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murzika

macrumors newbie
Mar 18, 2024
8
7
Watch companies have tried though, most notably Tag Heuer, but thankfully they’ve stuck to just producing proper watches. I say leave the technology to the tech companies and let the Swiss maker stick to producing timepieces. There is a lucrative market for both.

Yes, that's a really good point! The traditional watchmakers haven't done so good when trying to compete by making their own smartwatches.
 

gold333

macrumors member
Feb 2, 2010
39
27
That was my point, you have a different set of criteria for a watch and see a mechanical as redundant for your needs. A watch enthusiast appreciates a watch for different reasons and it has a very short list of uses other than telling the time. I’ve collected mechanical watches for years and also have a smartwatch but it’s hard to appreciate a smartwatch for anything other than it being a useful tool and an extension of our mobile phones. Wearing a nice mechanical watch is mainly for aesthetics and the appreciation for the craftsmanship that has gone into it. It’s a different type of satisfaction and something I couldn’t get from my Apple Watch.

Coincidentally, I saw something a few days ago on this topic on an Ernie Hudson interview for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. The interviewer noticed Ernie was wearing a watch on both his wrists. Ernie said that the AW was his computer to do everything he needed to and stay in touch with everyone.

The other “mechanical” watch was because he loved his expensive watch collection. No reason not to have two watches if you really need the benefits of both I guess?
 

zapmymac

macrumors 6502a
Aug 24, 2016
826
988
SoCal ☀️
I have 2 mechanical watches, and 1 smart watch. I keep the mechanicals serviced, and wear them often. No desire for an Apple Watch.
 

MallardDuck

macrumors 68000
Jul 21, 2014
1,547
2,865
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?
While I would love a brietling, the functionality of the ultra trumps style. Even with apple ruining the UX in watch OS 10, it's still close to the most perfect product they've ever made.
 
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Pinterra

macrumors member
Jan 25, 2024
47
67
I’m wearing the same Apple Watch S5 I’ve been wearing since 2019. It’s not a product that I’ve felt offers a very compelling case to upgrade.

So if it were to die, would I replace it? I honestly don’t know. But unlike many in this thread, fancy mechanical watches are also outside of my range. Some of the brands people talk about are pricier than if I bought a base S9.

I was wearing an automatic Fossil watch I had received as a gift. I could go back to that, I suppose. No shame in it!
 

Sheepish-Lord

macrumors 68020
Oct 13, 2021
2,208
4,554
But unlike many in this thread, fancy mechanical watches are also outside of my range. Some of the brands people talk about are pricier than if I bought a base S9.

I was wearing an automatic Fossil watch I had received as a gift. I could go back to that, I suppose. No shame in it!
Price is one of the main reasons I feel nice watches are a turn off. Additionally, why wear a cheap watch when you could wear an Apple Watch? Even my small collection rivals the price of a nice car so I completely agree that someone who doesn’t want to spend the money or care should concern themselves. If I didn’t have “nice” watches I would wear no watch.
 
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Sciuriware

macrumors 6502a
Jan 4, 2014
595
99
Gelderland
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 had to admit to myself that I got too old for tiny devices, so ......
;JOOP!
 

toobravetosave

Suspended
Sep 23, 2021
829
2,081
I used to swap between my apple watch and a very basic casio digital because the band would irritate my wrist.

Then i discovered the nylon woven band with no irritation and wear my apple watch nearly 24/7
 

grammatica

macrumors newbie
Oct 14, 2023
12
11
I will not return to a mechanical watch for daily timekeeping. However, when I need to attend a formal or special event, I will wear a mechanical watch. I'll probably wear the Apple Watch on the opposite wrist.
 

Matz

macrumors 65816
Apr 25, 2015
1,125
1,641
Rural Southern Virginia
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'd stopped wearing my Tag prior to getting a Pebble, which turned out to be the gateway drug for the Apple Watch.

I'm not into jewelry, so that's a definite no. I can't imagine giving up all the functions that my AW provides.
 

Sciuriware

macrumors 6502a
Jan 4, 2014
595
99
Gelderland
While I would love a brietling, the functionality of the ultra trumps style. Even with apple ruining the UX in watch OS 10, it's still close to the most perfect product they've ever made.
... and an APPLE watch looks too expensive (like ROLEX), it may be good, but it will attract thieves.
My stupid CASIO is safe on my wrist.
;JOOP!
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,388
24,133
Wales, United Kingdom
... and an APPLE watch looks too expensive (like ROLEX), it may be good, but it will attract thieves.
My stupid CASIO is safe on my wrist.
;JOOP!

I don’t think Apple could ever make a smartwatch that looked as good as a Rolex to be fair, but it’s a throwaway gadget in the longterm and won’t be as attractive to thieves due to how easy they are to brick once nicked.
 
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Howard2k

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2016
5,237
5,064
I don’t think Apple could ever make a smartwatch that looked as good as a Rolex to be fair, but it’s a throwaway gadget in the longterm and won’t be as attractive to thieves due to how easy they are to brick once nicked.


The world’s biggest selling smartwatch, and basically useless as a stolen device. I wonder how many actually do get stolen?
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,388
24,133
Wales, United Kingdom
The world’s biggest selling smartwatch, and basically useless as a stolen device. I wonder how many actually do get stolen?

Very few in the grand scheme. The Apple Watch is also one of the worse Apple products for depreciation in the legit secondhand market too, so it’s less attractive to thieves I would think. I hear many stories of thieves mugging people at knife point for their Swiss mechanicals but never for a smartwatch. When you consider one can be traded on the black market and only a risk of its sent for service and the other will be locked via a passcode, the AW is pretty useless to anybody but the owner.
 
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Le Big Mac

macrumors 68030
Jan 7, 2003
2,809
378
Washington, DC
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.

What data does Oura not provide that AW does? (Because I'm considering this approach, with Garmin watch for workouts possibly)
 

Le Big Mac

macrumors 68030
Jan 7, 2003
2,809
378
Washington, DC
...still on the lookout for the perfect mechanical pocket watch myself.
May I suggest?

51ZdB47efIL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
 

transpo1

macrumors 6502a
Jul 15, 2010
964
1,619
Coincidentally, I saw something a few days ago on this topic on an Ernie Hudson interview for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. The interviewer noticed Ernie was wearing a watch on both his wrists. Ernie said that the AW was his computer to do everything he needed to and stay in touch with everyone.

The other “mechanical” watch was because he loved his expensive watch collection. No reason not to have two watches if you really need the benefits of both I guess?
I’ve been double wristing it myself lately. Get the health benefits of wearing the AW and the digital detox and analog benefits of mostly checking a mechanical watch for the time…. Recommend!
 

ipaqrat

macrumors 6502
Mar 28, 2017
272
288
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 enjoyed having nearly this same chat before, when you posted back on Jan 5, 2024

But for the sake of other readers in Horology, I'll reiterate Cartier was nowhere near "the first" wristwatch, nor did Cartier invent the concept.

The very first documented wristwatches were one-offs by Breguet (in the early 1800's for some nobility in Italy, IIRC). Patek Philippe also did something for a Hungarian royalty of that era. Wristwatches were first manufactured as jewelry for women. Men eventually picked up wristwatches as military equipment in late 19th century.

It is generally accepted that Louis Cartier was the first to publicize the "Santos" design, which he built in the early 19-naughts, specifically with a pilot in mind, his friend, the eponymous Albert Santos Dumont. The "Santos" model was later manufactures collaboration with Edmond Jaeger (later of Jaeger LeCoultre) in 19... 10-15.

If I were to invest in a Cartier, it would be the Roadster Chronograph.

My opinions, FWIW, in that old thread were in good company with other keen observers, several of whom seem to have reappeared in this thread, too. Hello, nice to see you again 👋.
 

surferfb

macrumors 6502
Nov 7, 2007
279
528
Washington DC
What data does Oura not provide that AW does? (Because I'm considering this approach, with Garmin watch for workouts possibly)
Data is similar (heart rate, estimated calorie burned, sleep data) with a couple of things that I don't think Apple Watch does - or at least didn't when I stopped wearing my Series 3 (Heart Rate Variability, Respiratory rate). I think Watch does V2O Max now which Oura doesn't have, but when I talk about health and fitness it's more of the extras EKG, blood oxygen, a fib detection, fall detection etc. that I wish I had. But not wish I had enough to stop wearing mechanical watches.

Also, this is totally subjective, but I also don't really like the Oura app. It's just ok. I really look at the Oura data in Health rather than jump into the Oura app - something about it just rubs me the wrong way.
 

juice3250

macrumors member
Jul 23, 2014
87
61
I was just thinking about the main reason why I wear a smart watch. To track my steps. Then I just realized that my phone can track my steps too, as long as it's on me. Which it is 95% of the time. I may go back to my Invicta watch just to compare the data that my phone collects for my steps.
 

Jackbequickly

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2022
2,428
2,480
I occasionally think about it but stick to my Apple Watch as it attracts less attention by the nefarious.
 
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