Apple has a knack for shifting the technological tides toward their vision of an ideal future. This was no more apparent than with the release of Apple Watch in April 2015. Now in its fifth iteration, Apple Watch almost immediately cemented itself as an archetype of modern life. That’s why my decision to trade mine in for wrist accessory with internal technology dating back to the 18th century might look like a monumental leap backwards.
One of the longest running threads in the Only What Matters community is titled, “Do you wear a watch?” In it, members fall primarily into one of three camps:
I wear a traditional watch
I wear a smartwatch
My phone tells time, I have no need for a watch
With the release of Apple Watch Series 5, Apple shared a video that opens with the line, “This watch tells time,” before proceeding to run through the exhausting list of things Apple Watch is capable of.
My watch, on the other hand, tells time, displays the date, and has a countdown scale. I picked this watch specifically for the countdown scale (for those unfamiliar, it’s a rotating bezel that counts backwards in 5 minute intervals so you can quickly tell how many minutes you have before the time you marked). As a regional airline pilot, I have to conduct 4 flights per day. Airline flights in the US are considered delayed if they leave the gate just one second late, so having a glanceable countdown on my wrist at all times is invaluable.
Similar to my watch selection, a diver might choose a watch with a count-up bezel to keep track of how much oxygen they have left; a ship captain might choose a watch with a tachymeter to easily calculate their speed over ground; a doctor, a watch with a pulsometer to easily count out a patient’s pulse; a storm chaser, a watch with a telemeter to measure the distance of an approaching storm; etc. Time is at the center of so many professions, so it’s obvious why watches have evolved features, or “complications,” that are purpose-built to serve those that rely on accurate time measurement the most.
In my opinion, this makes Apple Watch a worthy addition to this extensive lineage of time-telling devices. Fundamentally, it’s a device, worn on the wrist, that tells time and that has additions that allow the wearer to glean more information than just the time. It just comes with the biggest complication of all: having to plug it in every night. Especially while traveling.
I started to feel like my decision to wear Apple Watch was a mistake, a waste of money. After all, I could have spent the same money on a mechanical watch and not only would it have none of the distractions but it would also last a lifetime instead of only a few years. Though what I came to realize, largely by reading responses from the community, is that Apple Watch provides immense value to others that I just don’t require. There are undoubtedly plenty of people that will benefit appreciably from having email on their wrist, or texts, or music, or workout tracking, I’m just not one of them.
Watches are not necessarily expensive luxuries, smart or dumb. A well-chosen watch should serve as an extension of oneself that proves invaluable to the wearer. It should easily earn its spot on the every day carry list.
Care to share what adorns your wrist and why? You can do so in the Only What Matters member community.