Automatic vs. Manual vs. Quartz. What are the different types of watch movements?
There is a sense of sophistication that comes with wearing a watch. Although technically small, a watch can add a level of refinement to an outfit with relative ease. Like a cherry on top of a sundae, a watch is a final touch on an outfit that can help pull everything together. But, what are the different types of watch movements?
Watches seem to be one of the few things guys notice about other guys. Aside from “that dude is jacked”, guys don’t seem to pay attention to things like clothes, hair, or nails on either males or females.
Regularly, my wife will ask me if I noticed another woman’s hairstyle or clothing choice. More often than not, I don’t notice, and even if I do notice, the answer tends to be a resounding “no”.
Although I can’t speak for every guy, it seems as though we just don’t pay attention to other people’s hairstyles or wardrobes. Heck, I couldn’t even tell you what my best friend wears on a regular basis…probably jeans and a t-shirt?
Watches seem to be the exception to the lack of noticing rule.
Like a nice car, I find that my eyes are drawn to a man’s wrist if he’s wearing a watch. I can’t help it, and I know I’m not the only one. I’ve caught more guys than one looking at my own watch.
Admittedly, it’s not much to stare at. It’s just a Timex
that looks nice, but I like it, and it makes me feel more put together. Although I could probably afford a nicer watch, I’m quite frugal.
But, my frugality doesn’t mean that I can’t appreciate the finer things in life and at least try to be knowledgeable about them, which is why I wanted to learn and write this article about the different types of watch movements: quartz, manual, and automatic.
Movement
Before diving into the different types of watch movements, it’s important to define “movement” in relation to watches.
Movement is basically what makes the watch “go” or “tick”. It is sometimes referred to as the “caliber” or “heart”. The movement is what drives the hands of the watch and powers “complications”, such as chronographs, calendars, or time zones.
There are three types of movements: quartz, manual, and automatic. Manual and automatic watches are considered “mechanical” and gather energy from a wound spring to operate. Quartz watches, on the other hand, utilize a battery to operate.
Overall, mechanical watches (manual and automatic) tend to be far more expensive, due to the numerous springs and gears required to function and subsequent labor to manufacture. The level of refinement and craftsmanship of mechanical watches can make them highly collectible for watch connoisseurs.
By using a battery, quartz watches have far fewer mechanical parts and can be mass produced more efficiently, driving costs down. Quartz watches also have the added benefit of being highly accurate timekeepers, due to its battery electrical circuit.
Manual Movement
Manual watches must be hand wound and are the oldest type of watch, dating back to the 16th century. These tend to be the most collectible, most expensive, and haven’t changed much over the centuries.
Turning the crown on the side of the watch causes the mainspring to wind, gathering potential energy. Kinetic energy is transferred through a series of springs and gears, which eventually moves the watch hands in a sweeping motion, as opposed to individual ticks.
How often to wind depends on the “power reserve capacity of the movement”, which generally lasts between 24 hours and five days.
In order to properly wind a manual movement watch, it is important to remove it from the wrist, as winding a watch on the wrist can possibly damage the movement, stem or crown. After removing, wind until tension or tightness is felt in the crown. Winding beyond the tension can cause damage to the movement.
Manual movement watches can last for decades with proper winding, and there aren’t any batteries to worry about. They tend to be thinner than automatic watches, and the daily winding can be a sought-after ritual, like shaving or tying a tie. Last, these watches are aesthetically pleasing due to the intricate gears and springs, which are often shown off behind clear sapphire casings.
Automatic Movement
Automatic watches started gaining popularity in the 20th century and are self-winding versions of the manual movement watches above.
The movement of the wrist causes a metal weight, known as a rotor, to swing
360 degrees. The rotor is attached to the mainspring, which winds when the rotor swings, gathering energy to power the sweeping hands. When the mainspring is fully wound, the rotor is equipped with a clutch that disengages to prevent further winding.
As long as the watch is regularly worn, winding is not necessary. However, if the watch sits for an extended period of time, it will have to be manually wound for an initial source of energy. Watch winders
, which are basically oscillating cases, keep automatic watches wound when not in use.
Automatic watches tend to be thicker than their manual counterparts, due to the extra rotor width. Like a quality faucet (for homeowners out there), quality mechanical watches (automatic and manual) tend to feel weighty in the hand, not light or dainty.
Quartz Movement
In the late 1960’s, Seiko introduced the first quartz wristwatch. Quartz watches are highly accurate, require minimal maintenance, and utilize few moving parts. No winding is necessary due to its battery power source.
The battery sends an electrical current through a small quartz crystal, which rapidly vibrates 32,768 times per second. The pulse is then picked up by a stepping motor, and the 32,768th pulse is directed to the dial train, which advances to the watch hands. Instead of a “sweeping” second hand motion, like in mechanical watches, quartz watches display individual ticks, giving the characteristic tick-tick motion.
Quartz watch batteries generally last between 12 and 24 months. Once drained, it is important to replace the battery immediately to prevent battery acid from leaking and damaging the movement.
Although not as prized by collectors, quartz movement’s durability, reliability, inexpensiveness and high accuracy makes it a staple in the watch industry.
Regardless of whether you choose a manual, automatic or quartz movement, I hope this guide on the different types of watch movements helps shed light on the subject.
Thanks for reading What Are the Different Types of Watch Movements?
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