⏱ Power reserve isn’t just an impressive complication - it’s one of the most practical functions, even in automatic watches. The indicator on the dial shows how long your watch will continue to run without needing to be wound.
In most modern luxury watches, the standard power reserve is 40–50 hours, but thanks to innovations, many models can now achieve 80+ hours of autonomy.
✨ What affects power reserve?
length and durability of the mainspring;
precision of the gear train;
lower balance frequency;
use of multiple barrels in premium models.
For quartz watches, the term is symbolic, but for mechanical ones, it ensures your watch won’t stop at the wrong moment.
⌚ Watches With the Longest Power Reserve
Ulysse Nardin Skeleton X - 96 hours, 43 mm carbon fiber case.
Bovet Virtuoso IX - 10 days, convertible case (wristwatch or pocket watch).
IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 - 7 days, limited to 250 pieces.
💡 For a first mechanical watch, 38–42 hours is ideal. For collectors, a watch winder is essential.
🏆 Record Holders
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 31 - 744 hours (31 days), white gold, gold dial, wound with a special key.
Haute-Rive Honoris - 1000 hours (41 days), 3-meter mainspring, tourbillon, only 10 pieces made annually.
Hublot MP05 LaFerrari - 51 days, 11 barrels, vertical tourbillon, 51.5 mm titanium and carbon case. Wound using a special electronic tool.
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat - dual-frequency escapements (high & low), allowing the reserve to stretch in “standby mode.”
🔑 These aren’t just watches - they’re masterpieces of horological engineering, pushing the boundaries of what mechanical timekeeping can achieve.
