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Tom Austin
There’s one thing undeniably interesting concerning the thought of transparency in watchmaking. The power to look beneath the floor to see the mechanics in movement, to know how issues work, is all a part of what attracts us to mechanical watches within the first place. For many years now, the exhibition caseback has been handled as a sort of reward: flip the watch over, and also you’re given a glimpse of the magic. However, like several overused magic trick, used too usually, the wizardry fades. As a result of whereas the unique thought was to showcase distinctive craftsmanship, right now’s actuality typically falls quick.
Exhibition casebacks have nearly grow to be customary on watches, even with unremarkable actions; usually mass-produced calibres with minimal ending and no visible intrigue to talk of. And but, manufacturers proceed to border them as a value-add, as if seeing one thing ticking inside is sufficient to justify the clear window.
The end result? We now have a development that’s extra about advertising than benefit. And in some circumstances, it’s not simply pointless, it’s actively worse than a stable caseback. I’m certain there are advertising executives who would argue that that is what the final watch-buying public prefers, and that when there’s a mechanical motion concerned, the vast majority of individuals don’t care about a few of the finer particulars; they need to have the ability to see it. However that argument misunderstands the purpose totally. As watch lovers, simply because we will see the motion doesn’t imply we should always – in truth, there are many circumstances the place having a closed caseback is preferable.
Not all actions are price displaying
Let’s get one factor straight. I really like mechanical watches as a lot as the subsequent individual. To me, there’s nothing higher than having a tiny machine whirring away in your wrist, a marvel of physics and precision engineering on a minuscule scale. Don’t get me mistaken, I’m no quartz snob; like many people, I gather each mechanical and quartz watches, however undoubtedly, mechanical watches seize my love and curiosity essentially the most.
Nonetheless, the truth that I additionally love quartz watches tells you that I additionally admire a watch’s design for what it’s, not only for what lies beneath. Before everything, although, I imagine most individuals initially get pleasure from watches for his or her look, then how they make them really feel when worn, after which, maybe, for his or her craftsmanship. And a few manufacturers do certainly observe that course of when presenting watches to us.
Which means, particularly from the extra entry-level perspective, advantageous craftsmanship within the motion can take a again seat at instances, and we find yourself with some actually cool watches which have extra industrial, mass-produced actions inside. And that’s completely advantageous, as a result of not all the things must be a Lange 1. Typically, so long as it’s fairly correct and it’s strong sufficient to final, then we’re pleased. What we don’t essentially want are swathes of ETA 2824s, Miyota 8-series or Seiko NH35s on show. Everyone knows what these seem like, and fairly frankly, none of them are visually thrilling.
Sure, some manufacturers take the chance to decorate them up with a customized rotor or some primary ornament, nevertheless it begs the query, why? Is it making an attempt to be one thing higher than it’s? Is it customisation for the sake of it? What does it add to the visible enchantment of a watch to have the ability to see a primary, entry-level motion? It’s like exhibiting the drivetrain of a Tesla – it’s hardly going to evoke the emotion of a titanium and carbon-fibre-clad handbuilt V12, is it?
That’s to not say that simply because a motion is widespread or low cost doesn’t imply it’s not price ending properly. There are many watchmakers who can flip primary actions into artistic endeavors, like Furlan Marri’s therapy of the Peseux 7001 of their Disco Volante or how Jochen Benzinger can flip a humble Unitas 6497/98 right into a murals. That’s not what I’m speaking about right here. I additionally admire that for a lot of watch patrons, the novelty of merely seeing a motion – no matter how commonplace it or its ending is – continues to be definitely worth the value of entry. However in lots of such circumstances, all it does is add pointless bulk and thickness to a case, and might truly detract from the general design aesthetic of the watch, as Buffy explains right here.
Price-cutting in disguise
You’ve lastly made it, you’ve reached that time in your watch-collecting journey the place you’ll be able to lastly get that actual gold watch you’ve at all times lusted over. It feels so reassuringly heavy in your wrist… But you flip the watch over and see there’s a chunk of clear sapphire crystal the place there must be a slab of gold. Whereas I’m in no way saying that each one valuable metals with exhibition casebacks solely have them as a result of manufacturers try to avoid wasting weight or prices – you’d wish to suppose that if a model’s making gold watches, they’re additionally placing actions which are midway price taking a look at of their watches anyway – a sapphire crystal is considerably cheaper than including 5-10 grams of gold or platinum.
Panerai particularly has drawn specific criticism for this. The Luminor Chrono Goldtech PAM1111, for instance, was marketed as having an exhibition caseback, however collectors rapidly found that the sapphire crystal was so closely tinted and obscured that the motion contained in the stable gold case was all however invisible. Maybe this was Panerai trying to hide the truth that its P.9200 calibre is definitely a ETA 2892 with a Dubois-Dépraz chronograph module, reasonably than a real in-house motion, or as a result of they needed to avoid wasting a bit of cash by not having a stable gold caseback. Conversely, it’s good to see that the majority of Rolex’s precious-metal lineup nonetheless has totally enclosed casebacks – for now, that’s.
Your chiming watch shouldn’t include a view
Ditching exhibition casebacks isn’t nearly hiding boring actions. In some circumstances, even the heavy-hitters of haute horology are higher off hid, and never only for aesthetic causes. On the higher echelons of watchmaking, we enter the world of chiming watches – minute repeaters, sonnerie au passages and the like. These problems don’t simply depend on mechanical mastery and exquisite ending; they depend upon one thing else that you may’t see: resonance. Strong casebacks, usually in valuable metals, act like resonating chambers, serving to to amplify and venture the sound produced by the gongs. Consider it like a musical instrument; the case doesn’t simply comprise the motion, it turns into part of the acoustic system. Sapphire, in contrast, is dense and acoustically inert, and as such, it tends to dampen sound reasonably than carry it.
So whereas an exhibition caseback would possibly provide a surprising view of the hammers and gongs at work – and to be honest, watching (and listening to) a minute repeater mechanism chime is a real pleasure – it usually comes at the price of quantity and readability. Which begs the query, what’s the purpose? There’s a cause traditionalists choose the interchangeable stable backs for watches like Patek Philippe Grand Complication minute repeaters, as a result of in contrast to sapphire, steel doesn’t kill the music. Watches just like the IWC Portugieser Minute Repeater, for instance, undergo from an underwhelming ding resulting from an absence of resonance within the case.
Conversely, there’s a cause why the extensively lauded Christopher Ward Bel Canto is constructed from titanium and encompasses a closed case again, as a result of the caseback and case materials assist propagate the sound of its sonnerie au passage. For some cause, we’ve come to robotically assume a closed caseback is an inexpensive, boring choice when, in actuality, it must be handled as a way more particular element.
Generally, much less is extra, and that’s not a foul factor
There’s a sure romance to a stable caseback. Lately, when all the things is laid naked, there’s one thing refreshingly assured a few watch that chooses to not present all of it – a little bit of thriller is cool. A stable caseback can be a canvas for manufacturers to showcase their storytelling capabilities, and leaves room for parts similar to version numbers, themed engravings, or different good particulars, like Longines’ old-school hand-enamelled medallions.
We’ve broached this subject earlier than, and it’s been met with combined opinions. For some, it’s a flat-out nope, mechanical watches MUST have a see-through caseback, whereas others are leaning extra in the direction of wanting manufacturers to do it with goal, as in, should you’re going to indicate the motion, you higher make rattling certain that motion is price taking a look at. Don’t make the exhibition caseback and afterthought; it must be a part of the general image.
It isn’t nearly aesthetics; manufacturers have an actual alternative right here to be extra considerate about how they deal with the reverse facet of a watch. It doesn’t at all times have to be clear to be significant, and types ought to pay extra consideration to this reasonably than simply giving in to what they suppose individuals need. For a lot of, shopping for a selected watch could be a once-in-a-lifetime factor with a stable caseback that may be commemorated with one thing particular, permitting room for a watch to be personalised with a bespoke engraving. Going on this route could even imply that individuals get pleasure from proudly owning their watches extra in the long term.
