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How long do mechanical watches last?

Short answer: A well-made mechanical watch can last for generations — decades of use with a service every 5–10 years. With no battery and repairability by any watchmaker, automatics like the Seiko 5 routinely outlive their owners.

Mechanical and automatic watches are wound by a spring, not powered by a battery, so there's nothing to die and leak. A periodic cleaning and oiling keeps the movement running indefinitely. Even tough quartz options like the G-Shock and Casio F-91W run for years on a single battery and shrug off abuse — durability at every price.

The most durable picks

Seiko 5 Automatic
Seiko · Electronics · lasts Decades · $5.20/yr
A self-winding mechanical watch — no battery, runs for decades.
87
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Casio G-Shock
Casio · Electronics · lasts Decades · $3.96/yr
Shock- and water-resistant — engineered to survive almost anything.
90
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Casio F-91W Watch
Casio · Electronics · lasts 10+ yrs · $1.50/yr
$15, 7-year battery, water resistant — the world's most dependable cheap watch.
89
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