I'm not a professional watch enthusiast, but like many, I have a passion for researching and learning about this top-tier accessory for men.
I've been "fooled" by marketing tricks before, falling for watches that masked their true quality. After several setbacks, I’ve managed to build a small watch collection and, more importantly, gain a decent amount of knowledge. Today, let’s dive into the age-old debate between mechanical and quartz watches 🤓.
Grand Seiko Caliber 9F62 quartz movement.
What are your thoughts on quartz watches - those powered by an electronic chip and a battery? When I asked a few friends, the consensus was intriguing: owning a quartz watch often means you’re yearning for a mechanical (automatic) watch. Once you own a mechanical watch, the allure of quartz seems to fade.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Gulf Special Edition quartz.
The idea that mechanical watches carry more prestige than quartz is prevalent. This isn’t entirely unfounded; quartz movements emerged in the late 1960s, creating a crisis for the watch industry. This new technology left Swiss watch brands scrambling to protect their meticulously crafted mechanical movements, which had even become national symbols. In this wave of fear, quartz watches were often dismissed...
Grand Seiko GMT quartz.
So, why do major brands like Omega, Cartier, Longines, Piaget, Breitling, and Grand Seiko still include quartz movements in some models? We’ll explore that shortly, but first, let’s acknowledge some undeniable advantages of quartz movements: they are thinner, allowing for some of the slimmest watches available, and above all, they are incredibly precise. Quartz watches operate by passing electrical energy from the battery through a small quartz crystal embedded in the circuit. This causes the crystal to vibrate at an almost perfect constant frequency of 32,768 times per second, which is fundamental to the watch’s operation.
Breitling’s ‘Endurance Pro’ SuperQuartz.
In terms of timekeeping accuracy, it’s clear that mechanical watches have a long way to go to match the precision of quartz watches 🙃.
However, quartz watches have one "flaw": they are often perceived as cheap. Not all quartz watches fall into this category - models from Omega and Grand Seiko can cost several thousand dollars. But generally, quartz movements are seen as budget-friendly, following the trend of increasingly accessible technology. Quartz movements also appear in “gift” watches and kids' plastic watches, often priced at just a few hundred thousand VND - a point that’s hard to overlook.
Yema Superman Heritage Quartz.
The Swiss watch industry remains haunted by its long-standing tradition of handcrafted workmanship. There’s a deep appreciation for what happens inside a watch, where the gears and axles of the mechanical movement operate with pride and allure. It might seem romantic, but ultimately, isn’t the exterior design what bonds the wearer to the watch? That’s why we have heartbreakingly beautiful mechanical watches 😁.
Swatch.
This is where Swatch, a Swiss brand, revolutionized the market in the '80s by creating plastic quartz watches in countless designs, colors, and patterns. While I’m not particularly fond of Swatch watches, they clearly addressed various needs: affordability, diversity in design, and still being Swiss-made.
Isn't it contradictory? We humans often prioritize the most advanced technology. Mechanical watches are nostalgic, similar to the enjoyment of listening to vinyl records in a world dominated by Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube. Think of the passionate biker who relishes the roar of an engine and the scent of exhaust fumes, looking down on electric vehicles. There’s always a mystical allure that elevates mechanical watches and other nostalgic items above modern technology. When it comes to watches, the battle for performance has a clear winner: how could something handmade ever match the processing power of a computer?
Tissot PRX 40 205.
The irony is that smartwatches represent modern technology, much like quartz watches did in the past. As you can see, many hardcore mechanical watch enthusiasts also "have to" wear smartwatches, sometimes even sporting both a mechanical watch and a smartwatch at the same time. We live in a world heavily reliant on technology...
Smartwatches might just be the reluctant referee in the ongoing battle between mechanical and quartz watches: accept and enjoy both instead of judging one over the other. This is the approach many collectors around the world take. After all, watches are personal accessories, filled with stories and memories. Whether it’s a Patek Philippe or a Casio G-Shock, comparisons are inherently flawed...
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