Have you considered going back to a mechanical watch?

[Sheepish-Lord]

Err…

Seiko, Rolex, Omega and a bunch of other mechanical watch brands have basically no craftmanship. They are mass produced by automated machines as much as most things.

Sure there are brands that do have craftmanship (i e Vecheron Constantin (not all models mind you)). But they are few and far between the Rolexes and Omegas and other mass produced brands in Watch enthusiast forums.

I do appriciate the workings of the innards of mechanical watches, but they still just remain a toy/piece of jewlery compared to smart watches that are tools.

It’s just like in diving, no serious diver use a dive watch any more (like Rolex Submariner), they use more powerful tools like a dive computer.

If you take the true definition of craftsmanship then there’s very few things in this world that meet that criteria. As far as watchmaking, it could be a mix of in-house movements then sourced bands, etc as you said. Finding a watch that has every little piece manufactured and built in-house is like a unicorn and if you do find one it’s the price of a unicorn ha.

IMO, there needs be some expectation management with all things regardless of price. My Omega w/METAS certification is better built than my Cartier as it’s definitely more a tool but the Omega doesn’t make me feel anything when I look at it. Regardless if something is handmade or not, if I don’t feel anything then why would I buy it?

 

[progx]

After I got my first cell phone, I stopped wearing a watch since I didn’t need it. Apple Watch got me back into wearing one, but I will likely not get a mechanical watch again. They’re nice and I have no problem toward them, just don’t see the point for me owning one.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I have a pocket watch which has been in the family for generations, and a mechanical watch I wore 15 years ago. I do use them on special occasions. AW is my 24x7 go to watch, it gathers lot of information I find it very useful. It’s my day to day driver, and those special watches have their place.

 

[Biro]

I like watches and have a modest collection - which, like a number of other people posting here, makes me an outlier to begin with. I have a couple dozen automatic mechanical watches, a couple of 100 percent manual mechanicals and a number of quartz “grab and go”watches.

I tried an Apple Watch for a few months but didn’t enjoy it - and didn’t use many of its features. Plus, it was one more device to charge. I gave it away.

 

[Biro]

Essentially a battle between die hard anything-that's-not-a-smartwatch fans and regular smartwatch users. Somehow people want to pay thousands on thousands for a collection of watches that only have time keeping functionality. I would have to think it's purely for aesthetics given that it's usually expensive watches of specific brands. Somehow Apple's Vision Pro makes a stronger argument for functionality.

While there are plenty of watch snobs (just as there are Apple snobs), for most fans of mechanical watches, it’s far from simple aesthetics.

For me, mechanical watches are about as close to mechanical perfection as anything that has ever been built. They can run without stopping for years - or even decades - if kept wound.

On a more practical note, I can glance at my watch to read the time a lot faster and with less effort than it takes to pull my iPhone out of my pocket.

 

[BarredOwl]

I started with Series 0 and wore Apple Watches until Series 7.

Mechanical watches are just much more appealing and satisfying. So I sold them back to Apple.

I’m quite sure I’ll never go back to owning or wearing an Apple Watch.

 

[Siliconguy]

No. A watch needs to do more than tell time in order for me to wear one.

LOL Telling time is all I need a watch to do. It's not like the outdoors is full of clocks.

 

[Siliconguy]

Sounds like you've got a digital watch? (This is likely a quartz movement with a battery for power -- so not technically mechanical.) Just did a quick search and there's a cool article on the history of Indiglo:

In-Depth: Shining A Light On Timex Indiglo

The history of a bright blue-green revolution.

www.hodinkee.com

Looks like Timex puts Indiglo in many of their watches now

My watch has a traditional dial, time adjusted by the stem on the side. It is battery powered. Whether it is considered mechanical is sort of questionable. Purists will say no, it must be powered by a spring.

Is crystal controlled but non-digital a separate category? My wall clock is the same way, you can hear the mechanical movement as the second hand advances. So to say non-mechanical is not completely correct either.

 

[lm57400]

Mechanical watches will always look nicer. A man's wrist needs a traditional watch on it. But the smart watches are so smart, that it's difficult to go back.

If anything other than iOS / Apple Watch would be an option for me, then I would for sure take the advantages of the traditional looking smart watches.

So the answer is: no, I will go with my Apple Watch.

 

[bhall110]

Wear my Apple Watch at work. I am pretty active at work and it’s perfect for getting notifications. Weekends and evenings something mechanical.

 

[henrikhelmers]

How about you?

I want the sensor data, and the AWU looks ok. Having my next appointment, a phone and a payment method on my arm is expected now, would be annoying to have to bring my phone to lunch.

 

[Mackilroy]

I haven't. I have a couple of mechanical watches, but I much prefer my Apple Watch. I'm much more motivated to exercise and keep fit with it than without.

 

[dawnrazor]

I’ve had a few watches over the years, but I’m not actually a watch wearer.

I do love my Apple Watch, but I’m in love with the SS & gold Santos De Cartier.

I’m on the verge of buying one, as I think it’s beautiful & is a very important watch: It was the first wrist watch ever made.

How about you?

I have a thread all about my experiences… weaning myself off my Apple Watch

Do I ACTUALLY need an Apple Watch?

This is a question I have been grappling with for some time now, longer then I care to admit… Is the AW on my wrist actually necessary in my life, does it make my life better, would I miss it if it were not there? How to go about ascertaining an informed personal answer is what I have been...

forums.macrumors.com

One of my realisations I suppose you’d call it was that the Apple Watch isn’t really a watch… it looks like a watch, it functions like a watch, but it’s not really a watch… it’s wearable tech that can be utilised to add a huge amount of confidence and functionality to your life with a huge number of use cases for some people… for other people it’s just a watch and these are the people that really shouldn’t own an Apple Watch… I include myself in this group once I had broken the AW habit and replaced it with a proper watch I haven’t looked back, there was about two functions I missed but I found work arounds thanks to some new features on the iphone 15 pro which was handy… I prefer wearing a watch watch… that might not be everyone’s situation… it’s very personal as with any wearable item, what works for one person will be different for another…

 

[antiprotest]

Not much of a watch wearer myself, but I tried the cellular Apple Watch for almost 2 years. I wanted to just walk out of my house without being disconnected, so that I can contact someone or someone can contact me in an emergency. What I found out was that although it functioned as intended, the Watch was not enough. When I actually needed what I intended the Watch to do, I really needed a phone -- for a louder speaker when talking on the phone, for browsing information on the web, or access to my other data, to run apps, etc. So I traded it in.

Now I don't often wear a watch, but when I do...

 

[ceddy]

I had an AW since it came out but I started wearing mechanical watches in the last year. I really don’t missed all the alerts and notifications. One less device to charge is nice as well. Kind of like the idea that mechanical watches last forever basically.

 

[BarredOwl]

I had an AW since it came out but I started wearing mechanical watches in the last year. I really don’t missed all the alerts and notifications. One less device to charge is nice as well. Kind of like the idea that mechanical watches last forever basically.

Agreed. Once you turn off all the notifications, you might as well wear a beautiful mechanical watch instead of the homogenized square of battery that is Apple Watch. It’s just so basic and boring now.

 

[Tagbert]

I don’t wear the Apple Watch just for time and I haven’t worn a watch as jewelry in years and don’t plan to do so. I value the exercise tracking, the sleep tracking, having my next meeting listed, and a carefully edited set of notifications. A mechanical watch would offer nothing of benefit to me, sorry.

 

[Night Spring]

I don’t wear the Apple Watch just for time and I haven’t worn a watch as jewelry in years and don’t plan to do so. I value the exercise tracking, the sleep tracking, having my next meeting listed, and a carefully edited set of notifications. A mechanical watch would offer nothing of benefit to me, sorry.

Pretty much the same here. I never wore a watch as jewelry or because I appreciated how it looked or for its craftsmanship. I wore a simple watch with easy to read numbers so I could see the time. And once I started carrying first an iPod touch, then an iPhone with me all the time, I stopped wearing a watch, because I didn't need it -- I could tell time by looking at my iPod/iPhone. Now I use the Apple watch for activity and sleep tracking. I've never had a desire to wear a mechanical watch, partly because they mostly seem designed for men, so are too big and heavy for me, and partly because I find it hard to make out the time on them. I like watches with all 12 numbers in Arabic numeral, and the fancy mechanicals all use Roman, or just blips. I can understand how they hold an appeal to some people, but they aren't for me.

 

[Martin Bland]

I'm using my cellular Apple Watch as a minimalist smartphone. It allows me to not carry my phone most of the time. I can't do that with a mechanical watch, and I'd rather not have a phone on me.

 

[ctjack]

For my cousin, apple watch were nice to see the problems with their night sleeping heart and breathing rate, which urged them to check up with a doctor and have a surgery. I think that was impressive because who knows what the heart does at sleep if we are not awake.

However I don’t need yet another device to charge daily and just rock my casio protrek and gshock watches, which last 10 years on average. Also own Hamilton Khaki King mechanical(automatic) watch, which is kicking 12 year with me - by then i would have to discard 3 of apple watches due to battery and os glitching because of an update.

 

[glenthompson]

Not for a second. I’m not into jewelry - only piece of jewelry I wear is my wedding ring. If I want a different look I’ll change the band and face. Going back to a conventional watch would be like going back to a flip phone.

 

[dhershberger]

I wear my Apple Watch during the work week primarily for the gym. It's perfect for tracking workouts and playing music so my hands are free. My phone stays in the locker. During the weekends or if I go out during the week I'll wear one of my Rolexes.

 

[pward]

I have always liked watches and have a modest collection but I tend to rotate between two specific pieces.

I purchased an Apple Watch Series 6 a few years ago and then an Apple Watch Ultra last year. I wear the mechanical watch on my left wrist and the Apple Watch on my right wrist. It works for me and I get the best of both worlds.

 

[stocklen]

Having had almost every Apple Watch including Ultra 2, I’m thinking of ditching Apple Watch.

Why? Email alerts are a bother. As for the fitness aspect, my own obsession with closing rings and challenges gets old fast.

Personally though I’d probably go back to Gshock. Seiko is definitely my favorite but I’d be worried of breaking it.

as a seasoned apple watch owner im sure you know you can tailor alerts on the device.

If emails are a bother then simply deactivate watch notifications for email....

You can certainly ignore the ring closing stuff of course but Im sure theres more to it than that though.

 

[Wando64]

I moved over to Oura ring for the health/fitness data. Definitely is a step down from the data I got from the watch, but I still find it useful.

Really hope there is something to those Apple ring rumors though.

Neat device, if it works well.