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Mini Marvel or Just Lazy?

696 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  markdl
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I've mentioned before how I'm fascinated by my Seiko Coltura Perpetual Calender - and it still hasn't worn off.

When the watch wakes after weeks of sleep, I never ceased to be amazed at the whirling dials and the return to the exact time, day, date etc. And I love that this is kinetic - driven by wrist power like a mechanical automatic - instead of just a battery.

I find myself drawn to it repeatedly since setting the time on my mechanical watches frequently becomes a pain in the butt. Especially if I'm in a hurry.

I love the kinetic and perpetual calendar features (other brands make them I think) and urge all watch geeks to check 'em out. Truly a marvel of engineering - for the lazy, like me.


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I don't think lazy is the right word for someone who doesn't like to wind his watch. Watch winding is a ritual that most people were glad to rid themselves of just as soon as technology and affordability made it possible for them to do so.

I do understand that there are those who like to wind their watches. I'm new to the multiple watch bug, but for years I was a precision freak and even though I wore several different self-winding watches over the years before I bought my first battery-powered digital quartz watch, as soon as I had on my wrist a watch that was accurate to less than a second a day, I began the ritual of setting my watch to WWV as often as possible.

When I got a Radio Shack Weather/Time Radio, my watch setting became a daily ritual.

Circa 1982

We are ritualistic creatures. Even the healthiest among us engages in some sort of ritual that makes him feel warm and fulfilled.

For most of us winding a watch just isn't one of them.

For one thing, if you forget to wind your watch and you have responsibilities to meet relative to punctuality that can affect your health, wealth, and social standing, watch winding can seem like more of a drudgery than a heartwarming, bonding experience.

Even with the precision freak like me, if I forgot to set my watch on any given day, the only consequence was going about my daily affairs with a watch that was one half second fast--not exactly earth shattering.

When battery-powered watches became affordable for the masses, most thought that changing a battery every year would be an inconvenience and expense they could live with.

But, guess what! People did get tired of it. Suddenly, a year felt like twenty-four hours and as soon as lithium and the battery were teamed up people were hot-to-trot for lithium.

Lithium! It's not just for manic-depressives anymore!

So, it's not surprising that there are those who like the idea of a watch that keeps near perfect time that uses kinetic and electromagnetic energy to keep their timepieces running without extra expense or even a battery change every decade.

Consequently, I come down on the side of mini-marvel.

But, for those who like to wind their watches every day, I say go for it.

For the rest of us, it is the incessant advance of technology that turns us on and makes life easier, more enjoyable, and just a few nano-seconds more punctual.

I'm wondering when a population of car aficionados will start clamoring for a car that requires them to go out each morning and use a hand crank.

:D
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