They’re cheaper and require less care, but what is a quartz watch, and what does it offer? Find out here.
Let’s face it: many of you reading this will remember the one watch that got you into horology. Dare I guess and say your first foray into the timekeeping world was a quartz watch? Yes, because it’s highly likely. Believe it or not, many people born during or after the early 60s began with a quartz watch. Maybe it was a cheap Casio, or a Timex watch that you wouldn’t be seen dead in today. Or perhaps you still have a soft spot for your first quartz crush and would never consider throwing it out.
Quartz watches have been around since the 1960s, making an indelible mark on watchmaking. They are what put many Swiss watchmakers out of business. It sounds brutal, but the quartz watch’s power over the industry was profound at the time. Some would even say it’s admirable. Whether you prefer the mechanical watch or not, we must give credit where credit is due. And this battery-powered variation of the wristwatch is one of the biggest success stories in horological history.
If you’re new to the watch collecting sphere, you may know more about the mechanical watch than the quartz. That’s because the former still very much dominates the market. Information is readily available on everything from affordable mechanical watches to high-end, incredibly complex instruments. However, if it’s the quartz you’re interested in, you may need to do some extra digging.
You may want to weigh the pros and cons of both watches—automatic vs quartz. You might also want to research how much you should expect to pay for a quartz timepiece. This article provides all that information, plus a ton more.
The Origins of the Quartz Watch
Let’s start at the beginning. When quartz watches arrived, they pretty much eclipsed mechanical watches. The first one came to the market in the form of the Seiko Astron in 1969, paving the way for many more to come. These battery-operated timepieces brought some enormous advances to the world of horology. However, their designs were much more straightforward than those of mechanicals. The first quartz clocks, however, arrived even earlier.
Compared to mechanical watches, the laws of physics are greatly on the side of the quartz. And for the latter to become so widely available to us, brands had to overcome many hurdles. In fact, the very first generation of the quartz regulator was a behemoth – the size of a table, to be more precise! Joseph Horton and Warren Morrison produced the first wall clock in 1927. However, the technology required to shrink these things down to size would take the best part of four decades.
What Is a Quartz Watch?
In simple terms, quartz watches use a battery rather than a mechanical movement. They differ drastically from the perpetual watch — a blueprint for the modern-day self-winding kind. The arrival of the first commercially available quartz watch, the Seiko Astron, spelled disaster for the mechanical industry. It sparked the beginning of what we call the Quartz Crisis.
Instead of the intricate network of components needed for a mechanical engine, quartz watches use a simple, small crystal. The battery and motor were also quicker and cheaper to produce, and these watches told the time more accurately. It was a no-brainer for the consumer and leading developers in this technology field (mainly Seiko).
In layperson’s terms, a quartz watch’s battery is its primary power source. It sends an electrical current through a piece of quartz crystal. This creates a high-frequency vibration that far surpasses the oscillations of a mechanical caliber. The vibration feeds the power to the motor, which, in turn, moves the hands around the dial.
Because of a quartz watch’s efficiency and accuracy, there’s also a good argument for owning one. Some would say a quartz watch is, well, better! People prefer these battery-operated watches for several reasons. First, the accuracy of quartz watches is better than that of mechanical watches. Second, these types of watches tend to be more affordable. They’re also cheaper to maintain and hassle-free, save for the odd battery replacement now and again.
So, watch quartz movements are a good option if you’re in the market for reliable, affordable, battery-driven timepieces. In fact, around 90% of the world’s watches are quartz watches. This shows the sheer demand for this type of watch on the market. And it’s all down to reasons of affordability and efficiency. But how does a quartz watch work?
How Does a Quartz Watch Work?
Although not as complex as a mechanical engine, a quartz movement has several components. These include the battery, gear, crystal, and watch face.
In simple terms, it all starts with a battery. The battery sends a current to a quartz crystal, which vibrates at a frequency of 32,768Hz per second. These exacting vibrations then turn into an electrical pulse on the dial by the powering of a miniature electric motor. This motor turns the watch’s gears, which move the hands around the dial in one-second increments.
Since mechanical movements will stop working if you don’t wind or wear them, it makes sense that quartz watches are still popular today.
Why Is Quartz Used in Watches?
Ever find yourself pondering the question, “Why is quartz used in watches?”. The answer is quite simple when you think about it. Quartz is a mix of silica and oxygen and is one of the world’s most common minerals. When subjected to mechanical stress, a quartz crystal produces electricity. This conversion of voltage to and from that mechanical stress is piezoelectricity. The piece of quartz inside a watch is often turning fork-shaped. This shape allows the crystal to vibrate without losing too much energy.
In a digital watch, these vibrations translate into seconds, minutes, hours, and days on an LED screen. With an analog dial, however, different methods translate the vibration into the moving hands of the watch with complete precision.
Many manufacturers choose quartz over mechanical movements because of affordability. It’s much cheaper to equip a watch with a piece of quartz than to source and fit all the individual parts of a mechanical engine. Like I said, for some brands, it’s a no-brainer.
What Is a Quartz Movement?
One question many people ask when venturing into the realm of watch collecting is, “What is a quartz movement?”. Sometimes, we can compare the quartz to the mechanical to explain this better.
We can divide mechanical watches into two categories: hand-winding and self-winding. Both propel the hands around a dial by the winding and unwinding of a mainspring. Quartz watches don’t feature a mainspring. Instead, a battery powers a quartz movement, generating power through a motor. The piezoelectric effect’s conversion of electrical energy to physical energy makes a quartz watch so different.
There are variations in the quality of a quartz watch, just as there are for mechanicals. You have metal-stamped quartz movements at the lower end of the price spectrum, absent of jewels. You may expect an accuracy of around +15 seconds a month from this kind. Then, there are high-end versions like Grand Seiko’s 9F Calibres or the Bulova Precisionist.
As with mechanicals, quartz movements can be susceptible to alterations in frequency. Temperature fluctuations are one of the main causes of this. Many people associate the quartz movement with being a soulless casket with a dial. However, it’s quite possible that a high-quality quartz can supersede a low-quality mechanical if you know where to look.
What Is a Quartz Chronograph Watch?
It’s easy to picture a three-handed watch when talking about quartz movements and how they work. But what is a quartz chronograph watch? Well, it’s the same as a time and date watch! It works in the same way, save for the fact that there is an extra central hand. The chronograph part of a watch’s description refers to the complication part of the timepiece. These models have a stopwatch feature that lets you measure different time variables.
You may want to record your friend lapping a circuit on a race track. Or, you may want to measure your personal best at the gym using a chronograph hand and tachymeter bezel. Either way, chronograph watches are handy for many situations. But the mechanics at play are the same as a quartz time and date watch.
Chronograph watches are more expensive than simple three-handers. Due to their complexity, a mechanical chronograph will cost more than a time-only watch. This is often what steers collectors towards buying a quartz chronograph watch.
How Much Is a Quartz Watch Worth?
So, now we know what a quartz watch is, does buying one over a mechanical one make sense? The answer to this depends on personal preference and what you believe is essential in a watch. If you want an easy maintenance, hassle-free, and highly accurate watch, quartz models are a great option. They keep impeccable time and, generally speaking, they’re much more affordable than mechanical watches. If you prefer the authentic charm and character of a traditional mechanical and the allure of a rhythmically beating engine, mechanical watches are for you.
Many mechanical watches boast an exhibition caseback that lets you observe the case’s movement in motion. This, paired with the fact that these movements are far more complex, constitutes a higher price tag. So, how much is a quartz watch worth? The truth is, they’re available at every price range, which makes sticking an average price on one very difficult. The price, of course, depends on branding and the quality of the materials used in the design. Like most things, there’s a lot of variation across those factors. Look to brands like Tissot, Hamilton, Fossil, and Certina for a good, affordable, entry-level quartz watch. You can expect to pay around $250 to $500 for these.
For more expensive quartz watches, you’re looking at something like a TAG Heuer, which you can pick up for around $1000. Models from the brand’s Formula 1 collection are great examples of such. The range caters to the tastes of chronograph collectors and simple time-and-date lovers, with plenty of vibrant colors. Surprisingly, even prestigious brands like Audemars Piguet and Omega offer quartz watches.
Luxury Quartz Watches
Affordable quartz watches are widely available on the market. Citizen or, Timex, and Casio are some of the most common. But what about those that acquire a premium price tag? Companies that manufacture jewelry and timepieces comprise a considerable proportion of the luxury quartz segment. Some argue that they lack the expertise that fine mechanical manufacture requires. But that’s simply not the case.
The truth is that these companies offer a mix of mechanical and quartz-operated timepieces to cater to a larger audience. Cartier, for example, is a revered brand famous for its iconic Tank, Santos, and Ballon Bleu watches. But what many don’t realize is that it, too, specializes in battery-powered watches. So does Bulgari – master of some of the world’s thinnest mechanicals!
At the end of the day, quartz movement makes very little difference to the price tag when it comes to expensive watches. Many collectors fascinated by complex mechanical caliber express their distaste in this matter. But when you think about it, watch manufacture is about much more than the type of watch movement alone. Many other significant factors play a role in the expense of a watch.
First, you should consider the quality of the case material. Then, there’s the brand name, its provenance, and its reputation to think about. Moreover, an iconic watch sometimes comes along and just takes the world by storm without rhyme or reason. Regardless of whether a mechanical or quartz movement powers it, collectors will pay a good price for it if it’s desirable.
FAQs
Before we finish up, reviewing some of the most frequently asked questions about quartz watches may be helpful.
What Does Quartz Mean on a Watch?
A quartz-driven watch is any timepiece powered by a battery and a quartz crystal. You’ll often find this type of movement in your everyday, cheap, no-frills timepieces in a high street store. Quartz timekeeping extends into digital watches, mecha quartz movements, and clocks.
Does a Quartz Watch Need a Battery?
Yes, a quartz watch does need a battery. This battery sends an electrical impulse through the quartz to make it oscillate at such a high frequency, which is why quartz watches keep time so well. The battery of a watch will usually last a few years before you’ll need to replace it.
How Long Does a Quartz Watch Battery Last?
An average watch battery inside a quartz timepiece will last at least two years and up to around five years. Understandably, a battery’s longevity and lifespan depend hugely on the watch’s quality and the materials in its design.
Conclusion
The quartz watch is a much more affordable alternative to a mechanically-operated timepiece. Secondly, it’s pretty damn precise. With quartz, you get a lot of watch for your money, and its battery will only need replacing once every few years. It eradicates having to wind a watch daily if that appeals most to you. Quartz watches are also more robust and less likely to succumb to damage caused by impact and shock. For this reason, they’re an excellent choice for regular sports-goers like tennis and golf enthusiasts.
It’s a fact – quartz does tend to rub some collectors up the wrong way. In fact, if you ask a devoted mechanical watch collector, “What is a quartz watch?”, he may not answer you at all. Put it this way: “quartz” is blasphemy to diehard mechanical watch fans. And while a connoisseur can certainly define himself by what he collects, the same can apply to what he rejects. Watch snob or not, quartz was and still is a great invention and thoroughly deserves its place within the industry.
There’s still a lot of skepticism and stereotyping surrounding the quartz watch. It isn’t just Japanese brands that make them. Swiss brands specialize in them, too! And if the Swiss can overcome the one thing that once crushed their traditions and thriving industry, I’m sure you can, too. So go on, try one!
Leave your comments below and let us know if you’re a quartz convert. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter here at The Slender Wrist for more content like this.
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