[dsonyay]

I'm not getting the idea of something I keep reading about on blogs and forums regarding watches.

I've read many people don't like the idea of battery watches due to the fact that the battery may die on you- forcing you to send it in or have a local shop change the battery at a regular interval (every couple of years I suppose).

The mechanical types/automatics don't have this problem-- but I read these watches should be sent in every so often to be adjusted/serviced in order to stay in good order.


So if they all need to be sent in on some sort of schedule- what's the big deal with one over the other?


I own three Citizens. Two are Eco-drives and the other is an older battery/quartz. I love all three. My Promaster (the battery operated) actually warned me the battery was low when the second hand began ticking in 2 second intervals. I thought that was really handy. I sent it in to a trusted watch shop and the battery was changed out in a day.


If I own a nice automatic won't I need to send it in every couple of years for an adjustment or servicing? Seems the advantaged of not having a battery is offset by the need for other services.




Last question--- regarding my Citizen Eco-drive. The mineral crystal is scratched terribly. I went to a local jewelry shop and the jeweler said he's be happy to replace the glass for 30.00- Plus he would pressure test it (it is a 200m water resistant model). For about 80.00 he would replace the glass with a sapphire crystal if I wished.


Is this a job easily done by a knowledgeable jeweler? Or should I only use the authorized Citizen shop in California? Sending it away to Citizens recommended shop is much more expensive. Is it a no-brainer to mail it in to the Citizen Shop in Ca?

 

[Bronte]

I'm a relative novice myself but few people are going to tell you that mechanical watches are more practical than quartz watches. People who like mechanical watches are interested in a traditionally crafted timepiece. A major part of the intrigue is the ownership of an item that tells time with little more than gears and springs. There's very little intrigue or tradition in battery operated electronics. I'm sure this debate is as old as this forum itself though, so a lot of people are probably loathe to have it again.

 

[rumburak]

I'm somewhat of a rookie as well when I comes to watches. However I believe that is personal preference.
...and in the end it is you that is wearing the watch ...who cares what others think.

 

[redkelpie]

There is a school of thought that recognises that there is the potential for costly servicing and maintenance for a mechanical movement, and it makes sense: you are wearing a tiny, intricate and potentially temperamental piece of engineering art on your wrist. I don't own a mechanical watch for this reason; I, too, have read a lot of posts re this topic, and a common theme is a mishap involving damaging the movement by simply pulling out the crown to set the time. Do I need this hassle and expense in my life? Of course not, but I have a hankering to buy a big, mechanical chronograph at some stage, because I love watches and I think a 'real' mechanical movement would exude a certain 'warmth', not unlike vinyl LP records...of which I have several! Apologies for the long sentence...
I liken quartz to a Toyota Camry: utterly competent and reliable, but lacking soul and warmth!
Having said that, there is much to be said for being able to strap on a quartz after not wearing it for many days, and knowing that the time is correct, and it doesn't need to be wound or reset. This is a big plus in quartz' favour. Plus, every quartz watch I have ever owned has been ultra reliable.

You can buy your own case opener, and change batteries yourself - you'll save a motsa! You'll also avoid exposing your watch to damage and scratches in the hands of repairers who are less than conscientious.

Can't help with your glass query, but stick around: someone on WUS will know...

 

[dsonyay]

I'm sure this debate is as old as this forum itself though, so a lot of people are probably loathe to have it again.

You might be right about that. I'm actually in the market for a nice automatic/mechanical watch myself. I'm looking at a few different watches like a Seiko '007, or an Orient diver style. A couple others are Steinhart, and an Omega Seamaster (although the Omega is far outside my price range, I still crave it). countycomm.com sells a couple of watches I love too, I think it may be the TSAR that is an automatic. It's a neat looking watch too. I stumbled onto this site from the EDCforum. They have a watch area that I rarely checked out. Once day I was trying to find info on the Marathon watches and stumbled into the world of watches. I never knew so many people were fascinated by watches.

I have no qualms over one or the other. I am a bit of a stickler for accuracy and for that reason I seem to be drawn to watches like my three Citizens. But I recently became fascinated by the mechanical styles. I know they can't match mine in accuracy, but they are beautiful instruments as well.

 

[ari.seoul]

about quartz and automatic;
quartz you have to change the battery, how often depends on the watch and the battery

automatic, you have to get it serviced, they (watchmakers/shops) usually recommend about every 5 years - price depends on the watch/movement

about changing the watch crystal;
personally, I would take it to a watchmaker,
there's a good chance the jeweler will take your watch to a watchmaker as well (pays the watchmaker $20 and keeps $10 himself) - unless they have their own watchmaker

any good watchmaker can do it

 

[dsonyay]

about quartz and automatic;
quartz you have to change the battery, how often depends on the watch and the battery

automatic, you have to get it serviced, they (watchmakers/shops) usually recommend about every 5 years - price depends on the watch/movement

about changing the watch crystal;
personally, I would take it to a watchmaker,
there's a good chance the jeweler will take your watch to a watchmaker as well (pays the watchmaker $20 and keeps $10 himself) - unless they have their own watchmaker

any good watchmaker can do it

Thanks-- the jeweler I brought it to has his shop on site. He does all the work himself. I may go that route. I priced the Citizen repair facility and they want well over 100.00 to do the same work.

One question--- does anyone know if a sapphire crystal is easily replaced on a watch (like my Citizen) that originally came with mineral crystal?
I can't find anything that gives me a good idea. The jeweler was confident there would be a sapphire crystal to fit my watch. He said all he needed to measure was the crystal I had on mine and get the exact size and type sapphire to replace it with. He didn't try to push me in that direction, and said the standard type I already had was fine as long as I stopped working on my car with it on He thought the cost was a bit high for the watch I had (my citizen retailed for a tad over 500.00US), but I think 80 bucks might be worth the money to have something a bit tougher.

 

[devilmoon]

There are fans of both on the forums. Keep digging around here and you'll start to learn what interests you.

 

[dsonyay]

I found some websites of places that replace mineral glass with sapphire upgrades-- all of them specifically said they do not do the swap on Citizen Eco-drives.
so I guess I won't pursue this upgrade. No big deal. I'm more than happy with the watch as-is.

 

[mathomas]

I'm a relative novice myself but few people are going to tell you that mechanical watches are more practical than quartz watches. People who like mechanical watches are interested in a traditionally crafted timepiece. A major part of the intrigue is the ownership of an item that tells time with little more than gears and springs. There's very little intrigue or tradition in battery operated electronics. I'm sure this debate is as old as this forum itself though, so a lot of people are probably loathe to have it again.

+1

 

[Packleader]

Like most of the others who have responded, I am new to watch collecting, too. I'll answer your first question to the best of my limited knowledge.

So what is all the fuss about mechanical and automatic movements versus quartz movements?

It is all about the craftsmanship. The horological genius. With a mechanical or automatic movement, you are buying the care and skill of the engineers who made it possible for you to power your watch with a twist of your fingers or a turn of your wrist.

To quote the Watch Snob:

"there are countless hours of research and development put into high-grade watch movements, employing the finest mechanical engineers in the world to compile hundreds of tiny parts into a durable and accurate machine, all in the size of something slightly larger than a quarter. High-grade watches are about craftsmanship and style, not just about telling time. If life was as simple as you make it seem, none of us would own anything of quality because, after all, a shirt is a shirt as long as you’re not naked; a bus can get you someplace as fast as a car; and a cardboard box can keep the rain off your head as well as a home."

Best wishes,
Packleader

I'm not getting the idea of something I keep reading about on blogs and forums regarding watches.

I've read many people don't like the idea of battery watches due to the fact that the battery may die on you- forcing you to send it in or have a local shop change the battery at a regular interval (every couple of years I suppose).

The mechanical types/automatics don't have this problem-- but I read these watches should be sent in every so often to be adjusted/serviced in order to stay in good order.


So if they all need to be sent in on some sort of schedule- what's the big deal with one over the other?

 

[dsonyay]

Thanks all-- yeah, I can see the fascination with a highly crafted timepiece that keeps time accurately. It also explains the transparent case backs on watches. I've seen close-up images of these watches and I agree with the beauty of these movements. I just hadn't really noticed before.

Also- I saw a specific Citizen/Seiko sub-forum here and I guess my other questions could be easily answered there. Thanks again!
David