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Quartz vs Mechanical Movement

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#21 ·
Actually, the temperature consideration on point #4 really isn't a concern. A watch which is worn on the wrist is never going to get close to cold enough (unless you are dead in very cold environment) for battery performance to be an issue.
 
#22 ·
petew said:
Actually, the temperature consideration on point #4 really isn't a concern. A watch which is worn on the wrist is never going to get close to cold enough (unless you are dead in very cold environment) for battery performance to be an issue.
Click to expand...
that's how a speedie got to be the 'moon' watch. EVA too cold for quartz.
 
#23 ·
Ok, I admit I have a few misconceptions about quartz watches, but I still feel mechanicals are more durable due to the battery issue, and moisture affecting the ic board.
I guess the question of service intervals is about equal, depending on quality of manufacture. Quartzs need batteries every few years vs mechanicals needing lubricating, so they(quartz) would naturally be cheaper to service.
I can't say I agree with point #3. I would think an IC board would eventually deteriorate due to moisture which would be more likely to affect operation of a quartz than a mechanical.
As for #4, I'll concede that as a generalization, but for the majority of users I doubt it would be an issue.
And #5, I have a cell phone to store numbers in, do calcualtions on etc...

And in conclusion, it all comes down to preference. Thanks for the debate, which is what makes this place so fun.
 
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#24 ·
I think the jury is still out on just how long a quartz watch will last. There are plenty of quartz watches from the early 70's still running fine with no maintenance except battery changes.

I've got an old Mazda RX-7 from 1984 with a quartz LCD clock that is still running great. That clock has been exposed to some pretty extreme temperatures with 120 degree (fahrenheit) days in the summer and 15 degree temperatures in the winter. It's led a significantly tougher life than a typical wristwatch.
 
#25 ·
TxKarateDude said:
I can't say I agree with point #3. I would think an IC board would eventually deteriorate due to moisture which would be more likely to affect operation of a quartz than a mechanical.
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as an electronics engineer i can absolutely assure you that the achillies heel of all such applications are the connectors. a soldered joint is fairly robust, though they can deteriorate with time. but oxide on connectors is a signiicant reliability problem. a well sealed watch simply won't suffer from this problem. the other defence which most everyone uses is to gold plate the contacts. and contacts can be cleaned.
 
#26 ·
Fatpants said:
After all, we are discussing the concept of "soul" in an object made by man - and in that case, the two concepts used in timekeeping are one and the same, imo.
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last time i check up on philiosophy, no one could decide whether people have 'free will', let alone a 'soul'. it seems odd to me to use the term 'soul' in relation to a watch.

mechanical watches have character/charm/nostalgia.

quartz is not interested in doing anything more than measuring time accurately. something this technology does very well indeed.
 
#28 ·
Oh my, oh my, oh my, that's purdy! The Airwolf's just grown up and put on a tux! NOW it's the successor to the B-1. Congratulations and may you wear it in good health for many many years until the batteries stop being made/the connections rust/an asteroid wipes out life as we know it/whatever else! ;-)
 
#30 ·
I currently have two Breitlings, neither of which were chosen on what powered them.
They were chosen for their different styles and functions, they just spoke to me. They are both Quartz, and before you ask, I'd be as happy if either were mechanical, it just happens they aren't.
My next purchase will, all being well, be a Cossie, not because it's a mechanical, but because it speaks to me. A Breitling to me is a Breitling due to the unique styling and over-engineered manufacturing, regardless of its engine. I can guarantee you, my Quartz's have as much soul as any mechanical. I adore them both as much as I will love my Cossie (when it happens).

My Soul-less Quartz's:

Image



Nice to see the Airwolf coming of age. Beautiful piece, all the health and happiness to wear it,


Best wishes,

Verner
 
#31 ·
AH-HA!
Just been watching QI (a funny panel game on BBC) and apparently flint is not made of 'fluff and lint pressed together' (as suggested by Rich Hall) but is made of Quartz. And quartz (and listen carefully here) is made of old, dead, prehistoric, SPONGES!

Yep, sponges - living organisms that have squelched off their mortal coil. So quartz is more organic that an all metal and gemstone mechanical 'machine'.

So quartz has more 'soul' than mechanical. It's official, Stephen Fry said, and he knows everything. I believe a 'nurdy nurdy nur nur' is in order so here's one I prepared earlier:

NURDY NURDY NUR NUR!
 
#32 ·
#34 · (Edited)
co-incidentally, the episode of QI I watched on 'Dave' last night, was also shown on BBC2 tonight (normally I'd have been a bit disappointed). I listened extra carefully - here are a couple of quotes from the Fry:

'Flint is made out of quartz which is made out of silica laid down by sponges.'

'Quartz is made of sponges.'

Did you know that if you take four types of sponge (real ones Lou, I'm don't mean one from Tesco, one from Asda etc), put them in a blender, mush them into a smoothy and then tip them into a tray of salt water they will, over time, separate them selves out and reconstruct themselves! Spooky.

Warning: This doesn't work with Breitlings. Talking of which, I've just turned over to watch Johnathon Ross and Gordon Ramsey's on - wonder what he'll have on his wrist?
 
#35 · (Edited)
rik said:
I listened extra carefully - here are a couple of quotes from the Fry:

'Flint is made out of quartz which is made out of silica laid down by sponges.'

'Quartz is made of sponges.'
Click to expand...
have a look at this:

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/cmatex/2008/20/i14/abs/cm800734q.html

whilst i'll go along with the first quote, which is saying that flint is a form of quartz and spones utlise quartz, with all due respect to the presenter of QI, i have to say i think this is, shall we say, a little misleading. more precisely, some forms of quartz are the byproduct of the untility to which sponges put this mineral.

to the very best of my limited knowledge, quartz is crystaline and composed of silica. it is what diamond is to carbon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz

http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go336/junod/quartz2.htm

i think you will find the quartz used as a crystal oscillator in a watch is exactly that, the crystaline, mineral form.
 
#36 ·
no_self_control said:
looks good with a black dial.

the minute hand appears to have changed as well as the dial. the original version only had the outer section lumed, i think.
Click to expand...
My custom Airwolf has the same hand config.

Image
 
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#37 ·
robb01 said:
Quartz watches just don't seem to have a soul as compared to automatics :-s
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Thats the very school of thought I subscribe to.
 
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#38 ·


My first "Good" watch was a Seiko auto Mech that I got in S.E.A. in 1971.
I wore it until it broke down and I bought a Seiko quartz chrno/2nd time zone watch. Two years ago my wife got me the Breitling auto pictured above. A week later I added the quartz chrono. The quartz has since left the building and has been replaced with a Skyland. Also added was a Steelfish and a Nav. This may sound very dramatic to some but it is how I feel about this topic. The Steelfish, as it is my daily wear, and the others previously listed, live as long as I do. When my heart stops beating so will theirs. I know, that is until my grand children wear them, but you get the idea. My watches are a part of my life. I have since had the Seiko auto repaired and restored. I have nothing against the quartz movement, I do not care about resale. I have these for me and I truly love all I have. The quartz just isn't the same for me, that is until I get an Emergency or find a nice B-1!!!
Best health, Frank :-s
 
#39 ·
no_self_control said:
that's how a speedie got to be the 'moon' watch. EVA too cold for quartz.
Click to expand...
Is it also because in 1965 when NASA conducted its tests there was no such thing as a quartz wristwatch? And in fact not even in 1969 when man went to the moon was a quartz chrono yet available? Suspect that might have had something to do with it.
 
#40 ·
publandlord said:
Is it also because in 1965 when NASA conducted its tests there was no such thing as a quartz wristwatch? And in fact not even in 1969 when man went to the moon was a quartz chrono yet available? Suspect that might have had something to do with it.
Click to expand...
It was probably due more to the fact NASA wouldn't entertain a "soul-less" Quartz! But I won't let historical accuracy get in the way of a good bea-atch!

;-)

Best wishes,
 
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