Automatic Watches
The development of watches began in Switzerland in the last few hundred years. Originally the mechanical watch was made to give people a portable time piece. Only in more recent times have automatic watches come onto the scene. So what is the difference and does it make much difference which one you choose? Mechanical watches rely on the principals of potential and kinetic energy, the energy comes from winding a spring. This energy is released through a series of clogs and gears in order to drive the hands on the watch face. They will need to be kept wound up and may require servicing at periodic intervals. Mechanical watches date back about four hundred years and they can consist of many hundreds of parts, more developed mechanical watches will tell you the date of the month. When they are serviced the service engineer will make sure all of the parts are well oiled and there are no loose particles inside that may interfere with the watch working correctly. Many people opt for a mechanical watch as they prefer the interface, the way it looks and the fact that they are examples of expert craftsmanship, especially if they are a hand-made model. In contrast, automatic watches wind themselves through a process of detecting the movement of the body, and in particular the wrist of the wearer. Inside automatic watches there is a rotor and movement of the wrist causes the rotor to move in a circular fashion and generates the energy required to power the watch. The rotor dates back approximately three hundred years and the original credit for the invention is given to Rolex. Automatic watches are ideal for those who always wear a watch. However, if you were to only occasionally wear a watch they will still have a manual winding option. You should still wind it periodically as this will keep it functioning at an optimum level. Some people wrongly think that automatic watches never need winding; this is a fallacy as it is dependent on the movement of the individual’s arm. They also have a backup system called a power reserve that will provide backup power if you forget to wind the watch or the movement is not having enough effect. Different brands have different amounts of power reserve; Citizen Watches usually have in the region of 15-60 hours backup. When automatic watches are serviced they will again check the lubrication and make sure that the seals are intact. Automatic watches have been around for a very long time and they have only become more popular in recent times. They are an alternative to the traditional mechanical watch and often make a great gift as they are a little bit different from the norm and can show your thoughtfulness in thinking of someone when you choose their present.