Despite the practicality and accuracy that digital watches offer, analog watches are still preferred by many people for their visual simplicity, the way they represent the passage of time through the movement of the hands, and the complex emotional connection they evoke.
Rolex, Armani, Omega, Cartier – these are some of the most recognizable wristwatch brands you’ve probably heard of or seen advertised somewhere. Wristwatches are worn primarily to keep track of time on the go, but they’re also worn for fashion and personal expression. In recent years, they’ve become an important part of our daily wardrobe, with a variety of functions, purposes, and designs, including smartwatches and watches for the visually impaired. Wristwatches can be divided into two main types: analog watches with hour and second hands, which we are familiar with, and digital watches, which display numbers on a liquid crystal display.
However, we usually wear analog watches more than digital watches, and the most popular watch brands focus their advertising on analog watches rather than digital watches. This is because analog watches have a special appeal that digital watches, with their modern designs and cutting-edge features, don’t have. The appeal of analog watches goes beyond just telling the time; they are often perceived as works of art in their own right, and are an important expression of the owner’s taste and personality.
So, in this age of technological advancement and rapidly changing trends, why are digital watches, which are not inferior in terms of practicality or design, and are even more modern, not more popular than the classic analog watches that have been around since time immemorial? Is there something about analog watches that appeals to us uniquely?
To find that “something,” let’s start with the visual aspect. Analog watches have hour, minute, and second hands, and many don’t even have a second hand. And with analog watches, you’re usually looking at “about 10:20”, not “10:21:13”. For those of us who live under knife-like time pressure to buy something on a first-come, first-served basis, or to check the most accurate internet server time to register for something, or to turn in an assignment that can’t be turned in after midnight, this simplicity gives us a little bit of freedom: the freedom to say, “I’m only going to take a break until approximately 50 minutes!” Analog watches seem relaxed, simple, and familiar.
However, this wasn’t always the case. Unlike digital watches, analog clocks not only tell you what time it is, but also how much time you have left. By always reminding us of our appointments, analog clocks make sure that we don’t forget the concept of time. In other words, visually, analog clocks are both generous and strict. They make us subconsciously aware of the passage of time and make us feel the pressure of time. For this reason, the analog clock is more than just a timekeeping tool, it is a complex device that triggers emotions related to time management in our daily lives.
Aurally, analog clocks also have a lot to offer us. The “ticking” of an analog watch, like breath or air, can often go unnoticed and then suddenly be noticed. We usually notice this ticking when we’re quiet and focused on something, when we’re thinking, or when we’re nervous about something. For someone who is concentrating hard (studying) or thinking, as in the former case, the regular ticking gives them a sense of “keeping the pace” or “being steady and diligent”, and they feel a sense of identification and comfort with the watch that is ticking along with them. The image that analog wristwatch advertisements of famous luxury brands try to convey to consumers is also the result of visualizing these feelings: the inherent “regularity and sincerity” of the analog watch itself, the “reliability and competence” of the luxury brand, and the attractive appearance of the advertising model are fused to convey the image that “buying a watch is like living a healthy and successful life.
On the other hand, in the latter case, the sound of a ticking clock can be very unsettling, especially when we are on edge and sensitive. It is often used in various literary works, such as Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, and it is excellent for creating a sense of urgency and lack of time in everyday life. Just listening to this indifferent ‘ticking’ makes us feel a variety of emotions, which means that analog clocks are unintentionally hiding a lot of emotions. This emotional turmoil makes us more aware of the passage of time in our daily lives and reminds us that we live in time.
What are we attracted to? Whereas in the past we preferred a single theme and a faithful and complete representation of it, nowadays we seem to be attracted to things that contain several opposite elements in one, as evidenced by the popularity of terms such as “reverse charm,” “bagel girl,” “open ending,” and “tsundere” (a term that describes someone who is indifferent on the outside but cares on the inside). In that sense, the unintentional conflicting emotions of analog watches’ audiovisual features, and the rustic, classic look that covers it all, are the epitome of ‘reverse charm’.
Moreover, an analog watch is not just a machine that displays the time; it is a work of art that aesthetically expresses the passage of time and tells the story of people’s lives. It’s more than just a way to keep track of time, it’s an important medium that connects us to our memories, emotions, and life moments. In a sea of watches with all kinds of functions and designs, the analog watch has been able to hold its own thanks to its unique sail of “contradictory charm”. As we watch the analog watch’s saliva flow, we feel the past, present, and future at the same time, and write our own stories.
