Automatic vs Quartz Movements - Watch and Learn #4

In the 4th episode of Watch and Learn, we go in depth into the operation of an automatic watch, and how it differs from a quartz (battery) watch. We'll cover the nuts and bolts of how they operate, and how they are different (and also some similarities).
longislandwatch.com/

[@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]

:)

[@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!

[@sbeckett91]

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

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@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!

[@333peppy333]

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

[@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.

[@nikoskourampas7082]

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

[@blitzkriegh1h3]

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

[@user-et8vm9cc3t]

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 !

[@vettypayal223]

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

[@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.

[@mountainhobo]

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

[@islandwatch]

Got it.

[@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.

[@capnchip]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@Mengelaus]

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

[@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!

[@lyndon6511]

Another great informative video. Keep uploading Marc.

[@srenmortensen8681]

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

[@whoknowzTM]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@stevefarmer15]

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

[@iamnickdavis]

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

[@nxxxxzn]

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

[@backyardrugbytraining5914]

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

[@Knightlore10]

High quality presentation. A KZbin gem

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@xBRProductionsx]

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

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@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!

[@loriosterweil982]

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

[@chakravarthyn1]

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

[@pltorok0515]

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

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@surrealiststreetgang]

Awesome to hear your voice, Marc! TU!

[@CitizenEldar]

Thanks for making these videos, Mark!

[@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.

[@itsalgud1459]

Excellent information, Marc, well explained.

[@sunshineninety9]

Very thorough and informative. Thank you!

[@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!

[@Johnschlonsburg]

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

[@thomassmith3695]

Excellent, informative and really facinating, and great work.

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@Feastalisk]

Hi, really looking forward to the next one :)

[@christophercoey7804]

Fantastic video - love the series.

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@mattbarnes4960]

One of the best videos I've watched on KZbin in a long time

[@islandwatch]

Matt Barnes Thanks for that!

[@henkthoma2422]

Very nice video, thanks for the effort!

[@sanmagno2277]

Excellent video, boys. Keep up the good work.

[@nikhilk8051]

Great video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@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....

[@gregcushing1716]

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

[@Balonishell]

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

[@islandwatch]

Thank you for watching.

[@repanas6]

Great and informative video!!

[@TheRocketman360]

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

[@3fingerroll]

love these videos thanks for posting

[@majorsharoldharoldmajors1404]

3fingerroll

[@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.

[@raymondmalone9721]

Once again great watch & learn video Marc

[@islandwatch]

thank you.

[@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

[@ernestoarmendariz7949]

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

[@islandwatch]

Thanks.

[@corybrown9933]

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

[@cursodecapacitacaoemsaudem2937]

Thx Mark! Waiting for watch and lear 5!

[@willardleap1289]

Great video, super informative and entertaining.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@01cthompson]

Very informative as usual. Thank you!

[@islandwatch]

Appreciate it.

[@Sparks52]

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!

[@keithisfishing]

Best of the best. Great work!!!!!!

[@patrickdempsey8343]

Awesome explanation. Thank you!

[@FloridaClay]

Nicely done!

[@michaelellis6384]

thanks for teaching me this mark.

[@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]

:)

[@ricktemmen6272]

Thanks. These are great videos. 😎👍

[@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

[@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" !!!

[@cheetah7781]

awesome series. Keep it up!!

[@islandwatch]

thank you!

[@VampiresDarkCreed]

Very informational, thank you.

[@ihatetrafficwardens9805]

This is brilliant. Thanks!

[@SammyWinchester90]

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!

[@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!

[@artorlaw]

awesome video!

[@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 :(

[@mic982]

Learned a lot. Thanks!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@neilus0]

Really Great Video Thanks!

[@DrRich-mw4hu]

Thank you for doing this, very informative!!🤔

[@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.

[@WRA1TH.]

Great vid. Very interesting

[@HamnJam51]

fantastic! so informative

[@Rozq]

That's and awesome explanation. Technology is amazing indeed, thank you!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@rfresh1011]

Awesome video...!!!

[@DeanR3]

Great informative video

[@zi0cat]

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

[@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?...

[@richardmcginnis5344]

always loved that angry scream of the accutron

[@whiteglovewatches9908]

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

[@Hermetic_]

Great video! I'm gonna get an Accutron!

[@charlsseal7273]

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

[@islandwatch]

Thanks, great idea!

[@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.

[@steveh2040]

Great video

[@donp2166]

Nice job!

[@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!!

[@sdjohnston67]

This is great!