The variety of watches currently available to choose from can make the task of finding the one that’s right for you a bit overwhelming. A timepiece is an investment, and it might just be the one accessory that you wear every single day. While you’ll certainly search for a watch that you find aesthetically pleasing, quality craftsmanship is the most important factor to consider. For a watch that will be both beautiful and reliable for years and years to come, an automatic mechanical watch is the best possible choice, especially when compared to digital. These watches are typically a more expensive option, so as you search for that perfect timepiece, it’s important to know what makes analog watches the best.
Handmade Precision Craftsmanship
Even the simplest of automatic watches will contain more than 100 tiny parts. As you wear this type of watch, the natural movement of your arm keeps all of these parts moving together in perfect unison and keeping accurate time. Perhaps the most amazing thing about these watches is the fact that all of these pieces are painstakingly assembled by the hands of expert watchmakers.
The term “Swiss movement” is often used as a sort of general umbrella term in reference to automatic mechanical watches. While a good portion of these watches are made in Switzerland, others of very fine quality may be crafted in Japan. Some lower-end automatic watches are even made in China. Be sure to do your research and ask lots of questions to ensure that you’re getting the best possible quality watch as you explore the options that are available.
A Work of Wearable Art
Not only do the tiny components that make up these incredible masterpieces work together beautifully to keep time; they’re also exquisite in their appearance. It goes without saying that you’ll select a watch largely based upon how it looks on your wrist. When you choose an analog watch, you’re also choosing a thing of beauty from a purely structural perspective.
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Unlike electronic watches that run on batteries or manual mechanical watches that must be wound regularly, automatic movements run an energy created solely by the movement of your own arm. A manual watch must be wound once or twice a week and an electronic watch requires a battery replacement every couple of years. An automatic watch, when worn every day, typically needs very little maintenance to continue running. By keeping an automatic watch in a watch winder whenever it’s not on your wrist, you can ensure that your watch will keep accurate time without any outside interference.
Heirloom Quality
Automatic watches evoke an undeniable feeling of heritage and nostalgia. The very way in which they’re made is reminiscent of the past. More importantly, however, is the fact that an automatic watch will outlast its electronic counterpart by years. In fact, an automatic is the perfect heirloom piece that can be passed down through the generations. When you choose an automatic watch, you’re choosing a meaningful and artistic piece of craftsmanship that will be treasured for many years to come.
There are certainly a lot of options available and you must ultimately choose the watch that best suits your own unique and specific needs. However, when you make the decision to select the finest possible timepiece, only an automatic watch has all of the qualities that have made watches such a desired and symbolic form of wearable art.