[Stanleyduck]

While I am waiting for my biochem exam grade to come through so i could allow myself to buy hamilton auto chrono, something came to my mind.
Why are swiss manufacturers so fixated on automatic watches? what is the point of an automatic watch?
Isn't one of the reasons of owning a mechanical watch the fact that you are constantly involved with your watch?
You wake up every morning, pick up your watch, wind it, put it on, repeat next morning.
When I had auto i did the same exact thing, I missed the chirping of the crown, on Autos the wind is silent, and you can never tell if its wound enough or not, though i did feel slight resistance when it was wound.

I just see it unnecessary, it makes a watch fat, makes you less involved with your watch, you never know how much wind it has, unless indicator

 

[StufflerMike]

Any automatic watch is a mechanical one.

 

[m00k]

Assuming the title meant to be Manual vs Automatic....

The point of having an automatic is that you DON'T have to wind it every morning as you did with your manuals, as wearing it for 6-8 hours will typically put the power reserve back to full.

In terms of being "involved" in your watch, I guess that depends on how involved you want to be. A manual wind with complications like a perpetual calendar that has run out of juice would take some time to get all the complications set again. That's a level of involvement I'm not interested in.

 

[Squirrelly]

I suppose a similar question could be asked... "What's the point of an automatic transmission?"

 

[NightScar]

For lazy people. Like me!

Duh!



:-d

 

[Watchbreath]

If you used to have a 'beatle', no more "rowing" in heavy traffic.

I suppose a similar question could be asked... "What's the point of an automatic transmission?"

 

[little big feather]

Op...Winding an Automatic is not smart, IMHO.

 

[inhaus]

on Autos the wind is silent,

Try a Breitling Super Avenger, put it on and give your wrist a flick and then hold still as quickly as possible, the momentum of that rotor will actually make the whole watch vibrate for a good 5 seconds and it feels like a little engine on your wrist. One of the weird little quirks of that watch I miss.

 

[pastawatcher]

Op...Winding an Automatic is not smart, IMHO.

Please expound - I'm dying to know why. :roll: (Yes, I'm being sarcastic. There's an awful lot of misinformation based on perpetuated myths on this site)

You just made a VERY general statement. I don't want to hear that because one caliber (i.e.: ETA 2824) has an issue with manual winding that ALL automatics shouldn't be wound manually.

 

[unpleasantness]

If it's a watch you regularly use for diving (or you just want to keep out dirt by keeping seals undamaged), the less you unscrew the crown the better it is for the seals. If you wind it every day, you're putting wear and tear on seals every day. Automatic movements dramatically reduce the need to mess with the crown, especially if you wear it all the time.

 

[little big feather]

Please expound - I'm dying to know why. :roll: (Yes, I'm being sarcastic. There's an awful lot of misinformation based on perpetuated myths on this site)

You just made a VERY general statement. I don't want to hear that because one caliber (i.e.: ETA 2824) has an issue with manual winding that ALL automatics shouldn't be wound manually.

Join DateJul 2007LocationWakefield, West YorkshirePosts9,458
It depends on the movement.

Omega 550/560s don`t really like being hand-wound, it increases wear and tear on the winding mechanism. ETA 2824 and 2836 movements seem to wear prematurely if hand-wound.....I`ve got an absolute howler on my bench at the moment that's worn itself out through excessive hand-winding over many years; I`ve had to replace the mainplate plus several other parts. Handwinding plus lack of lubrication is a recipe for problems.

If the watch has stopped I would suggest around 10 winds to get it running properly.

Some of the older hand-wound movements seem bombproof. The parts are bigger and therefore designed to take more wear and tear.
Downloaded from TZ, UK....Many examples if you do research. How many do you feel you need?

AUTOMATIC WATCHES The energy produced by the movements of the wearer's wrist is transmitted to the barrel spring through the action of the oscillating mass. This process replaces the manual winding process involving the turning of the crown which is a required feature of manual watches. This energy is then gradually redistributed around the watch movement right through to the hands.

You are recommended to wear your watch every day, since the natural movement of the wrist enables the watch to remain in permanent operation.

If your watch stops, and in order to re-start it as smoothly as possible, you are advised to turn the winding crown approximately twenty times.

If you do not wear your watch regularly, you are recommended to use an automatic watch winder case suitable for your model of watch to ensure that it continues to function permanently.
In this way you will avoid the need to adjust the time-setting of your watch too frequently.

From VC's website.

 

[richnyc]

Autos, all the way!!! Enough said.

 

[Stanleyduck]

Any automatic watch is a mechanical one.

i'm aware of the difference don't be condescending

Op...Winding an Automatic is not smart, IMHO.

be that as it may, not being that experienced with mechanical watches, I haven't grown that level of trust yet, thats why i was winding it, i didnt know whether i was making enough arm movement to keep it going.. Why cant they just include a power reserve indicator on every watch -_-

In terms of being "involved" in your watch, I guess that depends on how involved you want to be. A manual wind with complications like a perpetual calendar that has run out of juice would take some time to get all the complications set again. That's a level of involvement I'm not interested in.

That is one great reason ill agree with

 

[ShaggyDog]

i'm aware of the difference don't be condescending

He wasn't being condescending. But your thread title says 'Mechanical Vs Automatic' and it's true that an automatic watch is also a mechanical watch. No need to get snarky when you've made a mistake and someone rightly corrects you.

 

[ilitig8]

i'm aware of the difference don't be condescending

And he was supposed to know this how? You used incorrect nomenclature which was germane to your post and he corrected it about as nice a way as possible while being usefully pithy. If what he "said" hits you as condescending, internet forums may not be the best place for you to engage. Further, while you may or may not be aware of it, your OP reads like a cut and paste troll post. Fill in the blank before and after the "vs" and use pretty much any two brands, classifications, country of origin of watches, then proclaim disbelief that people would have a desire for them and you have a classic WUS troll thread.

 

[Longjean]

If you use a terminological inexactitude in your original post please do not accuse members of condescension when they correct you.

 

[little big feather]

be that as it may, not being that experienced with mechanical watches, I haven't grown that level of trust yet, thats why i was winding it, i didnt know whether i was making enough arm movement to keep it going.. Why cant they just include a power reserve indicator on every watch -_-

No problem...now you know.....:-! And, power indicators aren't really needed. ..;-)
Just wear the watch, you'll see and learn from the nice people here....

 

[ilitig8]

be that as it may, not being that experienced with mechanical watches, I haven't grown that level of trust yet, thats why i was winding it, i didnt know whether i was making enough arm movement to keep it going.. Why cant they just include a power reserve indicator on every watch -_-

Most automatics don't take much movement to keep them wound. Even in my bouts of high "couch potatoism" I have never had a automatic die on me while wearing it. While I do wear a watch to bed it does very little because I sleep very soundly. I notice my watches with PR indicators drop off a few hours at night but by noon they are generally topped off. The only time I have ever had an automatic die was when I only spun the rotor with hand motion before putting it on and THEN went did something completely sedentary, this has happened maybe twice in 25 years. In the end automatics are nothing to shy away from unless you are extremely sedentary and don't want to use a winder. My collection is roughly 30% manual wind and the rest autos and I love them both.

 

[cedargrove]

I just see it unnecessary, it makes a watch fat, makes you less involved with your watch, you never know how much wind it has, unless indicator

I regularly wind most of my automatics, so don't really experience any of these problems as compared to my manuals.

 

[watch_hor]

Try a Breitling Super Avenger, put it on and give your wrist a flick and then hold still as quickly as possible, the momentum of that rotor will actually make the whole watch vibrate for a good 5 seconds and it feels like a little engine on your wrist. One of the weird little quirks of that watch I miss.

I imagine that's because that piece is humongous, enough so that it generates it's own gravitational pull and the rotor is merely in orbit.

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