Upheavals caused by quartz watches 1970s

[spoilsofwar01]

I was chatting to a watch maker acquaintance and we touch upon buying and selling of vintage mechanical watches, it was interesting learn that pre 1970's watches are a better build condition as...... soon after the invention of the quartz clock, a quartz wristwatch followed. In 1967 the Centre Electornique Horlonger in Switzerland released the first quartz wristwatch prototype. Soon after, a Japanese company released the first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.

Economic upheavals caused by the advent of quartz watches in the 1970s and early 1980s, which largely replaced mechanical watches. It caused a decline of the Swiss watchmaking industry, which chose to remain focused on traditional mechanical watches. I also learnt that to remain economical and to compete with quartz watches there was a need to make mechanical watches in a manner that was of lesser quality than them that had came before...Id be interested to learn more of Rolex's involvement with quartz movements prior to googling it.

[GradyPhilpott]

Google is your friend.

Things got so bad for the Swiss watch industry that the Japanese were ready to buy up every failing company.

Nicolas Hayek was hired to broker that deal, but had a change of heart and instead started the Swatch company that was so successful that Hayek was able to form the Swatch Group and buy up all those failing companies.

Look up the Swatch Group to see all the companies that were ready to fold or were brought back to life.

https://www.google.com/search?q=quar...nt=firefox-b-1

https://www.google.com/search?client....0.hCbs4bxE7uE

https://www.google.com/search?client....0.KGTPptvlr4w

[bkdc]

Swatch saved the Swiss watch industry. And I mean those colorful watches from the 80's. Now that Swiss watches are jewelry pieces, they can better withstand the smartphone upheaval of today.

Seiko has to be credited with amazing horologic innovation. Successfully bringing the Spring Drive to market is a testament to Seiko's ability to innovate to this day. When I think of reliable Swiss pieces, I think of Rolex. When I think of quartz, I think of Seiko (not Rolex) because historically, Seiko is quartz, and it almost single handedly destroyed the Swiss watch market.

[pickettt]

Originally Posted by bkdc

Now that Swiss watches are jewelry pieces, they can better withstand the smartphone upheaval of today.

On that note, I am in awe of how many people don't wear wristwatches at all. I've got a cell phone too, but I cannot go without my wristwatch.

[MrTwi]

Originally Posted by pickettt

On that note, I am in awe of how many people don't wear wristwatches at all. I've got a cell phone too, but I cannot go without my wristwatch.

Why? Seriously, why?

Everywhere I look, there is a clock.

Go into any building, there is usually a clock on the wall.
Go into your car, there is a clock
Go into your house. Who doesn't have a clock in their house, if not on the DVR?

Walking outside? Look up. There is this thing called the Sun (do not look directly at it). Man lived for 100,000 years without clocks.

Look in your pocket, there is a clock.

The only place without a clock? A casino.

[pilotjim]

Originally Posted by MrTwi

Why? Seriously, why?

Everywhere I look, there is a clock.

Go into any building, there is usually a clock on the wall.
Go into your car, there is a clock
Go into your house. Who doesn't have a clock in their house, if not on the DVR?

Walking outside? Look up. There is this thing called the Sun (do not look directly at it). Man lived for 100,000 years without clocks.

Look in your pocket, there is a clock.

The only place without a clock? A casino.

Nonsense.

Beaches, parks, lakes, rivers, mountains, fishing, hiking, skiing, camping, playing ball, running, jogging, walking, working outdoors, playing outdoors.....


And on and on.....

If looking at the sun works for you, more power to you. The rest of us prefer some type of accurate time-keeping device.

[powerfunk]

Originally Posted by bkdc

historically, Seiko is quartz, and it almost single handedly destroyed the Swiss watch market.

Seiko was showing signs of curb-stomping the Swiss before they ever made a quartz watch. As Padi loves to tell, Seiko "mopped the floor" so badly with the Swiss watch companies at the Neuchatel Observatory Competitions that they stopped having the competitions. They started simply certifying chronometers instead.

Once quartz came around, the Swiss eventually went the upmarket/jewelry route, but when mechanical watches were still the best way to keep time on the wrist, off-the-shelf Grand Seikos kept better time than the finest competition-made watches the Swiss could come up with at Neuchatel. Seiko was straight-up better at manufacturing precision mechanical timepieces than the Swiss, before the quartz "crisis."

And the Swiss had just as much of a chance to make affordable quartz watches as Seiko did. Oysterquartz Day-Dates had a higher MSRP than regular Day-Dates when they came out; it took a lot of innovation and engineering to bring the price point down. Seiko did it best, just like they made the best mechanical watches at Neuchatel.

Seiko only almost "destroyed" the Swiss by straight-up outcompeting them. The only thing they couldn't do better? Design! To me it was never about whether it was quartz or mechanical; Seiko has the Swiss beat in the movement manufacturing process regardless. But Rolex, Patek etc. keep making beautiful, timeless iconic designs that Seiko just...doesn't. That's it.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by powerfunk

Seiko was showing signs of curb-stomping the Swiss before they ever made a quartz watch. As Padi loves to tell, Seiko "mopped the floor" so badly with the Swiss watch companies at the Neuchatel Observatory Competitions that they stopped having the competitions. They started simply certifying chronometers instead.

Once quartz came around, the Swiss eventually went the upmarket/jewelry route, but when mechanical watches were still the best way to keep time on the wrist, off-the-shelf Grand Seikos kept better time than the finest competition-made watches the Swiss could come up with at Neuchatel. Seiko was straight-up better at manufacturing precision mechanical timepieces than the Swiss, before the quartz "crisis."

And the Swiss had just as much of a chance to make affordable quartz watches as Seiko did. Oysterquartz Day-Dates had a higher MSRP than regular Day-Dates when they came out; it took a lot of innovation and engineering to bring the price point down. Seiko did it best, just like they made the best mechanical watches at Neuchatel.

Seiko only almost "destroyed" the Swiss by straight-up outcompeting them. The only thing they couldn't do better? Design! To me it was never about whether it was quartz or mechanical; Seiko has the Swiss beat in the movement manufacturing process regardless. But Rolex, Patek etc. keep making beautiful, timeless iconic designs that Seiko just...doesn't. That's it.

Great post Rob

[surgcmdr]

When the apocalypse happens and no one has electricity my sub will keep time for awhile. Can't kill zombies right without synchronize watch for the perfect triangular fire

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