Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Watches: Automatic vs. Quartz

I wanted an automatic watch. I have never owned one. I have been drooling over some Japanese Domestic Market Seiko automatics. Seiko Sarb017 and Sarb035 for examples. I love the idea of mechanical movements and craftsmanship(that I can afford).

But I have learned something about myself.

I have three Citizen and one Seiko quartz watches. I discovered that I like the steady beat of quartz second hands. I find it to be calming and reassuring. The movement of the mechanical second hands is too much for me. Some are smooth, but I don't think I am going to like the rapid tick tick tick.

Seiko has a spring drive movement that is a beautiful calm sweep but they are more than I am willing to spend on a watch.

I also discovered that I am too uptight to have a watch gain or lose time every day and be considered "in spec". Two weeks ago I synced them all and they are still all dead on.( I know quartz drifts too)

Oh well. Quartz it is. Well, maybe one mechanical. The exhibition backs on some of the mechanicals really do it for me.

shouldn't you say mechanical vs quartz?

an automatic watch is one that winds up the spring from your arm movements - no battery.

i think all quartz watches have a once-per-second beat of the seconds hand. (the Bulova Precisionist and a few others have a continuously sweeping seconds hand), but they're a bit costly.

that's all i can say as your post is not easy to comprehend, with seemingly some contradictions in it.
can you clarify?

Yes. You are right about the word mechanical.

I was excited to try a mechanical watch, but I think quartz matches my personality better.

What's a watch?

Oh yeah, one of those things I lose 3 months after buying.

Are watches less popular now? I feel weird if I'm not wearing one.

I haven't worn one in years. I have a Flex on that wrist and use my cell for the time.

I always liked watches, though!

Chris, I'm like you--I feel weird if I'm not wearing a watch. And I don't think watches are as popular nowadays--cell phones are replacing them, I believe.

A couple years ago I bought one of the cheaper Seiko automatic watches. I like the idea that I don't have to buy batteries all the time. The drawback, which is much more prevalent in the lower priced ones, is that it is slightly fast. I knew that going in so it doesn't bother me as much, just have to wind it back a bit every few months.

A friend of mine has a binary display watch... Rows of LEDs. He's an automation engineer who looses more IQ points in his sleep each night than I'll ever have. I cannot for life of tell time on that stupid thing...

I would probably feel weird too, except that I never had one on my wrist for more than 3 months. No kidding.

There really is no physical need for one anymore though.

I like having a watch. I also have a real need for an analog watch that is easy to set. I have to mark my students late if they are tardy at the beginning of class or coming back from any of our breaks. Being late could lead to them failing my class. I need to be able to easily sync to our bell schedule. I need to make sure that I am on time to my own class. Our school time is up to 2 minutes off network? time. If the students go by what their phones say, they could be late.

Wear this on your wrist?

While I haven't ever worn a watch regularly, and when I did, it wasn't for very long, I still liked the idea of this wristband being used for one when I saw it.

But yeah, like most people, I'm either using the clock at work when I need to know the time, or I'm looking at my phone when I'm anywhere else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV-SZQcS23Q

Here is the other end of the spectrum from the techie Cesium super atomic clock from CV's post. This one only costs $495,000. (I don't think it is quartz) but if I had that kind of money to spend on a watch I think I would get this.

I don't particularly like wearing a watch either. But I need one, or I'd be missing meetings all the time. I reckon I'm a bit weird, as I do not like things on my wrist, fingers, change in my pockets, etc.... I have never been able to wear anything around my neck either. Ties friggin drive me nuts.

So for watches, they have to be very light weight and have a low profile. For work, I get titanium watches. I've been wearing this one for the past few years.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X5LMB8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's very light, and I don't feel it on my wrist most of the time.

For dress, I splurged and bought a Cellini Classic.

Good one, Michael.

I tried this one on while Christmas shopping last month. Macy's had it on sale for close to $300. First Titanium watch I have tried. I was astonished.

I already have a black faced Citizen with orange numbers and anoth black Citizen with a similar bracelet.....but I am still tempted.

http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-BJ8075-58F-Eco-Drive-Shock-Proof-Titanium/dp/B009G6XLXW

I thought that anyone getting a failing grade could just go to the registrar's office and pay more money?

So, Chris, just how late and how many times does it take for the Professor Prickly you to emerge?

You are such a choosey material whore. Just one of the may reasons I like you.

Seriously dudes, you don't KNOW shopping for a "targeted" item unless you've done it with Chris. He's ruthless. It's fun.

Nice... unfortunately that's about 3x as expensive in Canada as in the US:

http://www.amazon.ca/Seiko-SGG735-Titanium-Bracelet-Watch/dp/B000X5LMB8

After seeing your post (didn't know about titanium watches, thanks !!) and researching a bit I went with the SGG709, about $150 up here but mineral glass instead of sapphire crystal so a lot easier to scratch/break. The titanium watches are really nice and light though, they make it worth revisiting the whole "watches are too heavy" thing.

My most-worn watch is an Orient Mako in black with a Super Engineer II bracelet. A nice combination of affordable (about $200 total), accurate and automatic. Probably would be wearing it with a stock bracelet if I hadn't done an oops and ordered it with the rubber strap.