Glossary
Quartz vs automatic watches
quartz vs automatic watch
Quartz watches use a battery-powered electronic oscillator for high accuracy. Automatic watches use a mechanical mainspring wound by wrist motion. Choose quartz for convenience and precision, automatic for mechanical character.
Quartz in brief
A quartz crystal vibrates under current from a battery, and the circuit divides that vibration into precise ticks. Typical accuracy is a few seconds per month. Batteries last years. Service is usually simpler and cheaper than a full mechanical overhaul.
Automatic in brief
No battery. A rotor winds the spring as you move. Accuracy is measured in seconds per day. The movement is a small machine you can often see through an exhibition caseback. Owning one means winding it now and then and paying for a service every several years.
How to decide
Travel, rough use, or wanting the right time without thinking about it often point to quartz (including high-end quartz). Enjoying the mechanics and the history often points to automatic. Plenty of collections include both.
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