The rapid pace of life of a modern person requires constant and precise control of time. And watches in this sense are a necessary attribute. From the moment mobile phones, and especially smartphones, appeared, the need for wristwatches seemed to have disappeared. And, nevertheless, many remain faithful to such a watch. Moreover, classical mechanics are preferred to newfangled electronics.
From the history of mechanical watches
The history of instruments for measuring and tracking time goes back more than one millennium. Humanity has tried various clock mechanisms: solar, sand, water, fire, quartz, electronic and atomic. Mechanical clocks appeared in Western Europe, namely in England in 1228 the first tower chimes were built. It was only in 1657 that the world saw a pocket watch, when the famous mathematician Huygens first used a pendulum to regulate the accuracy of the movement. The first wristwatches were created at the beginning of the 19th century, but they seemed impractical to our ancestors, and for almost 100 years the primacy was for pocket watches. Only at the beginning of the 20th century the convenience of wristwatches was appreciated, and these were military aviators.
How a mechanical watch works
Hand-wound mechanical watches are classics of watchmaking. The engine, i.e. the source of energy in this mechanism is a spiral spring located in the drum. During the plant, the spiral is twisted. And, spinning, it makes the drum rotate, which already drives the entire complex clockwork: hands and numerous wheels. These watches need to be manually wound on a regular basis.
Self-winding mechanical watches (automatic) combine old traditions and modern technologies. In this case, the coil spring is additionally equipped with an automatic winding element - inertial weight. Such a mechanism does not need to be wound up manually, since the weight begins to rotate from any movement of the hand. The rotation is transferred to the gears, which wind the main spring.
Why mechanical watches are more expensive than quartz watches
The history of mechanical watches is about 400 years old, but quartz watches were created only 40 years ago. But this is not the main reason why quartz watches are lower in cost than mechanical ones. The accuracy of the stroke is determined by the quartz crystal. There are relatively few parts in these watches, they do not require jewelry manual adjustment and assembly. This allows most production operations to be automated. In mechanical watches, parts with increased tolerances are used. In this case, it is impractical to organize mass production.
The accuracy of quartz watches is definitely higher, there is no need to constantly monitor their winding. And yet, no one can give an unambiguous answer to the question of which watch is preferable - quartz or mechanical. Rather, everyone determines the benefits of mechanical watches for themselves. But most fans of mechanics agree that this is a "living mechanism" that keeps a piece of the soul of its master.
Show your watch and I'll tell you who you are
When the question arises, which watch to choose, many will say: "preferably Swiss." After all, this is a classic, a standard of mechanical watches. And it is no coincidence. In Switzerland, watchmaking began to develop after a high tax was imposed on jewelry. Many jewelers had to master the profession of a watchmaker. And they did it so skillfully that companies created 200-300 years ago still hold leading positions in the market. And even in our age of electronics and cybernetics, it is generally accepted that mechanical watches are real watches.
But fashion trends cannot be ignored. Today watches are no longer just a convenient device for keeping track of time. This accessory is part of the image of a modern person. It is necessary as a good wallet, quality shoes or a branded tie. It is high-class mechanical watches that speak about the status of the owner, his taste. For a business person, such a watch is tantamount to a business card. And, despite the rapid development of electronic mechanisms, many remain loyal to "living" mechanics.
