A Complete Guide to Quartz Watch Movements
So when was the last time you thought about the wristwatch? The consensus is that people don’t wear timepieces anymore. But did you know that a recent survey showed 50% of men still wear a watch?
Then, it might be time for a reminder of what makes the best timepiece. Finally, you might not know what quartz watch movements are or how they work. So if you’re curious, keep reading. Here’s a brief quartz watch movement guide to refresh interest in a classic accessory.
History of Quartz Watch Movements
The Seiko watch company made a big splash in 1969 with new technology. They introduced the first-ever wristwatch with quartz movement called Astron. The shockwave of this invention tremored through the traditional watch world.
From the 16th century, Switzerland held the title of king of watchmakers. The Swiss perfected a self-winding mechanism called the perpetual watch. By the 18th century, they were exporting 60,000 units per year.
But when the Astron came along, a period called the quartz crisis occurred. First, an estimated 900 Swiss movement watch companies filed for bankruptcy. After that, all over the globe, companies started producing accurate analog quartz watch movement pieces.
After a while, the Swiss did embrace the quartz watch movement. But there are still those who prefer the mastery of mechanical movement.
Why Is Quartz Better?
There are two fundamental reasons why the quartz watch movement is a better solution. First, it’s cheaper to mass produce and allows for more emphasis on aesthetics. Second, watchmakers can manufacture timepieces that are paper-thin.
Second, a wristwatch with a quartz movement keeps a more accurate time. And the tiny piece of quartz crystal in every watch doesn’t lose time as fast as the mechanical version. As well, quartz watch movements have fewer moving parts inside the housing.
What Is Quartz Movement in a Watch?
Quartz is a tiny sliver of crystal that fits into the watch mechanism. The timepiece gets power from a battery which causes the crystal to oscillate. The electrical charge makes the crystal quartz vibrate 32,768 times per second.
The vibration goes to a stepping motor which converts the power to mechanical. This motor is now powered to move the gears in the watch. The energy from the vibration turns into a pulse once per second.
Each pulse then drives the gear of the second hand. The face of the watch moves according to the pulse created from the quartz crystal. The circuitry of a wristwatch with quartz movement is compact and durable.
The Mainstream of Timepieces
People still collect finely crafted pieces of mechanical movement for historical value. But quartz watch movements have so many more qualities.
A quartz watch movement is more accurate, cheaper to make, and easier to maintain. And because of the fewer parts, the timepiece has a longer life. All these factors allow watchmakers to make timepieces with more aesthetic designs.
If you’re glad you took the time to read this guide to quartz movements, come back for more insightful pieces.
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