Newbie question about automatics

[skunk20]

Firstly sorry if this is covered elsewhere but I have spent days looking around various places on the internet and not found the answer I am looking for.

Shortly I plan on buying my first proper watch and I have been quite taken in by some of the beautiful automatic watches available, however my question is this:
Will not wearing it and letting the power reserve run out do any damage to the mechanism?

The reasoning behind my question is to me the amount I will be spending is alot of money so the watch certainly wont be a daily use jobby, a weekend/special occasion affair. Therefore it wont be getting the use it needs to keep running.
I dont have a problem with having to wind it and setting the time when I do want to wear it I would just hate to be doing this at the expense of damaging the mechanism. Would a quartz be better suited to my needs?

Thanks, any help appreciated.

[trickywoo]

It won't do any harm but you can get a winder to keep it going while you are not wearing it.

What are you looking at?

[skunk20]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The watches I am currently looking at are a TAG carrera calibre 16 day chronograph (CV2010.BA0794) or an omega speedmaster date (3210.50.00).
This is subject to change depending on what I see in the jewellers or what other people might recomend. I still havent ruled out an omega seamaster or TAG aquaracer.

Descisions descisions.

Regards

[CommanderJameson]

My autos run down as I cycle through the watch box. I don't worry about it at all.

[CardShark]

^^ same here, no issues

[AllNines]

skunk20 said:

I will be spending is alot of money so the watch certainly wont be a daily use jobby

This might well change once you get the beauty on your wrist! Even if it doesn't, you'll still want to handle it regularly, which is a great chance to give it a wind before it runs out of steam, and then you don't have to keep setting the time/date.

[LukeBird]

CommanderJameson said:

My autos run down as I cycle through the watch box. I don't worry about it at all.

Mine also.
Although just for ease I leave a few on the winder. The moonphase particularly I will not be letting go flat...

[andy_s]

Moonphase newbie question Luke - how do you set the moonphase correctly?!

[LukeBird]

andy_s said:

Moonphase newbie question Luke - how do you set the moonphase correctly?!

With difficulty!!
Firstly, find an online moonphase guide, I used this one- http://www.watchnetwork.com/moonphase/index.html

And then just wind around until your waxing or waning to roughly the right phase of the moon and then hope it's correct!
It's quite tricky to tell when it's a minor crescent so when it's the new moon I will double check it's correct.
After that it's simple as it doesn't (shouldn't!) need adjusting.

[andy_s]

Cheers - I remember on the older handwinder (50/40s) watches (well, remember isn't quite true - I'm not that old!) like the UGs that there were little side buttons to press to set everything like month, date, day & moonphase - now that really is a labour of love!
Cheers

[LukeBird]

It's not quite that bad. In fact with a sharp eye it's quite easy. It's just more of a faff than setting the date.
If it's anything like the DJR I bought before Christmas, it will be nailed to my wrist for a while, so I won't have to worry about it winding down!

[skunk20]

Thanks all for the comments.

I'll be off to the jewellers tomorrow to do some trying on, see if anything tickles my fancy