Care to discuss? Advantages, disadvantages, in what ways are movements different?

Everyone knows quartz movements are more recent, i.e. 60's. On the collecting end, I love wind-up watches.

One advantage in a wind-up is not having to purchase batteries.

What do our members think?

Quartz vs. Wind-up Watches

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Stephanie, I gave up wearing quartz watches about 6 years ago. I like the look and feel of an older mechanical watch, be it a self wind or one that needs daily winding. I had a bucherer self wind that I wore for a few years and no I mostly wear a B W Raymond, my two Ball Trainmasters or once in a while my Accutron I recently purchased from Lindell.


Curly

Another excellent topic Stephanie,

The longer I'm involved in this hobby the further I drift away from quartz wristwatches.

Curly mentions a Elgin BW Raymond, the Ball Trainmasters and his amazing Accutron. The first two are mechanical, the Accutron has only a few moving parts. Curly's circa 1966 Accutron is a Railroad Approved Grade 214 which is a husky watch that sets from the back. Early Accutrons are battery powered but pre-dated quartz technology and are quite remarkable even by today's standards. Later the Accuquartz came on the scene. Today high quality Accutron watches are still produced, unlike their predecessors of the same name they're powered by quartz or mechanical movements.


Curley's Accutron from our Chapter 185 Auctions...

I do have some daily quartz watches I wear since they are for "rugged" use. I prefer to wear auto's or winders. My current favorite is a Swank with a Gruen movement. I have several though including PW's that I like to wear including a nice Hampden.

Viele Grüße

David Fahrenholz
Fahrenholz Clock & Watch
Timeless Service

WOW! what a subject!!
I am a mechanical movement snob . Here's the way I see it.
You can pay $250.00 for a quartz watch at the mall, and it basically has the same movement that the $7.99 watch at a convenience store has..
Rolex tried it once, nobody bought any, THINK ABOUT WHY!!!
When you buy a quartz watch you put the watchmaker either out of work, or he becomes a glorified battery changer.
When buying a quartz watch your paying for a pretty case and that's about it
Think about it, garage sales have tons of dead battery quartz watches, in most cases when the battery dies they are disposable, and the battery is a pollutant. A mechanical watch leaves no environmental pollution. A mechanical is for ever a beautiful thing to look at, as well as one of the greatest inventions known to man. You may have guessed, I don't care for quartz, and I feel a whole lot better about people who wear either mechanical or the genius of the tuning fork Accutrons. Women who wear quartz are a turn off, and are transparent. Remember, to folks who prefer quartz its the case that's important, NOT what's inside.
The shame of it all is the how good the vibrograph acts with a quartz thing on it, but don't spread that around. Watches are like people, its what's inside that counts
Is what we are about quartz I would think our members are clock, wrist, or pocket watch mechanical movement people. Actually I'm surprised this subject even came up. Hope I didn't make you mad Its my total love and fascination with the mechanical movement, and the people who design, make, and repair them, that brought me here!! Does anybody out there agree with me

Jack Goldstein

IHC 185 #274
http://www.ball-rr-pocketwatches.com

One more thing, nothing in the world is more artistic or beautiful, and as fascinating as watching the mechanical movement in action!! Rather than even thinking about quartz, if you don't know the parts of a mechanical watch time will be well spent going to Johns tutorial and try to learn 2, 3, or 4, correct parts names an evening. That will be time well spent, and you won't be sorry
Jack............... . . . . . . . . .

...well Jack your dissertation did it for me...from now on my $4.99 quartz that I've used to set my clocks and mechanicals stays dormant in a shoe box with the 'other' shop miscellaneous...I can now make a daily choice from among my collection, enjoy it and depend on it......Jim C

...have been wearing a Bulova 'tank' ww given to me by my very good friend Ralph Rehner the 'King-of-Razzle-Dazzle'...has been 'quartz' accurate all day (but then he reconditioned it)...have seen the light...yaazzzzzzzir!!!...Jim C

Hi Curly,
Great buy from Lindell!

Lindell,
Thanks for info on Accutron as well as your views on quartz watches vs. wind-ups!

David F.,
Thanks! I would love to see a pic of your Swank with a Gruen movement.

Jack G.,
"Watches are like people, its what's inside that counts!" I love that.


I'm with you guys 100%, as I too prefer wind-up watches! That's not to say I don't have quartz watches in my collection. I have all kinds of watches in my collection;a well rounded watch collector indeed!

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979