Quartz Watches

The quartz watch is a child of the 1970s. Quartz revolutionized the watch industry - and changed it forever. Watchmaking costs dropped dramatically thanks to quartz. A quartz movement powers itself by means of a battery which sends an electrical current through a tiny (usually synthetic) quartz crystal, electrifying the crystal to create vibrations. These vibrations cause the movement to oscillate, which drives the watch’s motor. Many watch lovers contend that a quartz watch simply doesn’t have the allure and sophistication of a watch with a mechanical movement. But they keep time well, and their appeal is universal. Easiest way to tell the difference between a quartz and a mechanical watch? Look at the seconds hand. A quartz watch’s hand moves in a staccato, ‘tick-tick’ manner, whilst that of a mechanical watch moves in a constant, sweeping manner.