[wilsonnb3]

They are examples of understandable engineering. A modern smartwatch is orders of magnitude more complicated and impressive but people can’t intuitively grok how they work like you can with a mechanical watch.

Even a basic digital watch like a Casio F91W is a much more impressive feat of engineering than the most expensive mechanical watches.

[ghusto]

There may be some truth in this. I have basic understanding software and hardware. I was (and still am!) impressed at how my Amstrad drew graphics on the screen, but am considerably less impressed by the much more complicated graphics we have today.

Though this is likely partially as you said — a degree of separation by understanding — it's also because it's not all "one piece". Many different people in many different teams, departments, countries, are necessary to create something like a smartwatch. None of them can do it alone, and that has something to do with it for me.