Edumacate me on watches

[leftover_salmon]

So I recently bought a decently nice automatic watch but I don't really know much about watches. I have, however, heard a lot about movements (I understand what a movement is) and how some watches have "beautiful" movements.

My question is: Who gives a **** about how elegant the movement is as long as the watch tells the time and is built-well? Why isn't one movement clearly more efficient than any other and why doesn't everyone just use that one (patenting, maybe)? Do movements have pros/cons?

 

[kungapa]

Originally Posted by leftover_salmon

My question is: Who gives a **** about how elegant the movement is as long as the watch tells the time and is built-well? Why isn't one movement clearly more efficient than any other and why doesn't everyone just use that one (patenting, maybe)? Do movements have pros/cons?

Most watches in fact DO use movements from the same manufacturer - ETA.

 

[Stylego]

Originally Posted by leftover_salmon

My question is: Who gives a **** about how elegant the movement is as long as the watch tells the time and is built-well? Why isn't one movement clearly more efficient than any other and why doesn't everyone just use that one (patenting, maybe)? Do movements have pros/cons?

Same could be said for anything, right? Cars, clothes, dishes, houses, airplanes, or any manufactured item. Every manufacturer has their own way of solving a problem or adding a complication. Just is the way it is. Right?

I think after a point, you're sentiment is probably right on. I'm saving for a nice automatic Seiko (one of the SARB line of JDM watches) that will probably cost me around $500, after that it's diminishing returns, IMHO. Can't say spending thousands more is going to get me all that much more...well, they might look nicer or have a fancier name engraved.

 

[acridsheep]

Originally Posted by leftover_salmon

So I recently bought a decently nice automatic watch but I don't really know much about watches. I have, however, heard a lot about movements (I understand what a movement is) and how some watches have "beautiful" movements.

My question is: Who gives a **** about how elegant the movement is as long as the watch tells the time and is built-well? Why isn't one movement clearly more efficient than any other and why doesn't everyone just use that one (patenting, maybe)? Do movements have pros/cons?

Movements only matter if you are into watches. For the overwhelming majority of people, the aesthetics of the watch are what drive purchases. Kind of like cars. Nobody gives a **** about the V6 in the Honda Accord vs. the V6 in the Toyota Camry.

 

[pebblegrain]

movements have different properties: reserve time, hacking, accuracy, etc. aside from that, there is also aesthetics.

 

[leftover_salmon]

Originally Posted by acridsheep

Movements only matter if you are into watches. For the overwhelming majority of people, the aesthetics of the watch are what drive purchases. Kind of like cars. Nobody gives a **** about the V6 in the Honda Accord vs. the V6 in the Toyota Camry.
I disagree. Engines can be heavier or lighter, more powerful or less powerful, more fuel-efficient or less fuel-efficient, all of which affect one's driving experience. Aside from some satisfaction the wearer might get, different movements do not really affect one's the watch's effectiveness or time-telling properties.

 

[GBR]

If you are talking of modern watches then don't fret. Many come from the same manufacturer and have the sole purpose of telling them accurately - and do so.

Adjectives such as beautiful applies to antique watches and a few special ones and aficionados will rave about this one or that: It is their prerogative and quite harmless/in order.

 

[Twotone]

Seiko is the world's most vertically integrated watch company. They make every component -- dials, hands, all movement parts including lubrication. No other high end watch company (Patek Philippe, AP, Vacheron Constantine, etc.) can make that claim. You can buy a Seiko 5 for well under $100 from the "purest" manufacturer for $100 or a top grand complication from a Swiss company that uses a highly modified ETA base movement for hundreds of thousands. Judging a watch by the movement alone is like judging the car buy its engine. The Bentley Continental GT uses a VW sourced W 12 and a Rolls Royce uses a BMW engine. Their engines don't make them any more or less the great cars they are.

 

[leftover_salmon]

Just to be clear: I genuinely want to know if there is any difference in effectiveness or efficiency. As someone who majored in math, I tend to prefer the simplest way of solving a problem...not adding "complications."

 

[acridsheep]

Originally Posted by leftover_salmon

I disagree. Engines can be heavier or lighter, more powerful or less powerful, more fuel-efficient or less fuel-efficient, all of which affect one's driving experience. Aside from some satisfaction the wearer might get, different movements do not really affect one's the watch's effectiveness or time-telling properties.

You make my point better than I do. What you say is true, and still, MOST people buy the car for other reasons that small differences in driving feel (looks, resale value, cupholders, etc). For watches, the mechanics are even less important, for everyone but aficionados.

 

[westinghouse]

Rolex

The Japs are just the Honda Accord of watches.

 

[Mercuryman76]

I'd take the words of Twotone > Westinghouse.

 

[pebblegrain]

you can also think about dimensions. some movements are fairly thick. for example, I find my Seiko SVC013 too much on the thick side

 

[Stylego]

Originally Posted by acridsheep

Movements only matter if you are into watches. For the overwhelming majority of people, the aesthetics of the watch are what drive purchases. Kind of like cars. Nobody gives a **** about the V6 in the Honda Accord vs. the V6 in the Toyota Camry.

Well, the V6 in the Honda is nicer, the VTEC rocks.

 

[Stylego]

Originally Posted by leftover_salmon

Just to be clear: I genuinely want to know if there is any difference in effectiveness or efficiency. As someone who majored in math, I tend to prefer the simplest way of solving a problem...not adding "complications."

I'm not sure efficiency is the right way to look at it. As someone mentioned, a $100 Seiko is a pretty good watch. As for accuracy, best then to buy a quartz. For true efficiency, maybe something like an Eco-Drive would be the way to go.