Power reserve indicator

[Ackley]

It is obvious that power reserve indicators on watches were inspired by the ones used on ships chronometers.
These are manually wound high precision clocks that usually have a two day movement and although of fusee type, need to be wound every day.
This is usually the task of the 2nd or 3rd mate and as a ships captain, because of the indicator, I would be able to check if this had been done, without messing about with the movement more than necessary. (To wind them, you have to turn them upside down)
Now, with this in mind I have always wondered why these indicators suddenly appeared on automatic watches like IWC's and others. It seems to me that they are there for the sole purpose of beiing there.
I mean, if you wear it every day, the indicator is useless and if you don't, the watch will eventually run down and stop anyway!? The whole purpose of an automatic watch is to take your mind off the fact wheather the watch is wound or not. In that case the indicator just makes it possible to check something that shouldn't need checking.

Just a thought.

Ackley.

[Biased&Critical]

How many watch complications are actually "useful" by today's standards? There are enough folks that will walk up to advise that telling the time on a watch is useless because of thier cell phones, etc. Chronographs (and thier variations), annual calendars, moonphases, tide graphs, countdown bezels... how are any of these relevant?

They aren't. Doesn't mean I don't want them. All of them.

[BSharp]

It is obvious that power reserve indicators on watches were inspired by the ones used on ships chronometers.
These are manually wound high precision clocks that usually have a two day movement and although of fusee type, need to be wound every day.
This is usually the task of the 2nd or 3rd mate and as a ships captain, because of the indicator, I would be able to check if this had been done, without messing about with the movement more than necessary. (To wind them, you have to turn them upside down)
Now, with this in mind I have always wondered why these indicators suddenly appeared on automatic watches like IWC's and others. It seems to me that they are there for the sole purpose of beiing there.
I mean, if you wear it every day, the indicator is useless and if you don't, the watch will eventually run down and stop anyway!? The whole purpose of an automatic watch is to take your mind off the fact wheather the watch is wound or not. In that case the indicator just makes it possible to check something that shouldn't need checking.

Just a thought.

Ackley.

This is only my second post in this forum, and I am just a novice to the world of mechanical watches. I have a Raymond Weil Parsifal with power reserve, that has an ETA 2892 A2 movement, bought by my wife as a graduation present. I absolutely love the power reserve feature and if I do buy another Swiss watch, I will want this feature again. As an example, I wear mine to work everyday. When at work, by the end of the day, it is wound up fully. So yes, in that circumstance, I don't need it. However, on most days off, the watch doesn't get wound up fully and depending on what I'm doing, I manually wind it at night when it starts to get low. I don't want the watch running down to empty so that I have to reset the time again. So I disagree, I regard the power reserve feature as far more useful on a mechanical watch than chronograph, moon phase etc. To me, a power reserve indicator on a mechanical watch goes together like a tachometer on a manual transmission car.

[DEPA]

compared to others, the power reserve complication is a rather useful one. but only on manual wound movements. anyhow most of the current complications such as chronographes, moonphases, perpetual calendars are just gimmicks. no need for that. a watch needs to show the correct time and maybe the date and if it's manualwound, a power reserve indicator is appreciated but not really necessary.

[spain72]

The P.R. indicator was useful on the double barrel manual winding watches.
Nowadays and on automatics can be useful for the ones that often alternate watches on their wrists.

Most of the time is a matter of "dial's decoration"... ;)