Automatic watch movement is relatively new but the most recognized watch movement. You may have read about it on the best online watch store or heard about it in a retail store. These are artistic timepieces that are popular with watch enthusiasts because of their uniqueness and complexity. Have you ever wondered how these timepieces work and from where they get power to run?
In case you don’t know much about Automatic watches, we are to inform you about the basics. After reading this article, you would know what automatic watches are, how they work and what makes them so special. More importantly, why some of the best Seiko watches are automatic timepieces. Let’s start with the basic principles of Automatic movement.
What is Automatic Movement?
By all means, an automatic movement is a type of mechanical movement. However, unlike a mechanical timepiece, an automatic watch gets power from the movement of your writs. This kinetic energy is then converted into mechanical energy to run the watch. The wearer don’t have to manually wind the watch as the automatic timepieces are self-winding.
The natural movements of your wrist automatically wound the mainspring of the watch. Thus, you don’t have to worry about the mechanics or winding your wristwatch.
How Automatic Watches Work
The internal mechanics of an automatic watch is somewhat similar to a mechanical timepiece. The only difference is that in automatic watches, rotors are attached to their manual parts. A rotor is a metal weight that can freely rotate and spins with your wrist movement. So when you move your wrist the rotators move too and transfer its kinetic energy to the mainspring.
As a result of this energy transfer, the mainspring inside the watch winds automatically. The mainspring then powers other gears that make your watch hands move.
Advantages of Automatic Watches
The most beneficial advantage of an automatic watch is that you don’t have to worry about its battery or winding. You can have an artistic piece on your wrist that doesn’t require you to wind itself daily. Your watch will continue to work and will display time perfectly if you wear it continuously.
Another major advantage of automatic watches is that they offer premium looks. These timepieces carry weight and feel hefty due to additional rotors. Moreover, automatic watches are a symbol of class and represent your rich taste in timepieces.
How to Test the Quality of Automatic Watches
When it comes to automatic watches, the heavier the better. As mentioned earlier, the rotor of these watches adds extra weight which indicates quality parts. Good materials, such as platinum, gold, or tungsten are usually heavy but they make quality rotors that can wind the movement with ease.
Last Words
Before you spend your money on an automatic timepiece, you must keep in mind its pros and cons. Although automatic watches are accurate and sleek, they’ll run out of power if you rest them for a long period. So, if you wear them around your wrist, it would be better to keep them charged. Another way to keep them running is to shop a watch winder.
