Watch Movements: Quartz VS Mechanical

The watches are animated by different types of movements, each having its own characteristics in terms of sosource of energy, regulation, time base, power reserve and precision. The two main families of movements are the quartz movement and the mechanical movement. Find out more about them in this article.

Quartz movement

The history of quartz watches begins in the 1960s, more precisely in 1967, when the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH) in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, developed the world's first prototype of a quartz watch, named Beta 1. Three months later, ten models of Beta 2 were presented at the Neuchâtel Observatory, surpassing mechanical watches in terms of precision and practicality.

However, it was Japan that would market the very first mass-produced quartz watch, with the Maison Seiko which launches on the market the Seiko Quartz Astron 35SQ, on December 25, 1969 and enjoying immediate success (and yet produced in 100 copies!) 

Later, in 1970, a consortium of 16 Swiss watch brands launches the marketing of Beta 21 quartz watches. However, the Swiss watch industry, which mainly focused on mechanical watches, quickly found itself overtaken by the mass production of Japanese quartz watches.

This technological revolution had a profound impact on the global watchmaking industry, causing a crisis in Swiss watchmaking with the closure of many watchmaking companies and schools. It also allowed and democratized access to more precise watches, quartz offering much greater precision than the mechanical watches of the time.

Today, quartz watches represent a worldwide production reaching more than 2 billion units per year, dominating accessible watchmaking, while mechanical watches are developing more in luxury watchmaking.

Features of quartz watches 

• Energy source: electric, it comes from the battery which powers the electronic circuit of the watch.
• Regulation: quartz crystal
• Time base: very fast frequency of 32,768 Hz
• Power reserve: 2 to 5 years depending on the model and use
• Accuracy: +/- 1 second / month

This type of movement is valued for its reliability, low maintenance and ease of use. However, it lacks the mechanical charm and craftsmanship of traditional watches.

Mechanical movement

The history of mechanical watches goes back much further than that of quartz watches. The first mechanical clocks appeared in the 14th century, but they did not display the time and simply announced each hour with the sound of a bell.

Miniaturization, which led to the first portable watches, occurred in the 16th century. This invention is attributed to the German watchmaker Peter Henlein, who created models of watches worn around the neck. Gradually, these watches became flatter and smaller, evolving into pocket watches or fob watches.

The first mechanical wristwatches with manual winding appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. Later, in 1920, came the introduction of first self-winding wristwatches, using an oscillating mass to wind itself using wrist movements. 

Today, although quartz watches dominate the consumer market, mechanical watches, particularly those with automatic winding, remain very popular in the luxury world. Indeed, this type of movement is particularly appreciated by watch enthusiasts for its artisanal side, its technical complexity and the pleasure it provides to its user.

Feature of mechanical watch 

• Energy source: mechanical, it comes out of the barrel
• Regulation: spiral balance
• Time base: frequency slower than quartz - 3 Hz (18,000 to 36,000 vibrations per hour depending on the model).
• Power reserve: approximately 48 hours (may vary depending on calibers and manufacturers).
• Accuracy: +/- 10 seconds/day

Steps of a mechanical watche 

If the hands of a mechanical watch turn, it is thanks to the energy produced by the assembly of different parts, which we call the movement. Here are the different stages that compose it:

1) Energy source 

The owner of the watch will use the crown to “wind the watch”, with a technical part called a winder, which will create energy. To avoid having to systematically wind the watch, a part accumulates and stores the energy: this is the driving organ, also called "the watch engine" which is composed of a barrel and a spring. 

2) Transmission

This energy is then transmitted to the gear train, which ensures the transmission of energy from the barrel (= energy source) to the anchor and the anchor wheel (= the exhaust) via a system consisting of 3 wheels rotating at different speeds; the first completes 1 rotation in 60 minutes, the last in 60 seconds, and the middle one is an average of the two.

3) Exhaust

Then, the escapement, also called the energy distribution system, prevents the movement mechanism from rotating freely and losing the stored energy. The energy comes from the gear train, and is received by the anchor and the anchor wheel which control the flow of energy, blocking and releasing it tooth by tooth.

4) Regulation

Finally, the regulation of this energy is ensured by the balance-spring, which sets the pace and regulates the energy rhythm and ensures the smooth running of the cogwheel while oscillating. These two components then create a back-and-forth movement that activates the gear train at regular intervals, and which generates this “ticking” sound well-known in mechanical watches. Finally, this final process allows the hands to display the rhythm of time, and is called the “heart of the watch".

It is important to know that in a mechanical watch, each component is essential. If just one is missing, the movement will not work!

2 types of mechanical watches:

• The hand-wound mechanical watch, which as its name suggests, is wound manually from the winder (= the crown), according to the power reserve of the watch. Generally, it is best to do it every morning, so as not to push the reserve to its limit.
• The automatic mechanical watch, which recharges itself “automatically” thanks to the movement of its owner. These watches are composed of an additional mechanism: the micro-rotor, also called oscillating weight, integrated into the movement and made of "heavy" metals (usually gold) to promote inertia. Note that if the watch is not worn for a time greater than the power reserve, it will have to be wound manually, like a mechanical watch with manual winding.

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