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What is the difference between an automatic watch and a mechanical watch?

A few basic concepts await when you first dive into the world of watches. First, you may notice the following differences: The second hand that ticks the time and the second hand that moves smoothly.

But if you want to dig deeper, you need to understand more about the engine that drives your watch. movement — and will inevitably face the conditions mechanical and automatic.

However, this is not the only problem. the termlearning about the differences between them is one of the best ways to delve deeper into how watch movements actually work. It’s not that hard to wrap your mind around. Here’s what you want to know.

What is a “mechanical” watch?

A mechanical watch is powered by a mainspring. Mainly he has two systems to power the watch. One is via battery (known as quartz) and the other is via a slowly unwinding spring. This is mechanical. The tension of the mainspring, which unwinds in a controlled manner (rather than all at once), drives a series of gears that rotate the hands around the dial.

What is a “self-winding” watch?

An “automatic” watch is a mechanical watch that winds itself.

In order for the clock to continue to function, the mainspring must be wound. Normally, you can wind it manually by turning the watch. crown (A knob sticks out from the side of the case.) But someone came up with a very clever idea: a so-called self-winding watch.

A self-winding mechanical watch uses an oscillating weight (a rotor) rotates when the watch moves around (that is, when you wear the watch and move your wrist). Wind the mainspring while rotating. The term “self-winding” is an anachronism, but it is a more descriptive term that is sometimes seen for self-winding.

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What are “hand-wound”, “hand-wound” and “hand-wound” watches?

These are all functionally interchangeable terms for mechanical watches. without it Self-winding. While simple at its core, the inconsistent terminology between watch brands can be a bit confusing.

Some brands refer to self-winding watches as “self-winding” and manual-winding watches simply as “mechanical” (although self-winding watches are also mechanical). If it doesn’t say “automatic”, it probably isn’t. Don’t forget to take a good look at the product description and specs to see what you’re getting.

Which is better, an automatic watch or a hand-wound watch?

It’s a matter of trade-offs. Automatic watches are convenient.

Of course, it’s nice to not have to worry about forgetting to scratch the watch. If you wear your watch every day (and are more active than a sloth), it’s a practical and convenient solution, but automatics have both pros and cons…

Hand-wound watches have their advantages too!

A hand-wound watch can be thin. Adding a rotor to a basic movement inevitably adds some thickness. In most cases, thinner is more comfortable and better for watches.

hand-rolled Your watch will look better. Many watchmakers prefer to be able to admire the movement through a caseback window. The automatic rotor obscures the view and arguably detracts from the visual simplicity of the basic movement.

Manual winding watches are often cheaper. Automatic movements are more complex and have more components. Some companies offer nearly identical watches in self-winding and self-winding versions, with the latter almost always being more expensive. However, self-winding itself makes the watch exponentially more expensive No trend.

Hand-wound watches have an old-fashioned feel. Most modern mechanical watches are self-winding. Despite the popularity of vintage reissues today, many watch makers offer retro aesthetics and modern, convenient automatic movements.Some might prefer the full vintage experience if the original model didn’t include an automatic winding. Omega Speedmaster MoonwatchFor example, if it’s self-winding, it won’t be the same as the one used by astronauts.

Additionally, some collectors really enjoy the ritual, interaction, and tactile experience of winding a watch.

https://www.gearpatrol.com/watches/a43299027/automatic-vs-mechanical-watches/ What is the difference between an automatic watch and a mechanical watch?

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