Just like old-school hand-wound watches, mechanical watches work on the basis of mechanical energy stored in a wound spring. The more tightly wound the spring is, the longer the watch will continue ticking without the need to be wound. The only real difference between a hand-wound watch and an automatic is the way the spring […]

When you think about everything that goes into a mechanical watch, it’s a miracle they can even exist. You’re looking at a set of tiny gears, springs, and rotors that keep time within a few seconds per day. In many cases, there needs to be additional space for dial complications, date windows, and so on. […]

There are watches, and then there are watches. You know what I’m talking about. The first kind of watch can be just fine. They can even be great in their own right. For example, I’ve reviewed a ton of limited-edition racing and aviation watches that can be worth their weight in gold to the right […]

The term “sector dial” is a little bit vague, and the exact definition can vary depending on who you ask. As a result, manufacturers have a lot of fudge factor when they design one. In general, when I’m looking for a sector watch, I’m looking for a watch with concentric outer rings. One of these […]

In the world of automatic watches, Swiss manufacturers get a lot of attention. This is to be expected. After all, Switzerland is the world capital of watchmaking, and most of the best movements are manufactured there. Going over my past reviews, I’d estimate that 80 percent or more are manufactured in Switzerland, and even more […]

As today’s world becomes ever more connected, more people than ever are becoming world travelers. And with this travel comes the need to switch between time zones. For watch enthusiasts like us, that means using a GMT watch. A GMT watch allows you to set a secondary time for an additional time zone. These watches […]

First released in 1956, the Super Compressor isn’t an actual watch; it’s a watch case, designed by now-defunct Swiss watchmaker Ervin Piquerez SA. It’s best known for the dual-crown design, as well as the internal rotating timing ring. However, the case is really defined by its spring-loaded caseback, from which it gets its name. Because […]