The biggest difference between watches is the one you cannot see: the movement, either quartz or mechanical.
How quartz works
A battery powers a tiny quartz crystal that vibrates exactly 32,768 times a second. A circuit counts the vibrations and sends a pulse to the motor once a second, which is why most quartz seconds hands tick.
- Very accurate: typically within about 15 seconds a month
- Little upkeep: a new battery every two or three years (up to ten on some models)
- More affordable and more shock resistant
- Solar models charge from light and rarely need a battery
What a mechanical watch offers
A mechanical watch runs on a spring, wound by hand or by an automatic rotor: centuries of watchmaking in miniature.
- No battery
- A smooth, sweeping seconds hand
- Less accurate than quartz: a few seconds a day
- Needs a service every few years
- Built to last, often for generations
Which should you choose?
- For an accurate, carefree everyday watch, choose quartz or solar.
- If you love how watches are made and enjoy seeing the movement through the case back, choose a mechanical automatic.
- Many enthusiasts own both: quartz for sport and travel, mechanical for special days.
See our automatic watches.