There is nothing to fear from Quartz.
Quartz often gets overlooked by watch enthusiasts but far from being a soulless demon quartz is a misunderstood monster.
Quartz was and is a beautiful piece of horological innovation. I for one think an oscillating crystal being used to keep time is an amazing thing. Its production methods are far from romantic but the results are still somewhat whimsical. Moreover, whilst in the short term, the quartz crisis may have hurt the mechanical watchmaking industry in the long term it trimmed back the chaff to allow growth and innovation. Ultimately I think quartz may have saved the entire watchmaking industry.
Imagine if you will a world without quartz. A world where mechanical watches had remained at the forefront, without the need for innovation and refinement. After years of stagnation would the humble wristwatch survive the age of the mobile phone? I doubt it.
Without the innovation and pushback would George Daniels have created the coaxial escapement? Would we now have a growing enthusiast community, full of exciting microbrands and the next generation of watchmakers? I’m not sure we would.
There are some great value vintage quartz pieces to be had, and like all watches, at all price points, they can bring a lot of joy.
We have nothing to fear but fear itself … and Daniel Wellington 🤮
Writer, watch enthusiast and occasional artist. Time is all we have, so we better make it fun.
Dude! I love your art!!!
Agreed. Love quartz!
Dude! I love your art!!!
Agreed. Love quartz!
Thank you 👍
Cool pic.
I suspect 90+% of the quartz snobbery in the watch community comes from people wanting to disconnect from the electrical beast.
I know I went full mechanical entirely because of the romantic notion of having a time telling device that was free of electrical input.
I've since come around, and only want a few mechanical watches... but I will always understand why people prefer them to quartz.
The ETA quartz are the best. At least they put jewels in them. A lot of $200.00 watches running around with $6.00 movements in them. ETAs are only $30.00 and are in a lot of expensive watches. But i'm really here for the art. nice
Cool pic.
I suspect 90+% of the quartz snobbery in the watch community comes from people wanting to disconnect from the electrical beast.
I know I went full mechanical entirely because of the romantic notion of having a time telling device that was free of electrical input.
I've since come around, and only want a few mechanical watches... but I will always understand why people prefer them to quartz.
Yeah fully agree, don’t get me wrong in most cases I prefer mechanical. I’m a romantic at heart but I just feel quartz gets a bad rap at times.
The ETA quartz are the best. At least they put jewels in them. A lot of $200.00 watches running around with $6.00 movements in them. ETAs are only $30.00 and are in a lot of expensive watches. But i'm really here for the art. nice
Thank you I appreciate it and your input. I’m really enjoying chatting watches on here and it saves my wife from hearing me talk horology all day 😂
Yeah fully agree, don’t get me wrong in most cases I prefer mechanical. I’m a romantic at heart but I just feel quartz gets a bad rap at times.
My favourite watch in my collection is a quartz with tritium tubes for lume.
The last 2 watches I have bought are quartz. The Grand Seiko SBGX341 and Seiko SBBN035. I have also had my eye on the Breitling Aerospace.
great artwork and good point regarding quartz movements
Agree, I liken quartz to the EVs of the motor vehicle world eventually nearly everyone will own one, but there will always be the enthusiasts.
While I fully agree with Quartz being something people should not look down on and is an amazing advancement in horology, your alternative future just could not happen.
If not for discovering an electronic method of timekeeping, we would not have computers at all. PCs have quartz clocks within them and need to know time spans in order to function.
You're right! Of quartz you are!
Totally agree
I have probably more quartz than anything else...
G-shocks mainly
And solar quartz with multiband is most accurate watches I have... used them for years to set my more expensive automatics..
While I fully agree with Quartz being something people should not look down on and is an amazing advancement in horology, your alternative future just could not happen.
If not for discovering an electronic method of timekeeping, we would not have computers at all. PCs have quartz clocks within them and need to know time spans in order to function.
My alternative future was more based on quartz not being adopted / popularised in the watchmaking industry, that is not to say it wouldn’t have been discovered and used to keep time in computing etc. But in that reality the adoption / development would have been hurt in other tech, so it would have slowed down progress.
great artwork and good point regarding quartz movements
Thank you
I have 2 admittedly cheap quartz watches which couldn't last more than 4 months after a battery change.
Is it the watch? Or is it the battery? Some people told me that with time, watches started consuming battery faster. Any truth in that?
...but quartz itself
I have 2 admittedly cheap quartz watches which couldn't last more than 4 months after a battery change.
Is it the watch? Or is it the battery? Some people told me that with time, watches started consuming battery faster. Any truth in that?
no
I'll take a Grand Seiko 9F all day, every day. And gimme an Omega 1538 while you're at it.
Autos and quartz side-by-side in my case.
My pure analog accumulation is almost evenly split 50-50 between quartz and mechanical. My G Shocks and other digitals are in a group of their own. So I have no bias one way or the other. Each category has duds and gems.
What an amazing insight and one I totally agree with 100%. I saw another post saying you did that artwork? Man, if you did, that is amazing and you are very talented. I love all my quartz, they truly are a no-fuss watch and is always at the ready.
What an amazing insight and one I totally agree with 100%. I saw another post saying you did that artwork? Man, if you did, that is amazing and you are very talented. I love all my quartz, they truly are a no-fuss watch and is always at the ready.
Thank you I really appreciate it 👍
Nice work, also well done on a girlfriend that has such good taste in watches.
Mostly due to peer pressure I feel. I am pretty new to this hobby and it took me 9 months before I finally went against all advice and purchased the Grand Seiko SBGN005. My watch collecting friends were always discouraging me from buying a quartz and the main reason given was it was a waste of money. I get as much satisfaction wearing it as wearing my non-quartz pieces. The loss of “bonding” time is replaced by the peace of mind that it doesn’t need any pampering in between the times I wear it. It’s super accurate too. I am just in awe looking at this beauty with brains. 😀
Respectfully disagree. I give you: the dead battery! 😱
Great art from the OP.
As a mechanical engineer, I marvel at the operation of mechanical watches, but quartz watches are at another level with their harnessing of the piezoelectric properties of quartz crystals. Quartz watches have the advantages of higher accuracy, lighter and thinner movements, lower cost, and "reserve power" measured in years rather than hours (with solar movements lasting at least 10 years). Also, typically much lower service costs ... and the watches are always ready to grab and go (unless you didn't notice the skipping second hand indication of a low battery that most movements have these days).
The only gripe I have is quartz watches almost killed the aftermarket true watch repair/service industry. Most "Watch Repair" places can only resize a bracelet and change watch batteries because they don't have the skills and training to work on mech watches. Thus the far and few true watch repair place charge really high for their services.
Agree with that it is a shame. we need more skilled Watch repair specialists.
Absolutely, "In space nobody can hear you scream" ^^ ; Seiko 7A28 quartz chronographs are awesome and iconic! Ask "Ripley" :)