Manual Wind vs.Automatic?Dear Snob,I plan to purchase myfiancé a timepiece for our wedding. I happen to have come across this website inhis history cache. After reading a few articles I decided it was worth the time to ask foryour advice. I would like to purchase a NOMOS Ludwig Datum manual-wind "Beta" movement.Based on previous articles, I know that this is a company that you respect and I happen tobe able to afford. My question is: What is superior -- a manual wind watch or anautomatic?Beware the history cache. But I guess since he is still yourfiancé, you didn’t discover anything too unseemly. While I find the designsof most NOMOS watches on the sober (read: boring) side -- it is German, and that nation pioneered the wearing of socks with sandals --I still commend you for your choice. NOMOS is always mentioned as an affordable in-housemovement maker, and while its movements don’t break new ground horologically, Icannot find fault with the brand’s pluck.To your question regardingmanual wind vs. self-winding, both have their merits. Some may say that manual windingmovements are more robust because they are simpler, but I doubt many people subject theirmechanical watches to enough abuse to warrant concern over this. Automatics are easier toown if your husband plans to just set it once and wear it daily. But a manual windingwatch provides the interaction a true watch lover appreciates.Of course, amanual wind watch requires attention and commitment, which may be a fitting metaphor for awedding gift. If your husband-to-be is not up to the task of windinghis watch daily, it may not be the best choice for him. But you know him best, so choosewisely.Hacking SecondsHi Snob,What are your views on the necessity of amechanical watch having the hacking seconds function? I ask because I recently acquired avintage Nautilus that does not have this feature. Neither does my Calatrava 3919.Initially I thought this was due to the movements being older, but my more recentParmigiani Hebdomadaire hand winding movement also does not have this feature. Does thisreflect on the quality of a movement in any way?“Hacking” issuch a crude term. A. Lange & Sohne calls it “stop-seconds” and has fittedseveral of its tourbillon references with this function -- more a feat of horologicalengineering than a crucial feature for a timepiece. For those uninitiated, hacking refersto the ability of a watch to stop the seconds hand by pulling out the crown.Hacking is vastly overrated unless you find yourself leading a cadre of soldiers onnight maneuvers and need to synchronize your timepieces for rendezvous. And I doubt thatdescribes you, since I don’t think your watch choices could be bought on asoldier’s budget. Others will say that hacking seconds allow for the precise settingof a watch to a known time signal, but, really, with a vintage Nautilus or a Parmigiani,precision is hardly important. My advice to you is to forget about hacking.Question from a Watch Knob
I just landed a job at one of the premier management consultancy companies in theworld. I want to congratulate myself with a timepiece that will be appropriate for my newworkplace yet also right at home when I'm popping bottles of Dom Perignon during theseaustere times.
I was leaning toward the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 1931, but the Audemars PiguetClassic Royal Oak also caught my eye. Which one of these fine watches would you pick?Both of the watches you mention are worthy, but the question is: Are you? TheReverso and the Royal Oak are understated classics, but your pompous, gloating email makesme think you would be better suited for something more garish and predictable like aplatinum Rolex Day-Date II with diamond-encrusted bezel. That would be far more fitting asyou’re uncorking Champagne in celebration of your latest round of stock-price-savinglayoffs.
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