Auto or quartz?

Tony · Oct 3, 2019

Lost my Seamaster a while back - it literally fell off my wrist without me knowing. I had just gotten it serviced at the Omega SC and bought a new band for it, too. Ugh! One of the pins slipped out, and poof - the watch was gone!
Anywho, mine was a mid-size, black face quartz model, and had what I think is outstanding accuracy - it would gain 3-4 seconds a month, as measured against the U.S. Naval Observatory Master Clock. But now that I'm gonna be looking for another one, I'm kinda intrigued by a mechanical movement. Looking at used ones on ebay, the autos are just a bit more expensive, but doable.
For those who own an auto Omega, how satisfied are you with it? Any thoughts on its accuracy/reliability? Thanks for any input...and wish me luck on my search!
Tony

P.S. The blue bezel and polished bezel is growing on me as well...

Canuck · Oct 3, 2019

If you were happy with the performance of the quartz watch you lost, probably you should stick to quartz. Even inexpensive quartz watches will outperform almost all but the very best mechanical watches. And the expense of chasing accuracy with even the best mechanical watches will not likely please you. Quartz! All the way. Unless you are prepared to rein in your expectations about watch performance.

As you peruse the posts on this MB, you may read about how pleased many owners are with the performance of their 3, 4, 5, or 6 thousand dollars mechanical watches. Mechanical watches CAN deliver a high standard of accuracy, comparable to quartz. But what sort of price are you comfortable with in deciding on an accurate watch?

vienna · Oct 3, 2019

I like both, if you are changing watches a lot a Quartz would be easier to handle because you don’t need to the set the time when you put it on in your rotation.

Automatics are mechanical masterpieces but never as accurate as a Quartz. At least in my experience.

I have both in my collection, SMP Quartz and Automatic and I like both a lot.

kind regards Max

BradleyJ. · Oct 3, 2019

I can't talk about accuracy since my only auto is my railmaster which I only wear on occasions when I'm dressed up. However for my daily i have a quartz SM and I love it. Its really nice to not have to worry about winding it up in the morning. I'd say go auto if it's your only watch and you wear it daily. It will keep it's time without having to wind and the accuracy will be more than enough for most people unless your are launching nukes or something lol.

Waltesefalcon · Oct 3, 2019

Accuracy wise you probably won't be happy if you are used to +3 to +4 sec. a month. I wear a 1960 Constellation every day and it is a very accurate mechanical watch, it gains nearly that much a day.

Walrus · Oct 3, 2019

Damn that is my biggest fear. It somehow happened to me with a movado I like. I was getting out of my car and somehow, despite it being a steel bracelet, it slipped over my hand onto the parking lot. When I got back to my car I thought I found a new watch only to realize it was mine. Sorry you lost yours, it’s like losing a wallet full of money but with more meaning to it. Stay with quartz if you like I have numerous ones that are twenty years old only had to change the battery and polish the crystal a few times.

Vercingetorix · Oct 3, 2019

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Seamaster_Omegamatic

03Hemi · Oct 3, 2019

So...that was your watch I found? Thank you

Braindrain · Oct 3, 2019

Maybe the watch gods are giving you a sign to try a totally different watch?

gbesq · Oct 3, 2019

I have two Omega automatics, an SMPc with the 2500D movement and a Globemaster with the METAS certified 8900 movement. Both keep excellent time and the Globemaster’s performance is darn close to what you would expect from a quartz movement. The trade off is price. A Globemaster will set you back $7,200 retail/$5,000 or so grey market for an all stainless steel model with the bracelet. It’s a beautiful watch, but you can certainly get many very nice looking quartz watches with even better accuracy for a lot less.

IanES · Oct 3, 2019

I'm probably totally wrong but I imagine that mechanical watches are assembled by highly skilled, wise old swiss guys wearing really thick glasses over many many hours hunched over their workbenches. Whereas a quartz watch movement is clipped together by a robot in around 0.5 seconds.

Of course I'm wrong. It's just the way I feel.

But if you want accuracy then buy quartz. If you want to put the watch in a drawer for a week and take it out and strap it on without fiddling with the time and date. Then buy quartz.

But if you want to keep all those wise old swiss gnomes in employment then buy mechanical. Just stop worrying about split second accuracy. In fact do what I do and set it 5 minutes fast and you won't miss a bus or be late for any meetings.

Tony · Oct 3, 2019

Yeah, the accuracy thing isn't that big a deal to me anymore - used to be, but now I'm leaning more toward the fine, old-fashioned craftsmanship involved in mechanical watches. And it would be my only watch, so it would stay wound up...

BradleyJ. · Oct 3, 2019

Looks like you already made your mind. Now it's just the thrill of the hunt.

vadimo · Oct 3, 2019

T Tony
Yeah, the accuracy thing isn't that big a deal to me anymore - used to be, but now I'm leaning more toward the fine, old-fashioned craftsmanship involved in mechanical watches. And it would be my only watch, so it would stay wound up...

I think it's right choice, in this day and age we depend on so many electronics and it's nice to have one thing that just works mechanically.

I love my Seamaster 300 checking time and love my Samsung Note 9 for when I need to know exact minute and second

Tony · Oct 3, 2019

Walrus
Damn that is my biggest fear. It somehow happened to me with a movado I like. I was getting out of my car and somehow, despite it being a steel bracelet, it slipped over my hand onto the parking lot. When I got back to my car I thought I found a new watch only to realize it was mine. Sorry you lost yours, it’s like losing a wallet full of money but with more meaning to it. Stay with quartz if you like I have numerous ones that are twenty years old only had to change the battery and polish the crystal a few times.

Yeah, it was/is heartbreaking. I saved up for that watch and wore it pretty much every day for 17 years. It didn't slip over my hand - I would have definitely felt that - it had to have let go off of my wrist.
But I think I'll go mechanical this time - the accuracy of quartz was great, but not really necessary.
I may put an ad in our WTB section here...

DaveK · Oct 3, 2019

Unless you are a one-watch guy and your watch is always wound, setting day/date might bug you on a mechanical if you go for those features

Engee · Oct 5, 2019

For me there’s something special about wearing a piece of fine engineering on my wrist. I’ve been wearing an automatic watch for over a year since I lost my quartz. I think there’s something magical about automatic watches. The perpetual quality of self-winding, using my movement to keep its movement going means that I’m in a relationship with the machine.

I’m a keen cyclist and ride regularly on a fixed-wheel bike. I get the same buzz from that as well. Riding a fixie means no freewheeling, no gears. If my legs aren’t moving then neither is the bike. I’m at one with the machine and the road.

Automatic watches may lose or gain a little but so what? I’ll use my smartphone if I need super-acccurate. And as someone else has said, now that I’ve acquired a second I’ll need to re-set when I switch between them, but again, that’s a small price to pay for the joy of a beautiful old timepiece.

Tony · Oct 8, 2019

Well, I've decided on an automatic this time around. The question now is whether or not the co-axial is worth the premium over the 1120 movement. If course, I also like the updated bracelet and the more scratch-resistant ceramic bezel available as well. No way I can get them new, so I'm going "pre-owned". And the co-axial "upgrade" comes at a pretty good added cost. Thoughts on 1120 vs CA?

Edwinowl · Oct 8, 2019

For me its like the difference between lets say a 60s Ferrari where you get the engine smells the leather rev counter sticks a bit and then the most modern Ferrari which has all the latest toys and gadgets and will wipe your backside for you lol. Im 60s all the way. They both work.

saulgoodman · Oct 8, 2019

T Tony
Lost my Seamaster a while back - it literally fell off my wrist without me knowing. I had just gotten it serviced at the Omega SC and bought a new band for it, too. Ugh! One of the pins slipped out, and poof - the watch was gone!
Anywho, mine was a mid-size, black face quartz model, and had what I think is outstanding accuracy - it would gain 3-4 seconds a month, as measured against the U.S. Naval Observatory Master Clock. But now that I'm gonna be looking for another one, I'm kinda intrigued by a mechanical movement. Looking at used ones on ebay, the autos are just a bit more expensive, but doable.
For those who own an auto Omega, how satisfied are you with it? Any thoughts on its accuracy/reliability? Thanks for any input...and wish me luck on my search!
Tony

P.S. The blue bezel and polished bezel is growing on me as well...

I own both a Speedmaster Pro which is mechanical, and a Seamaster 2264.50 which has a calibre 1538 quartz movement. As far as automatic watches go, you already know they will never be as accurate as a quartz watch. My Speedmaster runs +2 a day and I am very happy with that. Maintaining accuracy with a mechanical movement is all about proper maintenance and regulation. Be aware that these two things will cost you. I find that owning this particular combination of watches provides me with the best of both worlds. In the end, it all comes down to what you find important, but if I were looking for just one do it all watch, I would look for a nice pre-owned Seamaster Aqua Terra. Good luck on your search!

Auto or quartz?

Tony

Canuck

vienna

BradleyJ.

Waltesefalcon

Walrus

Vercingetorix

03Hemi

Braindrain

gbesq

IanES

Tony

BradleyJ.

vadimo

Tony

DaveK

Engee

Tony

Edwinowl

saulgoodman

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