Last updated on April 14th, 2023
In the debate of smartwatches and regular watches, there is a never-ending divide between supporters of each faction. Crazy right? Well, since I have extensive experience with both, let me tell you the differences and whether you should buy one over the other! Smartwatch vs Regular watch – let the games begin!
What are Regular or Traditional Watches?
A regular or traditional watch is categorized as a watch that displays the time analogously, usually depicted using 3 hands: the hour, minute, and seconds hand.
Although, there are other traditional watches with more hands and features such as the chronograph or GMT watches. Regular watches come with 3 basic movements: mechanical, automatic, and quartz.
Quartz watches can be in the form of analog watches or digital watches. Analog quartz watches typically have the same 3 hands as their automatic or mechanical counterparts, but the second’s hand usually ticks once per second, instead of having a sweeping second hand.
However, there are exceptions to this in the case of the Bulova Accutron and Grand Seiko. These watches are at least partially powered by a battery and a quartz crystal, but they mimic the sweeping motion of automatic and mechanical watches.
Learn more about quartz movements in my overview of quartz vs automatic vs mechanical movements!
What is a SmartWatch?
Smartwatches typically display time and other information on touch screens similar to smartphones, but on a way smaller scale. They run on batteries that can usually be charged the same way as a smartphone, through some sort of cable.
Unlike quartz watches, which also run on batteries, smartwatch batteries tend to not last long as quartz batteries because of the great features that a smartwatch might have, such as a heart monitor, built-in GPS, etc.
Modern smartwatches have a feature that allows them to have custom watch faces and mimic the appearance and even the dial material of a traditional timepiece.
Differences Between SmartWatch vs Regular Watch
Price
In terms of price, smartwatches are usually more affordable than regular watches, mainly because a lot of regular watches are made using high-tech equipment and are mass-produced. On the other hand, many watches that are of a luxury standard are handmade by artisans using skills that they’ve honed for decades.
This, alongside eccentric designs, incredible engineering, and impeccable fit and finish are some of the reasons why on average, regular watches usually cost more than smartwatches.
However, that is not 100% the case, some traditional watches are incredible value for money. Some models from Seiko and Citizen provide some of the best regular watches for the money. Some models can be bought for less than $100.
Wearability
A traditional watch with an analog dial can usually look more stylish and can be paired with more outfits, based on formality. A dive watch, for example, can be worn with a suit, a T-shirt, and jeans, as well as shorts and sandals.
A smartwatch however looks out of place in a formal setting, and typically only looks good in a casual or semi-casual environment. Nevertheless, smartwatches tend to be on their home turf when in sportswear or athleisure style.
This is really because smartwatches are good at fitness tracking; most smartwatches have features to track heartbeat, blood pressure, etc.
Longevity
Regular or traditional watches last a lot longer than smartwatches. Some watches still ticking right now are older than a century. They usually only need a service once every 4-5 years and can be easily serviced by most shops.
Smartwatches run on processors, which tend to be outdated in like 5 years. The apps and features of smartwatches are constantly getting updated and will require more and more processing power to keep up. A 10-year-old smartwatch will not run as well as a 1-year-old smartwatch.
Processors are also getting smarter and smaller in size, which makes older processors look like dinosaurs.
In traditional watchmaking, movements from 50 years ago are still being used in today’s watches, with very few iterations. Movements from Swatch’s ETA line, such as the ETA 2824-2, have been in production since 1982.
Luxury
No doubt, luxury watches tend to be regular watches but with beautifully finished and accurate movements, intricate design, and impeccable attention to detail. In this category, a luxury watch can cost up to millions of dollars, depending on the complexity, design, brand, and materials.
Smartwatches tend to not be seen as luxury timepieces unless you’re talking to teenagers.
Luxury watches are a conversation starter; businessmen and the elite build connections and mingle, sometimes all because of a watch they have on their wrists. A Rolex watch will tend to attract people that enjoy and love talking about watches. This is something that a smartwatch might not be able to replicate.
History & Heritage
History and heritage could be one of those factors that would make people prefer regular watches as opposed to smartwatches. Many brands in the luxury watch industry started as small businesses, that supply functional watches to militaries in times of conflict.
Brands like Panerai, Rolex, Omega, Seiko, etc. all have a military heritage dating back over a century. Having a traditional mechanical watch on your wrist, knowing that the same brand had contributed to our ancestors in the line of duty, is honestly a phenomenal feeling.
Besides that, all the skills, experience, and expertise have been passed down through generations and refined throughout the decades. This ultimately gives soul and life to a watch, which is a sentimental value that is hard to replicate with a smartwatch.
Technology
Smartwatches win in the technology category because of all the technology that is jam-packed into a tiny little screen. Most smartwatches in this day and age come with fitness trackers, oxygen trackers, satellite navigation, and even the ability to answer phone calls.
The Apple Watch Ultra provides even more in terms of technology, such as fall detection, an emergency siren, and even a whole certified dive computer in it! On top of being more powerful than computers of previous years, it also has remarkable water, shock, and temperature resistance.
Mechanical watches, on the other hand, will probably come with a perpetual calendar or a moon phase, at most. However, luxury watch brands deliver them remarkably, such as some of the offerings from Richard Mille. Traditional watches also come with water resistance and shock resistance, which are mainly prevalent in diving watches.
Dive watches are both versatile and robust, which is great since they can be worn every day, or worn several hundred meters under the sea. Something that you might find interesting is the Omega Planet Ocean Ultra deep is the only dive watch that is commercially available that is water-resistant up to 6,000 meters of water resistance!
Not only that, some watches are anti-magnetic up to a certain level. The Rolex Milgauss, Omega Seamaster 300, and the Ball Engineer are some examples of awesome anti-magnetic watches. Anti-magnetic watches are great for people whose career relies on working with machinery that might be magnetic, such as doctors, engineers, and scientists.
Battery Life
Smartwatches usually have a battery life of a few hours to maybe a week, depending on factors like usage, battery capacity, etc. On the other hand, regular watch movements such as automatic and mechanical movements can have an unlimited amount of running power provided the watch is wound.
Automatic watches are wound by the rotor that covers the movement, using the kinetic from the movement of your wrists to power it.
Mechanical watches get their power through the winding of the crown, usually in a clockwise direction. Most automatic watches can also be wound this way, but some watches like the SKX007 and 009 (that have the 7S26 movement) do not possess this feature. Check out my article on Swiss vs Japanese Movements for more information on the 7S26 movement!
A traditional watch will do you wonders if you are in an emergency. It can stay topped up for days and can be a lifesaver if you are stuck in the middle of nowhere. Without a power source and a power cable, a smartwatch wouldn’t able to do much good in situations like these.
A Quartz watch, on the other hand, runs on batteries as well, but they can last years before you’ll need a change, unlike smartwatches.
Will Smartwatches Replace Traditional Watches?
In my opinion, smartwatches will not replace traditional watches. This is because both of them have their individual uses. A smartwatch is useful if you need it or rely on it for certain functions.
A regular watch will last longer and will be there for you when you need it most, on top of being an amazing conversation starter and versatile fashion statement.
Luxury watchmakers will continue to pivot traditional watches towards the path of luxury, as they did during the quartz crisis in the 1970s. With the evolution of the smartwatch, we should expect to see more and more of this in the coming years.
Should You Buy a Traditional Watch or a SmartWatch?
Now, down to the question: Did smartwatches surpass traditional watches? Should we all embrace smart technology and have a wearable computer on our wrists?
Well, I wouldn’t say that. A smartwatch can be good if you are an active individual that runs or cycles every day and you need to hit fitness goals and stay connected.
Or maybe you need a smartwatch because you have some sort of illness and need a smartwatch handy to alert the authorities. In these cases, a smartwatch might be the better choice.
However, for the average person, I would suggest getting a regular watch if you can only pick one. You’ll be able to have a conversation starter on your wrist and be able to pass it down to the next generation.
If you are interested in purchasing a timepiece for yourself, you can check out my articles on:
