TimeTechTalk.com Home

TimeTechTalk.com > Time Tech Talk > Time Talk > Why Buy Quartz???

Welcome to 3T! Please take the time to register and join in on the friendly,knowledgeable watch talk.Please note that not all registrations will receive an immediate activation e-mail.Those who do not receive an immediate notification will be activated manually within 48hrs. by an admin. without an e-mail activation url sent to you,you may then sign in using your username and password,if you feel there is a problem please e-mail us at timetechtalk@hotmail.com and include your name and username and we activate your account.Thank You!

 Moderated by: 3T Page:    1  2  3  4  5  6  Next Page Last Page  
New Topic Reply Printer Friendly
Why Buy Quartz???  Rate Topic 
AuthorPost
 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 11:00 am
  PM Quote Reply
1st Post
tny795
3T WIS


Joined: Thu Sep 8th, 2005
Location:  
Posts: 2558
Status: 
Offline
I am puzzled by the number of people who buy quartz watches and are willing to spend upwards of 4 figures to do so.

Can anyone explain this?

Four figures for an automatic I can see, but quartz?!!?!!?!

A quartz Gevril for $350 makes no sense to me even though it is a Gevril.

I realize it's a convenience (of a sort) to have a quartz, but, for me, a pure mechanical or an automatic are the only way to go.  I'm one with my timepiece that way.

Thanks for whatever words you may have to offer.  :)

Last edited on Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 11:01 am by tny795

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 11:32 am
  PM Quote Reply
2nd Post
Alessandro
3T WIS


Joined: Tue Jul 24th, 2007
Location: Toronto, Ontario Canada
Posts: 78
Status: 
Offline
I recently spent almost $400 for a Quartz Seiko Prospex 300m diver (also known as the 'tuna'). I stopped buying quartz a long time ago; the battery on my Seiko quartz once ran out on me in the middle of a university exam and it made the Quartz weakenss all too evident. However, I bought the 'Tuna' becasue it has a high endurance battery, because I have about 10 automatic watches which I use, and I can keep the Quartz 'off' when i'm not using it. Most importantly, I bought the Tuna, because after looking at it for months in other forum members' pictures, or posts, I learned to like it, to the point that I wanted one. I also noticed it is highly sought after and its uniqueness makes it a classic that should retain good value if well kept - notwithstanding the fact that I would definitely use it for the purpose it was made.

Buying quartz, then, makes sense, if the watch has a certain following, if it is talked about in fora such as this, in other words by the people who might one day buy that watch from you. That said, considering that I spend at least $400 on food / groceries every month, that I don't smoke or drink much alcohol, then $400 is not all that much. Go ahead everyone, buy more wacthes, now you have the excuse. 

Last edited on Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 04:45 pm by Alessandro

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 04:41 pm
  PM Quote Reply
3rd Post
Dookie
3T WIS
 

Joined: Thu Oct 11th, 2007
Location:  
Posts: 282
Status: 
Offline
try posting this in the WUS HEQ forum.....i bet u get 2000 replies justifying quartz. Theres a market for both auto n quartz i reckon. Just diff pespectives. toon1.gif

chris

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 05:18 pm
  PM Quote Reply
4th Post
KenC
Admin


Joined: Sun Sep 4th, 2005
Location: Florida &, Arizona USA
Posts: 11288
Status: 
Offline
Well, I've seen all the justifications, and although I have a few quartz (3 to be exact and 2 of those need batteries), I still cannot justify it on a high end basis.  To me..."a quartz is a quartz is a quartz!"  I don't care if it's an Omega, Movado, Rolex or SongeBob Squarepants, they all keep time within a couple of seconds a month of each other.  I could justify something like a couple $100 on a high end G-Shock if I was in need of certain esoteric features, but I am not.

The quartz movement is cheap....yeah, yeah, yeah...I've heard all the stories about metal vs plastic back plates, gold connectors, more itty-bitty synthetic rubies for the analog conversion, but, at least to me, quartz is a cheap movement lacking the craftsmanship and soul of a mechanical/automatic.  A cheap quartz movement ( you can dress it up, but you still can't take it to the dance) in a quality case, just doesn't cut it...anything over $200 to $300 without precious stones or metals, just doesn't do it for me!

Well, that's just my opinion...I could be wrong....naw...I don't think so!:D

Rant over!

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 07:45 pm
  PM Quote Reply
5th Post
Eeeb
3T WIS


Joined: Sat Jun 30th, 2007
Location: Cowlumbus, Ohio USA
Posts: 30
Status: 
Offline
Isn't the "World Time Server" on the homepage a quartz? ThumbsUp02.gif

I collect both.  I like both.  One nice thing about my collection is I have almost all the important quartz watches (movements, not cases).  I'll never be able to do that for mechanicals :(

Last edited on Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 07:46 pm by Eeeb

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 08:37 pm
  PM Quote Reply
6th Post
tny795
3T WIS


Joined: Thu Sep 8th, 2005
Location:  
Posts: 2558
Status: 
Offline
     Well, for me, once I saw the smooth-as-silk gliding of the automatics or mechanicals, I couldn't take the clunk, clunk, clunk of the quartz.  I was embarrassed to wear one even though 99% of the people I know haven't a clue as to what an automatic is.

     Have to admit, too, that none of my pieces will ever be sold.  They're too much a part of my life now.  :):)

Ridiculous, I know, to be "in luv" with one's watches, but . . . :D

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 09:19 pm
  PM Quote Reply
7th Post
EricAldovino
Guest
 

Joined: 
Location:  
Posts: 
Status: 
Offline
I think Quartz watches suck bigtime.    NEVER, for that I'd just throw in the towel and strap a cell phone to my wrist.    The only way I'd wear a Seiko Tuna is if I threw a nice Seiko Automatic movt in it.   No quartz for me. snoopy1.gif

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 09:29 pm
  PM Quote Reply
8th Post
scottran
3T WIS


Joined: Thu Jan 24th, 2008
Location: Southwestern Pa, Pennsylvania USA
Posts: 2230
Status: 
Offline
Hi, only four of my collection watches are quarts.  They are all chronographs.  There many more watches out there that I would like to get yet and I just am not ready to drop the dime to get an automatic chrono.  I do find that i hardly wear my quartz.  The engineering and artistry af an automatic and especially a skeletonized movemant is hard to beat.  The watch I get the most compliments on surprisingly is my big red carbonfiber dial Akribos automatic.  When people ask to see it and they see the exhibition back they just say "COOL".  Cant get that with a quartz.  But,  In a hobbie as this you have people that like different things.  We need to be supportive of each other so the hobbie continues to grow so nobody feels snubbed.  I also collect antique tractors.  I would hope that hobbies stays as it is now.  You have the guys who really cant afford to have a top quality restoration done or even do one at all.  Then you have the ones that could spend 50 grand on a restoration and the ones in between.  I chair a tractor show here and we get over 300 tractors at our show and you can have one that was painted by a brush sitting beside one with a $5K paint job.  Thats the beauty of it.  If someone wants to get involved in a hobbie they can take it to the level their finances allow and still have fun doing it.   Does this make sense?  Scott

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 10:28 pm
  PM Quote Reply
9th Post
KenC
Admin


Joined: Sun Sep 4th, 2005
Location: Florida &, Arizona USA
Posts: 11288
Status: 
Offline
scottran wrote: Hi, only four of my collection watches are quarts.  They are all chronographs.  There many more watches out there that I would like to get yet and I just am not ready to drop the dime to get an automatic chrono.  I do find that i hardly wear my quartz.  The engineering and artistry af an automatic and especially a skeletonized movemant is hard to beat.  The watch I get the most compliments on surprisingly is my big red carbonfiber dial Akribos automatic.  When people ask to see it and they see the exhibition back they just say "COOL".  Cant get that with a quartz.  But,  In a hobbie as this you have people that like different things.  We need to be supportive of each other so the hobbie continues to grow so nobody feels snubbed.  I also collect antique tractors.  I would hope that hobbies stays as it is now.  You have the guys who really cant afford to have a top quality restoration done or even do one at all.  Then you have the ones that could spend 50 grand on a restoration and the ones in between.  I chair a tractor show here and we get over 300 tractors at our show and you can have one that was painted by a brush sitting beside one with a $5K paint job.  Thats the beauty of it.  If someone wants to get involved in a hobbie they can take it to the level their finances allow and still have fun doing it.   Does this make sense?  Scott
I SNUB quartz watches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! subtlelaugh.gif  Just kidding...some look great, but my preference is the soul of mechanical!

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 10:41 pm
  PM Quote Reply
10th Post
zippofan
3T WIS


Joined: Tue Feb 6th, 2007
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania USA
Posts: 2408
Status: 
Offline
My (re) introduction into watches was because I was so disgusted with changing batteries in my quartz watches, and a botched battery change by a jeweler that led to one of my Zippo watches fogging up when I was at Disney a couple years ago (albeit during Hurricane Wilma, but the watch was supposed to be 50m WR). The jeweler rectified the problem when I returned, however I was determined to get away from battery changes.  A quick search on the Bay for mechanical watches turned up Russians, perfect at the time for me as I wasn't looking to spend much money since I was still collecting Zippo lighters.  Little did I realize that my $25 Vostok Komandirskie would lead to my current collection of quite a few pieces.  Because I have managed to find the majority of Zippos that I wanted for my collection, I needed a new obsession...err hobby.  This led me to the Russian forum at WUS, PMWF and eventually 3T hand6.gif

For awhile I wouldn't even consider buying a quartz watch, concentrating on affordable Russians, including my first ever jeweled mechanical chronograph (not counting my 1 jewel Endura pin lever given to my by my grandmother in the early 70's - still have it though it needs a cleaning and no watchmaker will touch it).  Reading the forums broadened my interest and I found myself going to Japanese, then Swiss watches with a quick stop over into Bulova Accutrons, a very expensive proposition for restoration though the smoothest sweep second hand next to the Seiko Spring Drive, which itself is an electronic/mechanical hybrid like the Accutron.  As I researched and studied, I realized that I really don't have anything against quartz per se, especially if I changed the batteries myself so I equipped myself with tools to do so.

Today my collection includes hand wind, automatic, tuning fork, Eco Drive and standard quartz watches.  I like and wear them all, though I tend to prefer the mechanicals. Sometimes a grab and go quartz can be just the thing when I need it.  Other reasons for quartz are features like radio controlled accuracy, and in the case of my Suunto, compass/altimeter/barometer/thermometer etc. for camping trips.  I have a Seiko Tuna as well as a few other Seiko quartz.  I also love my Eco Drives, and a Campanola is a grail of mine but there are more mechanical watches ahead of it.  I want to learn more mechanical movements so I have enrolled in the TZ level 1 course and intend on doing level 2 as well. 

Even though I prefer mechanical movements, I figure if you like it, buy it, regardless of what "makes it tick".  JM2C...

Cheers,
Griff


Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 11:01 pm
  PM Quote Reply
11th Post
mcwright
Admin


Joined: Wed Sep 28th, 2005
Location: SCOTTSDALE, AZ
Posts: 4759
Status: 
Offline
Sometimes I wonder...

Where would we be if we had "mechanical" cell phones, mechanical iPods, or hand wound laptops?

Would you want to go back to "film" cameras?

Wait, put down your remote controls too. Let's go back to "crank" tuners (for those here that can remember having to get up to change a channel). I don't think so.

Why is it the quartz watch gets such a raw deal in technology? cat28.gif

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 11:16 pm
  PM Quote Reply
12th Post
Skipdawg
3T WIS


Joined: Thu Mar 29th, 2007
Location: Washington USA
Posts: 14965
Status: 
Offline
Quartz watches? I use to have over 20 of them. Mostly all of what I had in the 1990's, all have been sold, gifted or given away except for 3 wrist and 2 pocket watches. :D

Now days if not light powered like my G-shock or rechargable like my MTM I don't bother for I got tired of messing with batteries like many other folks. ;)

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

Current time is 01:12 pm Page:    1  2  3  4  5  6  Next Page Last Page    
TimeTechTalk.com > Time Tech Talk > Time Talk > Why Buy Quartz??? Top



Lead Theme By: Di @ UltraBB
UltraBB 1.17 Copyright © 2007-2012 Data 1 Systems
Page processed in 0.1443 seconds (40% database + 60% PHP). 28 queries executed.