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.