct 22, 2019

Hell, at my age it's always a treat to wind my "watch" every morning 😁

ahsposo · Oct 22, 2019

Sometimes I find winding a watch a meditative process. I tend to wear hand winders for occasions; that's not hard and fast. In fact at my age the phrase "hard and fast" is taking on different meaning.

STANDY · Oct 22, 2019

03Hemi
I get the mechanics of it and all, but damn, automatics seem to be the best of both worlds.

Quartz are even better.

So for me having a lot of watches on rotation I have to set a automatic anyway so if I spend a extra 10-15 seconds winding no drama to me.
Then not caring manual or automatic I get a whole lot more watches I can buy.
Why would you not want to wind this

Nathan1967 · Oct 22, 2019

STANDY
Quartz are even better.

So for me having a lot of watches on rotation I have to set a automatic anyway so if I spend a extra 10-15 seconds winding no drama to me.
Then not caring manual or automatic I get a whole lot more watches I can buy.
Why would you not want to wind this

So nice! dibs!!!!

Albe100 · Oct 22, 2019

Manual wind also tend to be thinner, so if you are someone who is looking for a more elegant watch, that slips nicely under the cuff....they make a better option than the automatic movements.

But I enjoy winding my manual watches, it's like staying in touch with the ways of the past, call it nostalgia 😀

Mad Dog · Oct 22, 2019

03Hemi
I'll admit it, I've only recently gotten into luxury watches, but at one time I had a draw full of vintage, solid gold older pieces from the 40s-50s, all manual wind. I still have a couple, but they rarely get worn because I hate having to wind a watch just to wear it. So what am I missing that someone would pay an exorbitant amount on a watch they have to wind every week or so? I get the mechanics of it and all, but damn, automatics seem to be the best of both worlds.

Automatics are definitely cool, sir...I have a few...but manual wind...HOT DIGGITY DOG...more interface with the almighty mechanical machine...which I dig because I dig the almighty mechanical machine...and I don’t play well with today’s ever-changing electronic/computeronic world. 👍

ahsposo · Oct 22, 2019

Here a two of my hand winders, neither is particularly expensive but they are "presentable" enough for dress, IMO. I wear the Longines mainly with black tie and the IWC at events like a wedding.

Dan S · Oct 22, 2019

03Hemi
I get the mechanics of it and all, but damn, automatics seem to be the best of both worlds.

I think this may be true if you wear the same watch every day, or you keep all of your automatics on winders. I used to keep about eight of my favorite automatics on winders, but after a few years, one of my winders stopped working, which also made me think about the unnecessary wear the watches were experiencing. So ultimately, I got rid of the remaining winders. Now when I wear an automatic watch, I wind and set it the same way as a hand-winding watch (except for a couple of watches that can't be hand-wound), so there's basically no difference in practice. Just extra thickness and moving parts to break in the automatic movements.

IanES · Oct 22, 2019

Most of my watches are automatic and I don't wear them every day so invariably I have to set the time and, while doing that, give it just a couple of winds and a shake. The manual wind Speedmasters take more but I do it almost without thinking.

Thing I hate doing the most is setting the date.

I always set the time 'roughly' a few minutes ahead and very rarely bother with the date (if the watch has one)

If I was OCD about the date then I'd also be OCD about the moonphase (watch on my avatar)

I would really like a blue wavey dial SeaMaster without a date. Pity they don't make one - I'd buy it. (or is somebody now going to tell me that they do make one?)

BlackTalon · Oct 22, 2019

Seems like all very expensive watches should be quartz, as I don't like the idea of having to reset the time when I put on an automatic I have not worn for a few weeks. And forget about automatics with date functions -- they rarely have the correct date unless I spend a ton of time advancing the date wheel. I have no need mess with the time or date on my one quartz watch. All very expensive watches should be like that.

::stirthepot::

😁

IanES · Oct 22, 2019

BlackTalon
Seems like all very expensive watches should be quartz, as I don't like the idea of having to reset the time when I put on an automatic I have not worn for a few weeks. And forget about automatics with date functions -- they rarely have the correct date unless I spend a ton of time advancing the date wheel. I have no need mess with the time or date on my one quartz watch. All very expensive watches should be like that.

😁

The 'stiring' emoji puts me in mind of the old Monty Python Sketch which went something like "Do you want the 5 minute argument or the full half hour?"

IanES · Oct 22, 2019

BlackTalon
Seems like all very expensive watches should be quartz, as I don't like the idea of having to reset the time when I put on an automatic I have not worn for a few weeks. And forget about automatics with date functions -- they rarely have the correct date unless I spend a ton of time advancing the date wheel. I have no need mess with the time or date on my one quartz watch. All very expensive watches should be like that.

😁

But, to answer your question, it's a bit like the fact that I live just 50 yards from a bus stop and there's a bus every 15 minutes into town and I'm of the age where, in this country at least, I get free bus pass to/from anywhere in the country as often as I want.

But I still put my own gas into my own car and even manage to turn the key and start the car myself and drive myself into town - often stuck in traffic behind afore mentioned bus.

As it is I spend a fair few hours of each day looking at computer screens or smart phones so it's not as if I don't always know what time it is anyway. Owning my own mechanical watch is, for me at least, not much different to owning my own mechanical car.

eugeneandresson · Oct 22, 2019

This thread calls for a photographic journey including young babes at Hooters ala @Mad Dog that will make the point sink in...

Joe_A · Oct 22, 2019

Why do we need watches at all?

Don't most of us have our cell phones either strapped to our sides, or nearby, all our waking lives these days?

I'm not wealthy enough to be driving a vintage Ferrari, but I do happen to own a 1965 Austin-Healey that I bought in 1995. As the wife says, "It smells like an old car," and of course, driving in it is a visceral experience. The only safety feature on board is a lap belt. The steering wheel is nicknamed "the spearing wheel," because it's primary means of controlling the steering box is through a solid rod that runs from one's chest to the steering gear box.

Why do we humans collect anything that we don't need? Coins? Stamps? Hummels?

Why do we go to amusement parks?

From 1985 when I bought the first one new to just a couple of years ago, every day I wore a Seiko Sport 100 quartz moon-dial watch. A few years ago, I even bought a second one, "just in case."

The above watches keep time to within a 30 seconds a year and I only set them twice a year to take daylight savings time into account. (I don't bother setting the 30/31 date hand because my eyes can't see those tiny numbers anyway.]

I think we own wind-up watches because we are, in essence, irrational beings. ::stirthepot::

Cheers!

MikiJ · Oct 22, 2019

eugeneandresson
This thread calls for a photographic journey including young babes at Hooters ala @Mad Dog that will make the point sink in...

That may also make an even better point for a good "watch wind" 😉

Dan S · Oct 22, 2019

Joe_A
Hummels?

Had to Google this. 🤦

time flies · Oct 22, 2019

It may be one of those.."if you have to ask you won't understand moments? Maybe not. Anyhow....

have fun
Kfw

What's the allure to having to wind a $20k watch?

03Hemi

rkman11

vbrad26

MikiJ

ahsposo

STANDY

Nathan1967

Albe100

Mad Dog

ahsposo

Dan S

IanES

BlackTalon

IanES

IanES

eugeneandresson

Joe_A

MikiJ

Dan S

time flies

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