The Swiss tried at first to assimilate the virus by creating its own virus as an antidote – with some success – but contagion spread throughout the rest of the planet until everyone had the virus. This was unspeakable, un-mechanical and very un-SWISS!

One gnawing factor about the virus is that it is the most accurate timekeeper on the planet – at least on a portable device – and this one fact kept the Swiss welded to the possibility that this virus could be more accurate than one of their mechanical masterpieces. The virus continued to plague the Swiss until the mechanical movement was strong enough to begin working on its own again.

Now that Switzerland is producing mechanical watches (and they are making money) and because the USA is now the biggest market for mechanical watches, the Swiss have announced that the virus is now controlled and the mechanical watch is free from the effects.

Like all epidemics, some good does eventually come from the ailment. The solution is always a vaccine or some kind of an antidote that ultimately helps the population. The Swiss solution was to make money with the virus, with well-known watches like Movado, Ebel, Tissot and others.


There were some casualties that hosted the virus and remain today as carriers of the “QV.” But some who only waited for the virus to be controlled have broken away from its bonds and shackles and have once again made the almighty sound of the tick. You can hear the sound of batteries hitting the cold marble slab floors.

Movado is now producing mechanical watches; it is ticking again and it is proud – and is already making advancements into its old familiar circles of the Mechanical Purist. The other companies are watching with great interest and hope someday to be included in with the truly great.

In the last part of the last century, the “QV” mutated again and took on the appearance of a mechanical watch. What was this mutation? Was anyone expecting this? Is there an antidote?

It is not uncommon for a virus to adopt the characteristics of the host it has infected and now the virus began working like a mechanical watch without a mainspring? Again this was un-SWISS and un-mechanical, but mechanical it is.

The kinetic virus hit with huge success within its own family. The quartz as we knew it, was leapfrogged by the new chameleon-like virus and had just about taken over the world when the Swiss (in their own mechanical mind) said that this is not a virus at all; it is a mechanical watch with the solutions that we thought were good and now there are mechanical quartz watches and they are being made all over the world.

So the reason for this little bit of satire is that the watch industry is still changing and maintaining its roots while entertaining other ideas that could help, enhance and perhaps one day be the technology that is commonly used.

There will always be mechanical watches for the luxury market and now there will also be hybrid mechanical watches utilizing all of the technology available.

Imagine a mechanical watch with a quartz sub-dial! Or the Mühle Glashütte with its mechanical watch with a quartz altimeter! Or the Ventura mechanical with a digital display!

But there are always the Jorg Schauers of the world who are purists. Schauer made a mechanical watch called the “Durowe 7440” that has a digital display. It looks like a quartz, but is not. This one will win a few awards in its time. Brilliant concept – and fun too!

So, congratulations to Movado and all of the others who have made the leap back to the future.

And finally! To all of the watch purists who wore masks and would never wear a virus watch. It’s okay; it’s time. You can take the masks off and feel free to wear mechanicals again – and maybe even try a kinetic or perhaps a quartz for a day or two.

Thanks for watching.

— Urich