Watch Functions: Power Reserve

　　We all know that besides telling the time, watches have many other functions. One of the most important functions of a watch is the power reserve. Is a power reserve necessary? Below, we will explain.

　　Mechanical watches all have this function, which is their source of power. Without it, the watch cannot run, and its duration is also crucial. Of course, if it is an automatic mechanical watch, wearing it daily can keep it fully powered. However, if it is a manual-winding watch, then a long power reserve becomes highly necessary.

　　Mido Multifort Men's Basic Model

　　The model just mentioned only has a basic power reserve. If the power reserve exceeds 3 days, it is considered a long power reserve. Generally speaking, entry-level brands do not offer such a long power reserve. However, last year Tissot introduced a watch with an 80-hour power reserve, stepping into the long power reserve territory, giving a sense of a major upgrade. Furthermore, this year Mido and Hamilton have both launched watches with an 80-hour power reserve. It is conceivable that many brands under the Swatch Group may use this long power reserve movement in the future, which also shows a promising outlook for long power reserve watches.

　　Tissot Luxury Automatic Series

　　There are also watches on the market with a power reserve exceeding 3 days, which belongs to an even longer tier of power reserve. The famous IWC Portugieser 7 is a prime example, boasting a 7-day power reserve. Panerai also has them; although they have an 10-day power reserve movement, the 8-day version is more famous. Oris also launched a commemorative model this year with a 10-day long power reserve. If there weren't watches with even longer reserves, these could actually be called ultra-long power reserves.

　　3 Long Power Reserve Watches

　　There are currently not many ultra-long power reserve watches. Among them, Vacheron Constantin has a manual-winding movement that provides a 14-day power reserve, while A. Lange & Söhne's famous Lange 31 was once the watch with the longest power reserve, until the appearance of the Hublot MP-05. This wrist monster, the MP-05, fully lives up to its masterpiece name, with a 50-day power reserve that firmly secures its position as the world's longest power reserve. It is worth noting that winding this watch simply by hand is impractical, so it comes with a dedicated winding tool.