Every Time

You’re not wrong. I usually take the trade off to choose a mechanical watch and set it daily to be as accurate as possible (not so much on my days off) but I can’t fault anyone who prefers the accuracy of a quartz movement. While I’m thinking about it, I’m wearing a quartz watch today so there’s that too.

You're totally right. A mechanical watch movement is a long surpassed, obsolete method of timekeeping. Quartz is way more practical and technically superior.

I use my phone when accuracy is needed and enjoy my watches as jewelry which is what they are - there aren't many other types of jewelry that men can enjoy in western culture.

Hahaha love the last part especially!

When the apocalypse arrives and there’s no more batteries, you’ll appreciate an automatic 🤪.

Until the lubrication dries up. Personally I'd lean towards solar quartz in a zombie apocalypse scenario 😉.

When the lube dries, I’m out 😂.

Totally valid….until it need to be serviced….🫨

For sure! I really do love this watch and my other automatics. But for an extended period of time, my ocd can’t handle the loss in accuracy. And dont get me wrong, I totally understand that there are way more accurate mechanical movements then my Seiko 5 😆but at every level a nice quartz like a grand Seiko or the VHP by Longines reign supreme when it comes to accuracy. My appreciation for the automatics is still of the highest. They are truly incredible little machines! Not knocking them but for me…..is all about having the right time more so than anything. 🤓

The time of day will be meaningless at that point.

If accuracy is your top qualification; then yeah, mechanical watches are gonna be a little lacking.

That's not why I wear a mechanical though.

And the difference between those two viewpoints is what makes watch enthusiasm great. There's room for all of us if we let there be.

100% agree!

For me, for accuracy and the watch being used as a tool is important then I strap on one of my digi's which has better function than any analog quartz watch.

IMHO the classic 3 hander quartz watch will go the way of the dodo, they don't compete with the romanticism of a mechanical and neither do they compete with the function of a digi.

I treat myself wearing an automatic like having an old motorcycle. It’s not the most practical, but it brings joy. Appreciating a mechanical living thing and wearing it.

Dude that’s so well put! Love that analogy! You’re right! 👊

Fellow OCD here. I'll tell you my experience....

Most of my quartz watches are accurate yes, but still loose or gain time in a month or sometimes even a week. If you are truly OCD (as I am) then even a few seconds off will bug you. So I tend to adjust my quartz watches once a week or once a month, but only if I wear one. Seems crazy to most maybe, but to me it's part of why I love this hobby. It gives me something to focus on, tinker and have fun!

The mechanical counterparts are the same, just need adjustment more frequently. But that's why they're fun. It's like vinyl records... we have digital streaming but grabbing a record, putting it on, flipping it, thats something you can touch, see and smell even. Watch it spin and look at that needle reading the groves. The use of more senses tends to lead to nicer experiences. We like using them.

If you want the right time and have OCD, adjust your Seiko 5 daily. Not only will you appreciate the interaction, it may make you miss it when you wear your quartz that you need to adjust less. When you really don't have time to spare, grab that solar atomic or Bluetooth Casio. I fully believe anyone can have both for different reasons.

I disagree. The creation of the quartz movement, the science behind it, hybrids and offshoots are complex and fascinating in my opinion. I don’t focus my decision making when buying a watch on the battery as much as I don’t focus on having to wind or set the time. It’s the whole package. Ubiquitous movements, such as the base NH, ETA and SW platforms, don’t get me excited enough to dismiss a quartz watch. That said, my collection (for what it is) is overweight automatic, less by design and more by the looks of the watch I purchased.

I get you! I bought one mechanical Timex watch when I got tired of having the battery changed in my only watch (too finicky to change myself) every 6-8 months... But I got into G-Shocks at the same time and also got a meca-quartz not long after. The Timex being a chinese movement, it doesn't keep great time and is a pain to set (the minute hand jumps when pushing in the crown), so despite my gripe against quartz watches' batteries, I realized that I prefer their accuracy, ease of use, and generally more accessible price point, as well as the digitals' functions.

I do love the hands-on moment of setting and winding my mechanical watch before putting in on, though.

Wow, civil, thoughtful and lighthearted discussions like this is why I keep coming back to WatchCrunch!

I totally get where you're coming from. My first automatic was an Orient Kano - fantastic looks for an inexpensive watch. But it drove me nuts that it gained 30 seconds a day. If accuracy is important to you, you have to pay a lot more, that's the reality. I did, and I can just about deal with my Pelagos losing two seconds a day. Anything more than that, for that price? No way. But a lot of watch enthusiasts don't seem to be bothered by this at all.

The automatic or mechanical movement is a marvel. If you aren't into mechanical things, I can see why you aren't enamored with it. I'm very much into mechanical things, this is the reason quartz is basically soulless to me. That being said, I do own my fair share of quartz watches.

Spot on! 🙏

I completely understand! I like both, I own both, but my journey has lead me to appreciate them differently, and one more than the other for my lifestyle and what’s important to me. A very high end quartz like a Grand Seiko or the VHP are second to none as far as accuracy. We are talking +\- 10 seconds a year for GS and 5 seconds for VHP! 🤯 Also with Grand Seiko, when you look into those truly handmade quartz movements they are doing, not to mention that they source and use their own in house quartz crystals that go through a ton of work, tests, and different temperature process to ensure the craziest of standards. Also what they have accomplished with the temperature control in these handmade movements. There’s no wrong answer here. Great insight in this post about the comparison of a mechanical timepiece to old motorcycles and cars you like to tinker with, and even a record player and vinyl records analogy. Love it! Those comments have really put things in a new presepective for me. https://www.grand-seiko.com/us-en/collections/movement/quartz

Exactly! This is by far the best place for civil real concversations about what we all love!

Well said! 🙏

I have a G-Shock and I love it. But, it’s the only quartz watch I’ll ever own.

I like automatics, but I LOVE hand wound mechanicals. Automatics and hand wound watches allow me to build a relationship with the watch. Every morning as I get ready, I take time to wind my watches. I choose the watch for the day and off I go.

The creation of the quartz movement, the science behind it, hybrids and offshoots are complex and fascinating in my opinion.

That's great! But I come back to what I said originally - it's something connected to a battery. Let's liken it to a PC. There's a lot of cool tech in a PC; a lot of things to be fascinated by. A graphics card, alone, is really amazing. That is undeniable. But wouldn't that PC be more amazing if it somehow powered itself, with a mechanical mechanism? Of course it would. And that's the distinction I draw between the two. You can hold up quartz as something interesting. But the magic and artistry of powering something without a battery power source is something that automatic and mechanical watches mesmerise many of us with.

I often go back and forth on with I prefer, often when thinking of a purchase that I end up never making. Overall, yes, quartz is objectively better. Better accuracy, far superior shock resistance (once wore my Seiko SRPD on a bumpy bike ride; went from spot on to about 30 seconds slow from just little trip), set it and forget it, you can hang around speakers and amps without a care, and no need to reset them if you choose to wear a different watch for a few days. But there's something for that smooth sweep and watching the rotor and mainspring bounce when I'm bored that just makes mechanical watches that much more special.

Love your username ;)

I am a firm proponent of having both mechanical and quartz watches. They serve very different functions and can all be worn proudly on the wrist!

Thank you! I agree completely. 👊

Taking yourself (not the watch) way too seriously in my opinion. Ok the watch too.

Bestowing upon oneself and likeminded crunchers the noble title "Watch Enthusiast" and and saying something like "We Watch Enthusiasts have this day bestowed upon this mechanical marvel the title 'god tier' time piece. Indeed, it represents a turning point in human history. Now kneel before Zod and purchase one, you quartz-loving philistine. Available at AliExpress for 9.99."