Watches are more than just a simple timekeeping device. If you have never seen a watch and thought how beautiful it is to look at, then you are lying to yourself.
They add a lot of weight to a person aesthetically and give him an elevated personality. Let’s face, it a beautiful watch on the wrist is a nice feeling.
In the year 2019, our technology has advanced to such a level that a minimalistic smartphone can tell time ideally without the need for winding or adjusting manually now and then.
If even the cheapest smartphone is better at keeping time when compared with the most expensive watch, then the big question that we have to ask ourselves is; are watch obsolete?
Are Watches Obsolete?
To answer that question, we need to take a closer look at just what the good-old watch does and what more it gives to us that we cannot get from a smartphone.
Fashion Appeal
A watch adds more to a person’s fashion than a smartphone ever could. The aesthetic appeal that comes from a watch is on another level. The large variety of watches available these days offer unique styles and personalities. There are different types of watches that are suitable for different occasions.
A dress watch is meant to be worn with suits to make an impression in a formal social gathering. They are available for women to wear with a party or business dress.
There are watches for daily use that go well with any type of casual clothing. There are also some rugged watches designed to be worn during adventurous moments like hiking or biking.
Lightweight
Watches are not a heavy accessory, and the appeal that comes from a beautiful watch is subtle yet pronounced. Compared to a smartphone and all the bulkiness that comes with it, a watch is a simple piece of equipment with a simple purpose. It is always visible and easy to use. When it comes to smartphones, you need to take it out of your pocket and unlock it to use it.
Yes, the smartphone has many features and serves many purposes, but a watch serves a single mission with style. There is a particular attractiveness in the flick of the wrist to check the time that a smartphone can never provide. And the lighter weight of a watch, in general, makes it a more practical accessory.
Conversation Starter
A watch is a great conversation starter in any type of gathering. Complementing an attractive watch leads to other conversations in no time.
You can also find people who are incredibly loyal to one watch brand over the other. You can spot a watch on a person the moment you see him and start the conversation that way.
Using the watch as a conversation starter comes off much more polished than using a cheesy pickup line.
It shows that you appreciate the simple things and that you appreciate the pure aesthetics of a beautiful watch. So, consider complementing the watch next time you are out hunting for a date.
Family Heirloom
An antique watch is often passed down in the family as an essential heirloom. The timepiece that you receive from your mother after your graduation can be passed down to your children after their own.
It becomes a part of the values and traditions of a family in no time. Smartphone, on the other hand, due to vast leaps in feature, becomes old in a few years.
Collector’s Item
A watch has a whole other level of appeal and attraction to the collectors. Watch collectors gather different types of watches to keep in a case and show them off to the guests.
The collection of watches is a matter of pride to the collector and shows his devotion to his precious timepieces.
Due to the massive variety of watches available with different movement styles, various additional features, multiple attachments that come with timepieces, every single watch is different. This attracts many collectors to the realm of timepieces.
Battery Issues
Battery operated watches are pretty common sight nowadays. The lifetime of the battery in a watch is significantly higher than that of a smartphone. There are also self-winding and manual winding watches that don’t require any batteries to work.
You don’t have to worry about charging the wristwatch after every use, but in case of the smartphone, there is always a chance of your phone running out if you haven’t charged it.
Daily Variety
A regular watch wearer, in general, has a small collection of watches saved up for different occasions. They change up their timepiece to go along with different outfits and occasions. Their watch gives their overall appearance a new look and becomes a part of their style.
This flexibility is not that common with smartphones as most people usually use only one and at best, two phones at the same time. You don’t go out with a new phone every time because it is not very practical to change your sim-card and memory-card every time you leave the house.
Smartwatches
Apart from traditional watches, there are also smartwatches that are available these days. They don’t usually work on making calls but comes with tons of features from heart rate monitor to distance measurement. They require a daily charge in most cases and work on electronic chips and circuitry.
Smartwatches are also very popular nowadays because of their affordability and style. They can often be paired with smartphones to serve as an extension, and you can receive calls and texts from them.
Final Thoughts
Studies have shown that the sale of fashionable watches are, in fact, increased over the last few years as more and more people are getting in on the appeal of wrist fashion. Smartphones and watches are mostly non-competitors, and despite all the features of that come from the smartphone, they will not replace watches anytime soon.
So, the answer to the big question is no, watches are not becoming obsolete. As of 2019, there are many big watchmaking brands out there that have thousands of loyal customers. Watches are still being worn, and the industry is thriving, creating more and more unique looking timepieces.
