Dispelling Some Serious Watch Myths and Misconceptions
6 min read
Amidst the amplified phenomenon of #wristshot on Instagram, there’s a literal over-abundance of information out there about watches. The rise of the internet has led to a consequent evolution of the collector community at large. Social media in particular has transformed the community into a sprawling, hyper-connected ecosystem. These days, no matter what watches-related curiosity strikes you, a quick search on Google or Bing (no judgment, but... really?) yields hundreds of articles and videos in seconds.
It’s all so good for the growing exposure of horology.
However, while we can easily gorge down on a seemingly infinite volume of information, sometimes with persistent proclamation, a bit of misinformation gets established as a myth. Some things we know about watches, which we assume to be true, actually aren’t. While some “watch myths” are common knowledge by now, many more get wrongfully legitimized as facts.
Today, we’re going to set the record straight by dispelling a few of those.
In-House Is Always Better
The concept and actual occurrence of a “fully integrated vertical manufacture” is very rare. While the idea of in-house is lucrative in a sense that the manufacturer has complete control over the processes and can better impose quality benchmarks at each level of production, it doesn’t necessarily undermine the quality of a watch with outsourced components. Apart from the significant marketing leverage sought from the concept of true in-house, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the watch is better.
While watchmakers like Roger W. Smith, Greubel Forsey and Beat Haldimann practice true handmade in-house watchmaking, the concept is even adopted at a mass-produced level by the likes of Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and a few others. Although, here, true in-house production is a recent addition. Rolex became completely in-house as recently as in 2012. The phenomenon of “in-house” is a modern trend and is largely driven by marketing intent and the growing vertical integration within brands.
As much of what’s in-house now has evolved from an ecosystem or network of suppliers, the concept is still a bit nuanced and murkier.
Swiss Made Means Made In Switzerland
It’s very rare for an industry to be so strongly associated with a particular nationality as is the watch industry. Despite the fact that high quality watchmaking is practiced beyond the Swiss borders, particularly in Japan and Germany, the notion of “Swiss Made” owns a distinct reverence. However, the term has an implied legal definition and it isn’t necessary that a Swiss Made watch is entirely manufactured in Switzerland.
A Swiss Federal Council law states that, “For the use of the designation “Swiss” or “Swiss Made” for watches, they must comply with the criterion that 60% of the manufacturing costs must be obtained in Switzerland.” It has never been higher than 60%.
This stated law doesn’t apply only to a watch’s movement, but to its case and bracelet as well. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the law.
Minimum Swiss Content:
At least 60% of the total production cost of the watch must be generated in Switzerland.
Swiss Manufacturing:
The watch must be assembled and inspected in Switzerland.
Swiss Movement:
The movement must be assembled, inspected, and set in motion in Switzerland, and 50% of its components’ value must be Swiss.
Outsourcing:
Many watch brands that utilize foreign-made components, even for movements, must be assembled and inspected in Switzerland to meet the “Swiss Made” criteria.
You Can Overwind An Automatic Movement
The idea that you can overwind an automatic watch movement is baseless. Modern automatic movements are designed with a special ratchet system or a “slipping mainspring” (often improperly termed as a slip-clutch) mechanism that prevents the mainspring from becoming overly tense. While hand-wound movements indicate peak winding capacity through resistance of the winding action, in case of automatic watches, there’s no inherent perceptible for that. That’s why a slipping mainspring is necessary to prevent overwinding.
A slipping mainspring slips within the barrel when fully wound, rather than continuing to tighten and potentially break or stress the mechanism. Here, the outer end of the mainspring isn’t directly attached to the barrel. Instead, it’s connected to a spring-loaded component with a curved shape known as the “bridle.”
The bridle grips the inside of the barrel and its grip is designed to hold the mainspring until it's fully wound. When wound to full capacity, the tension in the mainspring overcomes the bridle’s grip, and it slips against the barrel wall, preventing over-winding.
Helium Escape Valve Improves Water Resistance
Although the category of dive watches is very popular and pretty understood by most, it is one special feature on certain deep dive watches that is very commonly misunderstood. And that’s the “Helium Escape Valve” or HEV. The helium escape valve is a spring-loaded one-way valve that releases pressure when the difference between interior and exterior pressures reaches a critical point.
A helium escape valve has nothing to do with water resistance or even scuba diving. It can either be automatic or manually operated where the former appears as a small circle on the case side and the latter appears as a secondary crown. These work in case of saturation dives where divers are submerged deep for extended durations in special dry pressurized chambers filled with helium, in order to make possible a single and short decompression stage.
The tiny helium particles can bypass a dive watch’s gaskets and get trapped inside. In reality, as long as under the dive, these helium molecules don’t pose any risk to a watch or its components. However, when the decompression stage arrives, the pressurized helium inside a watch case can exert immense outward force and even pop-out its crystal or damage the delicate parts. For this purpose, a one-way valve allows the trapped helium particles to escape safely without damaging the watch.
Platinum Watches Are Cheaper Than Gold Watches
While platinum is priced significantly lower than gold (₹3,712 per gram for platinum against ₹9,889 per gram for gold), platinum watches tend to be more costly than gold watches. This is generally due to several factors, including the higher density of platinum, its rarity, and the more complex and costly manufacturing process involved in working with it. Platinum wears tools faster, it’s more expensive to machine and being a hard metal, it’s more difficult to finish or polish.
Moreover, as platinum is often marketed as a more exclusive, refined, and luxurious metal, it allows brands to price platinum watches a bit higher.
What watch related myths do you know that we can bust next. Do let us know here!
