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Shinola’s Self-Winding ‘Mechanic’ Watch Blends Tradition with a Vibrant Aesthetic

Photo: Shinola

Time and time again we’ve marveled over the maintained enthusiasm for traditional mechanical watches, even in this current age of smartphones and wearables that are capable of telling its user the time with perfect precision. Still, old-school wristwatches are not only a fashionable accessory but help to keep us grounded in a way that modern technology can’t.

Photo: Shinola

From the ashes of a defunct shoe polish company rose one of our favorite American watchmakers. Since 2011, Shinola has kept its foot firmly planted in age-old craft, yet blended with a contemporary input. Today, the Detroit-based company unveils the Mechanic, its latest timepiece, taking its name from the painters that made commercial signs long before they were able to be printed as they are today.

Photo: Shinola

Similarly, the watch itself harkens back to a relatively-obsolete construction. Despite the vivid and vibrant layouts of its three colorway options, the Mechanic is a hand-wound timepiece, which means if you don’t manually wind the Swiss-made movement every day or two the battery will die. 

Photo: Shinola

Available in black, cream, or green dials — each with a matching leather strap and a different color scheme for its numerals and hands — the Mechanic is now available through Shinola’s website for $1,450.