If you’ve looked at people’s wrists over the past few years you will see a lot of smart watches being worn, which makes you wonder should you get one, or stick with a mechanical watch?
There are plenty of arguments for and against each type of watch and it will ultimately come down to you and what you believe is going to be best for you. You may even opt to own both.
Functionality
When it comes to functionality, Smart watches are always going to win the race.
Even the cheapest, basic smart watches can do a whole lot more than a high end luxury mechanical watch. The cheap smart watches can still sync with your phone to receive notifications as well as track things like your distance traveled and heart rate among many other things such as being waterproof.
When you start to look at the more expensive watches, like apple watches, the functionally is just insane. They are basically just mini versions of your phone; a lot of the same features are available on both.
While a mechanical watch probably can’t compete with a smart watch, they shouldn’t be written off. They can do a lot more than just tell the time.
Mechanical watches can have added complications that allow them to do extra functions. A very common one is to show the day and the date. You can also use a bezel as a timer and a compass. Some watches will allow you to track multiple time zones with a GMT function and you can also get various chronographs which are stop watches.
Power
Both watches need energy to run, but how they get that energy is very different. You will have to charge a smart watch in the same way you charge your phone. You will need to remove it from your wrist and plug it in.
A mechanical watch can potentially charge itself. If you have an automatic watch it will wind itself. As you move your arm throughout the day the weighted rotor inside will spin and turn the gears that wind the watch up.
If your watch is not automatic you will have to wind it periodically to give it more energy to work. This really only takes a couple of seconds and will still be a lot faster than charging a flat battery on a smart watch. Mechanical automatic watches are really grab and go and they will just keep working so long as you wear them, they won’t stop.
Longevity
When it comes to the longevity of these two watches, the automatic assumption is that smart watches are the future and mechanical watches are now a long forgotten about obsolete technology.
However, you would be very wrong to think this way. While smart watches are futuristic and very fancy, there is no longevity in them, on many levels.
(You can read more about – Will A Cheap Watch Last Forever?)
Obsolete?
Smart watches are part of a very fast moving industry. The watch you buy today has a very short amount of time before it is replaced with a newer model. These newer models come with better features and functions, new software and better hardware. A smart watch can very quickly become outdated and obsolete.
Just look at phones. I’ve lost track of what number Iphone we are on, but I know the iphone 3 is certainly not a phone any one wants these days. I am also pretty sure that the latest version of the operating software is not compatible with these older devices. So even if you wanted to use them, you can’t. If you look back a litter further, think about the Nokias of the early 2000s. They are just memes now.
While a mechanical watch company will also release new models every year, these are more design based changes, rather than an upgrade in functionality. If I buy a Rolex today or a model from 5 or even 50 years ago, they will still function the same, they won’t suddenly be incompatible.
(You can read more about – Are Smart Watches Worth Buying?)
Built To Last
You also need to look at how the two types of watches are built. A smart watch is full of small electrical components and a battery, most of which are probably pretty cheap and mass produced. These are eventually going to wear out and stop breaking.
When you compare it to a mechanical watch, the parts may be equally as small, but a mechanical watch will be built to last. The basic components of a watch are pretty simple. They are just number of gears that keep turning around and around. While they can wear down, it’s less likely to fail compared to something electronic.
When it comes to maintenance, you will find watch makers all over the place who can service a mechanical watch and they will have any spare parts that might be needed. This isn’t the case for smart watches. They are made to be disposable. By the time they would need serviced or would start running into trouble, you are expected to just buy the newer model, there is no expectation that you should keep these long term.
Heirloom
Mechanical watches are often handed down as family heirlooms and this is for good reason. They not only hold their value, but they still actually work. While they might get a little delicate, a mechanical watch will last for decades.
The same is not true for smart watches, their value plummets with age and they will probably stop working long before you even get the chance to pass it down.
Price
Like most things, both smart watches and mechanical watches can vary wildly in price. A cheap smart watch may be just under £50 and go up to about £1000.
Mechanical watches can also start from under £50; however, their upper limit can get a little out of control. You can easily find watches that in the thousands, tens of thousands and even as high as hundreds of thousands. Some watches have sold for the millions, but this is more because the watch was owned by someone famous, rather the watch retailing at this price.
Mechanical watches can also hold their value as well as go up over time. You will find the second hand market is very strong and profitable, which is not the case for smart phones whose value goes down over time and when it is second hand.
Artist Beauty/Style
When it comes to the look and style of the two types of watches, they certainly stand apart. Although there maybe thousands of different mechanical watches, and quite a lot of smart watches, you would never mistake the two.
Smart watches have a sleek minimal look, usually in some sort of black tone, especially the dial. They somehow just have the look of a cool gadget for your wrist. They are very recognisable and can look good in a number of settings.
Mechanical watches have a whole spectrum of designs, looks and styles. It is actually pretty incredible to think about how varied watches can be. The range is so broad that no matter who you are or what you like, you should be able to find a watch that you like and works well with whatever situation you are in.
It is rather subjective, but a lot of people will say that mechanical watches are more beautiful than a smart watch and I would be inclined to agree. You can get lost looking at a watch dial, examining the hands and the hour markings and how they all move past each other, you just don’t get this with a smart watch, while they can look nice, you won’t be staring at it for hours …well, unless you are just reading emails.
(You can read more about – Will Wearing Watches Go Out Of Style?)
Which One Should You Get?
Well, it depends what one you want… If you like the technological functions of the smart watch get one. It can be pretty cool to have all these things available to you on your wrist. If you prefer the older but reliable beauty and craftsmanship of a mechanical watch, then get one of those.
If you can’t decide get both, you have two wrists. Maybe it’s a little crazy, but you wouldn’t be the first to wear both at the same time, so go for it.
This shouldn’t really even be a question. The two types of watches are so different in nearly everything that you should not even compare them or decide between them. (The only similarities is that they both tell the time and you wear them on your wrist)
Get whatever one you think will suit you needs and bring you the most joy. You can have more than one watch and more than one type of watch, that’s totally acceptable. just enjoy them all.
(You can read more about – Should You Buy A Quartz Or Mechanical Watch?)
Ian is the main writer at Horology Dream and is a lover all things watch related.
He has been a watch collector for over a decade and brings his knowledge and experience to this site to help you on your own watch collecting journey.
You can connect with him on Social media and talk anything watches or read more about him on his Author Page.
