The Pros And Cons Of Quartz Watches

When it comes to purchasing a watch, there are many factors to consider including size, style, functions, water resistance, price, and movement.

But what is a movement?

In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons one of the most popular and affordable watch movements on the market: the quartz movement.

What Is A Quartz Movement? 

Quartz movements are simple battery-powered mechanisms that come in two styles: analog and digital. Analog styles have second, minute, and hour hands, and can also have other functions including a day/date window or a chronograph.

Digital quartz watches have the same features but display all their information on a screen. This article will be focused on the pros and cons of an analog quartz movement.

If you'd like to learn more about quartz, along with the other types of watch movements, please read our article: Different Watch Movements Explained, where we go into more depth about the three most common watch movements on the market today.

Pros Of Quartz Watches:

Quartz Watches Are More Affordable

Quartz movements are typically mass manufactured on an automated assembly line, making them much cheaper than meticulously crafted mechanical movements. Quartz movements don't have many moving parts or valuable metals, which drastically cuts down on build time and material costs.

These savings are also passed down to the consumer, as quartz watches can be sold at low prices. Casio is known for their affordable timepieces and their F-91W digital quartz watch is no exception. At around $20, you get many features and a decent water resistance. You can read our full review of it here. Other reputable brands like Citizen, Seiko, and Timex also offer entry level quartz watches that won't break the bank.

Some higher-end brands, like Cartier, have options for either quartz or mechanical movements in their watches, making quartz versions of luxury models, like the Tank, much more affordable (compared to the mechanical variants). This gives buyers an opportunity to own a luxury piece without taking out a massive loan or selling a kidney.

Quartz Watches Have Lower Maintenance Costs

Quartz watches are sometimes referred to as "set-it-and-forget-it watches" since they don't require much maintenance aside from changing the time at daylight savings and replacing a dead battery every few years. There's no need to set or wind a quartz watch since the battery is always running.

A basic quartz watch can sit in a watch box for days, weeks, or even months and still provide the wearer with accurate timekeeping next time they strap it to their wrist.

Contrary to popular belief; quartz watches do require service every now and then. Like any movement, parts can wear out or get gunked up. We also advise to regularly check gaskets and seals, replacing them if needed, so your watch can continue to be water resistant. Servicing a quartz movement will cost significantly less than servicing a mechanical movement.

If you notice that your chronograph or day/date function are not working properly, the crown or hands are stiff when you set the time, or your watch is running fast or slow, it's best to take your watch to an authorized repair shop to get it serviced.

Quartz Movements Are More Accurate

Quartz movements are designed with accuracy in mind. The quartz crystal inside the movement oscillates at a frequency of 32,768 times per second when voltage is applied. A small microchip inside the movement detects these vibrations and sends a signal to the seconds hand at every 32,768^th vibration, making it tick 1/60^th of the diameter of the dial, or one second.

A quartz movement will continue to tick this way until the battery starts to run low (which typically takes 3-5 years, depending on the watch). Some quartz watches have a stutter feature where the seconds hand will stop completely, then tick fast for 2-5 seconds, telling the user that the batteries will soon need replacing.

Quartz Watches Are More Durable

Quartz movements can survive more abuse than most mechanical movements, making them ideal for sports like baseball, golf, and tennis, where sudden high-impact vibrations on the wrist could affect the watch's performance. Even activities that have less impact on wrists, such as running, rock climbing, or rowing, could still damage a mechanical movement.

G-Shock watches are designed with these types of activities in mind. If you enjoy these types of activities, consider a G-Shock next time you are in the market for a new watch.

Quartz movements are also less sensitive to temperature changes, humidity, and magnetism, which means you can wear them in extreme high or low temperatures, in high humidity, and through metal detectors without having to worry if your watch will be damaged.

Even though quartz watches are durable, there are still some things you should never do with your watch, regardless of the movement. You can read them all in our article 11 Things You Should NEVER Do With Your Watch.

Quartz Watches Are Generally Smaller Than Mechanical Watches

Generally speaking, quartz movements are smaller than most mass-produced mechanical movements. This means that they can fit in smaller and slimmer cases, making them ideal for a fancy evening out if you want to slip your watch under your cuff.

Fun fact: the Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 101 is the smallest mass-produced mechanical movement and has a whopping 98 parts.

Some people don't like the feeling of a bulky watch on their wrist, so they opt for a lighter watch with a quartz movement. If you find bulky watches uncomfortable or don't like the look of analog watches, consider a digital quartz watch. Digital quartz watches are slimmer than analog quartz watches.

Cons Of Quartz Watches:

Quartz Movements Lack The Craftsmanship Found In Mechanical Movements

Quartz movements are simple devices compared to their mechanical counterparts. A quartz movement is comprised of a battery, coil, oscillator, counter, and a small stepper motor. These parts are often assembled on an automated factory line and don't require any fine tuning or inspections prior to being packaged.

Mechanical watches are known for their intricate craftsmanship, which is considered an art by many watch aficionados. If a mechanical watch breaks, it can be opened and repaired, keeping it running for years to come. If a quartz movement breaks, it's often easier (and cheaper) to throw away the entire watch and buy a new one than to have it fixed.

Quartz Watches Are Considered Less Traditional

Some watch enthusiasts will turn up their nose at any quartz movement. While watchmaking has been practiced and perfected since the 16^th century, it wasn't until 1969 that Seiko released the very first quartz watch, the Astron 35SQ, to the public. The release of the Astron 35SQ was the catalyst that crippled the Swiss watchmaking industry, starting the period often referred to as The Quartz Crisis (or Quartz Revolution).

Before then, watchmaking was an art that required skill, patience, and a steady hand. Movements often took hours, if not days, to build and often required over 100 individual parts. Many watchmakers dedicated their lives to creating these intricate movements and often passed down their knowledge to their children, keeping the skill of watchmaking in the family.

While there are still watchmakers creating mechanical movements, their numbers pale in comparison to what they were less than 60 years ago.

Fun fact: Other brands like Bulova and Hamilton tried their hand at battery-powered watches before Seiko. These included the Bulova Accutron and Hamilton Electric watches which pre-date Seiko by roughly a decade.

Although they were typically more accurate than their mechanical counterparts, they were deemed too delicate and finicky at the time, resulting in poor sales. Bulova quickly re-vamped the Accutron, and to this day, it's still one of the brand's most popular models, with modern iterations of the Spaceview released in 2020.

Quartz Watches Do Not Have Vintage Appeal

Like vintage cars, vintage watches have a certain appeal that make people turn their heads and go "Wow! That's so cool!". Seeing a railroad-certified pocket watch from the late 1800s, a trench watch that survived the theatre of war, or an early slide rule bezel watch like a Breitling Navitimer, which pilots used to calculate fuel consumption, distance, and speed well before computers even existed, often leads to admiration and appreciation of the fine craft that is watchmaking.

Many iconic watches and brands, including the Cartier Santos, Omega Speedmaster, and Rolex Submariner, are considered vintage. These watches (along with countless others we could have included) have withstood the test of time and are still in high demand amongst enthusiasts and those just getting into watches. Their designs are considered timeless and classic, not outdated or a fad, so they'll always be in style.

Vintage watches can be passed down as heirloom pieces, keeping the memory of loved ones alive. Some pieces have names, initials, and inscriptions carved into the back. Businesses often gave watches to long-time employees to celebrate their retirement or other milestone achievements. Sometimes watches were wedding gifts for a bride and groom, commemorating their special day.

Battery Changes In Quartz Watches Can Be A Hassle

Many quartz watches have screw-down casebacks, which makes them nearly impossible to open without proper tools. These tools are available on websites such as Amazon, but they can damage your watch if you aren't careful. If you are unfamiliar with these tools, it's best to take your quartz watch to a certified watch repair shop to have the battery replaced.

Batteries in quartz watches typically last anywhere from 3-5 years. We recommend replacing the battery as soon as the watch stops ticking. Doing so will prevent permanent damage from leaking batteries.

Some people believe that pulling the crown out of their quartz watch will increase battery life. This actually doesn't have any effect on battery life. Read our article Should You Pull The Crown Out Of Your Quartz Watch To Save Battery Life? to learn more.

Summary

The watch you choose should reflect your personality, style, and budget. If you are looking for an affordable, reliable, accurate timepiece with low maintenance, consider a quartz watch.

Tip: If you are going to purchase a watch, any watch, be sure to do your research and look for brands that offer quality products. Avoid drop shipping and fast fashion websites as their watches are made with low quality materials and will break easily. These brands often do not have a warranty or will try to waste your time hoping you give up and they can keep your money. Don't fall victim to these sites.

If you are looking for a unique quartz watch inspired by one of the most photographed natural landmarks in Canada, check out our review of the Frank Forta Moraine Lake Collection and be sure to use the discount code at the bottom to save an extra 15%.

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