Many great comments and analogies in the prior posts. I’ll add that quality mechanical watches with some TLC and maintenance can outlast the original owner and make for a nice memento to pass down to the next generation.

Michael

https://www.watchuseek.com/ is the SIG Forum of watches.

Why automatic watches?
- enjoyment of all things horological
- traditional
- EMP proof
- If it is properly maintained it can be very accurate
- harder to maintain vs just replacing a battery.


Why Quartz
- Less expensive
- generally easier for it to be more accurate
- Easy to maintain, a battery changes every 3 years or so isn't that hard to do.
- A good movement will tell you the battery is running low and it is time to change.


My everyday watch is a Tissot with a quartz movement, sapphire crystal, titanium case and bracelet. Had it for 20 years 3 months. Maybe 4 or 5 battery changes, and one full maintenance, oil, seals, etc.. No, it doesn't tick. But it is probably the best thing I've ever bought.

I have 2 automatic watches. Miyota movements. Both work great as long as I wear them every day or wind them. As I don't they stop and I find that annoying.

If you're a avid collector, a dedicated auto owner, a one-watch owner, appreciate watches, and you get a good one (keeping decent time), an auto might be a great fit.

But if you rotate watches frequently, need consistent accuracy, and/or don't enjoy fiddling with resetting time/date frequently, a quartz is definitely the way to go.

My modest collection is almost exclusively quartz. Pick the one I'm wanting to wear, put it on, and go.

That being said, I did just add a quality auto to the collection. Mainly as it was unique, quality, a good deal, and it's good to have one. I've been wearing it for the past week, and its been doing just fine (tho I'm not super critical...if it's staying relatively close...within a couple minutes), I'm satisfied. It also does not a day/date...so I don't have to deal with that complication...strictly time. If its stopped...unscrew crown, set time, give about 20 winds, re-screw crown, and off you go.

$.02 worth.

Boss

A mechanical movement can be a practical work of art the artist put his soul into to make something special that you can keep with you.


A fine watch with a mechanical movement almost seems alive with its heart beating away inside.

Quartz is practical, sterile, industrial.

Mechanical is almost organic.

It really is like watching a heart beat when you get a nice automatic with a display case back.

Functional
Modern
Art

On a side note, watching them on winders is a symphony of sorts...

As some people are with guns I am with watches. I own way too many and have spent way too much money. That said, I love my automatic watches. It started with my father giving me a Praesent triple date moonphase when I turned about 16 in 1973. I still have it, wear it almost daily. It keeps decent time for a watch made in the early 1950's. It's a bitch to find parts for, but I cruise ebay and buy Praesent watches when I can. I also own a couple Jaeger LeCoultre's, awesome Swiss watches. Again I have a Jaeger Triple Date Moonphase that I love, glass back so I can see it wind and run. I have an IWC Pilot watch, nothing fancy on it, but a beautiful black dial and automatic movement. I have a few watchwinders to keep most of these wound, but I love the action of winding my watches. I have a few dozen other watches, but the above are my favorites.

My brother, LBJ, gifted me with an Accutron Spaceview from 1973, he collects them. It runs on a battery with a tuning fork, and it's awesome. It's a skeleton watch, quite colorful. Makes my wrist look good. It's the only watch I own with a battery.

I'm fine with quartz, I just don't own any. I like the heft of my old Praesent.

I recently traded my Rolex Explorer away and am kind of regretting it. At the time I just didn't think it made sense to have so much money into a watch that didn't totally blow me away. For less than half the money I really got more enjoyment out of my other auto watches. But with the way things are now, Rolexes are an excellent investment. You can only buy used and gray market now, which often means no sales tax. If you get in at the right price, you'll never lose a dime of value and it will likely appreciate. I was shopping for a GMT Pepsi a few days ago and came across an ad for a full set for $4800. I thought it was too good to be true. Then I realized the ad was from 2014. They cost twice that much now and no dealer has any in stock.

If it has to be explained to you, you wont get it I fear.

Buy a CASIO and be happy.

Been wearing a Garmin Fenix for years...accurate, can do almost anything outdoors I need...finally got tired of being connected and the digital mess lessening skills I spent a lifetime gaining...like map reading, compass reading, following tides, using hands of watch to determine direction based on sun or constellation.

So went back to wearing my old trusted Seiko 6309 diver I got new in 1985...and also wearing a newer Omega Seamaster for work, dates with wife, or special occasions. I am sure the Omega will become my daily watch except for farming, cutting wood, and rough outdoor wear or maintenance on my hunting property.

Just something about them...might be like why I prefer fly rod over spinning setup...why I primarily hunt with longbows and recurves instead of a compound....I have more than one revolver for plinking and hunting

More of a mindset and need for nostalgia or craftsmanship....rather than ultimate accuracy.

Well, here's where I am with this darned auto that runs, IMO, crazy.

I got it out of the safe today, set it to the second, and am gonna wear it for several days without a reset and see where I am.

I have misplaced the little paper that tells me what number the ETA movement is-I had it a week ago, so it'll turn up. When I get it, I'll post the movement and see if anyone knows something about that one in particular.

More than one poster has mentioned "magnetized." If mine is, I have no idea how that could happen.

BUT, just in case, is de-magnetizing something I can do myself and, if so, how?

Thanks,

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by straightshooter1:

More than one poster has mentioned "magnetized." If mine is, I have no idea how that could happen.

BUT, just in case, is de-magnetizing something I can do myself and, if so, how?

Thanks,

Bob

This is what you need to demag a watch.

https://www.amazon.com/Paddsun...b3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

There's a free iPhone app called Lepsi that uses the speaker in your phone to test for magnetization in your watch.

A few years ago I magnetized my watch. No idea how, but I did. It went from roughly -20/day to +10, a swing of 30 seconds. Overnight. It had been steady at -20 for a long time so I knew something was up. Thinking back on where I was, what I was doing I came to the conclusion that it started after I had been soldering some stuff for about 30-45 minutes. Watch on left hand, soldering iron in right. No idea if this is possible but that was the only thing "unusual" I did. So I downloaded the app on my iPad and it said yup, magnetized. I bought the unit in the above link, ran my watch over it, and when I checked again on the iPad it did not show any magnetism. I was actually kind of surprised. Checking the watch over the next week or so it settled back down to it's normal -20 a day. Now when I solder I take my watch off lol.

Thanks, Rick.

Well, I found the information on the watch.

My jeweler said it was an ETA 2824. I assume it would be the 2824-2 since Google says that is the number since 1982.

About all I can make out thru the window on the back is 25 jewels.

I see that 2824-2 has three grades, no idea what this one is.

Like I said earlier, I'm gonna wear this obe for a few days and check it for accuracy.

Bob

quote:

This is what you need to demag a watch.

Well hell, I paid way more than that for one about 8 years ago. That one in fact.

You can buy the tool to demag an automatic watch on eBay for something like $8.00. It’s a great thing to have if you own a lot of automatic watches. Some of my watches that ran slightly fast slowed down to almost perfect timekeeping once I ran them over my demagnetizer a few times.

Quartz has it's place.
But resin and plastic gears will never have the charm of a tiny little sewing machine ticking away.
If you really want quartz, eliminate the mechanical gears and only have the digital display module.

Revolvers are antiquated but are still preferred by many.

I don't have anything against mechanical watches-but this one is awful. It's taking a vacation to California on Monday for a work over and demagnetization.

I was wearing my 60s Cornavin watch (not an auto, gotta actually wind it every day. Sadly, doing the dishes (yeah, I do that) I forgot what I was wearing and now there's moisture all over the inside of the plastic crystal.

Thankfully, I wasn't wearing my 30s hand wind Bulova as I know there ain't no water resistance in that one.

Oh well, got the Quartz Swiss Army out and will see if I can destroy that one.

Was looking at the Glycine Combats but haven't made up my mind.

Bob

This message has been edited. Last edited by: straightshooter1,

Jomashop has the best prices on Glycines right now.

Be sure check the specs because they are now anywhere between 42 to 48mm cases since Invicta took over.

I have a Casio, automatic. Battery driven. Self adjusts. Batteries last for years (7?)

I think I paid about 70 bucks for it when I bought it. Replaced the battery once.

Day of the week
full date info
Time, of course, with choice of display mode
DST automatic too.

Waterproof to 200 meters