Whatsapp
If you want to sell branded item, Jewel Cafe offers satisfying price with review of many watches, what is the meaning and function of “automatic winding” luxury watch that you have not heard?What is the meaning and function of “automatic winding” luxury watch that you have not heard?
When buying a new luxury watch such as Rolex, it is a factor to be surely checked “Is it automatic winding or not?”. When talking to the watch store’s staff, it is a major factor that will always be talked about. However, when going to buy branded watch for the first time, people who are not familiar with it often becomes blur and carry it without checking carefully.
Therefore, this time, we positioned it as “the first difficult word to encounter when entering the world of luxury watches” and it is normal for those who already used to it. I would like to summarize the meaning, using method and merits of the “automatic winding”.
“Automatic winding” “Quartz (battery type)” and “Hand winding”?
When you are buying a branded watch for the first time, normally the salesperson will give a detailed explanation on the functions. If you are a customer who does not know the characteristics yet, they will explain about “What is automatic winding?”. However, these explanations are made only once verbally, and later it is difficult to confirm if you do not read the complicated instruction book. Here it is a summary.
Is it more troublesome than battery type? What is the basic of automatic winding?
To summarize the basics of automatic winding.
〇 Unlike ordinary watches, it does not run on battery.
〇 It moves with mainspring and when wears on the wrist, the movement continues with the arm movement.
〇 Therefore, if you don’t wear it for a long time, the mainspring will stop winding.
〇 Even so, there will be error, which can be few seconds to few ten seconds in a day. (Battery type (quartz) is more accurate)
〇 It costs money to service regularly (once every few years), overhaul.If you listen a little, you will be surprised.
Nowadays, since a child, cheap watches which battery type is accurate and require less care, many people wondered, “Why pay so much money to buy such inconvenient, inaccurate and troublesome watch? Is it because of performance inferior?”.
What are the 3 mechanisms to move the movement?
The power of the watch is divided into 3.
From the oldest one,
1.[Hand winding (spring)]
2.[Self-winding (spring)] ・・・also call as automatic
3.[Quartz (battery type)]
1 and 2 are called as “mechanical watch” because they move with mechanical power without relying on battery. In terms of convenience, 3 can use for a long time and accurately with a little adjustment if you have battery, but if 1 and 2, “It can be use forever in the world without depending on the battery??”
One thing can say for sure is that many of the so-called “luxury watches” are 1 and 2, and not 3. Equals to the used power of first or second generations ago. It is said that the wristwatches appeared in early of 20th century, around the World War I. “Hand winding type” watches which wind the spring by hand appeared at that time. After that, “automatic winding” appeared from maker such as Rolex and became famous, and gradually replaced by the battery type (quartz type) after the war. The attraction of luxury watches will be very different depending on how you think about it.
What is the value and charm of “automatic winding” luxury watch?
“Segregation” seen in the current watch industry.
The interesting thing about the watch industry is that quartz type appeared, “generation exchange” occurred, and the new generation has not taken over. The new generation (battery type) and the old generation (mechanical type, spring type) has divided beautifully.
In a nutshell, it means that,
Most “luxury watches” are mechanical type (hand winding or automatic winding).
Many “Normal watches” is quartz type (battery type)
Even more interesting is, it seems that the phenomenon below is happening.
“Troublesome, time consuming, error prone mechanical type (such as automatic type) are expensive.”
“Convenient, less troublesome, and accurate quartz type is cheaper.”
“Normally, it is the opposite, right?” Why does this happen?
The value of automatic winding as a traditional craft.
The current luxury watches with “automatic winding” products can be said that have solidified their position by “changing the judging arena” in terms of function, convenience and non-CP.
However, since the 1970s, there was a time when quartz watches became popular and mechanical watches (automatic winding) die out in a period. (It is an area called “quartz shock”.) Many of you remember that most of the watches were digitally displayed at this time.
But, after this, mechanical watches such as “automatic winding” gradually regained its popularity and nowadays most luxury watches are returning to mechanical type such as automatic winding. The original mechanical and external function of “knowing the exact time and using for a long time without hassle” is not realized but it can be said that it succeeded in pursuing the image and value as “luxury watch as a traditional craft”.
Positioning it as “a traditional craft (an art piece) made by craftsmen with devotion and effort”, the inferiority of today’s insufficient in the mechanical timepieces is rather consider as its beauty. Because it is delicate handmade item, it cannot mass produce = limited item has increased its value and it also can be seen in other fields than watches. However, the wonderful thing about the watch field may be that the traditional “automatic winding” and “quart” are divided apart in two strong states without competition.
Mind of person who wants to have luxury watch from now onwards.
For those who used ordinary quartz watches until now, but what kind of thinking (motivation) does a person who wants to buy a luxury watch for the first time?
I think everyone is different. Some say, “Because owning a luxury watch shows the status, so I want to wear it.”, and some say “Because it is a luxury watch, its function and durability must be outstanding. I want to have something good for the price.” However, if a person who has it for the first time demand the later thinking (accuracy, durability, CP compare to price), as mentioned above, people will feel that “Is it different from previous thinking?”
The idea that wanting to have a luxury watch in the future that thinking such as, “It works without relying on battery is troublesome and requires the essence of traditional skills, and that is the value of it.”. Hope this is the thinking that people getting to like it. In the sense, I think that the idea of “Ineffective and troublesome makes it rare and adding the value to it!” is giving high mentality and sympathetic to Japanese. “By wearing it in normal daily life, it will automatically wind the spring.”, we hope that more and mote people will love the artistic mechanism that the of automatic winding.
