Most people assume that if a mechanical watch stops keeping time properly, something must be broken. A worn gear. A slipping mainspring. A need for regulation. In reality, one of the most common causes of dramatic time gain in modern mechanical watches leaves no visible trace at all. No scratch …

If you spend enough time around watches, you’ll notice something interesting. People talk about movements. They argue about water resistance. They obsess over sapphire versus mineral crystal. But when someone handles a watch in person and says, quietly, “This feels well made,” they’re usually reacting to something else. They’re reacting …