Why Every Collector Should Try Wearing a Quartz Watch for a Week
It is all too easy to get wrapped up in the mechanical watches versus quartz watches debate. We, as collectors, are obsessed about standards, accuracy, power-reserve, authenticity, and craftsmanship, and as a result, we might get a bit snobby about the watches many of us might have started out with: a quartz watch. I have certainly fallen in and out the ‘I can only wear mechanical watches’ phase on numerous occasions. However, as time has gone on and my appreciation for watches continues to grow, I have found that I just keep coming back to my quartz powered pieces. So today, I am going to try and convince the collectors who are devout followers of the mechanical watch cult that they might just be missing out with something when it comes to quartz watches.
There is definitely a common misconception that a quartz watch is a cheap, plasticky, unreliable little thing that has no place on a seasoned collector’s wrist. And to be fair, that is correct. The watches that do fall into that description probably should not be worn by seasoned collectors: it is just unreasonable to expect any level of joy even comparable to that of a mechanical watch from something that executes a simple function and just that simple function. I am not saying that watches like the Casio F-91W are not good watches, far from it. These are the purest form of a tool, in the same way that a swiss army knife is not necessarily the best looking pocket knife you might come across, but it sure as hell gets the job done.
When we talk about a luxury quartz watch, we purists can often dismiss these as ‘cop outs’ or taking the lazy road to luxury watch ownership. Maybe there is something poetic about having to set your watch to the correct time after having set it down for a few days in favour of a different watch. But for some people, that just does not work. As enthusiasts and collectors, we are maybe a little bit short-sighted when it comes to who actually buys luxury watches: many people buying the quartz Cartiers or Grand Seikos are people who want to own a nice watch, maybe two, but without being total nerds about them. And herein lies the first lesson. One of my favourite things about watch ownership is being able to have one for every occasion. I will frequently wear one to the gym in the morning, change it out for the working day, and then change one out for yet another when I go out in the evening. Wearing a luxury quartz watch is all about ease. If you want to be able to switch through a couple of watches in a day without faffing around with setting the time and date, go for a quartz watch. The same can actually be said if you are the kind of collector who rotates their watches on a longer cycle. There is nothing worse than deciding last minute that you want to wear a different watch, reaching into the watch box for one you have not worn in a while, and then realising you have to set it. Usually, what happens there in my case is that I put it back in the box and continue wearing the one from earlier in the day. The conclusion I would like you to retain from this part is that quartz watches make your experience easier and more fluid, whether you are a seasoned collector or just someone who wants to have a nice watch that they wear occasionally.
This brings me onto my next point nicely. Listening to the ‘A Matter of Time’ podcast hosts debate the legitimate reasons to own a quartz watch really got the cogs turning in my head. If you are going to spend money on a luxury watch, why would you choose to go for a quartz one over a mechanical one? I think this question is only really applicable to first time luxury watch buyers. It is definitely a safer bet for someone who is not quite sure of the lay of the land when it comes to watches. Yes, the price tag is slightly lower, but for that buyer or collector it is probably reassuring to know that they are running less of a risk when it comes to damaging it or servicing it. I think this argument is particularly potent if someone is looking at buying a chronograph watch. Advances in mech-quartz movements means that it is the perfect mid-point between something extremely complex and something that is entry-level, the perfect way to step up into proper complications without taking too much of a risk. And that is a perfectly valid reason to buy a luxury quartz watch in my opinion.
Thus far, I have really only covered reasons that non-collectors should consider buying a quartz watch, so I think that it is only fair that I try and convince our friends with heavy hitters to take a chance on a quartz watch.
First up is probably the most convincing argument: the technological feat. Many luxury collectors have every flavour of complication that exists in their collection. And why do they have these watches? Well, it is because they are technologically impressive. Whether it is an IWC double chronograph, a Moser Flyback, or some kind of calendar watch, these are all highly technical, complex pieces. And the same can be said for any mechanical watch that has a 10-day power-reserve, like an Oris Propilot X, or is super-accurate like any Master-Chronometer certified watches. Assuming that quartz watches cannot be as technically impressive is definitely a crime in my opinion. The Grand Seiko 9F quartz movement is supremely impressive. If a mechanical watch runs to ±10 seconds in a week we would certainly be impressed. The 9F calibre runs to that same accuracy over a year. Just let that sink in. And no, it is not just a circuit board and a battery cell shoved into a case and flogged to customers for some outrageous sum. It is a high-precision piece of watchmaking tech that has been hand-assembled, hand adjusted, and carefully regulated to make it run like clockwork, if you will forgive the pun, for the next decade. This is not cheap manufacturing, it is high-precision engineering. And if you appreciate the highly complicated watches like a tourbillon or a perpetual calendar, you can definitely appreciate this kind of luxury quartz watch.
The second point I would like to make with regards to our seasoned luxury collectors is image. Wearing a luxury quartz watch signals something completely different than wearing something flash. It still tells everyone you have money and taste, but it also tells them that you are confident in your taste and that other people’s opinions are simply irrelevant to you when it comes to what you want to wear. The flip-side of this coin is something that is maybe overlooked by a lot of lucury watch collectors, especially those who are professionals like doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, etc. In these professions, salaries are high and it is almost expected of you to wear expensive suits and luxury watches. However, wearing a $100,000 Patek is probably not the best watch to wear if you are advising a company on how to manage bankruptcy: perhaps, it comes off as a little insensitive, maybe even suggesting to your client that they are paying you too much. This is where a luxury quartz watch comes in in my opinion. You can still wear something that is technically impressive, and yet discrete. You can maintain your passion whilst giving off the right impression. A Grand Seiko would be the optimal choice here: it is a piece that you can appreciate wearing without it potentially giving off the wrong impression. So, if you are ever worried about the impression that your luxury watch might give off, maybe consider going down the quartz route to find that solution.
Grand Seiko Spring Drive Movement combines quartz and mechanical aspects.
Whether or not I have managed to convert you to the joys of quartz watches, only you can be the judge of that. However, I do hope that I have made a good case for them. Whether it is the simplicity of the wearing and ownership experience, the perfect way to start down a new collecting path (regardless of being a total rookie or seasoned veteran), the professional use of such a watch, or just the fun of wearing something different, I believe there is a quartz watch out there for everyone. All you need to do now is wear quartz watch for a week. Just one week. Will you take on the challenge? Let us know how you get on in the comments!
