What can mechanical watches do that quartz can't?

[ippon20]

I like the idea of having a watch that relies on me as much as I rely on it. It forms a bond between myself and the years of innovation and craftsmanship of watchmaking.

[JBat]

Originally Posted by ippon20

I like the idea of having a watch that relies on me as much as I rely on it. It forms a bond between myself and the years of innovation and craftsmanship of watchmaking.

I like that. Very eloquent way of puttting it.

[Rikki]

If you get a chance take a look at the seiko spring drive movement very cool. Rikki

[stevenrobinson]

Likewise a mechanical watch will fill your wallet and a quartrz will not:

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

A mechanical watch will empty my wallet and a quartz will not.
dP

[BarkMaster]

Originally Posted by JBat

I like that. Very eloquent way of puttting it.

x2

[cody p]

Originally Posted by FlyingMoose

Any other examples of something that a mechanical watch can do that a quartz watch can't?

let's see: cost more, be less accurate, require some form of regular winding, require an expensive service every 5-7 years. remind me again why i bought one?

[AWATCH]

tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock...

when I was younger i use could hear it...

[brady]

Originally Posted by Saxon007

Sweep

I have a Bulova Accutron Railroad watch that begs to differ, it uses a tuning fork for timing and doesn't tick period.

[SubRem24]

Quartz watches are like mechanical watches with a pacemaker. When the battery runs out you die...

[DanP]

Originally Posted by Rikki

If you get a chance take a look at the seiko spring drive movement very cool. Rikki

I seen that bad boy in the new watchtime very very cool and a great read to boot!

Dan

[padi56]

Well both quartz and mechanical will both tell the time the quartz in general far more accurately so what to choose a automatic, hand-wind, Or Quartz.

For me, the dividing line is really between hand-wound on the one side, and automatic and quartz on the other.Quartz are far more accurate than mechanical.And some hybrid quartz today have a perfect sweep second hand

But myself prefer a hand-wound movement it "lives" because you actively want it to run . you sort of breathe life into it, and you have to do it on purpose. I think that's an entirely different attitude toward a watch than merely picking it up and find it working. And knowing that it will continue to do so without additional intervention by yourself.And IMHO makes you just part of the soul of the watch,and I like having to wind it each day,to keep its heart beating.

When I pick up one of my hand-winds and wind it, the whole process, the act of winding, just seems to have a sense of history and tradition to it. This makes hand-winds special to me. I can imagine my grandfather, and his father, and his father's father performing the same daily ritual. It's a connection to the past horology speaking.


An automatic movement runs just because of gravity and the fact that you are not dead and still, and are moving alive and kicking to speak.Or as long as the electric winder doesn't stop or burn out. In that sense now especially on a winder, I find automatic movements sometimes as "soul-less" as quartz, when compared to a true hand-wound movement. One might argue that an automatic movement on a winder is not so much "alive" as permanently undergoing gentle resuscitation.I for one deplore the demise of the hand-wound movements. I like flat thin type watches, and hand-wound movements are inherently flatter thinner than automatics. But most watch cases today are built to accommodate the higher thicker automatic movements.

In this crazy horological world today there is room for Quartz and all the other deviations,of quartz mechanical high-breeds Manual,Automatic,or Quartz,for a divers watch, I will say both Quartz but mechanical, automatic only to preserve the crown water proofing, and so manual wind a no no IMHO for this type of watch now today.

[Rawhyde]

What does a mechanical watch do that a quartz watch can't?

Run for longer than a year. I've literally had dozens of the things and they just won't live on my wrist. Maybe they've improved since 1989, but I won't waste any more of my money to find out. I got my first Rolex in Feb 1990, and I've had a reliable watch ever since!

Rawhyde

[tthopp05]

Originally Posted by Numismatist

Quartz watches can not evoke that sense of history and craftsmanship that I admire in mechanical watches...

[Blue Lantern]

Kind of a dreary thought, but if there's ever a nuclear attack, your quartz watch and cell phone will likely stop but your automatic will keep ticking.

[kkwn98]

Originally Posted by Rawhyde

What does a mechanical watch do that a quartz watch can't?

Run for longer than a year.

Really?

I've literally had dozens of the things and they just won't live on my wrist. Maybe they've improved since 1989, but I won't waste any more of my money to find out. I got my first Rolex in Feb 1990, and I've had a reliable watch ever since!

Rawhyde

I should hope so. I have a simple Casio digital watch, given to me in 1995, which is still running just fine - no battery change yet.

[Brushpup]

Originally Posted by Numismatist

Quartz watches can not evoke that sense of history and craftsmanship that I admire in mechanical watches...

Nor can a quartz watch evoke that feeling of it having a "soul"

[vitix]

well one difference is the 1/10 seccond that the mechanical stopwatches does not have like te daytona, but... who uses that?
i have some quartz wathes like the Tag Heuer Formula 1, but i had some others that when the battery died i dint change it in a while and the battery has this acid that damaged the watch machine and the watchmaker told me... its better to get a new watch, dont fix it... is not worthy

then... i only have mechanical watches...

[staplejj33]

let me put it to you this way? what can a 1969 Mach I Mustang dripping with speed and power and testosterone do that a Toyota Prius can't do? they both fit on roads and go from A to B.

oh yeah - a Prius will never make you feel like a bad ass. like ur indianna jones or chuck yeager or wyatt frikin earp. like you can hunt and fight and make fire from sticks. but a mustang, a mustang puts you right back streetfighting in the 50's, piloting a dogfighter, captaining a pirate ship, like you can conquer any foe, bag any bird, and single-handedly save the world from frikin ANYTHING. things built by men to let men feel like men in a world of sissified, gutless, crybabies. beer. muscle cars. steak. cigars. anything metal. anything with a gear. anything that requires blood or sweat or elbow grease to create. a Rolex.

yessir, a Prius'll never make you feel like fighting crime. and nothing says "I'm hardcore" like knowing, as you battle fires and detain criminals and fly and dive and roll in the dirt or sand or mud or muck, that the $5000 lump of shiny on your arm can take all the knocks you can.

no battery-powered tinker toy makes you feel like that. that's something it CAN'T do. :)

[The Baron]

Justify a big price tag.

Who would pay more than $50 for a timex movement in a nice case?

[kkwn98]

Originally Posted by staplejj33

let me put it to you this way? what can a 1969 Mach I Mustang dripping with speed and power and testosterone do that a Toyota Prius can't do? they both fit on roads and go from A to B.

oh yeah - a Prius will never make you feel like a bad ass. like ur indianna jones or chuck yeager or wyatt frikin earp. like you can hunt and fight and make fire from sticks. but a mustang, a mustang puts you right back streetfighting in the 50's, piloting a dogfighter, captaining a pirate ship, like you can conquer any foe, bag any bird, and single-handedly save the world from frikin ANYTHING. things built by men to let men feel like men in a world of sissified, gutless, crybabies. beer. muscle cars. steak. cigars. anything metal. anything with a gear. anything that requires blood or sweat or elbow grease to create. a Rolex.

yessir, a Prius'll never make you feel like fighting crime. and nothing says "I'm hardcore" like knowing, as you battle fires and detain criminals and fly and dive and roll in the dirt or sand or mud or muck, that the $5000 lump of shiny on your arm can take all the knocks you can.

no battery-powered tinker toy makes you feel like that. that's something it CAN'T do. :)

That's some fantasy world you've conjured up there!

Originally Posted by The Baron

Justify a big price tag.

Who would pay more than $50 for a timex movement in a nice case?

Plenty of people.

[Bullyterrier]

let me put it to you this way? what can a 1969 Mach I Mustang dripping with speed and power and testosterone do that a Toyota Prius can't do? they both fit on roads and go from A to B.

oh yeah - a Prius will never make you feel like a bad ass. like ur indianna jones or chuck yeager or wyatt frikin earp. like you can hunt and fight and make fire from sticks. but a mustang, a mustang puts you right back streetfighting in the 50's, piloting a dogfighter, captaining a pirate ship, like you can conquer any foe, bag any bird, and single-handedly save the world from frikin ANYTHING. things built by men to let men feel like men in a world of sissified, gutless, crybabies. beer. muscle cars. steak. cigars. anything metal. anything with a gear. anything that requires blood or sweat or elbow grease to create. a Rolex.

yessir, a Prius'll never make you feel like fighting crime. and nothing says "I'm hardcore" like knowing, as you battle fires and detain criminals and fly and dive and roll in the dirt or sand or mud or muck, that the $5000 lump of shiny on your arm can take all the knocks you can.

no battery-powered tinker toy makes you feel like that. that's something it CAN'T do.

Originally Posted by kkwn98

That's some fantasy world you've conjured up there!

With writing skills like that it is no wonder America is the movie making capital of the world!

[Rebel]

A quartz doesn't work well in a winder.

[cody p]

Originally Posted by Rebel

A quartz doesn't work well in a winder.

define 'well'.

[nektar]

i like the tradition..

[zseriessub]

Originally Posted by Bullyterrier

Do you have candles in your house instead of electric lights then?

Candles are for light? I thought they were to make your home smell like pumpkin spice.

[Esquire]

Originally Posted by staplejj33

let me put it to you this way? what can a 1969 Mach I Mustang dripping with speed and power and testosterone do that a Toyota Prius can't do? they both fit on roads and go from A to B.

oh yeah - a Prius will never make you feel like a bad ass. like ur indianna jones or chuck yeager or wyatt frikin earp. like you can hunt and fight and make fire from sticks. but a mustang, a mustang puts you right back streetfighting in the 50's, piloting a dogfighter, captaining a pirate ship, like you can conquer any foe, bag any bird, and single-handedly save the world from frikin ANYTHING. things built by men to let men feel like men in a world of sissified, gutless, crybabies. beer. muscle cars. steak. cigars. anything metal. anything with a gear. anything that requires blood or sweat or elbow grease to create. a Rolex.

yessir, a Prius'll never make you feel like fighting crime. and nothing says "I'm hardcore" like knowing, as you battle fires and detain criminals and fly and dive and roll in the dirt or sand or mud or muck, that the $5000 lump of shiny on your arm can take all the knocks you can.

no battery-powered tinker toy makes you feel like that. that's something it CAN'T do. :)

You need a watch for that?

Lots of mechanical elitists here that do not know much about quartz movements. Aside from "beating" because a mechanical has all moving parts, not a single post has quantified a difference between quartz and mechanical.

And as for those that say a mechanical will work a lot longer than a quartz, really? Consider how much "work" you have to put in to power a mechanical watch over a two-to-three-year period, and compare that with taking a quartz in for a battery change once a year.

[staplejj33]

esquire, you're right. i think people pick mechanical over quartz based on history, it's the only REAL advantage hundreds of years ago a 16-year-old kid was filing down tiny, precise gears and levers and springs, immaculately assembling them, one at a time, to exacting specifications. this took hours, days, even MONTHS, all so that a bunch of tiny, intricate pieces of metal could bang around into eachother thousands of times every minute and display, with uncanny accuracy, the passing of time. this tradition of capturing time has been passed on for HUNDREDS of years. it was more than a trade, it was a craft, an artform. as time evolved, the parts became smaller, more delicate, more demanding, and the knowledge, patience and skill required to construct these tiny, self powered machines grew exponentially. then they became more complicated. then they became more resiliant. then they became heirlooms, status symbols, engineering phenomena. then someone figured out you could pop a battery into a circuit board and if you got enough robots to slap em together FOR you they could be made at 50 cents a pop and sold for 20 bucks.

saying there's high-end quartz is like saying there's high-end flashlights. you pop a battery in and - magic! - a light comes on. mechanical watches helped sailors navigate new worlds and were given as gifts to royalty and allowed the global expansion of railroad systems. mechanical watches timed the first drag races and olympic events and pioneering flights. mechanical watches rescued ASTRONAUTS - from the MOON!!! it's not a tiny clock for your arm, it's the culmination of HUNDREDS of years of innovaion, technology, and creativity. quartz watches are the culmination of robots, and marketing, and making stuff that used to be exclusive available to eveyone.

i know lots about quartz. it's not hard to soak it all in - the history only goes back about 40 years. :)

of COURSE i'm a mechanical elitist, and i think really cool things should be really hard to get, and i think quartz watches exemplify the opposite of that philosophy making really cool things really cheap and widely available. you can be a complete FAILURE and still get a Timex - quartz made it ok to not achieve anything and still have a watch. i like the thought of having to bust my rear to make good enough grades to get a good enough job and just ONE MORE PROMOTION so i can claim my trophy of success. not so the world can know, but so that i can know i succeeded. but that's me. i'll also never flip the Seiko Sportura my dad got me when i got home from the Navy. :)

i'm just an old-school mech snob. with WAY too much time on his hands. :)

[Bullyterrier]

Originally Posted by staplejj33

of COURSE i'm a mechanical elitist, and i think really cool things should be really hard to get, and i think quartz watches exemplify the opposite of that philosophy making really cool things really cheap and widely available. you can be a complete FAILURE and still get a Timex - quartz made it ok to not achieve anything and still have a watch.

Surely that is what has happened to mechanical watches over the years? You can get a mechanical watch anywhere and very cheaply! Unfortunately time passes everyone by whether you have failed at life or made it..And the only thing in life you can guarantee is death. And you will be put in the ground or burnt like the guy with a timex on his wrist! Unfortunately this is the snobbish attitude that I think stinks in this modern materialistic world today.

[BASSETHOUNDS]

Some mechanical watches make my hart tick faster .... no quartz has ever done that .

[milg]

I agree with gerardus; having a mechanical is almost like having a living thing...it sorta transcends just being a machine. I think this is especially true of automatics.