When shopping for watches for the first time, you could become confused because many different types of watches are available. One of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a watch is its accuracy and longevity.
You shouldn’t spend money on counterfeit goods that will only waste your money. Instead, take the time to read up on the different types of timepieces and their features so that you won’t be perplexed when you go shopping.
Quartz watches are completely dependable and may operate for a very long time. Quartz watch movements should finally be changed or replaced because, occasionally more cost-effective, they are inferior to mechanical movements in quality. If properly loved, a mechanical watch can last many lifetimes. While a quartz watch should last for some time, things become incredibly confusing when the battery dies.
In the parts that follow, I’ll explain what makes quartz watches less expensive and more accurate and How Long Do Quartz Watches Last?
How Do Quartz Watches work?
Early in the 1970s, the quartz watch was developed and swiftly rose to prominence as one of the most widely used timepieces. Quartz watches are extremely precise, dependable, and low maintenance. Let’s take a deeper look at a quartz watch’s components to better understand how it functions:
- The battery: A battery powers a quartz watch by delivering electrical pulses to the oscillator.
- The oscillator: This part measures time using an electrical frequency. It is powered by a battery, which also pulses electricity through a quartz crystal.
- The quartz crystal: In response to the electrical pulses from the oscillator, this component vibrates at a particular frequency.
- The stepper motor: The stepper motor controls the rate at which the hands on the watch face move by vibrating a quartz crystal.
How Long Do Quartz Watches Last?
Quartz watches have a long lifespan and are reliable, but their mechanism needs to be adjusted. It may be expensive to replace, but compared to other mechanical movement kinds, it is not.
Given that the quartz watch’s electrical components eventually wear out, the customer can expect their quartz watch to last 20 to 30 years. A mechanical watch that has been well maintained will outlive its original owner. A quartz watch with hands will last forever unless you seriously overuse it, damage the battery contacts, or get them wet. Modern quartz watches use semiconductors to regulate the movement and brushless Lavet stepper engines to drive the hands through a gear train.
These watches hardly show wear, and Swatches from 40 years ago are still in operation.
Older quartz watches with LCDs can leak after around ten years, but they are typically similar. Red LED quartz watches from the 1970s are still available today. Examining mechanical timepieces reveals their horrifyingly complicated powertrains, where the presence of hardening ointments can significantly affect accuracy, power-saving, and operation.
How long do the batteries in quartz watches last?
In actuality, the distinguishing characteristic that distinguishes a quartz watch from a mechanical one is the usage of batteries as opposed to a wound-up mainspring in the case of mechanical watches. So how long do the batteries in quartz watches last? An ordinary quartz watch battery will typically survive for three years before needing to be replaced.
To reiterate, the brand, make, and model of a particular quartz watch will also have an impact on this. While some batteries last up to 10 years, others need to be replaced every one to two years.
Why Can Quarts Watches Fail to Function?
Water harm
You will notice that your quartz watch may begin to act strangely if water spills on it. Some of the components may erode to the point that they are unreplaceable.
Battery
If the battery has failed, that is one of the main causes for it to stop working. That is if it utilizes a battery; however, some watches don’t; bear that in mind.
Poor Manufacturing
Luxury watches feature parts and cogwheels that make sure your watch is ticking. Occasionally, some of its parts might not have been correctly adjusted, causing the watch to not work and necessitating your intervention to solve the problem.
How Do I Care For My Quartz Watch?
By keeping your quartz watch maintained regularly, you can extend its lifespan.
Avoid Getting Your Watch Wet
Don’t push it, even if most watches have water resistance. It’s still a good idea to keep your watch dry as much as possible. The diving watches are the exception to this rule. Even if you have a diving watch and use it frequently, you should still get it serviced at least once every few years to ensure the correct water resistance is kept.
Never store them with batteries still inside
Take the batteries out of a quartz watch if you want to store it for a year or longer and won’t be wearing it. Quartz watches’ alkaline batteries ultimately deteriorate and begin to leak. This will harm a watch’s internal parts.
Keep Watches Out of Humid Areas
If possible, avoid keeping a watch in an area with excessive humidity when storing it for an extended period. Water and moisture can accumulate within a watch due to humidity, which can harm the movement or cause corrosion. A watch may be water resistant, but it does not guarantee that it will be protected from humidity.
To prevent magnetization
It should go without saying, but keep magnets away from your watch! Long-term exposure to magnetic fields can magnetize watch movements, making them extremely inaccurate. Not just magnets but also the magnetic fields that produce specific devices are capable of doing this.
Avoid extremes of temperature
It’s advisable to avoid leaving quartz watches in your car when it’s chilly outside or when it’s hot outside. A quartz watch will be affected by extreme temperatures. Extreme temperatures will undoubtedly affect the watch even though some are made to endure them.
Why You Should Select a Quartz Watch?
Price
Because of how they are made, quartz watches are inexpensive. Quartz watches are yet very useful; they are simply less expensive and survive far longer than you may expect. Unlike mechanical watches, which are expensive to service, this sort of watch is also inexpensive to maintain.
Watch Dimensions
Quartz watches are more comfortable and thinner than automatic ones, making them better for folks with thin wrists. They are also more easily concealed by sleeve cuffs.
Accuracy
Regardless of how inexpensive they may be, watches of this sort rarely lose seconds compared to automatic models, making them quite accurate. The quartz watch is the most accurate because of this.
Reliability
When it comes to dependability, none stand out as the best. Some claim that mechanical watches are durable, their movements are dependable, and they can be used for a long time. Others believe that quartz watches are very accurate and hence very reliable. Each one can manage dependability. That is why it is up to you to decide between the two.
Do Quartz Watches Need Servicing?
Quartz watches typically require less maintenance than automatic or mechanical watches, but regular servicing is still advised. Since there aren’t as many parts within the casing to break, they require less maintenance, but the pieces there could eventually wear out.
The hands’ moving gears are the only moving components within a quartz watch. Even though they are incredibly strong and won’t break easily, they can eventually deteriorate. But in general, quartz watches require little upkeep beyond replacing the battery.
A quartz watch often only requires the casing to be opened, a new battery to be installed, and cleaning off any dust and debris. Some more expensive quartz analog watches might need to lubricate their gear train. Batteries may deplete more quickly in quartz watches with extra features such as a compass, stopwatch, thermometer, barometer, GPS, or electric illumination.
Conclusion
The gold standard of watches today is quartz. You may extend the useful life of your quartz watch by giving it the correct care and upkeep. Solar power is used in these quartz watches, fueled by artificial and natural light. Once completely charged, solar-powered watches typically last for months without needing to be exposed to light. For forgetful manual watch winders, there is even another fantastic watch choice!
The best quartz watches are perhaps less impressive than their mechanical counterparts, but they are also far less expensive. They are much simpler to manage, reliably accurate, and packed with the feature. How Long Do Quartz Watches Last? I hope you enjoyed reading it and found it useful and interesting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a quartz watch survive a lifetime?
A mechanical watch will live longer than a quartz watch. Quartz timepieces with a good mechanism should last a lifetime with basic maintenance.
Which is better, quartz or automatic?
Both quartz and automatic watches are dependable and capable of keeping time with some accuracy. However, when it comes to precision, quartz watches are thought to be superior. A quartz watch can provide accurate time readings every day to a half-second. Every day, an automatic watch might be off by a few seconds.
Is purchasing a quartz watch worthwhile?
Although quartz timepieces are sometimes despised, they are more trustworthy and accurate than their mechanical counterparts. They don’t need maintenance other than battery replacements and will be more accurate than even the most expensive mechanical timepieces.