I personally can get down for a purely mechanical watch just for the sheer engineering involved
Stop buying the marketing hype. An LED display alone is significantly more complex and engineered than any mechanical watch. Every smart watch on the planet is literally full orders of magnitude more complex than any mechanical watch.
If you said, “it’s a small, simple, cool machine” that would be completely true. But they are not more engineered than nearly every other device you possess in your home, including the nearest set of $20 bluetooth earbuds.
Not to mention they’re worse at keeping time.
You know, like the whole point of a watch.
Someone please tell me what the difference is between this sentiment and “I’ll get an AI-generated PFP because it’s cheaper”. As far as I’m concerned either way it’s " expensive traditional art" vs “mass-manufactured knockoff”.
Do people have no respect for jewelers or not understand the work that goes into a good timepiece? Or is it that art is contempt-worthy when is used as a status symbol (in which case what about a $500 timepiece?)
Excuse me sir I think you dropped your monocle. (╭ರ_•́)
This sentiment is more of “I want a 30.000$ NFT pfp even though good artists can go way cheaper for art commissions.”. Equivilent of an AI generated PFPs in watches are those 10$ watches you see some street vendor is selling. They could look appealing for those without a clock and want to try one, but for someone that wants a quality watch, they lack quality.
There exists good quality watches for 100-500$ range that’ll never die on you, and can last multiple next generations after you. Hell, even cheaper if you don’t care that much about aesthetics. It’s dumb af to drop above 4 digit numbers on a watch where you’re not getting any reasonable difference from any perspective whatsoever. Similar thing goes with PFPs.
If all you care about is functionality, a $50 casio with a resin casing will have more complications than most expensive watches, be hundreds of times more precise, will last you decades and you will spend less time and money in maintenance over your lifetime than you would for one revision of a mechanical watch. They’re practically superior in literally every way to a $30,000 watch.
But that’s not my point, I’m specifically talking about art. $200+ watches are art for its own sake, arguing on the basis of quality/reliability is nonsensical. The only things that matter is esthetics and even more importantly for mechanical watches, the appreciation for the incredible history and intricacy of a well-built movement. There is a lot of craftsmanship to be appreciated there.
And it’s fine if you don’t care or can’t justify the expense (I don’t own a mechanical watch myself though I probably will at some point), but the original meme completely disregards the artistry and craftsmanship going into expensive watches and I am trying to expose the glaring cognitive dissonance of the consensus that “quartz watches better” but “AI PFP evil”. Both are responsible for the collapse of an industry, so if you think there is a meaningful moral difference there please tell me.
Here’s my take: the mechanical watch industry already collapsed, and the “small commission PFP art” hasn’t fully yet. We should preserve as much of these artists’ livelihoods as we can to soften the blow until a new equilibrium is reached where – just like with mechanical watches – only those with a real appreciation for art or a want for a status symbol will commission a real artist for their PFP. But that’s a very different discourse from what I hear which is typically “AI PFP poopoo evil, if you get one you’re worse than Hitler”.
Which watches are in that 100-500$ range? I’m without a watch and would be interested in getting something that’ll last me a lifetime.
Mechanical: You’re looking for a Seiko. Bulletproof, affordable mechanical watches. They need service every 5 years or so and you will need to adjust the time regularly as mechanical watches are basically shitty at their jobs. I have a Seiko Monster and it rules. Also check out the Cocktail Time line, really cool but maybe 500+. The Seiko Alpinist is also awesome.
Quartz: If you are interested in keeping precise time, then you want a quartz movement. Cheaper, keep better time, but you will need to feed them batteries occasionally, which is annoying every decade or so. Lots of brands make decent quartz movements. Watch snobs talk shit, but they’ve been brainwashed by the Swiss marketing.
Maybe the best option: solar-powered, radio-adjusted movements. Casio makes a number of good options (g-shocks and others) and Citizen’s Eco-Drive is also well-regarded.
Any option you choose will eventually need service over a lifetime, but mechanical watches have by far the highest maintenance costs for obvious reasons.
Casio is my default for cheap and durable. I have a HDD-600 still running on its original battery for at least 15 years (it outlived the original strap which had rubber rot). And when I do change the battery it will be 4 screws and a gasket.
Solar-powered as far as I understand is a gimmick since the solar cell won’t necessarily even work well after 10-15 years. Not worth avoiding such a small amount of maintenance.
Yeah, I forgot to mention that the longevity of the solar models is indeterminate due to new technologies. I imagine they will get better and better, though, as solar tech is constantly improving.
It’s the cuestion who needs a watch for $100.000 and why. Even for an billonair, even if he personally appreciate these technical marvels of a Pattek Phillipp (which the same craftsman who created it could never afford), everyone else doesn’t give a shit if the guy is wearing a $100,000 or $100 watch, if it’s not directly a plastic Casio. The status symbol continues to be a very ugly disease, teaching others: I am someone important, commoners. The same ones in those days with the first mobile phones, they stood in the middle of the road looking ostentatiously around while they communicated loudly so that everyone knew they could afford this luxury, with the prices that still had this bricks at that time. The evil of capitalism and savage consumerism.
Like you said, 99.9 % of people wouldn’t recognize a Patek Philippe if it hit them upside the head. By definition it’s not ostentatious. Rolexes are ostentatious (it’s the only luxury brand most people know), but also incredibly cheap as far as mechanical watches go.
A Patek Philippe is a status symbol, but only to those very select few already in-the-know. And that is not mutually exclusive with those movements being incredible art. Is a Van Gogh ugly or evil just because some asshole bought the painting for $100.000.000? Art doesn’t have to be collateral damage to your class consciousness just because rich people have more access to it.
Same with an van Gogh, I like to see his paintings in a Museum, where everybody can enjoy the work of great artists. I like to see the art of an Patek Philipp, but same as any other work which combine ingeniering with art. But I never would buy it, even if I had the money for it. Even if it made with wood instead of platin or gold with diamonds.
Some of us just want to know what time it is without pulling out our cell phones.
I used to have an employer that would give me a 15 minute break at random ass times like 9:07am and tell me to return 15 minutes after and I’d be pulling out my phone every 5 seconds and doing math. So I just got a cheap watch and sent my time to the same time as their clock and voila, I was a great employee.
Digital watch with chronometer: easy
9:07am and tell me to return 15 minutes after and I’d be pulling out my phone every 5 seconds and doing math.
Is it really so hard to add 15?
Do people have no respect for jewelers
Yes? I mean, what for? Nowadays, stones with impurities are more worth, because they are proof that the stone wasn’t just created in a microwave (but mined under life-threatening conditions by poor people). It’s all just artifically inflated money-making nonsense.
Great post.I have been searching for it on ChatGPT 日本 but I found it here.
stop flexing with your 40$ watch :)
Casio F-91W - the undisputed ruler of functional wristwatches.
I’m partial to the GA-2100 myself.
I was too, but now I swear on my GBD-200
You better watch your back, you might already be in a CIA list now.
https://www.watchesofespionage.com/blogs/woe-dispatch/casio-f-91w-the-preferred-watch-of-terrorists
That was an interesting read. Thank you!
(They never did explain how the wartch was used as a timer though. Like was it only this mass produced watch that could be used or can any watch be used?)
I think it’s because how simple and ubiquitous it is. Just open the backplate and stick it to your detonator to use the speaker terminal as a source signal.
This page has more info: https://timbin.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/hacking-like-a-terrorist-the-casio-f-91w/
I’m wearing one right now!
Terrorist!
Hell yes!
Does your wristwatch carry a history of use in terrorism? Did it once raise flags at the border if you had more than one? I’ll wait…
Casio gang ⌚
One is a watch. The other is an expensive piece of jewelry that is also a watch.
Jewelry is also fucking retarded. Once upon a time some guy was like ‘you see this rock? awfully shiny. you want that rock?’ and some dumbfuck was like ‘yes, I do’ and the guy with the rock replied ‘$$$’ and thus, jewelery was invented.
It’s a damn shiny rock. It serves no purpose. And people pay thousands of dollars for tiny rocks. Buy vibrators, not rocks. Cheaper 10 fold, actually useful, great gifts.
Sure, if you want to get super Vulcan about it. But people have emotions, can appreciate craft, can appreciate nature, and like to express themselves.
Granted, the person that buys a $100k watch is usually trying to express “I have money.” So fuck that person. But on the flip side, you have things like the necklace my wife wears, which contains a coin that reminds her of her mom, and was made by a local skilled craftsperson that makes really interesting stuff.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with rocking something that is sentimental and expresses that you value good craft.
My $400 watch also tells the weather and has my calendar ! That’s an actual upgrade. A Rolex Logo is not.
In 10 years that Rolex will hold its value, and may even appreciate in value as they often do.
Even a $40 Casio will still be working good as new in 10 years with less than $5 in parts & labor.
Your $400 smart watch will be literal garbage because its battery is nonreplaceable.
This is super dependent on the watch itself, watch batteries aren’t inherently unreplaceable.
If your problem is e-waste, disposable vapes are by far a larger contributor than a single watch that someone will use for years before buying a new one.
My problem isn’t with either. I am just stating that your average Smart Watch isn’t going to be worth anything in 10 years. There is the battery itself, then the fact that software at best is supported for 3 maybe 4 years, hardware support may or may not exist.
They are inherently disposable while a Rolex, and most watches are capable, if not intended, to be heritage pieces capable of surviving decades.
It’s not Apples to Apples.
If you are buying expensive jewelry to hold value that’s fine, but that’s not what everyone is doing or wants. If you don’t care about e-waste then frankly I’m not sure why you care what other people spend their money on.
Last time I checked replacing the battery cost $60
Also, I can buy new smart watches every time the battery gets used up, or updates stop coming ; and at the end of my life I won’t even be halfway to a Rolex’s price tag.
The Casio though, that is a good deal.
Functionality > resale value
Who cares what it’s worth in 10 years if I get my money’s worth out of it
But the one with the Rolex logo will most likely retain it’s value over multiple years and might even increase.
Yours will probably be out of software updates and incompatible within a couple of years.
The 400$ one will also contribute to e-waste.
Just saying.
Value is a false system - just because you ‘value’ something doesn’t mean it is actually logically worth anywhere near that amount. Plus, ones personal decision of ‘value’ doesn’t mean shit if 1) they aren’t selling it and 2) others don’t share the ‘value’. I can go to Walmart, stand in the doorway, and tell people that they owe me money for being in my presence. But if they don’t also share the sentiment, I’m not going to make any money.
Have you looked at the second hand market of used Rolex Watches vs First Generations of Smart Watches?
I’m not trying to put anyone down jut fact remains,you can flip the Rolex you buy on the second hand market and get money back after 10+ years.ä without any problems.
But even if I replace my watch every time it stops getting updates, I can do that for multiple lifetimes before it costs me anywhere close to what a Rolex would have 😅
Proud owner of Casio WS-1600H
my watch only costed me $20
I have a little nicer watch. Accurate to the second and water-resistant to 100 m. My OCD is smiling, inside.
A while ago I came to the conclusion that a Casio G-Shock is the best watch. They don’t have to be expensive, a good one will sync the time multiple times a day, so it’s always accurate. A good one also has small solar panels in the watch face, so the battery will never be empty, and all of them are really build to last.
From a pure functional perspective I think it’s the best watch ever made. It basically tells you the correct time, always.
I save money by asking people for the time. It’s totally free.
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Its been a while since I bought a watch but I recall them being under $10 even if they had calculator features
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My is from LIDL (Auriol). Watches (Made in Germany) have a good quality, nice design and are very precise, apart also cheap (€10 - 40). The other one I’ve bought for €10 last year
Your Australian watch can’t even tell the right day. It thinks it’s tomorrow!
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I’m just here to brag about my old Casio G-Shock.
CSB: Just before the collapse of the USSR I was part of a youth sailing exchange program. They sent some kids here to compete in some races and we went there to compete. The whole thing was set up as a sort of goodwill ambassador thing. Back then rainbows were streaming out of all our asses because we thought that the end of the cold war would meant peace on earth and a new era of prosperity (oops). My dad gave me a G-Shock before I left.
The official exchange rate sucked. 2 USD per Ruble. Fortunately we stood out like sore thumbs as soon as we showed up and some local “entrepreneurs” kindly offered us much better exchange rates (the best I managed was 20 Rubles per USD). Of course, these totally legitimate businessmen didn’t limit themselves to currency exchange. They also dealt in direct barter. They often tried to hawk one of their “military” Komandirskie watches for my G-shock. We’re talking craptacular mechanical POSes where numbers would fall off the face if you looked at them too aggressively. I told them that I’d trade but not for a watch. I wanted a sable hat.
To show them how much better my watch was I took it off my wrist. Grabbed it by one strap and whipped it against the concrete floor as hard as I could. One strap popped off. I popped it back on while they laughed at me, showed them it still worked fine and I told them it was their turn. They didn’t take me up on that or give me a sable hat.
But they gave up on trying to convince me that they had anything that could compete with my G-Shock. I’ve changed the battery on that thing twice since then. The light sucks and it looks basic AF but that thing will definitely outlive me and my whole family.
If you have an automatic or manual movement, it’ll also be waterproof.
one is a time saver, as you can get yourself out of almost any legal troubles on earth, as an untraceable get out of jail card.
Wouldn’t a nice fake work just as well for that purpose? Like not a 20€ fake from the Vintimille market but a nice one.
if they didnt know who you are somehow and couldnt come back to you then maybe. or maybe you’d be much much worse off.
Good point for some reason I was only thinking of the “you’re getting bullied at a road stop by third world police in a country you’ll never go back to” types of situations.
those guys would accept a pack of cigarettes.
It happened to me once and cost me about 70€ if I remember well, basically the fine magically was exactly the amount I had in there which they saw during the search…
