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Quartz or Mechanical Watch
All watches are either quartz or mechanical. Quartz watches, far more common than mechanical ones, are powered by electricity stored in a battery and keep time by means of a tiny piece of quartz that oscillates (with rare exceptions) at the rate of 32,768 times per second. Most quartz watches show time by means of an analog, i.e., a dial and rotating hands.
Some quartz watches, however, have digital displays, nearly always LCD (liquid crystal displays) of the type used in all manner of electronic devices 阠dashboard clocks, VCR timers, etc. Still other quartz watches have both analog and digital readouts, enabling then to display several pieces of information simultaneously. These are called nadigi watches.
Mechanical watches are powered by a spring, called the ainspring which transmits energy as it gradually unwinds. Like quartz watches, mechanical watches keep time by means of an oscillator. In this case, it is a small wheel called the alance wheel mounted on a staff. The wheel moves to and fro very quickly at 28,800 times per hour in most watches made today. The balance wheel oscillations are controlled by a tiny delicate spring called the alance spring
There are two types of mechanical watches B>Automatic or B>Self-winding watch. An automatic watch, often but not always labeled as such on the watch dial, is equipped with a fan-shaped rotor that swings on a pivot in respond to the motion of the wearer arm. The swinging of the rotor winds the mainspring and keeps the watch running. Many automatic watches have transparent so-called isplay backs, made of synthetic sapphire, that enable one to see the rotor as it spins.
Automatic watches need no winding provided that they are worn for 12 hours or so per day, and hence subjected to enough motion to keep the mainspring wound. If an automatic watch is left unwound for a day or two, it will stop running and it will need to be wound up by means of the winding crown on the side of the watch. That why some automatic-watch owners keep their watches on electronically powered watch winders, which rotate the watches for a few hours at a time, thus eliminating the need not just for hand winding but for resetting the time, and, on calendar watches, the date.
B>Manual-wind watch, also called a and-wound or ind-up watch, must be wound up regularly usually once a day by means of the crown. Whether to buy a mechanical or quartz watch is often the first but not always easy decision a watch shopper needs to make.
Quartz watches are undoubtedly more accurate. That because the oscillation of the quartz crystal are faster and steadier that those of the balance wheel. Quartz watches of average quality will, as a rule of thumb, gain or lose no more than 10 seconds per month. Mechanical watches, on the other hand, off by several minutes per month.
Another difference: quartz watches never need winding. However, nearly all must have their batteries changed occasionally. Most run on silver oxide batteries which last two to three years. Some watches are designed to accommodate special long-life lithium batteries, which run for about a decade.
Two relatively new types of quartz watch do not need to have their batteries replaced. Their batteries are recharged either by light or, like automatic watches, by the motion of the wearer arm. In a light-powered watch, light enters the watch through the watch dial. A solar cell beneath the dial converts the light into electricity, which is stored in a cell. The other type is so called B>motion-powered is equipped with a tiny rotor that spins in response to motion, generating electricity.
Another difference between quartz and mechanical watches is the amount of maintenance required to keep them in good working condition. Mechanical-watch movements generally need cleaning and lubricating every 3-5 years. The owner booklet that comes with the watch will specify recommended service intervals.
Quartz movements need little or no attention because they have fewer parts and are subjected to less stress as a result of them being powered electrically rather than mechanically. Nonetheless, dirt can accumulate on the gears of an analog quartz movement and cause it to lose time. The movement should be cleaned if the watch is valuable enough to justify the expense of doing so.
Given the advantages that quartz watches offer over mechanical ones, why do millions of consumers worldwide buy mechanical watches each year?
That is so as many watch wearers prefer the old-time craftsmanship that mechanical technology represents. They appreciate the ingenuity and tireless labor that went into perfecting it: a parade of horological geniuses spent centuries developing the mechanical movement as we know it today. And these watch fans enjoy the comforting tick, tick, tick as the watch counts out the time.
Then there the prestige factor. If you want to impress others with your watch savoir faire, a mechanical watch is almost always a better bet than a quartz one. Furthermore, some of the most sought-after watch brands Rolex, Patek Philippe, Blancpain, A. Lange & S ne, Girard-Perregaux to name a few - devote all or almost all of their production to mechanical timepieces.
So which is better, quartz or mechanical? The unsatisfying answer: neither. It really all depends on what you want in a watch.
Some quartz watches, however, have digital displays, nearly always LCD (liquid crystal displays) of the type used in all manner of electronic devices 阠dashboard clocks, VCR timers, etc. Still other quartz watches have both analog and digital readouts, enabling then to display several pieces of information simultaneously. These are called nadigi watches.
Mechanical watches are powered by a spring, called the ainspring which transmits energy as it gradually unwinds. Like quartz watches, mechanical watches keep time by means of an oscillator. In this case, it is a small wheel called the alance wheel mounted on a staff. The wheel moves to and fro very quickly at 28,800 times per hour in most watches made today. The balance wheel oscillations are controlled by a tiny delicate spring called the alance spring
There are two types of mechanical watches B>Automatic or B>Self-winding watch. An automatic watch, often but not always labeled as such on the watch dial, is equipped with a fan-shaped rotor that swings on a pivot in respond to the motion of the wearer arm. The swinging of the rotor winds the mainspring and keeps the watch running. Many automatic watches have transparent so-called isplay backs, made of synthetic sapphire, that enable one to see the rotor as it spins.
Automatic watches need no winding provided that they are worn for 12 hours or so per day, and hence subjected to enough motion to keep the mainspring wound. If an automatic watch is left unwound for a day or two, it will stop running and it will need to be wound up by means of the winding crown on the side of the watch. That why some automatic-watch owners keep their watches on electronically powered watch winders, which rotate the watches for a few hours at a time, thus eliminating the need not just for hand winding but for resetting the time, and, on calendar watches, the date.
B>Manual-wind watch, also called a and-wound or ind-up watch, must be wound up regularly usually once a day by means of the crown. Whether to buy a mechanical or quartz watch is often the first but not always easy decision a watch shopper needs to make.
Quartz watches are undoubtedly more accurate. That because the oscillation of the quartz crystal are faster and steadier that those of the balance wheel. Quartz watches of average quality will, as a rule of thumb, gain or lose no more than 10 seconds per month. Mechanical watches, on the other hand, off by several minutes per month.
Another difference: quartz watches never need winding. However, nearly all must have their batteries changed occasionally. Most run on silver oxide batteries which last two to three years. Some watches are designed to accommodate special long-life lithium batteries, which run for about a decade.
Two relatively new types of quartz watch do not need to have their batteries replaced. Their batteries are recharged either by light or, like automatic watches, by the motion of the wearer arm. In a light-powered watch, light enters the watch through the watch dial. A solar cell beneath the dial converts the light into electricity, which is stored in a cell. The other type is so called B>motion-powered is equipped with a tiny rotor that spins in response to motion, generating electricity.
Another difference between quartz and mechanical watches is the amount of maintenance required to keep them in good working condition. Mechanical-watch movements generally need cleaning and lubricating every 3-5 years. The owner booklet that comes with the watch will specify recommended service intervals.
Quartz movements need little or no attention because they have fewer parts and are subjected to less stress as a result of them being powered electrically rather than mechanically. Nonetheless, dirt can accumulate on the gears of an analog quartz movement and cause it to lose time. The movement should be cleaned if the watch is valuable enough to justify the expense of doing so.
Given the advantages that quartz watches offer over mechanical ones, why do millions of consumers worldwide buy mechanical watches each year?
That is so as many watch wearers prefer the old-time craftsmanship that mechanical technology represents. They appreciate the ingenuity and tireless labor that went into perfecting it: a parade of horological geniuses spent centuries developing the mechanical movement as we know it today. And these watch fans enjoy the comforting tick, tick, tick as the watch counts out the time.
Then there the prestige factor. If you want to impress others with your watch savoir faire, a mechanical watch is almost always a better bet than a quartz one. Furthermore, some of the most sought-after watch brands Rolex, Patek Philippe, Blancpain, A. Lange & S ne, Girard-Perregaux to name a few - devote all or almost all of their production to mechanical timepieces.
So which is better, quartz or mechanical? The unsatisfying answer: neither. It really all depends on what you want in a watch.