How to Choose Your First Mechanical Watch

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Blake Malin

Windup Watch Shop | September 25, 2024

If you’ve ever owned a watch before, odds are it had a quartz movement inside of it. But there’s another option — mechanical movements. Powered by a combination of springs, levers, pivots, jewels, and gears, these engineering marvels beat out the passage of time tens of thousands of times per day. In today’s Chronicle, we’ll go over a few things to keep in mind when shopping for your first mechanical watch.

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Mechanical watches come in two main varieties – hand-winding and automatic. The former requires that the watch’s mainspring be wound manually via the crown to continue running, while an automatic movement features a winding rotor that does this as the watch is worn. These movements are not necessarily manufactured by the company producing the watch; when they are, they are referred to as being an “in-house” movement. While not necessarily an indicator of quality, an in-house movement can be a big driver for some enthusiasts.

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Additionally, all mechanical watches have a power reserve, meaning how long they will run before the watch stops. They range from a little over a day to more than a week. While it can represent technical achievement, this isn’t necessarily a figure to get caught up on, as if the watch is worn regularly, it won’t play a large role.

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Last but not least, there’s the question of accuracy. It is perhaps the largest downside to a mechanical watch, as they are inherently less accurate than their quartz counterparts. Accuracy is measured in seconds lost or gained per day, with the best movements being graded at a maximum of -4 to +6 seconds per day. With all this in mind, here are a few selections from some of our favorite brands for your consideration.

Should you see anything you like, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. In addition, all of these products are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US.

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SWIPE THROUGH FOR SOME GREAT FIRST OPTIONS

Seiko Presage Style60s

Seiko’s Presage line features some of the iconic Japanese brand’s best-designed watches for daily wear. The Presage Style60s is no exception. Designed to evoke nostalgia from the brand’s back catalog while maintaining modern proportions, the Style60s features a fixed 60-minute bezel inspired by Seiko’s 1964 Crown Chronograph from the Tokyo Olympics. The Style60s features a Seiko 4R35 movement, an automatic caliber with a 40-hour power reserve; hacking, a feature where the seconds hand stops when the crown is pulled out for precise time setting; hand-winding, and a date complication.

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Citizen Fugu

While perhaps best known for its celebrated EcoDrive technology, Citizen is a powerhouse in the world of mechanical watches. Some of their best come from the brand’s Promaster line of professional spec tool watches. Take the Promaster Dive NY015x series for example: best known as the “Fugu” — pufferfish in Japanese — the rugged 200m-rated dive watch is equipped with a Miyota 8204 automatic movement, a tried and true caliber from Citizen’s movement division featuring day-and-date complications, a 42-hour power reserve, hacking, and hand winding.

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ADPT Series 1 Dual-Time

ADPT watches — All Day, Purpose, and Terrain — are designed to be at home anywhere. The Series 1 Dual-Time features two vibrant dial variants combined with a rugged titanium case, while a second contrasting hour hand tracks an additional time zone. This complication, known as a GMT complication (for Greenwich Mean Time), was originally introduced in the 1950s for pilots. The Series 1 Dual-Time is powered by a Seiko NH34, an automatic Japanese-made movement with an independent 24-hour hand, date complication, hacking, hand winding, and a power reserve of approximately 41 hours.

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Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical

Hamilton’s Khaki line of field watches is inspired by the brand’s history of producing capable watches for the American and British militaries. The Khaki Field Mechanical pays tribute to the MIL-W-3818B specification, a series of watches issued to the US military from the 1960s into the 1980s. The watch features a manually-wound H-50 caliber, Hamilton’s version of the Swatch Group Powermatic 80 caliber featuring 17 jewels, hacking, and an impressive 80-hour power reserve.

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Laco Augsburg and Aachen

Laco’s entry-level Type A and B Fliegers are a perfect starting point into the world of pilot’s watches from one of the original manufacturers. Featuring stark dials designed to be legible at a glance, these German-made watches are a rugged everyday companion. Inside is a Miyota 821A, an automatic Japanese movement featuring 21 jewels, 42 hours of power reserve, quickset date complication, and hand winding.

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