CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:18 pm
While the movements fascinate me to no end, ESPECIALLY how they made them 150 years ago, a mechanical watch just doesn’t trip my trigger. I’ve worn a watch from about 4th grade up until about 2 years ago when my watch band broke. Couldn’t see spending $13 on a band for a $9 watch.
Between the fact a watch gets destroyed at work, and some food manufacturing facilities I service don’t allow them, I never replaced it. Throwing the nice things factor, sentimental and investment value aside, my $9 Timex is just as good as a Rolex at what a watch was meant to do…keep time.
The manufacture of such mechanical watches however does trip my trigger. Even with modern CNC equipment it’s MIND BLOWING how they can make such things. I followed an Australian dude whose father was a watch maker/repairman who decided to make watches from scratch. Made some pretty nice stuff. Not sure how far he’s taking it, I know he’s moved into very precision machine work, which is FAR more profitable than watches. Pretty cool seeing his progress.
https://www.nicholashacko.com.au/stock
I grew up with a dad and a grandpa that loved their watches and guess I inherited that love as my son did. Maybe it's genetics. My son in law has a few nice watches courtesy of my daughter and yet he wears a 6 year old Apple Watch that has had the glass broken for about 2 years now. He makes some laugh. To each their own.
I have 2-3 "things" on me at any time that tell time, basically imperative in my work to be always aware and always precisely on time to calls, conferences etc. My day has to be maximized so I can get what I need done, and that means minutes are precious. I actually enjoy that, tried to walk away from it and I couldn't.
My main watch has been on my wrist longer than my son has been alive and I just recently semi-retired it from ED wear because the damn thing is now worth about 15x what I originally paid for it, which was not insignificant when I bought it, so I'll have it restored at some point by the factory and pass it along to my son. I still wear it but more of a special occasion thing. My every day wear watch now is a Garmin smartwatch that suits my current lifestyle much more and for the first time I even sleep with it on. I think everyone here knows I'm passionate about technology and I'm fascinated by all the things this damn "watch" can do, including having a built in ballistic calculator that I'm just learning to use.
But I think deep inside I'm just fascinated by the ridiculous level of precision and work that has to go into such a TINY machine and I understand why it would attract you too! When this watch came in I almost considered taking it apart myself to try to learn how it works. That would have been a sacrifice since I don't have the tools to do it right and the chances of me getting it back together even if I DID buy the tools are probably slim to none. I watched the videos and I know my limitations.
But ultimately it was the thought of getting something this precisely manufactured, that came to life 125 years ago back to health was just overwhelming and I'm glad I did. The cost was not ridiculous and the darn thing is now sitting on my desk making me smile every time I pick it up and it's showing the right time.
