Quartz or mechanical watches - which is better?

Despite the fact that a modern person almost always has at least one device with him that shows time, wrist and pocket chronometers are still popular. Someone is uncomfortable to get a mobile phone every time, someone thinks that it is a device with a dial and hands that is ideal for a business or evening suit, someone just feels uncomfortable without such a device. Quartz or mechanical watches - which is better? Now we will discuss this.

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The device and the differences between quartz and mechanical models

Before deciding which watch mechanism is better, you need to look inside the device. If you take a tiny screwdriver and disassemble the case, you can see several nodes:

• engine;
• regulator;
• counter;
• indicators.

And now more about each:

• The most important part is the engine. It is he who makes the whole system work.
• The task of the regulator is to generate oscillations of a certain frequency, ensuring accuracy.
• The counter, as the name implies, considers - in this case, fluctuations, and makes the results of its work understandable to humans.
• In order to see the indicator, it is not necessary to penetrate into the device. These are the most ordinary hands or no less ordinary display, on which you see the time.

Important! In a mechanical chronometer, energy is generated by a pendulum or spring, and the time is counted by mechanical vibrations. In a quartz device, the oscillations are electromagnetic, they are generated by a quartz generator, and the battery provides energy for the entire system.

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Mechanical watches

Mechanical watches have existed for several centuries. They are a fairly complex mechanism. The movement of the arrows provides a spiral spring. Inertia acts in this case, due to which the mechanism unwinds.

Kinds

When deciding which watch to choose, mechanical or quartz, think about whether you will forget to wind up your chronometer regularly, or if you are looking for a one in which it is enough to replace the battery once a year.

However, not all mechanical watches need to be wound up every evening. They are divided into two types:

• with manual winding;
• self-winding.

A manual winding device will need constant attention. Having examined such a watch, you will immediately see the wheel - head on the case. Here it will also have to be tightened regularly until it stops. They have undoubted advantages:

• ease;
• grace.

Manual winding models can be either male or female. Self-winding chronometers are heavier and larger. The mechanism is set in motion when you move your hand. A pendulum is installed inside, which drives all the gears.

Important! If you don’t have a self-winding watch for a long time, it will stop. For them to go again, they must be shaken, thus launching the pendulum.

Principle of operation

All mechanical chronometers work the same way:

1. The engine gets a boost of energy when you spin the crown all the way.
2. Energy is transmitted to the gears, which begin to spin.
3. The speed of movement is adjustable, so the arrows move evenly.

The clock spring is a steel band, it is twisted inside the drum. On the outside of the drum (it has the shape of a cylinder), cloves are cut, in fact - this is one of many gears.The drum itself is worn on a special pin - the roller, and rotates freely.

The shaft has a hook, to which the spring clings to one end. Its other end is attached to the inner wall of the drum:

• The drum is stationary, and the shaft rotates - the spring is twisted.
• If the shaft is stationary, the spring begins to rotate the drum.

Next, the rotation is transmitted to the central tribe, then to the tribe of the minute hand, the bill wheel, the tribe of the bill wheel, and finally to the clock wheel. An hour hand is attached to this wheel.

Important! The number of cloves must be calculated very accurately, because the hour hand moves exactly 12 times slower than the minute hand.

A very important node in the system is the regulator. This is a balance-spiral system in a wristwatch and a pendulum in a wall:

• Balance - a round bezel, quite massive. It is attached to the axis with crossbars.
• The spiral is a thin twisted steel strip. It is so thin that it is often called a hair. The spiral is attached to the axis of balance, and the free end to the frame.

Important! The rim turns - the spiral strains, and the stronger the balance is rotated - the greater the tension of the hair. It is the tension that causes the rim to return first to its original position, and then deviate in the opposite direction. Accordingly, tension arises again in the spiral, and the balance rotates again.

The benefits of mechanical watches

Classic watches are still popular. They are considered a great gift, as:

• look stylish;
• do not need additional energy sources;
• repair is inexpensive;
• a broken part can almost always be replaced.

Important! Mechanical wrist or pocket chronometers - evidence of a strong position, high well-being. You can pick up a quartz watch that looks very similar to a mechanical one.

Of the other advantages of these models, on the basis of which we can conclude that it is better to use a quartz or mechanical watch, the following factors should be noted:

• A mechanical watch does not need a battery, and this is a great advantage for lovers of long hikes. Under extreme conditions, the battery may suddenly discharge, and nothing threatens the spring, except that you may forget to start it.
• Such watches are practically timeless. You can quite easily find spare parts even for the Breguet that your great-grandfather carried in his pocket a hundred years ago. Of course, you should not look for spirals and gears in modern stores, but in a good workshop you will be happy to make them, and it will cost much cheaper to buy new watches.

Important! Although, if you compare modern mechanical watches with quartz, they are more expensive, simply because they are almost completely assembled by hand.

disadvantages

When resolving the issue, it is impossible to watch a quartz or mechanical watch - which is better, to bypass the attention and disadvantages of mechanical models:

1. One of the main ones is a large error in comparison with quartz devices. However, this flaw is only for cheap models. Recognized companies have dealt with this for a long time, and the famous Swiss (as well as some other) watches show time no less accurately than quartz.
2. Mechanical chronometers need some maintenance - if you notice that they have started to lag, contact a watch workshop, maybe it’s quite simple to clean the device.
3. Not all mechanical watches can be dropped: if you choose a similar model, make sure that its case is shockproof.
4. Metal parts tend to rust, so you must not allow the watch to fall into the water.
5. Metal does not always tolerate temperature extremes, so strong heat or great frost will certainly affect the accuracy of the move.

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Quartz watch

For a quartz device to work, you need a power source - this is usually a tablet battery, you can buy one at any store.Such a battery serves most often a year, but there are also those that can stand for three years, or even five.

Quartz watches can have many different functions:

• stopwatch;
• alarm clock;
• the calendar;
• calculator;
• flashlight.

Important! Now they are producing quartz watches, which are essentially a miniature computer - they also have a telephone, e-mail, and a notebook in them.

The principle of operation of quartz watches

To understand which mechanism is better - quartz or mechanical, you need to understand the difference in structure and principle of operation. Energy from the battery enters the electronic unit and engine. A quartz crystal generates electromagnetic waves. This material has piezoelectric properties:

• When compressed, the crystal creates an electric field.
• Under the influence of the field, the material is compressed.

Important Each crystal has its own hard-set resonant frequency. In the manufacture of high-precision devices, quartz is selected by size. The generator of electrical vibrations, which is located in the electronic unit of the device, produces oscillations, and the quartz crystal stabilizes them. This ensures high accuracy.

A quartz clock generator produces 32,768 oscillations per second. No mechanical device is capable of this. The balance of a conventional mechanical watch fluctuates at a speed that is about a thousand times less.

The electronic unit also includes a divider, the task of which is to convert oscillations into pulses. The frequency of such pulses is 1 Hz.

As for the engine itself, its structure includes:

• stator;
• winding coil;
• rotor.

The coil is placed on the stator and fixed motionless, and the rotor is a permanent magnet mounted on the axis:

1. An electrical impulse passes through the coil.
2. A magnetic field is formed.
3. The magnetic field rotates the rotor half a turn.
4. The movement is transmitted to the gear system.
5. Gears transmit movement to arrows.

Types of quartz watches

On sale you can find different types of quartz watches:

• electronic;
• with combined indication.

They differ in appearance, number of functions and way of showing time.

Electronic

The electronic clock has a display on which the numbers are displayed. In addition, the standard set of functions of an electronic device includes:

• stopwatch;
• date of;
• day of the week;
• backlight.

Combined watch

This device combines the features of electronic and mechanical devices. The engine in it is the same as in all other quartz watches, but there is a dial and hands.

Cheap models have two batteries:

• for electronic gear;
• for the mechanical part.

In modern expensive models, both elements are connected together.

Important! Distinguishing one species from another is quite simple - by the presence of a crown. It is much easier to set up and adjust the watch with a crown.

Advantages of quartz watches

Good quartz watches are durable and reliable. Quartz is practically not affected by adverse weather conditions, which can not be said about mechanical nodes.

In addition, quartz devices are characterized by:

• accuracy;
• low cost;
• variety of models;
• large set of functions;
• easier to withstand blows;
• You can choose a model for children;

Important! A crystal oscillator produces the same frequency oscillations. In a mechanical watch, there are too many parts that can malfunction. Since quartz watches are assembled on a conveyor, they cost significantly less. A designer imagination allows you to choose an accessory to any style of clothing.

A large set of functions is a very useful thing, especially if you do not like to carry a lot of things with you. So quartz watches are just perfect for travelers. Fans of extreme sports can find a model in which there will be such necessary devices as:

• altimeter;
• compass;
• barometer.

Important! However, an experienced traveler can use a mechanical watch as a compass.But the mechanical device does not have other functions.

In quartz chronometers, there are very few vulnerable parts that break upon impact. All parts can be made of plastic. It is much lighter than metal, and in some cases stronger.

A few words about the shortcomings

To understand whether a quartz watch is really better, you need to have an idea about their shortcomings:

• The most vulnerable element of the quartz movement is the power source. The battery has to be changed periodically. However, this is not particularly difficult. The most important thing is to remember the position of the parts.
• Keep in mind that repair problems may arise. It is sometimes very difficult to get components, especially if the model is out of date.

Important! It is better to take a new element from the same company as the “native” one.

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What is an analog watch?

Recently, this term is found quite often, and many puzzle over what it means. And it means it’s just a kind of dial. There are three types of chronometers:

• analogue
• digital
• mixed.

An analog watch has a dial and hands. Such a model may be:

• mechanical;
• quartz.

Distinguishing them is quite simple: make and listen. Quartz watches do not tick.

Digital ones have a display and a quartz movement. The mixed version assumes the presence of both. These are quite expensive quartz models with a lot of features.

Choosing an Analog Clock

When choosing an analog chronometer, regardless of what you want to buy - a men's or women's watch or a breget, pay attention to some features:

• mechanism;
• clock face;
• watch faceplate;
• housing;
• the size.

Important! In terms of the mechanism, each has its own preferences. Some people like a certain order and they like to start a watch every night before going to bed. Others prefer to put a battery in and not think about it for a year. Therefore, it is difficult to say unequivocally that it is better - a quartz or mechanical watch.

Clock face

The watch case may have a different shape, but the dial is always a circle. Pay attention to the numbers. They may be:

• Arab
• Roman
• there may not be any digits at all, instead of them are long and short lines.

Important! Arabic numbers are the most convenient, everyone is used to them, they are easy to navigate. Not all can read Roman numerals, but such watches look especially stylish. As for long and short lines, such a watch is suitable for those who very well determine the time by the angle between the hands.

Protective panel

A dial without glass is found only in toy watches. Adult chronometers always have a transparent panel. For protection, different materials are used. Most often found:

• clear plastic;
• mineralized glass;
• artificial sapphire.

What's better? - Now we decide:

• Plastic is used mainly for the manufacture of children's, teenage or sports models. It is difficult to break, but scratches often remain on it.
• Mineralized glass is difficult to scratch. If scratches appear, they will be sanded for a small fee in any jewelry workshop. Such glass rarely breaks, but such a watch will cost more.
• In premium watches, an artificial sapphire panel is used as protection. It is impossible to break such a glass, scratching is difficult.

Important! In high-quality expensive chronometers, one can also see combined panels made of artificial sapphire and mineralized glass. And this is considered the best option. Such a watch costs about the same as with a sapphire crystal.

Housing

Pay attention to what the watch you like is made of. Materials for the manufacture of enclosures are used very different. Most often found:

• plastic:
• stainless steel;
• titanium;
• gold;
• silver;
• platinum.

What is the difference:

• Cheap watches are mainly made of plastic. The easy convenient chronometer is ideally suited for the athlete. True, such watches do not last long, but the price is not high either.
• The steel case looks impressive and lasts a long time, and is not very expensive. The most popular material for economy class models.
• Titanium models are more expensive, but they are stronger and lighter than steel ones.
• As for precious metals, they are used in very expensive models. A chronometer made of gold, silver or platinum is a status thing rather than a necessary one. Such watches last a very long time and are often inherited.

How to be with the size?

On sale you can find analog watches of various shapes and sizes. As a rule, women's watches are small, men's watches are large and massive. In any case, the chronometer should be comfortable, not too heavy and look good on the hand.

Important! The golden ratio rule can be applied. To do this, you will need a thread and a ruler or a centimeter tape:

• Measure the girth of the wrist where the watch will be.
• Multiply the result by 0.618 - this is the approximate diameter of the clock.

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Stock footage

In this article, we compared the quartz and mechanical watches by the same parameters, and also figured out the analog option. We hope you have not only been able to determine for yourself which is better, but also have chosen a really high-quality model that will last you several years and will not lose its relevance in terms of fashion and your style preferences.