![]() In addition, both quartz and mechanical movements can be and are used in a variety of watches. The dial, hands, markers, the printing, the case, the bracelet and even the packaging are all opportunities to show off the craft of a watchmaker, not just their movement. In fact, experts evaluate the quality of a watch by looking carefully at the case construction, dial design, exterior finishing, movement characteristics and movement finishing and how each feature works as part of the whole. There is so much more to a watch than just the movement. Okay, so the movement is important but why doesn’t it make the watch? Mechanical wristwatches are ideal for marking a significant event, like a promotion or a wedding day, because they can serve as a reminder for a very long time. The biggest difference between a quartz and a mechanical movement is that a well-cared for mechanical watch can last you a lifetime and even the lifetime of your offspring. Unfortunately, mechanical movements aren’t as precise as quartz movements or the clock on your iPhone, but only by a few seconds a year. Mechanical watch wearers appreciate the level of precision engineering required to make a series of springs and gears work together to be 99.98% accurate. This spring transfers energy through a number of other springs and gears, which, in turn, powers the watch. Instead of relying on battery power, mechanical watches rely on winding a spring, called a ‘mainspring’. If you are in the market for a quartz timepiece and it doesn’t have an in-house movement, chances are it has an ETA calibre. ![]() The most popular Quartz movements are ETA calibres which were created in partnership by several Swiss manufacturers: Valjoux, Peseux, and Lemania. They are typically more durable than watches with other types of movements and are an excellent choice for those of you with an active lifestyle. Quartz watches are lower maintenance because they contain less moving parts and use a battery as their main power source. These vibrations are counted by the circuit and converted into a single pulse every second which results in the consistent movement of the watch hands. This type of movement contains a small battery that sends an electrical pulse through a piece of quartz, which acts as an oscillator, causing it to vibrate exactly 32,768 times per second. Quartz timepieces are favored most for everyday use given their superior accuracy and reliability. However, the two you should pay close attention to when buying your first watch are quartz and mechanical. ![]() There are a variety of movements available on the market today, ranging from automatic watches that wind themselves through kinetic energy, to the complicated and extremely expensive tourbillons, which derive their energy from rotational motion. A movement, also known as a ‘calibre’, is the engine that drives the hands around a watch face and powers additional features, including dates, calendars, chronographs, and more. So before I bust this first myth, let’s get a better understanding of what a movement is and why it is important. Let’s get one thing straight: the movement is a vital part of any watch. To help ease your anxiety, I’ve busted the top 5 myths when it comes to first time watch buying and given you advice on how to avoid them (mostly from my personal experience). The problem is that the world of men’s watches can feel to an outsider like a plunge into the deep end – lots of complications, movements, high prices and confusion. There comes a time in every man’s life – in my family it’s more like a veritable rite of passage – when he feels the need to invest in his first luxury watch.
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