Automatic vs Quartz Movements - Watch and Learn #4

[@richardseekins24]

It's so refreshing to see a watch enthusiast that actually understand watches to this level of detail

[@oscargustavoarcosruiz8793]

"Thank you very much for watching" On the contrary: thank you very much for making these videos, they are great.

[@islandwatch]

:)

[@333peppy333]

I really appreciate this series. Brilliantly explained and easy for the novice enthusiast to understand.

[@tedsmusic5556]

Thanks--you gave me a new appreciation of quartz movements. I just got into mechanicals, and was looking down my nose at my old quartz Seiko and Casios. Now I'm wearing 2 at a time!

[@mooooooooooooove]

I can't say this enough but THANK YOU FOR THIS. If I were just getting into watches right now this would basically be my most anticipated video series on the subject. Your videos are truly awesome and I hope it helps newcomers.

[@islandwatch]

Great to hear!

[@sbeckett91]

This series is amazing and very informative. Keep up the good work!

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@LorienWicck]

Just a little thing to note: the automatic Swatch Body & Soul model can be opened and serviced. The caseback crystal is pressure-fitted and held in place with a metal tension ring.

[@ХристоМартунковграфЛозенски]

Thank you very much Mark ! Your videos on quartz watches make me appreciate my quartz pieces more ! Mechanicals aren't the only ones to be deserving of appreciation !

[@srenmortensen8681]

Very informative and extremely interesting and inspiring for a 63 year old watch rookie like me, your presentation skills are phenomenal mate!

[@blitzkriegh1h3]

After this video I can much more appreciate my little quartz watch, thank you!!

[@vettypayal223]

I've been glued to the chair watching video after video on this series. Absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for making these

[@capnchip]

these videos are phenominal. I really appreciate the information made available by these segments.

[@redfrederick85]

Thank you very much! I am a quartz man and always looked forward to be more prepared in the eventuality of a quartz vs automatic discussion!

[@islandwatch]

Great!

[@peglor]

I was looking at mechanical watches a few years ago, but thankfully discovered that the Swiss Certified Marine Chronometer title doesn't mean accurate enough to determine longitude reliably while at sea in the case of a mechanical watch, while the same title does in the case of a quartz watch before I spent any money on an expensive watch that's literally an order of magnitude less precise at keeping time than a $10 Casio. The sad thing is that this level of accuracy was achieved with mechanical watches in the 1700s to win the Longitude prize, but watchmakers both then and now get paid more to make shiny jewellery for the conspicuous consumption crowd than they'd ever get making well engineered, precise instruments.

[@nikoskourampas7082]

Excellent series, extremely informative and well presented! Thank you so much for creating this!

[@normcote270]

AWESOME TUTORIAL!!! Really enjoyed and learned! Love the automatic moments way more than quartz.. Thanks so much Mark!!!

[@andrewoosterhoff3352]

Great video! Thanks for sharing. One thing I want to say is that the automatic Swatch is serviceable. Swatch may not want to do it, but another watchmaker will. They can pop the plastic (or glass) out of the back, and work on it. I have the same basic model and I've had it serviced twice: once by the store I bought it from and once by a different watchmaker.

[@dangerspouse4741]

Thank you again for taking the time to put together this Basic Info series. I really appreciate your insights as I get started on this hobby.

[@islandwatch]

Great, thank you.

[@whoknowzTM]

Just started collecting watches. Came across your video by youtube recommending it. Awesome video. Keep it up love it.

[@thomashardison1140]

As someone always drawn to elegant mechanical devices, I now have much more respect for the quartz movement. Quartz tuning forks, pretty sweet! Though not as cool as that Accutron. (Great series!)

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@runrin_]

grew up on long island. moved away at 24. growing older, when i visit family i notice more and more that i hate the accent. thought i would have trouble watching these vids because of that. but the quality of content makes me completely overlook the voice. if/when i buy a watch in the future i'll try to do so from you. thanks for teaching me so much.

[@j.s.3414]

I have so much more respect for quartz movements now. I still love automatics because of their complexity, but wow... had no idea quartz used an oscillating quartz tuning fork.

[@Antoto96]

Joe Joe Quartz get a bad rep because cheap watch will have a quartz movement (a low quaility quartz but still battery powered none the less.). There’s also a part of history when quartz almost killed the mechanical watch industry but that’s for hardcore watch nerds. I myself have a few quartz and they have been accurate for years, never have to adjust them except for daylight savings. I still prefer my mechanical and auto movements but Quartz still holds a special spot in my heart because my very first watch was a Timex Quartz watch.

[@markmcdonnell]

Fantastic video. This was super useful to understand the various movements and their history. Even more interesting to discover quartz (although used on most cheap range watches) is actually more accurate than automatic watches.

[@Johnschlonsburg]

I know it's been 4 years since this video came out but it's still very interesting and helpful.

[@mountainhobo]

Excellent episode. Love technology. Please include digital quartz watches (pluses, minuses) and hybrids such as spring drives.

[@islandwatch]

Got it.

[@iamnickdavis]

Its amazing how much we don't know. I've learned soo much watching these videos.

[@backyardrugbytraining5914]

These videos are awesome. Thanks Mark. I`m considering dropping out of my teaching degree to study watch repair.

[@fabriziodutto7508]

When I was young I used to wear a Sector ADV 4500 quartz powered chrono, (I still got it but never worn anymore) it has an interesting feature to optimize battery consumption: when the battery power decrease, instead of moving the second hand once per second, it moves it once every 2 seconds, to save power and double the remaining duration! A very interesting feature for this (at this time) very inexpensive watch!

[@MmIlahg]

the digital clock in my honda civic looses almost 2 minutes a week. i don't know why.

[@islandwatch]

Probably needs unleaded. LOL

[@abcdefgh-rq3gq]

Matthew G Check the wiper fluid. :P

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Needs a 800 CCA lead acid battery to excite the liquid crystal faster.

[@nbookie]

That's the tachometer. Not the clock.

[@vitoralmeida8103]

that happen because you drive fast and travel in time

[@Knightlore10]

High quality presentation. A KZbin gem

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@loriosterweil982]

Thanks so much for the terrific education Mark. I’m watching all your videos. Lori

[@andrewfitzgibbons3492]

good video very informative. I new most of the quartz if not all. you have just made me think stronger that quartz movement is the best and most accurate. good video explaining the 2 movements side by side through skeleton watches. some people might not have ever seen inside the watch in it's working state.

[@grantpowell9075]

21,600 vph is 3hz or 6 ticks per second. 28,800 is 4hz, and 36,600 is 5hz. The number of hz includes clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the balance wheel, and each direction causes a tick, so that's why a 4hz movement ticks 8 times per second. Great vid! I'm loving these more technical videos.

[@islandwatch]

Glad you enjoy. You meant 36,000 above. :)

[@grantpowell9075]

+Long Island Watch Yeah... :P of course the one time I decide to get technical I make a mistake. I'm looking forward to more videos in this series! Keep up the great work on the channel. Cheers, Grant

[@ericcarradine7027]

Grant Powell

[@Mengelaus]

Great episode and that's a great Swatch Mark. I have never seen it before.

[@BlackFoxFalcon]

When I look at the movement of my Tag Heuer Carrera 1887, the escape wheel moves extremely fast. And being a Chronograph, I love to see the parts moving when I start it. It`s a piece of true craftmanship. To be honest, I gave up Quartz watches a long time ago. Fell in love with the automatics. Simply because of the fact how they work. Yes, Quartz watches have their place. In fact, even I say, if you`re a, let`s say, construction worker, wear a Quartz. It`s most likely tougher than a automatic and more accurate. In the end, get what you like. Very nice video by the way. Very well explained and very informative.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks for checking it out; and "I'm with you" !!!

[@nxxxxzn]

This is great content. I'm watching the whole series from the beginning. You've won a subscriber

[@nutnfancy]

Great video and well presented information, thank you! Why did the little plastic Swatch quartz die btw?

[@islandwatch]

Not really sure. It wasn't the battery

[@gavinball1607]

nutnfancy wow that's cool. Another "famous" KZbin commenting on one of my favorite pages....I knew you were a 135 pilot but no idea you were into watches!

[@dxxa95]

Gavin Ball he started to get into them, he has like 8 videos about watches.

[@buymoreguns5924]

Aha

[@davidgunther1282]

Funny, I watch nutnfancy's video's too. Turned me on to the Springfield M1A Scout....

[@surrealiststreetgang]

Awesome to hear your voice, Marc! TU!

[@stevefarmer15]

Once again, an excellent video, keep them coming. Regards.

[@Shinta0SaINt]

Great Video Mark, my wife plans on educating her kids @school with info from this video. Take care!

[@islandwatch]

Shinta0SaINt That's great, thank you!

[@pltorok0515]

Another outstanding video Mark! Keep them coming! I really enjoy the technical aspects of watches

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@Sparks68]

Another very good presentation. However, it needs a significant correction: 36 kbph = 5 Hz 28.8 kbph = 4 Hz 21.6 kbph = 3 Hz 18 kbph = 2-1/2 Hz 3.6 kbph = 1/2 Hz (my grandfather clock) Every complete cycle of the balance (or pendulum) has two beats. Your narrative stated twice the actual frequency as if each cycle had only one beat. A good topic would be about adjusting and regulating a mechanical movement, the difference between them and how they're performed, with a little about how some of the mid and high grade quartz are regulated at the factory during final inspection and testing.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks! I covered it in more depth in another watch and learn that was published recently. I do realize that a back and forth beat of the balance is one tick, thus the doubling. Why I said it wrong, I'll never know!

[@xBRProductionsx]

Just finding these videos now and I’m loving them. Thanks so much!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@lyndon6511]

Another great informative video. Keep uploading Marc.

[@chakravarthyn1]

Quite informative. Thanks to you, I now know how my watch works.

[@davidschwager1153]

Thank you for the useful info. Until a few months ago, I only owned quartz watches, so I did not realize that even high-quality mechanical watches vary by a few seconds per day.

[@islandwatch]

Great to hear, thank you!

[@koksionglee7978]

Great video. Didn't know that we had something in-the-middle between quartz and mechanical. Going to get myself a nice Accutron...

[@islandwatch]

:)

[@thomassmith3695]

Excellent, informative and really facinating, and great work.

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@ModernandVintageWatches]

swatch watches are heavily collectible, the quartz one shown here is awesome. you should have continued with the spring drive and pendulum technology.

[@NeoPortaPotty]

mariamik104 for the price they are cool watches shame them being sealed and thus doomed to die :(

[@roygardiner2229]

Thank you, for a truly interesting and educational video. I did know already the basics of some of he subject matter but the way you presented the evolution of the watches made for a very coherent lesson and really increased my understanding. The only thing that I still don't understand is why the frequency of the quartz "tuning fork" is fixed, constant, invariable, and independent of manufacturing variations in dimensions, mass, etc.. I guess this must be down to the fundamental physics of the piezoelectric effect. It's a wonderfully valuable and surprising fact.

[@DAM1EN666-0]

Sweet looking cuff link! Where would I find something like that?

[@islandwatch]

I think it was cufflinks.com

[@DAM1EN666-0]

Long Island Watch Thx.

[@timevine5170]

Great series, Marc! I've also enjoyed the "round-ups" of field watches and watches under 40mm. I'd LOVE to see a similar video running through a handful of the watches square and rectangular case shapes available from your store. It's hard to get a sense of what size really means for some of those watches, and how they compare to each other or would wear on the wrist. I think it'd be very useful!

[@edgarmadrid8890]

Are there any modern tuning fork watches like the Accutron that they still make these days? I love the sweeping second hand motion for a battery powered watch. Or are there any hybrids like it that exist?

[@simonthomas5113]

I'm getting great accuracy on all of my mechanicals which are within 10 seconds per day, but I have one quartz watch which does not lose or gain a whole second in a month (Citizen EcoDrive CA0641-16X). I never wear quartz now unless I'm doing heavy lift. I just prefer having a machine on my wrist.

[@zi0cat]

Swatch Irony Body & Soul is a long time favorite of mine.

[@itsalgud1459]

Excellent information, Marc, well explained.

[@powertube5671]

Very nice explanation of the evolution of watches as a function of the oscillator. Note that Bulova quartz watches is based on a frequency 8 times that of the average quartz watch, that is 262,144 which keeps its time plus or minutes 10 seconds per year. I'm sure you already know that and the scope of this video is to go from balance wheel, to metal tuning fork, to quartz crystal. The national time clock is based on an atomic frequency of cesium, which is approximately 9 billion oscillations per second.

[@artl52]

another great job. need to get one of those Accutrons. I look forward to video on chronographs and maybe you could explain why vertical coulomb wheel is desirable

[@sunshineninety9]

Very thorough and informative. Thank you!

[@Feastalisk]

Hi, really looking forward to the next one :)

[@tiagodvt]

Awesome video, thanks for the explanation! About that automatic Swatch - it would be such a cool and beautiful watch if it didn't have Swatch written all over it. Oh well, they were different times when it released

[@AnaCosta-sq7lo]

The "Uncle Charly" (YAS112) version does not have all that branding.

[@tiagodvt]

@@AnaCosta-sq7lo oh, just googled it. That's cooler, for sure! Thank you

[@nephildevil]

The accuracy of the quartz is in function of the quartz crystal which will only resonate at that one specific frequency, regardless of battery power, so yeah it'll be accurate until the last sign of life :D

[@topsy8701]

Why is it that if quartz watches have far more movements per hour the second hand still jumps, rather then a smooth motion?

[@peekatmefreen]

Because the quarts is seperate to the mechanism. The energy is stored until 1 second passes then transfered thorough the mechanics 😁

[@vonivata]

Moving hand needs energy. The counter in a quartz watch is designed to count up 32,768 beats before sending power to the motor to move the second hand. Normally in analog quartz watch battery lasts in 3-4 years. If we design the watch to sweep the second hand like a mechanical watch, the battery will last in 6 months. Some quartz watch have sweeping second hand but they need something special to do that.

[@nathanielwilson1899]

Vorapong Nivata apparently you have never heard of Bulova Precisionist watches

[@vonivata]

Nathaniel Wilson - I knew Bulova Precisionist. It uses CR2016 battery that has 3 time capacity of SR626 and it can run only for 2-3 years. Most of watches run on smaller SR626 battery for 3-4 years without replacement. Do you see the point?

[@raymondmalone9721]

Once again great watch & learn video Marc

[@islandwatch]

thank you.

[@erichami]

With a typical Japanese automatic (let's say Orient Bambino), how often does the watch need to be serviced to remain accurate? How much does this typically cost and what is involved?

[@islandwatch]

Most say about 5 year intervals, but I say, if it ain't broke, don't service it. A general overhaul is a complete disassembly, degrease, re-assembly and re-lube. Costs vary, I'm going to say it will start at around $100.

[@cursodecapacitacaoemsaudem2937]

Thx Mark! Waiting for watch and lear 5!

[@iralangdon]

What is a reputable source for getting an old Accutron? eBay certainly has them, but it doesn't seem the most reliable way to get a undamaged working model.

[@CoffeePoints]

I like how you used see through cases to highlight the differences- it's visually easier to tell them apart!

[@islandwatch]

Yes, thank you. Fortunately I have a deep collection to draw from.

[@ClassicBMWFanInQuebec]

Great video! I have a question. Do high-beat watches suffer from higher wear than regular beat watches?

[@islandwatch]

With proper lubrication, no. They are built for it. Hi beat (meaning different things for Seiko and rest of the watch world) basically stops at 36000. They use advanced lubricants and materials that make them have the same service intervals. Want really cool? Check out the TAG Calibre 360 in the Mikrograph. That's 360,000 BPH.

[@Acheonable]

what is seiko's definition as opposed to the rest of the watch industry? thanks for the great video

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Need to create a watch case where all the mechanisms inside the case are sealed in a total vacuum. Still have gravity to deal with but the vacuum would reduce friction. Lubricants would have to change. Temperature would be of no consequence in that state. Just thinking out loud...

[@peglor]

Unless you float the gears on maglev bearings heat will still conduct through the case into the watch mechanism. Even at that radiation will still transfer heat in and out of the watch.

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Yepperz. I recon so.

[@CitizenEldar]

Thanks for making these videos, Mark!

[@gregcushing1716]

Excellent informative video,learnt a lot,keep up the good work.

[@charlsseal7273]

Another fantastic video!!! Perhaps you can do a video on the various watch brands and what makes them special...

[@islandwatch]

Thanks, great idea!

[@whiteglovewatches9908]

Total gear head and dig these videos, I’d love to see a breakdown of the original Hamilton electromagnetic watch movement.

[@Balonishell]

This is so interesting. Thank you for sharing your deep knowledge.

[@islandwatch]

Thank you for watching.

[@ernestoarmendariz7949]

Great video very well explained . Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks.

[@richardmcginnis5344]

always loved that angry scream of the accutron

[@Xampl90]

Nice and accurate explanation, combined with good visual quality ... absolutely deserved like from me. Congrats and best wishes keep it up that way :)

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@blimperdoop]

do you know if it's possible to open up a swatch skin watch by removing the crown and using pressured air through the crown hole to pop the plexiglass off?

[@verizonizer]

Great video. Do you happen to know the specs of that swatch body and soul. Case diameter, lug width...etc? Thanks.

[@TheRocketman360]

Definitely love your videos!!! I have been learning so much

[@sanmagno2277]

Excellent video, boys. Keep up the good work.

[@z7117z]

21,600 bph is regarded as 3 Hz (Hertz), 28,800 bph equals 4 Hz and 36,000 bph would equal 5 Hz. I was confused about this at first, but apparently there are 2 beats in a Hertz (Hertz is one complete cycle, not a beat).

[@NiceTrade]

woww the Accutron is a sick watch

[@borbetomagus]

Thank you very much for this. I just wonder where mechanical watches would be if John Harrison's 18th century clock designs were taken more seriously. It's amazing to read that his H4 'Sea Watch' (made in 1759) was accurate to 39 seconds over a 42 day sea voyage (in the pursuit of the Longitude Prize) and his 'Clock B' design (only fully realized by Martin Burgess/Donald Saff and tested in 2015) validated his outrageous claim (even today) that his 1775 clock design would be accurate to within one second over a 100 day period. The Guinness Book of World Records verified a 5/8ths second loss for a 100 day controlled test period in 2015. Yes, clock designs are not watch designs, but who knows what he could have achieved had he lived a few more decades.

[@islandwatch]

Great book!

[@borbetomagus]

It would be nice if a high end watch firm would find it remotely feasible to pursue miniaturizing and refining Harrison's mechanical designs, so it could possibly surpass the accuracy of a Citizen A660 movement, at a more attractive price point -- then have Seiko come out with a sub-$200 version. (Unfortunately, this probably would take several decades). Then again, the obtainable Casio WaveCeptor readily surpasses this (despite not being fully mechanical). In any case, many amazing watches at all price points, if you know what to look for.

[@peglor]

As soon as radio communication allowed time signals to be broadcast easily worldwide, watchmaking became much more about jewellery than engineering unfortunately. The Illustrated Longitude by Dava Sobel is a beautiful book on the subject. Back when monarchs understood enough cutting edge science to adjudicate on scientific matters when Harrison petitioned the king out of frustration with the astronomers who were also chasing the Longitude prize. This story was made into a TV movie too.

[@colinholmes3058]

Great video and very informative.Can I buy one of your very special Islanders anywhere in the UK ? Thanks again for all your help in better understanding all that goes into watches.

[@christophercoey7804]

Fantastic video - love the series.

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@corybrown9933]

Love it! I've always wondered about this stuff....

[@mamiferuD]

a question please: how come the balance wheel turn borth ways with the same speed when the spring is coiled at the maximum vs when the coil has little tension in it (power reserve is nearly empty) - cannot figure this one out.. this would mean that we have a slight difference in time measurment when the clock is wound up to the max and when it is almost going to stop? (i read that mechanical movements are less imprecise than quartz, is it because of this?) thanks and keep up the cool videos!!

[@otto99able16]

Hey, just stumbled on ur channel, great videos. I have a 20yr old Movado quartz that stopped working and brought it to a jeweler and he said it's worth fixing. ..so I'm thinking from ur video that it is jeweled also and 14k.gold plating inside. ..should I fix it?...

[@allenjanes5976]

When a battery operated quartz watch with hands, has a hackable feature, does it disconnect the battery from the stepper motor or the entire movement ?

[@islandwatch]

The entire battery is disconnected, "lengthening" its life.

[@allenjanes5976]

Ok thank you

[@imthiazjamal8082]

excellent. pls provide a list of the cosc quartz watches in a future video

[@michaelellis6384]

thanks for teaching me this mark.

[@NikolayIvanov45]

What kind of quartz swatch is used in the video?

[@NetvoTV]

Will they rerelease the Accutro watch? I really like to have it since I like transparent see thought watch that I can see how the internal work! Inspire me to keep going to work hard when I check the time!

[@islandwatch]

They re-released the space watch a few years back to the tune of 5 grand.

[@burger6599]

that bulova looks amazing can the swatch irony be serviced

[@islandwatch]

burger6599 no. It is not serviceable.

[@willardleap1289]

Great video, super informative and entertaining.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@allenjanes5976]

very nice video Marc. I'm a fan of qwartz and treat mechanical as a novelty of sorts. However, I can see the value of mechanical in a military setting when everyone needs to be on the same page with no chance of battery's going dead

[@islandwatch]

Absolutely; or, go Solar!

[@jayzenitram9621]

The problem with mechanical in a military setting is that mechanicals are very sensitive to shock. I'm no watch maker but I wouldn't think the repeated recoil of a gun would be good for accuracy.

[@Peachwhaler26]

What about elevation changes effecting movements? I'm living at sea level, but in March I'm heading to Nepal (3,000-4,000m elevation where I'll be). I'll be bringing a Seiko SKX007 for the ride and was just curious. Thank you for these great videos!

[@islandwatch]

Won't matter! Air pressure doesn't have that much of an effect,and that altitude is only a few psi different from sea level, so no worries.

[@BenjaminWSong]

Wonder if Bulova would make Solar ver Accutron. If they do, I'd b interested in getting one.

[@nikhilk8051]

Great video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@henkthoma2422]

Very nice video, thanks for the effort!