A watch has a “pendulum” too 
As for a marketing tour de force, surely this is as full of sh1t as they come
https://www.omegawatches.com/en-gb/watches/speedmaster/moonwatch/apollo-11-50th-anniversary/product
Also included is an additional Velcro® strap in blackened cork with golden marks. This is a salute to the Apollo-era “boost protective cover” – a fiberglass structure covered with thick cork ablator, which protected the crew from intense heat during launch.
Well, they have to do something to sell this. Expensive watches are all boit the “brag premium” the seller can extract from the buyer above the price of the parts…
However, the boost protection cover really existed, it was a thin heat shield covering the front of the command module during launch and was jettisoned together with the escape tower. It protected the spacecraft’s skin from the compression hearing encountered during launch. I don’t know if it was required to protect the crew, though.
The only mechanical self winding watch which will really maintain accuracy and value is a PP. I believe they are still one of the very few watch makers that make all their own movements, and that you really are buying function over bling.
I am not so sure. I am told by a number of people in the business that nobody today makes their own movements entirely. Even those who don’t buy in off the shelf ones lite the ETA7750, they still buy in most of the parts. Patek Philippe are merely more expensive than most of the common brands, and of course they do have that iconic advert (which is IMHO cringeworthy but clearly it does work on the target audience). Most of the 4-digit watches which are ETA7750 based do some mods to it, sometimes with jewels to replace some metal bearings, etc.
As regards maintaining value, it’s a bit like a plane. It maintains its value only if you regularly throw money at it. The Swiss watch makes say you should do a service (with them, of course) every 2 years. These cost c. £500. So you are dumping 500 quid in this watch every 2 years; it jolly well should keep its value
There are a number of companies that still make in-house movements for 4 figures watches. Jaeger-Lecoultre in Switzerland, Nomos in Germany, Grand Seiko in Japan to name a few. I think I heard once that the hardest part to make is the spring and that probably gets outsourced quite often. It’s a fascinating world.
When I went there they certainly claimed they make all their current movements, and every part of the movement – nothing is bought in. There is almost no one else that can make that claim. They did say that there were a couple of older models for which they had bought in parts , but this is not the case for any in the current range. They also extensively customise many of their stock movements. I dont service mine (although they say you should) but I was told by a master watch maker that he wouldnt recommend a service more often than once every ten years. I havent seen worse than 5 seconds, although I dont monitor it that regularly. I asked the same gentlemen what he would buy years before and he said without hesitation the only watch he would buy is a PP – asked why, he said simply as a watchmaker really no one else came close to the detail, quality and precision. It was a pretty good recommendation taking into account he had worked on just about everything. There was a recent sale at Bonhams and the prices reflected a rate of appreciation that even if you had it serviced every two years you would be well ahead of the game. Current models are quite capable of doubling or more in value over ten years and such is their popularity there is little sign of the market abating. You are right that even makers like JLEC do buy in some parts, and especially the “spring” but PP insist they make every spring in house as well. They will also supply parts for any watch they have ever made. Clearly I am biased, but it would seem there are many experts who will tell you its probably one of the best investments you will make – that and very good malt whisky.
I thought we were talking 4 digits watches here. PP doesn’t qualify, and I don’t qualify either :-)
I think it might have just been watches for pilots, but i havent checked the OP so fair enough if that is the case.
I had a reversible Rotary Revelation for 12 years, with two sides which can be set to different time zones: the black side was permanently on UTC, which was useful for flying. I’d wanted one for years, ever since I was a little kid, and got it for my 18th birthday. It was good to start with, but because of Rotary’s customer service I can’t recommend them. Battery life is short at 1-2 years, which due to the design can only be replaced by Rotary themselves at £70-ish plus shipping there and back. Also, the glass on the white side started falling out, which Rotary ignored both times I sent it back.
How the reversible watch works
So I went shopping for a new watch.
I’d liked the look of the B-Uhr watches for a while, just because they’re so clean: no logos, minute marks, or annoying ‘pilot’ clutter that would never be used in the cockpit. Beobactungs-Uhr or observation-watch in full, they were issued to WWII Luftwaffe navigators, and are enormous at 55mm diameter (essentially pocket-watch size), to be easily readable. The A type has hour markings, and the B type over-sized minute markings. Reproductions are cheaper (but not by much, depending on the brand) from Stowa, Laco, Archimede, Steinhart, and Tourby; and also smaller, ranging from 39-55mm.
Steinhart B-Uhr
Another watch I was tempted by is a Shturmanskie Poljot (Navigator Pilot), famous for having been worn by Yuri Gagarin on his first space flight. What I like is that it wasn’t a specially-designed cosmonaut watch, it was just Gagarin’s personal watch he happened to be wearing (probably awarded upon completing fighter pilot school). It’s small by modern standards, and also very clean. They were later mass produced for the civilian market, so are still reasonably cheap if you’re happy ebay-buying from ex-Soviet states. It’s also been re-issued a few times (latest in 2016) so more modern movements and even quartz are available.
Original Sturmanskie on ebay
I eventually ended up with my grandfather’s gold watch, given to him c.1971 for 25 years service. You can’t beat the sentimental value. It’s made by Garrard, who were Crown Jewellers and popular at the time for retirement presents etc. It would occasionally stop (including once mid channel – London info were inattentive as my groundspeed was 1000kts ) so I had it serviced. It had to go back under warranty a couple of times (the watch shop was very good about this), but is now accurate, losing at most a minute a fortnight. My grandfather only serviced it when it started losing time, i.e. very infrequently, and it doesn’t seem to have done any harm. I’ve also replaced the (scratched) glass and a new strap (ironically waterproof, because the watch isn’t). It doesn’t have minute markings, so it takes a fraction of a second longer to interpolate the exact time when flying.
Phone photo so not great
Not ! mechanical… Me, being originally the automatic or manual mechanical watch lover, hating all things quartz, digital, electronic, etc. in watches….
I really do like the Garmin Marq Aviator (or the D2 Delta PX at a lower price). That’s an amazing piece of equipment, and for a little journey with flights inbetween I think its much more useful than anything else. It gives you all sorts of information for all sorts of sports, incl. aviation. All the golf courses, loads of functions for sports, running, gym, mountain biking, climbing, etc. etc. etc. Unfortunately doesn’t really work with an iPhone, i.e. Apple Pay doesn’t work. But still amazing !
I know it is not mechanical, but I think this thing makes it very hard to look away :)
