Hi Guys, wanted to ask a question, having owned some quartz watches in the past nothing high end at all by any means. Most of my high end watches are automatic or manual wind watches and of course I am fine with that.

So, I was thinking of adding a high end watch to my collection, however it is housed with a Thermo compensated Quartz, yeah fancy name, but I want to ask if any of you guys have knowledge on these movements, not what they are or how they work, read a nice long article on that. Just your opinions whatever they may be, gimmick...interesting...silly...can't compare to any automatic or manual movement....something good to ad to the collection....will never be taken seriously......things like that whatever comes to mind. The watch looks killer..to me at least but $ to value of this movement ratio but not sure how to state exactly what I mean, what I think I am saying is how to determine the value and quality for the price. Hope it makes sense if anyone wants to know more I can fill you in, but want an unbiased opinion without knowing the brand first. Thanks hope not too confusing. Cheers

 

The quarts crystal commonly found in watches are optimized for a flat temperature response around room temperature. Above and below this, the drift is fairly high. When the watch is worn, the temperature is quite stable. So even a cheap quartz crystal is apparently very accuate. But when you take off the watch, the drift rare increases. And here the temperature compensation comes in handy.

Quality quartz watches are quite collectable. But apparently not by all it seems... I'd like to have a X-33 at some point.

 

There is mention of Omega's thermocompensated quartz movements here: http://forums.watchuseek.com/f45/fa...ega-seamaster-200-pre-bond-series-316149.html

It is supposedly a very special quartz movement but I cannot speak to the technical aspects why.

 

If one are interested in the history of watchmaking, and not only the part that was mostly killed off by about 1970, Quartz watch movements and other hybrids should be looked into. There are actually some very interesting ones out there!

Also in the times of "only mechanical" it was plenty of low quality shit that even the most stubborn "old school" collectors (none mentioned specifically) would steer clear of. With Quartz the industry got a way to produce very low cost movements that actually worked rather well (unlike the cheap mechanical equivalents).
Pieter Doensen wrote a very good book covering the modern watch designs (aka battery powered).
http://doensen.home.xs4all.nl/
His site also contains some interesting information but the book is actually of interest for an open minded collector/enthusiast.

I am for one very much fascinated by the great mechanical designs, but also intrigued with the modern world. Maybe my lack of fear for this comes from the fact that I grew up during the Quartz era and not prior to it?

My latest arrival is actually a Omega MegaQuartz 32khz (just the "Mega" name was enough to want one in the collection ). Pics, and surely some comments will follow!

 

I know the Megasonic line is not quartz, but being also battery-powered I think it's close enough. I just love the hmmmmmmmmmmmm sound it makes, and the smooth movement of the second hand is as gripping as an episode of House of Cards .

 

Hi, the quartz crystal resonates mechanically as I understand it? That makes quartz watches a little bit mechanical Anyway, I think mechanical and quartz can be equally amazing. Especially thermocompensated quartz. They are just different in spirit.

 

Got one of those as well.....

Pure porn!!!

 

Not in the purest sense since the movement of the hands are made with electrical motors.

The tuning forks (f300/f720) on the other hand are more "border line", and also the Dynatron (and similar electrics) using magnets and switches to swing a mechanical balance.

 

WOW! Firestorm! lighten up guys! To each his own and all that stuff. I love mechanical watches, the older the better, about half my watches are the high side of a hundred years old and are worn regularly BUT.....

I still keep a quartz timekeeper handy to set them buy. Ignoring quartz is like locking yourself in a timewarp. There are some real beauties out there. They are a tough and amazingly accurate.

They are also an effective tool if you need something to tell time for years without service or worry.... something you can beat the shit out of or drop.....

I cannot say that about my beloved Constellation

So go buy yourself a Timex and have some fun!