Who's got a nice watch? Traditional watches only, no smartwatches please.

[Queen6]

Not worn often, but when I do it tends to stay on the wrist.

While a quartz watch, it's still a very complex analogue that takes 6 drive motors to run it. Has BT, GPS & Multiband time sync, this is a watch that's never out of step with time...

Q-6

 

[tcphoto1]

I received my first Hamilton today, my New Year resolution is to not add another watch in ‘25…

 

[Queen6]

Switched gears...

Q-6

 

[AustinIllini]

When I first saw this piece, I thought "why bother with a moon watch in white?"...then I tried it on

 

[Cuesca]

When I first saw this piece, I thought "why bother with a moon watch in white?"...then I tried it on

The white speedy is probably my favorite watch of 2024, enjoy!

 

[circatee]

Those of you that use mechanical watches daily, this question is for you.
Curious, with a mechanical watch, in my case a Tissot, on average, how long should the battery last with daily wear?

 

[circatee]

...the Tissot T-Race...

 

[CooperBox]

I received my first Hamilton today, my New Year resolution is to not add another watch in ‘25…

If I'd made a similar NY resolution (shudder the thought), I'm pretty sure that it would be broken before spring arrives.......😝

 

[CooperBox]

Those of you that use mechanical watches daily, this question is for you.
Curious, with a mechanical watch, in my case a Tissot, on average, how long should the battery last with daily wear?

I'm not too familiar with the watch but I'll hazzard a guess. If the chronograph function is on permanently (large second hand always in motion) you may only get max 2years battery life. If chronograph used only occasionally you can easily double or maybe triple that life span.
Bare in mind too that generally only Tissot authorised dealers will take in the watch for battery changes. Shop around though as you may find a specialist who will also perform a battery change + any other service required, although they could have difficulty obtaining any required spare parts from Tissot. This was one reason with prevented me from getting a Tissot PRX - fine watches until they require a service.

 

[circatee]

I'm not too familiar with the watch but I'll hazzard a guess. If the chronograph function is on permanently (large second hand always in motion) you may only get max 2years battery life. If chronograph used only occasionally you can easily double or maybe triple that life span.
Bare in mind too that generally only Tissot authorised dealers will take in the watch for battery changes. Shop around though as you may find a specialist who will also perform a battery change + any other service required, although they could have difficulty obtaining any required spare parts from Tissot. This was one reason with prevented me from getting a Tissot PRX - fine watches until they require a service.

Cheers, I didn't think about the chronograph side of things. Thanks!

Update:
I just went to check my mechanical watches. I had the chronograph going on all of them 😳

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Those of you that use mechanical watches daily, this question is for you.
Curious, with a mechanical watch, in my case a Tissot, on average, how long should the battery last with daily wear?

My watch is an Omega, (an Omega Deville) - yes, I wear it daily - and I have had it for the past 16 years; my battery usually lasts a little over a year, perhaps 14-15 months, before I need to have it changed (and I always use an authorised dealer).

Prior to that, I had a rather nice Tissot, and the battery on the Tissot lasted a similar length of time - generally with a life span of around 12-14 months (closer to 14).

However, sometimes, if I know that I am to spend around two months or so - sometimes one can be asked to stay longer - abroad (such as when I am working as an international election observer), I will have the battery changed in advance of my deployment (even if a full year hasn't yet elapsed) in case it runs out while I am abroad, because it will not be possible to source an authorised dealer in some of the places where I work.

In the past - once, while abroad in the Balkans shortly after the war (while observing an election), - and finding authorised dealers in that immediate postwar environment proved impossible - and once, in Italy on a very brief holiday (but pressed for time, which meant I didn't have the time to locate an authorised dealer), my battery ran out, which was incredibly inconvenient.

 

[Queen6]

Sturmanskie MARS - #146 of the original 250, first 130 went to the Russian Space Agency...

Q-6

 

[Queen6]

Those of you that use mechanical watches daily, this question is for you.
Curious, with a mechanical watch, in my case a Tissot, on average, how long should the battery last with daily wear?

Well it's not really a mechanical watch, an analogue yes. As for battery life varies depending the technology and it's implementation. Some watches will run for a year or two on primary battery, some a decade.

Secondary batteries as in rechargeable can extend far further, possibly 30+ years. Casio's Pro Trek PRG-80L-2V from 2005, has yet to be opened...

It's seen off two OEM straps, was my primary field watch for a long-time. It's been to the ends of the earth and then some. Also have it's green twin the PRG-80L-3V, this was my backup so not subjected to the same level of abuse.

Same story OEM strap failed around the 12 year point, was able to source an OEM resin strap which it remains on. I dont wear the 80's much in the field now as they are getting on and replaced with stronger tools...

The third of the trio an all black JDM model got inadvertently fried by a massive EMP. Watch shutdown and went into for lack of better terns a deep coma for best part of a decade. It inexplicably woke up late last year. Compass is done not sure what to do with it but, has too much history attached to just throw away...

I'll think on the all black PRG-80Y, will likely go the same as the 130Y which is possibly one of one. Casio made the parts, yet never made the watch, took both time & patience.

The Heart of Darkness

Own a few decent mechanicals with attached price points, equally out and about this Casio is by far the most commented on watch.

Goes deeper have a trio of PRG-40's a design that dates back quarter of a century and remains to be functional. They run on a bank of four primary batteries...

Q-6

 

[ericwn]

I have finally added a bronze Dune to my collection!

 

[Madhatter32]

Those of you that use mechanical watches daily, this question is for you.
Curious, with a mechanical watch, in my case a Tissot, on average, how long should the battery last with daily wear?

Mechanical/automatic watches never need a battery. Quartz watches, on the other hand, should go for about three to five years. Solar watches about eight to twelve years.

 

[AustinIllini]

3-5 years on a quartz battery. Automatic lifespan without wearing is like 2-3 days with some larger or slower oscillating models lasting up to 7 or 8 days

 

[circatee]

Learning a lot here. I was under the impression that if it wasn't a 'smartwatch', it was a mechanical watch.
Hence, my above post about a battery.

Oops...

 

[AustinIllini]

Learning a lot here. I was under the impression that if it wasn't a 'smartwatch', it was a mechanical watch.
Hence, my above post about a battery.

Oops...

No worries. Quartz watches have been ravaged by Apple watch as they tend to be cheaper. Mechanical watches (either manual wind, where you have to wind them every day or automatic, where you just wear them and they use an internal rotor to wind themselves) have become increasingly more expensive however their quality and accuracy are better than ever.

Quartz watches tend to gain or lose up to 10 seconds per year. Mechanical watches vary from +/- 30 seconds per day tolerance (that's pretty absurd. Most mechanicals wind up from +/- 10 seconds per day) to Chronometer certification (from the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres or COSC, -4 to +6 seconds per day) to the highest standards, the two of which are

Superlative Chronometer (Rolex) - Accurate to within -2/+2 per day

Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS - Omega, TUDOR, COSC) - Accurate to within 0 to +6 seconds per day.

Between those two, I think METAS is actually a bit more strenuous and you can NEVER lose time but either way, you're looking to be pretty accurate.

Anyway, it's a whole thing. Mechanical watches are general preferred over quartz watches with batteries just because they run all their own and can be handed down from generation to generation.

 

[Madhatter32]

No worries. Quartz watches have been ravaged by Apple watch as they tend to be cheaper. Mechanical watches (either manual wind, where you have to wind them every day or automatic, where you just wear them and they use an internal rotor to wind themselves) have become increasingly more expensive however their quality and accuracy are better than ever.

Quartz watches tend to gain or lose up to 10 seconds per year. Mechanical watches vary from +/- 30 seconds per day tolerance (that's pretty absurd. Most mechanicals wind up from +/- 10 seconds per day) to Chronometer certification (from the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres or COSC, -4 to +6 seconds per day) to the highest standards, the two of which are

Superlative Chronometer (Rolex) - Accurate to within -2/+2 per day

Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS - Omega, TUDOR, COSC) - Accurate to within 0 to +6 seconds per day.

Between those two, I think METAS is actually a bit more strenuous and you can NEVER lose time but either way, you're looking to be pretty accurate.

Anyway, it's a whole thing. Mechanical watches are general preferred over quartz watches with batteries just because they run all their own and can be handed down from generation to generation.

And there's the Seiko Spring Drive ... a hybrid of sorts. I prefer quartz watches after having owned many automatics. The value, maintenance and convenience factor overwhelming favors quartz in my book. The romantic narrative, however, favors mechanicals/automatics (something to do with having a soul -- LOL).

 

[AustinIllini]

And there's the Seiko Spring Drive ... a hybrid of sorts. I prefer quartz watches after having owned many automatics. The value, maintenance and convenience factor overwhelming favors quartz in my book. The romantic narrative, however, favors mechanicals/automatics (something to do with having a soul -- LOL).

I don't have a problem with quartz, but I strongly prefer Spring Drive due to the lack of battery. I tried a on skyflake, and I don't love the bracelet but it is SUCH a beautiful dial with that clean sweep hand.

The other thing that is super weird about this hobby is how accuracy is like a "feature", not the be all and end all. My Vacheron is definitely my most sought-after piece, but it also loses about 2 seconds per day. By comparison, my Omegas are both METAS certified and are 1 second fast-ish.

 

[9646829]

Completely forgot to post this weeks ago. 😂

 

[circatee]

Me again, does anyone here own a Seiko SRPD55?
I've watched a few videos on this particular model, and I now think Id' like to purchase one. Hence, curious...

 

[circatee]

The downside to owning so many watches, it having to replace batteries, constantly.
Currently, I am in need of 5 batteries! I have done a bit of research, and there are battery replacement kits on Amazon. Does anyone have a recommendation of a kit?

 

[Queen6]

The downside to owning so many watches, it having to replace batteries, constantly.
Currently, I am in need of 5 batteries! I have done a bit of research, and there are battery replacement kits on Amazon. Does anyone have a recommendation of a kit?

Don't have any recommendations as I purchase batteries locally. Be happy I have 3 of these, each one runs on a bank of 4 batteries.

Kits generally work, here they send the batteries, silicon grease, sometimes a case opening tools (rudimentary, yet effective)

For quartz watches I prefer solar so no need to worry about the battery for 20-30 years. Some laughed, well got a couple of these that are well on their way to proving that.

While old, they are very far from being obsolete...

Q-6

 

[pdoherty]

Those of you that use mechanical watches daily, this question is for you.
Curious, with a mechanical watch, in my case a Tissot, on average, how long should the battery last with daily wear?

Not sure if trolling, but mechanical watches don't use a battery; they use a spring to store energy. If you wear it daily it won't ever stop since the movement of your arm will wind it during the day.