Polling the Audience: Automatic vs. Quartz
Above Photo Credit: jurvetson
Yes, automatic watches are cool. Through engineering, springs, and gears, your watch won’t need a battery. And yes quartz is cheap and easy. It’s the automatic transmission of watch making. But the bottom line for me is this: If it feels like it’s built well, looks great, and keeps the time, then I don’t care if it runs on Mexican jumping beans.
The devotion to Automatic watches seems akin to the devotion some have for selvage denim. That’s great if you’re all about the Japanese looms. I’ll be more than happy with my 501s and Todd Sheltons.
The following examples are all automatics. Some are affordable, some aren’t. Quartz alternatives are thrown in for comparison’s sake, and they don’t always make a strong case for their side. Votes go at the bottom of the page.
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Under $100: Invicta Pro Diver – $81.98
| Orient Black Mako – $98.91
Both used as evidence that autos can be inexpensive. If Invicta and Orient can make autos for under $100 that get great reviews on Amazon, why can’t or won’t the other guys? This $1000 watch from Movado? It’s a quartz.
The Quartz Alternative: Invicta Pro Diver Silver-Tone – $69.99
Seiko 5 SNZH63 – $135.00
| Seiko 5 SNZH27 – $142.95
The Seiko 5 line is legendary for its affordable automatics. They’re dependable, durable, and it’s just a matter of finding one with an exterior to your liking. Both of these carry their stainless links well, but both would look excellent with a leather band swapped in. And at around $140, you can afford to switch out the band.
The Quartz Alternative: Seiko SNN233 (with chronograph) – $216.00
Hamilton Silver Dial Field Watch – $393.75
And you thought the new J. Crew Timex was pricey. If you have smaller wrists and a larger wallet, $400 will get you a lot of good looks with this one. Nice silver dial, an even better stand out crown.
The Quartz Alternative: That damn Timex 1600 from J. Crew – $195, or the Wenger Teragraph – $135
Tissot T-Sport PRS 516 Black Dial – $394.98
|Silver Dial – $408.99
There’s not a lot of pure watch making companies that produce time pieces in the Tissot price range. Nothing really below the mid $200s, with Autos starting near $400. Mainly modern styling.
The Quartz Alternative: Tissot T-Sport PRC200 Chrono – $269.88
ESQ Automatic Black Teju Leather Strap – $450.00
The ESQ line is the easiest brand to see where Auto and Quartz separate in price. Made by Movado, the automatic price starts to sniff half a grand. A very VERY similar looking watch with a quartz movement clocks in around $300:
The Quartz Alternative: ESQ Chronicle Black Teju Leather Strap – $295.00
So where do you come down on the auto vs. quartz issue? Cast your vote below, and feel free to drop a comment in the comments section as well. Let’s try to keep any potential snobbery to a minimum.
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I like a quartz military watch like a Timex or Swiss Army that can take a beating while still looking good, but for anything dressier/more expensive I do prefer an automatic
Wow, under $100 for an automatic. Now do I want the Orient or Invicta….
i pick mechanical movements b/c i appreciate time.. also there’s something to be said about giving life to the watch..
I actually just got the automatic Invicta Pro Diver 8928ob in the mail yesterday…similar to the stainless steel/black shown above but it’s stainless steel/gold with a blue face. I am very impressed so far…excellent feel, good movement, great look.
I haven’t had it long enough to comment on the durability or longevity, or even accuracy, but so far, so good. For $73 on Amazon, it can’t be beat.
However, I have a Citizen Eco-Drive that I have had for 6 years wearing almost every day that I love…needs no battery, and keeps on ticking.
For me, I’ve always kind of wanted an automatic because of the engineering marvel behind in (in my opinion)…however, I wasn’t going to shell out hundreds and hundreds of dollars for it.
I disagree with the selvage denim analogy. Automatic watches are little engineering masterpieces, with hundreds of tiny little gears all spinning together in harmony to tell you the time. It’s not really about price. Your much too focused on the price difference between automatic and quartz. Automatic and quartz are fundamentally different and yes, if you want something affordable, your best bet is a quartz. But if you want something great, something that represents the pinnacle in human micro-mechanical engineering, something that will last your lifetime and even longer, then you shell out some goddamn money and buy an automatic.
Beyond that, there are some guys out there, like myself, who understand the value and precision inherent in say, a Patek Phillipe Calatrava. But there are also guys out there who just want something that’s affordable and tells time. And that’s okay too.
I really don’t care either way. I care more about the look of the watch. That being said, I have about 10 automatics and only 4 quartz watches. Not for any reason other than the ones I liked happened to be automatic. Quartz watches are so much easier in that you never have to worry about setting the time or putting it in a winder. That being said the next 3 or 4 watches I’m looking at all happen to be automatic….go figure…great post by the way! Keep up the great work!
Love my automatics! Big fan of the Miyota “auto” movements that power many inexpensive but very well made Invicta’s, Androids and other brands.
Seiko makes some nice looking “military style” watches in their Seiko 5 series (the movement that is used is very “bullet proof”), their is a guy out on the web that sells some very reasonable priced custom military style Seiko’s in the $120 to $150 range (yobokies).
The Orient is going to be my next watch purchase, probably in blue rather than black. I will replace the strap with a ‘James Bond’ style striped black and grey nylon.
Having grown up near the old Hamilton Watch Factory, I’ve always wanted one of their automatic watches. They still exist in name, but the brand and technology was bought by Swatch, if I’m not mistaken.
I have both and I like both. I don’t have a watch-winder which means anytime I’m going to wear the automatic, I have to set the time. Not a big deal, but all things being equal, I’ll take the quartz. I know automatics can last much longer than quartz but I never keep things that long to find out. I can get 10 years out of a quartz easy albeit not on the same battery. Ten years is enough for me. Unless we’re talking a >$1000 watch, but I’m not “that” guy.
Quartz is fine as long as the price of the watch reflects the inexpensive quartz movement. I have a hard time justifying an expensive quartz watch when the movement costs pennies. I feel fine dropping more cash on a watch that has an automatic movement made by the watch company itself, rather than a generic movement used by multiple makers. If it’s a generic movement (miyota, eta) then the price should also reflect that.
Would you drop hundreds or thousands on a digital watch? Then why do the same for quartz?
Regarding the $195 Timex 1600 by J. Crew: My girlfriend gave me one for Christmas while it was $150 with a “buy a certain amount, get 25% off” promotion after I oogled at its looks while shopping at J. Crew one day. I must say, while I personally wouldn’t shell out $200 for it, it is quite a nice watch. A timex quartz, yes, but as Joe says in the intro, I don’t care who makes it or what it runs on. It keeps the time well, feels quality, and the looks are killer. Simple and classic. I say if you can get it on sale (150 or below), go for it. I have yet seen any brown-banded watch that can stand up to it in terms of style, in my opinion.
About four years ago my battery died in my quartz watch the night before a road trip with no opportunity for a replacement. I swore off battery powered watches after that experience. Now, I’ll only wear automatics.
The best analogy I have for a quartz vs automatic debate is do you prefer having real plants or artificial plants in your home? Both type of plants can look the same but, one will require attention like watering and getting sunshine and the other is just leave it there and never worry. So, in a somewhat similar way you have to decide if you want a quartz watch that is pick up and go at any time (unless the battery dies) or do you mind doing a little work to maintain your automatic like winding and adjusting the time (since automatics almost always gain or lose a couple of seconds a day.)
Orient looks cleaner imho, although I do like the exhibition back on the Invicta.
Disclaimer: I own one 🙂
I’m an automatic guy, but the quartz Wenger Teragraph is very nice looking. $135 seems kind of steep for quartz though. It seems to be very difficult to find a brown band, light face watch out there for a reasonable price. (Ex: The J.Crew Timex. Perfect in every way, but “gouge your eyes out” expensive.)
My phone keeps the time. I prefer automatics but buy based on looks, the Hamilton, Timex and ESQ are all tempting.
I guess I’m just not a watch guy. I’ve been wearing the same Timex Expedition field watch, purchased at Target, for years now. Brown leather strap, silver case, gray face, goes with everything. It keeps time, attracts compliments, and only put a $30 dent in my bank account. It doesn’t break my heart that I have to replace the batteries every three years or so.
The only way I would imagine plunking down a huge wad of cash for a watch would be for a skeleton watch – the kind that exposes the inner workings of the watch. If you’re really that fascinated in how a watch works, you might as well at least be able to observe it.
The Orient Mako is also available in deep dark blue and orange dial versions. The automatic movement is in-house made specifically for Orient. You can youtube videos reviewing the movement which is believed to be or equal or better quality than the famous Swiss ETA. Definitely better than the Miyota movements they put in Invictas.
For maybe 10 years now I haven’t worn a watch as an everyday item but I’ve recently started up again. I’m not a jewelery guy, so it’s the only non-essential part of my wardrobe. I have to say, that it does add a sense of style and balance to an outfit. Many female friends remark that they find it manly when a guy wears a watch, and male friends pass compliments that they probably wouldn’t for some other piece of jewelery (aside maybe cuff-links).
Everyone to their own of course, but I’m back to watch wearing for the time being (pun intended).
I love automatics, and I think some of these affordable autos (especially the Mako) look great, much better than many quartz watches. In this price range, under 500 bucks, the real attraction is that you’re almost never going to overpay for an automatic: they’re all great deals. But for many quartz watches over 300 bucks, especially with no special features like eco-drive, the price seems outrageous when the movement can’t cost more than about 10 bucks.
Ill take my submariner over quartz any day of the week and twice on sunday.
I’m sticking with my sundail. Gopher, another drink please!
I bought the Bulova automatic you’ve featured a couple times before. The clean face has a small window through which you can see the balance wheel swinging back and forth. As Gordon said, there’s life in the watch. It’s hypnotic and I can just sit watching it, getting lost in my thoughts.
I’m an automatic purist with one big exception: the Casio G-Shock. Sometimes you just need a rugged, beater watch, and the G-Shock fits the bill. Plus, it’s a cool, iconic watch. The G-Shock is the only quartz watch I own. The rest are Seiko automatics.
Love, love, love the G-Shock. That thing is the best. There really is no better, beat-up watch that still looks stylish and for usually under $200.
I’ve already said my piece but I’d like to add that I completely agree with @Joe’s analogy of fake plants and real plants. It’s probably the best analogy I’ve heard for the automatic vs. quartz watch “conflict”.
Everybody loves Teddy Roosevelt. A real man’s man. What kind of watch do you think he wore?
What kind of watch did Eisenhower wear when he led the D-Day invasion?
What kind of watch did Neil Armstrong wear when he walked on the Moon?
An automatic, that’s what.
I like the houseplant analogy. I’ve also used the car one kind of alluded to in the original post, where an automatic is like driving a stick and a quartz is the automatic. Even heard a good one where an automatic is like making a cup of espresso, whereas the quartz is instant microwave coffee…
Either way, I’m a huge proponent of automatics. Even a daily visitor on a very popular online watch forum. There are a lot of reasonably priced automatics to be had from Japanese, Russian and Chinese manufacturers. Some Swiss aren’t too unreasonable, depending on your definition of affordability. I’ll even admit that there are even some fantastic quartz watches to be had.
Ultimately I’m going to buy what I like when I see it. I prefer automatic, or even wind up mechanicals. I tend to purchase vintage over new, because I like knowing there is a history behind the watch I’m wearing. Or knowing I can pick up a high end brand for cheaper by buying a 50 year old version. Kind of like driving a classic Mustang instead of shelling out for the new BOSS. And the analogies just keep on coming…
I prefer automatics (both from an engineering appreciation as well as not needing batteries), but I do have more quartz in my collection than automatics. As a collector, it is easy to get caught up in the prestige of having a certain brand or a certain class of movement. However, it still comes down to liking the style of the watch and finding one that suits your needs at the price you can afford.
Sort of off topic, but I solved the whole J.Crew Timex dilemma for under $50. Bought this cheapo at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C5ODSM and a J. Crew watchband. As long as people aren’t grabbing your arm to look at your watch, it looks just as good and doesn’t make you feel taken advantage of by Mr. Crew.
I grew up in Lancaster as well. Bought my first Auto Hamilton last year and love it. It’s obviously made by someone else now but I like the idea of it originating here. Eventually I would like to buy a vintage Hamilton made in PA.
I couldn’t agree more. My dad has one that used to be his grandfather’s, probably ’50s vintage, and I think it was appraised around $500, so getting a true Hamilton watch probably isn’t going to be easy on the wallet. For now, my wish to own one will have to wait.
Thanks for mentioning a watch winder – I hadn’t know that they exist, but I am now all the more enlightened.
Actually you can find vintage Hamiltons reasonably. Yes, several examples will cost you a pretty penny. But I’ve picked up several solid pieces off ebay for around $50. Keep in mind that for a true American made Hamilton, you’re going to be looking at a wind up mechanical or an electric (not quartz) movement. Most vintage Hamilton automatics you will find will feature Swiss movements before they were eventually acquired by the Swiss. Basically you’ll want to look for one that was produced before 1969.
That’s awesome. It makes sense that some of them would have swiss movements, because I believe they had some type of a joint venture with a swiss company starting before they closed the Lancaster operation at the end of the 60s. Personally, I’d go for the automatic, since that is the quintessential Hamilton piece. My day-to-day watch is just a Fossil, so if I got one, it would be more of a dress watch, which would necessitate a watch winder since I wouldn’t wear it often. Either way, it’s not really in the cards right now, but I’m glad to hear there are affordable options out there.
The juxtaposition in tone between this comment (bravo) and the one just above it… is awesome.
I’m partial to aviation oriented watches so, for me, it’s Torgoen or nothing.
Don’t you have to keep moving an automatic or it stops? That means you either have one and that’s all you wear, or you buy one of those electric watch turning things, which seems extravagant. Am I missing something?
Yah I’m as confused as Loki. What happens when you don’t wear a watch for a few days?
It’ll go for a day or two without wearing it, depending on the brand, and you can wind it yourself as well vai the crown after it stops.
See above^
Basically the watch will stop after awhile of not wearing it. Nothing to worry about, you just start it up again by giving your arm a shake or winding the crown. Your natural movements will keep an automatic “charged” throughout at day. The typical modern automatic watch has about a 40 hour power reserve before winding down.
A lot of people simply wear their automatics daily. Others will give it a shake in the mornings to keep it going. You CAN buy a winder, but most people find it unnecessary. It’s not damaging to let a watch stop. Granted, eventually there is a chance of oils pooling and making it difficult to work but that takes years of non use.
I’ve got way too many vintage and modern automatics in my collection, so I can’t expect to keep them all fully wound all the time. I just pick up the one I want to wear, start it up and go on about my day. Sure I use my phone to set the watch, but I wear them as a time piece AND fashion accessory, so it’s not an issue to let them stop. But everyone has their preferences.
I generally wear a quartz watch at work (Pulsar or vintage Texas Instruments) and Automatic or Manual Wind on weekends (Bulova, Gruen).
neil armstrong wore a hand-wound omega. Not an automatic but closer than a quartz movement.
I also feel like hand wound mechanical movements are pretty special and deserve a nod
It is, but IMO it’s worth the cost. I bought a similar Wenger with a light brown strap, and it’s my favorite watch.
It’s irrational – but then again not, to favor an automatic over a quartz. A watch is a design piece as much as a functional item. This is why there are so many, countless really, variations. Within design there are three broad categories: engineering design, industrial design, and craft design. Automatic watches are deeply entrenched in two of these three broad design categories – engineering (the movement) and craft (the rest of the watch). There is also the inconvenience of changing batteries every few years with quartz watches. Get yourself a nice Seiko (or Orient), particularly their most simple movements found in their most affordable watches, often less than $100, and there’s a good chance they will last decades and remain accurate without need of service. My oldest 6119 caliber Seiko 5 has been keeping accurate time, without servicing, since 1972. This was a moderately-priced watch in its day, nothing special/fancy. Quartz watches are more accurate in an area that doesn’t matter – seconds. Many watches don’t even have a sweep hand. It’s irrelevant. There is just “something” about a watch that powers itself mechanically, via a complex arrangement of gears and springs, through the ordinary movement of your arm throughout the day that is simply fascinating. This is absent in quartz watches. The only quartz watch I’d consider owning is a solar-powered one, especially a solar one that sets itself to atomic time (AT watches). And I do have one of these in my modest little watch collection. It’s interesting and a great watch I enjoy owning/wearing, though I still favor an automatic. Don’t think I’ll pick-up a second Eco-drive AT. But I have to resist the urge regularly to purchase an additional automatic if one strikes my fancy.
A preference for mechanical over quartz watches makes as much sense to me as preferring a slide rule over an electronic calculator. As far as being able to service a mechanical watch over a hundred years – forget it. That may be possible for one built 100 years ago, but is no longer true for the newest mechanical watches. Take a look at some Omega ads highlighting components that are nearly microscopic and made of exotic materials. Good luck getting your local watch repair person to make those parts 50 years from now!