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What's the consensus on wooden watches? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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So I do have my own watch collection of swatches and various brands, but I noticed no one really posts anything about wooden watches. I've been pretty big on them the past couple of years and have 5, but I usually see more classic/staple watch posts on Reddit and now Lemmy (Reddit is dead to me).

What's your opinion; are you for or against wood Timepieces and why?

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wooden watches make me anxious in the same way that ceramic watches make me anxious.

Sure, these materials are by now well understood (wood is literally ancient and manufacturers like Rado have long perfected ceramic cases and bracelets) but I still just feel… worried that they might get damaged more easily than steel and, once damaged, will be harder to repair without replacement cases and / or bracelets.

Aesthetically I have nothing against them.

I appreciate my views may not be wholly rational.

What is your experience with your wooden watches?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah they can scratch, but unlike metal, they can petina and then you can't even see the damage. I typically stay away from wooden bands though because the links rub together and are fragile.

They're also lighter and more comfortable to me, plus more eye catching. Definitely not for people that prefer watches they can beat up though. What kind of watches do you prefer?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

In terms of what I actually buy, I’m quite boring. Stainless steel, titanium at a push; have never taken an interest in precious metals or wood but have been tempted by ceramic and carbon fibre.

With the exception of solar powered variants I have a preference for mechanical rather than quartz movements. I’m not sure how to classify SpringDrive and that Bulova Accutron thing but I think they’re pretty neat.

The watch I find myself wearing the most (by quite a long way) is my white-dial Seamaster Professional.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Wood is for clocks that sit indoors, stay stationery and in a controlled temperature environment.

Wood expands and contracts in heat, is naturally pourus, is brittle and can't be sized down accurately to the micro-milimetre.

There's a reason that wood has been around far longer than metal yet we only started getting wood watches in the last decade or so - it's because it's impractical.

Just because you can make watches out of certain materials that doesn't mean that you should. You could probably make a watch out of cardboard, leather, wool, bread or pasta. Doesn't mean you should.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Watches are ultimately a way for a person to express themselves. If a person likes a particular style, they should enjoy themselves!

I’m all about exotic materials (meteorite), difficult processes (chamfered bracelets), displays of time (jumping hours), or just excellent engineering, attention to detail, etc.

I personally have yet to come across a wooden watch that would make me want to wear it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Who makes wooden watches? I see ads on Instagram etc that look low quality.

I wouldn't say I would be opposed to one in theory, but I can see why they are not super popular. Presumably hard to machine precisely. Consumers assume they won't last very long.