9 Reasons to Buy an Automatic Watch

When it comes to fashion, there are two types of people in this world: those who wear automatic watches and those who don’t. The latter are practical. Why be weighed down by an extra accessory when we all carry around phones that tell the exact time to the millisecond? I understand these people. But, while the smartphone may have revolutionized our means of communication by replacing the radio, camera, television, compass, music player, watch, internet, etc and putting them all into one quick and easy portable device; what it will never do is replace our desire for self-expression.

It is this desire for individuality and self-expression that creates our own unique style and is the basis of the fashion industry. Fashion is culture. Culture is art. And if there is something that technology cannot replace, it is art. So while I may understand the practical group, I am always of the former one. Here are 9 reasons why you should become part of the former group and get an automatic watch.

1. THEY NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE

We used to use a watch to tell time. At the time of its debut, the watch was an amazing gadget, crafted precisely so that it could be wound and worn mechanically with each gear pushing on the other at the right moment in order to keep an accurate measurement of time.

Nowadays, it is still an unbelievable technology, as we live in an age where batteries power our lives almost exclusively. And, while many watches have transitioned into battery operated wrist machines, there’s a reason why the original technology hasn’t disappeared and lives on in some of the most prestigious and exclusive watch brands.

2. AUTOMATIC WATCHES SYNONYMOUS WITH QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP

Unlike the iPhone 3, there are locks and keys found at the Forum in Rome that still work to this day. This is quality craftsmanship and this is the type of expertise that creates technology that lasts centuries.

The thing is, the more advanced we get, the faster we can do things and with time being the most valuable currency, the less inclined we are to spend it on something that doesn’t necessarily need it. Simply speaking, crafting an automatic watch requires training and time (much more than a battery-operated or quartz watch requires) to produce a product almost indistinguishable from the outside and yet monumentally more expensive. But it is this craftsmanship that holds the watches’ place in the hall of timelessness.

3. YOU ARE LITERALLY WHAT MAKES THE WATCH WORK

When made correctly, an automatic watch is a self-running, almost living thing. The insides or what many refer to as the “heart” of the watch beats through the movement of your wrist through the winding of the dial. The rotor, a little piece inside the watch moves back and forth starting and storing energy to wind the gears within the heart. Essentially your movement moves the watch forward, creating a true connection between you and your timepiece.

4. THE MARK OF A TRUE AUTOMATIC IS WHEN THE HEART BEATS IN SILENCE

Ironically, the tic tok of a clock we have come to associate with our own hearts is nonexistent in an automatic watch. Instead, the flow of the gears within the heart pushes the second hand to sweep forward swiftly and silently, every 60 seconds.

5. THEY LAST FOREVER

One of the most amazing things about an automatic watch is its longevity. Unlike a battery powered or quartz watch, with the right craftsmanship, an automatic watch has an indefinite lifespan, pausing only when the wearer ceases to wind or move the internal mechanisms of the timepiece. Like a Frankenstein on the operating table, an automatic watch has the ability to come back to life after years resting in “purgatory” with just a “flip of the switch” or the movement of the dial.

6. YOU ARE STARTING A TRADITION AND PURCHASING AN HEIRLOOM

This fundamental element of an automatic watch means that there is never one sole owner. As it will outlive everyone, an automatic watch is just passed down from generation to generation. By buying an automatic watch you are essentially purchasing a relic to pass down through family or friends as an heirloom. Use it, preserve it and hand it down. Eventually this will be what you are remembered by.

7. YOU REALLY ONLY NEED ONE

Just like an engagement ring or a pearl necklace, there isn’t a need for any more than one good watch. One good automatic watch goes with everything. Unlike ties, shoes or most other accessories your automatic watch can become a part of your signature style; meaning only one is necessary in establishing your identity. Too much change sometimes takes away from your distinctive look and less change on your wrist means more change in your wallet.

8. A GOOD AUTOMATIC WATCH APPRECIATES OVER TIME! YOU’RE MAKING AN INVESTMENT!

Unlike a car, which depreciates the second you sign the purchasing contract, a good automatic watch is like buying a good piece of jewelry with real gems and real materials (gold, silver, etc.). We already know an automatic watch has no expiration date and if treated right has many years to keep appreciating. You could spend your money on fast-fashion and cheap products, or you could choose to save up and buy yourself a really nice men's automatic watch or a dandy ladies automatic watch and basically watch the watch increase in worth as it becomes increasingly more valuable and crosses the threshold into vintage. Treat it well and if necessary use it for a rainy day.

9. BUY A GRAYTON AND REAP ALL THE BENEFITS

In all honesty, it always comes back down to price. Someone could sit and brag about whatever product they have, tell you how amazing and special it is…but ultimately it doesn’t matter until the numbers are laid out. Nowadays, it is possible for a fully integrated company – with watch production capacities, etc. – to offer accessible automatic watches without cutting corners on quality and craftsmanship. But remember an automatic watch can be accessible, and still be high in quality. High-quality is always what wins out in the end and while Grayton may not be well-known in 2016, we are confident in the quality that goes into every Grayton watch.