Why I Wear an Analog Watch
In 2024 many people’s watches are multifunctional, doing everything from displaying text messages to tracking their sleep. I prefer to keep things simple, and recently switched from my Garmin smartwatch to an automatic winding analog watch. Although the analog watch face has taken some getting used to, I have been happy with my decision to downgrade—or, in my opinion, upgrade—to a simpler watch. Although smartwatches may seem like the obvious better choice to most consumers, an old-school analogue watch offers several advantages that may trump the convenience of being able to read your notifications without pulling your phone out.
Advantage 1: You have to pull your phone out to check your notifications.
Next time your phone buzzes, avoid checking it. It’s hard, isn’t it? As a collective, we have become addicted to the constant mental stimulation of our smart phones. Although I am still more hooked on my device than I would care to admit, reducing my reliance on and connection to my smart phone has helped me treat it more as an actual cell phone and less as an unlimited source of dopamine that I must keep on me at all times.
Advantage 2: No batteries.
When should you charge your smart watch? When you are asleep, like your cell phone and your computer? Many smartwatches track sleep. Many analog watches are either automatic or manual, both of which are powered by the potential energy of a wound spring. Being able to wind your watch in a few seconds or having your watch wind itself through the movement of your body is incredibly convenient compared to having to remember to spend hours charging your watch that you rely on day in and out.
Advantage 3: Practice reading analog time pieces.
This reason may just be me going out of my way to rebel against the over-digitalization of modern society, but over-reliance on digital clocks and watches is reducing our ability to read
analog clocks and watches effectively and efficiently. Without my analog watch, I would go months without having to read an analog timepiece and would always struggle to read them both accurately and quickly. By wearing one on a near-daily basis, however, I have become more fluent in my time-keeping abilities.
Advantage 4: My watch is stylish now.
Smart watches are the norm now. All apple watches look the same, and the only variety is the wristband that hardly anyone pays attention to while being distracted by the shiny black square that lights up occasionally. Analog watches, however, stand out in the digital age. Especially if you have one with a unique design. My watch, for instance, is a skeleton watch showcasing the gears turning and ticking away behind the watch face, transforming my timepiece into a hypnotizing art piece. I am normally against fashion in the traditional sense, but this is genuinely a point in favor of traditional watches, at least in my opinion. Perhaps my love for the aestheticism of my watch is due to how non-smart watches stand out among the sea of uninspired smartwatches.
The few people around me who wear watches almost universally wear smartwatches. This is (albeit mildly) unfortunate because traditional non-smart watches offer many benefits. If you read other articles that I have written, you will probably conclude that, along with being a total nerd, I am a bit of a technophobe. This negative attitude toward what many consider the future is because of my personal experiences with modern technology, not because of a fear of the unknown. I continuously realize just how unnecessary my connection to my phone is, as well as just how deeply this obsession runs in me. Although some technologies, such as analogue watches and MP3 players—which I discuss in another article, may appear outdated, they are an important part of how I maintain my values and sense of self in the modern age. I hope that all of
my readers will at least consider how not having a smart watch, which is a relatively modern invention, would affect their lives. What would you do without the convenience of the smart?
