# Old watches were better



## Markusice (Apr 14, 2020)

*DEBATE*
I think old watch desings were better, more elegant and more slick than modern watch desings. Also they have better quality than modern watches. 









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## RCTimeDude (Mar 7, 2018)

cooler mechanical features that's the truth. sometimes technology showpieces are cool.

ie. hyper car vs old jaguar racer


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

Old arguments were better. More elegant and better quality than modern arguments.

:-d


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## Karriope (Dec 31, 2017)

Markusice said:


> *DEBATE*
> I think old watch desings were better, more elegant and more slick than modern watch desings. Also they have better quality than modern watches.
> 
> 
> ...


The "better quality" is debatable in some ways, but no doubt in the older days manufacturers were more willing to experiment with more outlandish designs and a watch was seen almost as an essential for every person. Not so today and accordingly major watch brands are understandably cautious, but I can see why people would wish those glory days would come back.

For your curiosity however, you can make a Bullhead like that Citizen by mounting a Valjoux -90° from my understanding, but of course you need an accordingly custom date wheel and possibly some adjustments to hand mounting.


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## OutOfSpec (Mar 11, 2018)

I agree that older watch designs were better, and I much prefer a lot of the outlandish designs from the 70s to some of the current aesthetics. However, in terms of movements, materials and build quality, I think modern watchs are superior. Some of these vintage pieces feel quite fragile--like toys. Plastic crystals, gold-filled cases, fragile movements. Those are some bad things. So, better aesthetic design, but not materials.


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## Triton9 (Sep 30, 2011)

The manufacturing technique today are more efficient and sophisticated. Old watches are better will be valid if compare to most of the budget and affordable watches of today. Budget watches are more concern about cost cutting like movement holder using plastic instead of metal. Movement using a lot of disposable plastic to reduce cost.

But if we are talking about luxury watches or high end one. They are in every way superior to vintage watch in manufacturing, material, quality and technology.
There is no way old watch can compare to modern one.


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## slikmetalfab (Aug 17, 2011)

I think a lot of the issues stem from a majority of these watches being made in factories in China (or wherever) and less of them being handmade. That is the difference to me. Back when pieces were made because of passion and not just a factory job to make as many as they can as cheap as they can to increase profit margins.
So many of these microbrands and kickstarters are being made in China now. It kind of dilutes the specialty of a watch in my opinion.
Frustrating for those of us making things by hand, doing something different than everybody else and competing against that stuff.

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## cowboyjack (Apr 21, 2020)

Well... I have my great grandfather’s pocket watch dated from the end of the Civil War and it still runs... but have no idea where any of the plastic quartz timepieces from twenty-thirty years ago ever ended up!


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## JD10 (Dec 26, 2017)

I can’t disagree 


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## rabbiporkchop (Dec 2, 2018)

A modern take on an old classic just showed up yesterday.


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## hrant (Jun 21, 2015)

I feel modern watches are better made than antiques in general due to CNC manufacturing and better metallurgy. However, I prefer the design of the older watches.


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## Medusa (Feb 6, 2010)

Sounds legit. It takes time to figure out how to cheapen things up.


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## ktg09 (Jan 10, 2020)

modern engineering assists in better manufacturing, making it more efficient and precise. Its hard to say whats better as a lot of modern watches are just reiterations of older watches


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## Markusice (Apr 14, 2020)

I think everyone's right about this topic. Modern watch production methods are better in every way. But I still think that old designs were simple and more classy. Making something simple is harder imo. For example Omega Speedmaster have been produced for tens of years now and it's very simple that looks very classy, but sporty in the same time. Most of the modern watches are made in a way that they are just sporty, or classy. Thanks for every opinion


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## brian_timepieces (Feb 22, 2020)

Great example with the Speedmaster. I just recently bought a Moonwatch and it amazes me how long the design has lasted.


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## cellowatchguy (Dec 13, 2020)

brian_timepieces said:


> Great example with the Speedmaster. I just recently bought a Moonwatch and it amazes me how long the design has lasted.
> 
> 
> Markusice said:
> ...


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## PiguetPolo (Dec 27, 2020)

Compare a Seiko 5 from 1975 and one from 2021 and you can see that the added value and details from the vintage is missing or scaled back from the modern Seiko 5


Date window framed in metal. Modern is just a square cutout
All 6309 movement parts are metal, Modern has some plastic gears to cut cost of production
Applied polished Seiko Logo, Modern are printed
Looks more expensive than the modern equivalent on wrist


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## AgentViper (Mar 14, 2018)

I like vintage watches except for the size and lack of long power reserve.


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## dgscott70 (Jul 17, 2017)

AgentViper said:


> I like vintage watches except for the size and lack of long power reserve.


Small and underpowered. Pretty much the sentiment for cars of the 1970s and '80s. Design-wise during this period, however, cars and watches diverge. Cars become stale and watches become exciting.

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## Pavilions (Jun 5, 2018)

What I like about old design watches that they are simple and more elegant than nowadays. They care more about functionality and simplicity rather than making it more complicated with busy dials.


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## roscoe67 (Apr 9, 2020)

Certainly water resistance is better. But modern watches are definitely less interesting design-wise. A lot of copies/homages of a few designs.


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## AgentViper (Mar 14, 2018)

I think it depends on the watch. Complications got more popular. Functionally the Chronos haven't really changed other in size and updated parts. I have a 1969 Bulova Sea King but don't wear it much as it's a 36mm. I like the older Omega Constellation watches, except for the pie pan versions.


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## Ron521 (Feb 20, 2014)

Too many subjective words in the OP. What exactly is "old"? And what is "better"? Is a watch from 2000 old enough? How about 1980? 1960? Is "better" defined by how well and how long the watch lasts? Then clearly, modern watches are far superior, running more accurately and lasting decades. Plenty of people on this forum own quartz watches from the 80's that still run like new, with zero service other than battery replacement. If, instead, by "better" you mean "repairable", then yeah, old watches were built to be cleaned, lubed, and fixed and patched up, and tuned, and adjusted, to keep them running because otherwise, they'd just stop running and you'd buy a new watch every few years. If by "better", you mean more finely finished...that probably depends on the particular watch you're talking about. Some brands have probably gotten worse, while others have gotten better.


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