Interesting Quartz

[paskinner]

Kinetic watches do not feature normal replaceable batteries....I owned one for many years. Indeed, if they did use normal replaceable batteries, they wouldnT need kinetic charging would they. And the sort of Quartz watches I like....such as GS...feature batteries of around three years.
My point was that such long life batteries have not caught on in the best watches.....GS are state of the art Quartz, so why the limited battery life? A quick bit of research suggests ten year batteries are pretty rare and difficult . Casio manage, in very limited circumstances, but few watch batteries can do the job. Three to five years is more attainable.

[seikokiller]

Kinetic watches do not feature normal replaceable batteries....I owned one for many years. Indeed, if they did use normal replaceable batteries, they wouldnT need kinetic charging would they. And the sort of Quartz watches I like....such as GS...feature batteries of around three years.
My point was that such long life batteries have not caught on in the best watches.....GS are state of the art Quartz, so why the limited battery life? A quick bit of research suggests ten year batteries are pretty rare and difficult . Casio manage, in very limited circumstances, but few watch batteries can do the job. Three to five years is more attainable.

Again, you're talking absolute nonsense.

Kinetic watches use rechargeable batteries. They are often called capacitors. Google them. They look exactly like watch batteries... Because they are. They also need replacing eventually, because just like the rechargeable AAs you might pop in your remote control, they can lose their ability to hold charge over time. I can give you some common Seiko part numbers if it's helpful?

On to Quartz movements with a ten year battery life. They are not rare or difficult to find. You have experience of one particular family of high accuracy quartz movement - the 9F series, and from this surmise that because they have a 3 year battery life, 10 year batteries have not caught on in the "best" watches. What rot. Examples from another family of high accuracy movements produced by exactly the same manufacturer - Seikos 8F series, have a ten year battery life, as has been pointed out to you earlier in this thread. I understand part of the reason for the shorter battery life in the 9F series is the twin-pulse feature, but I'm no expert.

Ronda and ETA both produce cheap, mass produced movements with ten year battery lives. I'm not going to google you up some of the countless examples of watches which are available with ten year battery lives, but if you look no further than the owner of this site, the PRS10 and PRS18Q are just two, both very affordable, no more than one click away from this page.

Stop opining from a position of complete ignorance.

[Tokyo Tokei]

And the sort of Quartz watches I like....such as GS...feature batteries of around three years.
My point was that such long life batteries have not caught on in the best watches.....GS are state of the art Quartz, so why the limited battery life?

The Grand Seiko quartz movement was released in 1988 (95GS) with the 9F following in 1993, both containing the siver-oxide SR-type battery within the height of the movement. Higher capacity lithium 10 year CR-type batteries of the flat coin design that rest atop the movement (and are now commonly used in more recent movements) were not released until 1999.

Paul

[Raffe]

Again, you're talking absolute nonsense.

^ What's new about that?



Thanks to Paul for starting this thread and for all the contributions, its been dawning on me for a long time but now I know I don't have enough Quartz watches in my collection (currently only one). My stress level is increasing, gotta fix it!

[JackW]

Thanks for a very interesting read. I have a few in my collection. These two I bought because I developed an interest in this particular brand and case model:





They are by no means high end, but they're purposeful, slim watches that are hard to imagine as mechanicals.

This was the first 'expensive' quartz watch I bought:



The movement itself isn't very interesting, but as with the Yemas I feel the quartz movements fits the slim, rugged and 'toolish' case. The obvious link with science makes the quartz movement a natural choice too, in my mind.

Then there are two watches that I bought because of their movements. The first one is a Certina Precidrive. This thermo-compensated movement has an accuracy of +/- 10 seconds/year, according to the manufacturer. A real life test on another forum even found this movement to stay within 1 second a year. This particular model has a chronograph and moon phase to boot, and I happen to really like the styling and overall quality:



Finally I picked this up on SC recently:



This has the thermo-compensated Citizen A660 movement: 5 seconds/year accuracy, perpetual calendar and independently adjustable hour hand. The fit and finish of this watch is superb, and the Duratect treatment will hopefully keep it nice and shiny for a while!

[soapy]

A very interesting read, thank you.

when you look at a JSAR movement or a CWC diver I would say they are also things of beauty as a mechanical watch.

[Wibbs]

I've a YEMA Superman quartz myself. Man the prices of those have jumped in the last 18 months. As have pretty much all the early quartz. Though I have seen some bargains from time to time. Big fan of the early quartz myself. IMHO still an "undervalued" segment in the collecting sphere.

Sticking with a French theme, a pair of LIP Roger Tallon in house quartz from 1975.


I try to keep a spare of the early stuff.

Another LIP Tallon from the same time.


Bulova Accuquartz Centenary again from 75. It was NOS with hang tags and for under 30 quid on the bay.

Found one of the original adverts as the ones online were low res so.. Tuning fork movement with quartz control, so hums, albeit very quietly.

For the many fans of the oul Omega watches, here is their first all in house movement in the "Mariner" from 74 IIRC.

Got the head for small money. 100 quid IIRC, but like an idiot I got it without original bracelet. That took a few years to find and cost more than the head. DOH! in fairness not much more. Me being a cheap so and so.

The prize for wackiest movement goes to this Longines UltraQuartz. Tuning fork with cybernetic control through discreet hand soldered components. No silicon chips here. The quartz crystal in these isn't far off an inch long and hand tuned. On top of the usual mechanical parts that drive proceedings these IMHO are as much if not more "handmade" than most all mechanical watches.

These are delicate if delightful in daftness. You can feel this thing buzzing.

And a really hard one to find. Like Bigfoot riding a unicorn difficult. The Girard Perregaux with Motorola Chip "Tron" dial. And with original milanese strap.

I have a few GP's with this movement, but this was the Grail for me. The number of these that have come to light anywhere on the interwebs, inc. GP's own example can literally be counted on the fingers of one hand. I couldn't believe when I saw it come up on the Bay. Worst. Photo. Ever. And described as non working and with Girard Perregaux spelled incorrectly. Two bidders. Under 200 sterling. Result!.

[JasonM]

I rememer Siler Hawk ( Paul ) posting a movement pic of the Longines 6512movement... Mental thing.
His website is a great read for electric quartz watches. ( as Im sure most know )

http://electric-watches.co.uk/makers...-ultra-quartz/

[Carlton-Browne]

I'm really enjoying this thread. I'm not really sure where my interest in early quartz came from but the first ones were both JLCs.



I defy anybody to suggest that either of these lack "soul".

By accident I discovered that the G-P calibre 352 had been made for another maker - MSR Revue.
[IMG]hhttp://carlton-browne.org/albums/Public/TZ-UK/Friday/12062015.jpg[/IMG]
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...t=revue+quartz

This lead onto an accidental acquisition of a not insignificant number of tuning forks; mostly Universal Genève but a couple of Omegas (including a tungsten carbide-cased prototype). I'll spare you these as they, strictly speaking, don't belong here.

More recently I've picked up a couple of Universal Genève White Shadows. They have an early in-house calibre 74 and the one below is probably my most accurate watch (with the exception of the X33) though it does go through a battery in 9-12 months.

This is a picture off the internet of the second model.


On reflection I think it's the brave new world that early quartz emerged in - there were so many different attempts at getting it right (and so many dead ends!). Speaking as somebody who never grew up with the space bug I suppose this might be a way of compensating.

Finally I really couldn't do without this, the X33.

Guten appetit!

[soapy]

nice collection wibbs, you've got a lot of Lip [someone had to say it].

[Mitch]

I've a YEMA Superman quartz myself. Man the prices of those have jumped in the last 18 months. As have pretty much all the early quartz. Though I have seen some bargains from time to time. Big fan of the early quartz myself. IMHO still an "undervalued" segment in the collecting sphere.

:

A great collection of some early quartz there, good to have a theme in a collection.




Mitch

[Wibbs]

nice collection wibbs, you've got a lot of Lip [someone had to say it].

You wouldn't be the first to say it Soapy. Oh you mean watches?

I'm really enjoying this thread. I'm not really sure where my interest in early quartz came from but the first ones were both JLCs.

I defy anybody to suggest that either of these lack "soul".

+1. I've seen CB's second JLC in the metal and it's a stunning watch. Oozes quality and heft. The dial printing alone is right up there with the best.

On reflection I think it's the brave new world that early quartz emerged in - there were so many different attempts at getting it right (and so many dead ends!). Speaking as somebody who never grew up with the space bug I suppose this might be a way of compensating.

:) I did have the space bug and that feeling of inexorable technological change for the better. Concorde blasting along at Mach 2, while passengers sipped champagne in luxury and men on the moon and all that. The days when to a kid of the 70's 2000AD was both a comic and the future and "solid state" was a boast. :)

These watches really speak to me of that time where the future was still in play as a good thing and postmodernism hadn't come along quite yet. There's something resolutely forward thinking and non ironic and optimistic about them. The designs really reflected that. In mechanical watches too of course(the various Genta styled pieces that are still with us), but in a big way with the latest technology movements. For a start these were the very top of the range and in the early days far more expensive to buy than the "old" mechanicals. IE at least double and more the price of say an Omega Speedy Pro. For me the 1970's were the standout years in watch design as far as pushing the boundaries goes. Sure they could and did go full Austin Powers at times but they tried to be different. Some still do today of course, but tradition and harking back is far more in play.

It's also still an area of collecting where new insights and knowledge can come along and be found by amateur collectors. Few of the watch companies seem to have kept great records of the time, or are reticent to acknowledge the time since the mechanical revival. Though Omega, Longines, Rolex, even Patek would be good in that regard. Our own Carlton-Browne found his MSR Revue which was a complete unknown to horologists addition to the list of companies that used the Girard Perregaux quartz movement. I then found another to add to the list around the same time. In my example from a sister company of GP, Consul(who seemed to mostly specialise in Lady's pendent watches by the early 70's). Unlike his Revue which like the chap himself has an elegance to it, I of course had to go full on tacky… :D Austin Powers ahoy. Though for 50 quid...



Five different shades of gold. Yeah Baby! Interestingly where GP had a "silicon chip" dial to show off the new tech, Consul went for a design that would have been just as familiar back then as "computery", the IBM punchcard. JLC had models with an oscilloscope dial to send a similar message. Today the chip is still with us as design iconography, but the punchcard is more like having an original actually floppy disk on the dial.

[Carlton-Browne]

Five different shades of gold. Yeah Baby! Interestingly where GP had a "silicon chip" dial to show off the new tech, Consul went for a design that would have been just as familiar back then as "computery", the IBM punchcard. JLC had models with an oscilloscope dial to send a similar message. Today the chip is still with us as design iconography, but the punchcard is more like having an original actually floppy disk on the dial.

I wonder if there's a way of decoding what the punchcard dial actually says? Maybe it's "Yeah Baby!"...

[soapy]

I wonder if there's a way of decoding what the punchcard dial actually says? Maybe it's "Yeah Baby!"...

no idea but that is very, very nice.

[Rocky555]

I had this nice Seiko King Quartz with 9723 twin quartz thermocompensated movement.






9723 was rated +/-20 sec per year.
Still extremely accurate after 40 years.




Diagram of how it works.

[Glamdring]

You sold that? Shame on you. Gorgeous.

[01101001]

A few more!
A Seiko RC4000,


My old 7t27 military issued watch ( I had a few of these military issued and not) I also had a few of the older 7a28 gen 1 versions again military issued



My Breitling B1 i had this on a fighter bracelet but also on an ocean racer strap, this watch has the best case back ever!



My 1985 Seiko golden tuna, I wear this watch so much it's in amazing condition. I sent it to one of my buddies at Seiko for a service last month and was so happy to get it back.

[Wibbs]

My Breitling B1 i had this on a fighter bracelet but also on an ocean racer strap, this watch has the best case back ever!

Kudos to Breitling for keeping and improving the ani digital in their range. One of the few "big names" in Western watchmaking that keep their toe in the quartz water. And they make them look very nice too.

I've had a few digitals down the years. G-shocks an obvious choice, but I rarely keep them for long. TBH I do find them a bit "lifeless". The analogues have some movement that feels organic for want of a better word and you can hear them tick, or buzz, or hum. Some have quite a nice tick actually and as it's once per second it's quite relaxing, like a longcase clock in the hall. :)

I do have and wear this though. Seiko's C153-5007, their first calculator watch and the second calculator watch with an LCD screen(Casio beat them by a few weeks) from 1977.

[Rocky555]

You sold that? Shame on you. Gorgeous.

I was not wearing it, so it had to go...
But I have regretted it few times :)

[k965781]

That's a lovely collection Neil 'jneds' -a great range of pieces across manufacturers and ages. I'm just weedling into Seiko myself. Having found them by accident I can't believe I haven't discovered the 7a28/7a38 collection before!
Steve

[julian2002]

reminds me a bit off this:



which is sort of quartz as well.

I used to work for the guy that was designed for, for his trip to the ISS. Nice bloke. His house was fantastic too and every other year he'd do an awesome haunted house.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news...lery_511&pid=1

[Mr Curta]

I do have and wear this though. Seiko's C153-5007, their first calculator watch and the second calculator watch with an LCD screen(Casio beat them by a few weeks) from 1977.

Oooooh

[searat]

Really enjoyed reading this - I've had so many great quartz pieces over the years, can't name a favourite but the Darth Tuna and Sinn UX would be in there somewhere, here's mine a few years ago..



Enjoyed some quirky designs too, like the Yes watch:



Wearing a citizen ecodrive titanium as I type.
Steve

[01101001]

Really enjoyed reading this - I've had so many great quartz pieces over the years, can't name a favourite but the Darth Tuna and Sinn UX would be in there somewhere, here's mine a few years ago..



Enjoyed some quirky designs too, like the Yes watch:



Wearing a citizen ecodrive titanium as I type.
Steve

Love those invisible straps!

[Med]

Great thread. Thanks to the OP for taking the time to do the original write up. Sort of wish I hadnt seen it though lol.

[rasputin10]

Great thread. I'm another Quartz convert, came into this hobby really interested in 'vintage and interesting' watches, which is still the case, but in the early days that just meant mechanical whereas now it certainly includes Quartz too. The interest came via tuning fork watches but the watches at the top of my want list are master Quartz, oyster Quartz, marine chronometers and the like, so I'd say Quartz is taking over! only got one so far but loving it, interesting with a depth meter and 3 batteries under the hood, but this one in particular has a rare dacor branded dial which I've been looking for for ages!

[Ey-Up]

This continues to be one of the most informative and interesting threads I have read during my short time on this forum. Thanks.

[Peck]

Super thread - this forum at its best. Fascinating stuff, thank you to all the knowledgeable contributors (and the clueless one for the comedy, as ever)

[paskinner]

Yes,fascinating, and full of rare pictures and information. For those interested, it might be worth reading some of the accounts from Seiko,of the development both of the temperature compensated modern quartz engines, but especially of the spring drive. That seems to hsve originated with the vision of one man, and took several attempts to get onto the market. The best part of twenty years if I remember correctly.
It's to Seiko's credit that it pushed ahead with high end Quartz, and spring drive, while also offering great mechanical designs. I think Breitling may be the only European company to show similar ambitions. The Swiss took fright and have never recovered, seeing their future in mechanical terms.
And I still can't find a true high end Quartz model with a ten year battery. So I'l stick to spring drive for now. Advances in electric cars will bring major improvements in battery technology. A Grand Seiko with ten year service and battery replacements would suit me fine.

[Belligero]

^
Right, because a complete mechanical overhaul in Japan at three-year recommended intervals for one's high-maintenance quartz makes so much more sense than a battery change. :P

[BRGS]

Thanks for taking the trouble to make this thread Paul and to everyone who made a contribution, I haven't been in much lately with various other distractions but I just found this thread and really enjoyed it. I like quartz a lot but digital is a bit of a step too far, I remember when they came out though and what a wow factor they had then.at

[soapy]

Yes,fascinating, and full of rare pictures and information. For those interested, it might be worth reading some of the accounts from Seiko,of the development both of the temperature compensated modern quartz engines, but especially of the spring drive. That seems to hsve originated with the vision of one man, and took several attempts to get onto the market. The best part of twenty years if I remember correctly.
It's to Seiko's credit that it pushed ahead with high end Quartz, and spring drive, while also offering great mechanical designs. I think Breitling may be the only European company to show similar ambitions. The Swiss took fright and have never recovered, seeing their future in mechanical terms.
And I still can't find a true high end Quartz model with a ten year battery. So I'l stick to spring drive for now. Advances in electric cars will bring major improvements in battery technology. A Grand Seiko with ten year service and battery replacements would suit me fine.

there are loads of watches with 10 year battery's you can start here [not that I think its that important].

http://www.timefactors.com/precista.htm

[Sharky]

As everyone else has said, what a great thread. Kudos to Paul for starting it!

I have had a fascination with Quartz, especially vintage of late, so here are mine, both past and present:

Omega MegaQuartz:

2016-09-24_05-23-25 by mcridland, on Flickr


Seiko Type II:

2016-07-08_11-57-21 by mcridland, on Flickr

Swiss Emperor:

2016-07-01_02-34-28 by mcridland, on Flickr

LIP Rudi Meyer Instrument:

MJC_3248 by mcridland, on Flickr

Longines UltraQuartz (Same as Wibbs)

MJC_3237 by mcridland, on Flickr

Favre Leuba:

2016-06-08_10-49-22 by mcridland, on Flickr

JLC MasterQuartz

JLC by mcridland, on Flickr

Seiko 2002 (rare)

MJC_2551 by mcridland, on Flickr

IWC

MJC_2303 by mcridland, on Flickr

Omega Speedmaster X-33

20150626_073314 by mcridland, on Flickr

Omega Constellation f300 Chronometer:

2016-10-11_10-53-24 by mcridland, on Flickr

EDIT (Adding a few more!)

LIP Nautic~Ski II

LIP Nautic Ski by mcridland, on Flickr

LIP Nautic~Ski I

Untitled by mcridland, on Flickr


Enjoy!

Mark

[seikokiller]

And I still can't find a true high end Quartz model with a ten year battery. So I'l stick to spring drive for now. Advances in electric cars will bring major improvements in battery technology. A Grand Seiko with ten year service and battery replacements would suit me fine.

I suspect that's because the only manufacturers you would consider "true high end" who make any quartz watches at all would be Grand Seiko, and Breitling, right? You're only looking at a very tiny corner of the market, and assuming that if it can't be had there, it can't be had anywhere.

Advances in battery technology are not the issue here. As has already been pointed out to you many times, Quartz movements with a ten year battery life don't just exist - they are commonplace and affordable. They just don't happen to be in any of the watches you like.

May be worth noting again that Seiko's high accuracy thermocompensated perpetual calendar 8F56 has a ten year battery life. Brietlings superquartz movements (not chronos or LCD) state 8 years on their website. Here's some other movements (all current part numbers) with a claimed 10 year or better battery life: Ronda 715li and 762E (10 years). ETA 955.652 (15 years) - This I believe is the base movement used in the Breitling Colt, so their stated 8 years may be conservative. Miyota 1L60, 2S60 and 2S65 (10 years). I'm sure there will be more.

[paskinner]

The Seiko you note was discontinued years ago. Your own post quotes a watch with a battery life 20pc short of the target.
ManySwiss firms offer quartz, including Cartier , JLC, Omega and Patek. None offer very long battery life. And they are presumably the biggest sellers. So where are the long life eta movements? No one seems to use them. You don't give any examples.

Or take the Japanese, the thermo- coupled GS F9 is regarded as the best Quartz movement money can buy....But they chose a battery life of three years. So do Citizen. Why?
I repeat my original point, I would like to see more long life battery watches. Which would mean Seiko and Citizen returning to such models, just for a start. And incidentally, the sale of less expensive ultra-long Quartz battery watches ...analogue...seems also in decline.

In every other industry using batteries, life has got steadily longer........odd. I assume the demand isn't there.

[Mr Curta]

I've had a few digitals down the years. G-shocks an obvious choice, but I rarely keep them for long. TBH I do find them a bit "lifeless". The analogues have some movement that feels organic for want of a better word and you can hear them tick, or buzz, or hum. Some have quite a nice tick actually and as it's once per second it's quite relaxing, like a longcase clock in the hall. :)

This comment has given me cause to pause and consider personal differences of perception. I find digitals fascinating and certainly not inert, probably due to a background in logic, programming and microelectronics.

*Although not electromechanical which gives a more dynamic and animated effect, I can envisage in my mind's eye the elegant circuitry that interfaces a 32768Hz quartz crystal to the oscillator input on a microcontroller (in itself is an incredible feat of semiconductor engineering) programmed with numerous complications that can drive a display visible to the human eye.

That said, I don't half like valves, which I feel also give an organic feel to digital technology. Watch this space...


*Pseuds Corner alert

[ralphy]

Brilliant topic Paul, thanks, really enjoyed reading that, I wholeheartedly agree with you, a good Quartz watch is easy to enjoy.

Exactly my thoughts and so I'll echo them.

My personal preference for quartz watches remains with analogue dials and also for minimal functions, i.e. telling the time and no more. The main exception to this though is the Breitling Avenger M1 as the ability to use the chrono function at depth underwater has been of great use to me.





I've had several ani-dig watches too and occasionally digital display only, but the M1 is just perfect in my eyes.

Mind you, I don't care a stuff about 10-year battery life.

R

[verv]

Brilliant thread Paul.
It was a seiko kinetic Arctura that first got me into watches in the 90s. I wore it for years until the capacitor died. By which point it was scarred, covered in paint and the rubber beneath the steel 'shields' of the bracelet had perished and the whole thing was hanging on by a thread. I loved the weighty swoosh of the oscillator(?) as it was charging.
Since then I've had a Quartz ingenieur and an oysterquartz, the oq being my favourite.
CB's blue JLC is bloody lovely.

[MarkO]

It was a seiko kinetic Arctura that first got me into watches in the 90s. I wore it for years until the capacitor died. .

I had something similar in the 90's - my first real adult watch purchase- it lasted as my only watch for years.
I lost it once - found it 3 months later in the door seal of the washing machine- new strap and back on the wrist for a couple more years before it finally died .
After that I had several Victorinox Quartz Officer watches - still have the last of those in my drawer. It gets worn as a quick change if I am going for a swim and I am wearing something with low WR or leather.

[ed335d]

Terrific thread! Really informative and interesting.

I've a few quartz Heuer divers, all with the standard ETA 536.121 movement.

This has spurred me on to order my first vintage quartz Seiko

[Wibbs]

I see some more LIP fans.

This comment has given me cause to pause and consider personal differences of perception. I find digitals fascinating and certainly not inert, probably due to a background in logic, programming and microelectronics.

I suppose for me for some reason they don't feel "alive". As you said it's very much down to perception. At the low down beyond human perception level they're positively buzzing along. The tick of the analogue quartz is just more obvious. Also with a few of the early examples the movements, well they move, so you can see something happen as the stepping motors tick. Funny enough as a kid when the LED and then LCD's came along and came down to pocket/summer job money prices(just about) I liked some of them. I have Seiko's second calculator watch I got as an xmas present and it still runs fine, but it was also at that age that the digitals got me into the "old windup" watches in the first place. Everyone wanted the LCD's, so old fashioned second hand mechanical watches were crazy cheap by comparison and I found them more interesting. Some digitals weren't so cheap mind you. Examples from Seiko were expensive enough, in the sense of what the average man on the street would have paid for a "good watch", in the days when almost nobody would have known what something like an IWC or Patek was.

This has spurred me on to order my first vintage quartz Seiko

That's the other great thing about the battery stuff, they're still for the most part far cheaper than equivalent vintage mechanicals. Even higher valued examples like Omega Marine Chronometers are cheaper than a vintage Speedy of the same year and a fraction of their price when new. IIRC when first released they were crazy money, like you could buy eight Submariners for the price of one crazy money. The main issue is servicing. They don't need it as much as mechanicals, but you need someone who knows what they're doing and spares can be an issue. A spare movement is a real bonus for anything any way rare. Prices are going north too as people realise the background and bargains for what were once the very top of the range pieces with cases, dials hands etc to match. 5 years ago ebay would have been rich with Girard Perregaux 350 movement watches and if you paid 200 quid for one at auction it was on the high side. These days there are a lot fewer coming along. Goes for most battery driven stuff. I got my LIP Nautic-Ski for around 150 quid, these days they're more like 3-400 upwards(non dealer prices too). Omega Mariners were more like 150-200, now more like 400-500. Oddly enough early LEDs seemed to have always had a small but enthusiastic collector base and prices have remained high enough and steady enough over the last ten years.

[gcleminson]

Both of these pre-date my discovery of TZ-UK. In fact it was because the Seiko had broken and I was exploring options for repair that I stumbled upon the forum.

When I bought the Casio some time around 2001, a miniaturised digital camera was a complete novelty - albeit it B&W only, and a resolution of 120 x 120 pixels (or 0.025 megapixels)! This was around a year to 18 months before the first cameras appeared in mobile phones, so the novelty proved short-lived.

[MarkO]

On the subject of quartz not feeling "alive"

I was looking at the Seiko Astron new releases - some very attractive models to me.

You have a watch that just needs to be out in sunlight occasionally to keep going - can tell you how soon it needs to go outside, when you do go out it can automatically connect with the GPS satellites to check the correct time / date/ day , which timezone you are in (out of 40) and whether you are in a daylight saving time of year.
Seems to be an alternative version of alive to the mechanical watch definition.




This SSE093 has caught my eye - one of the less complicated models with no second timezone, day of the week and no chronograph.

[S.L]

Great thread.

I recently visited a good friend in Tokyo that has an amazing collection including these two that I think should be noted here,



I don't have anything on that scale in my humble collection but I'm certainly not averse to quartz watches as evidensed by my affection for 7548 & 7C43's,



I have a serious problem resisting to pick up good specimens of these...

Probably the most unusual qurtz watch I have is this Scubapro 30ATM,



Probably not noteworthy for its movement (never had a look to see what's inside) it seems to be quite rare, I have only ever seen one other (online) besides mine. If anyone knows more about these please do chip in!

And to broaden the discussion with something cheap, contemporary and fun I'll add the "intelligent quartz" from Timex,



Whilst not of any spectacular build quality it certainly offers a lot of functionality for very little money.

[JasonM]

That Scubapro needs to be with its bro's Stefan..

[S.L]

That Scubapro needs to be with its bro's Stefan..

I thought you'd never ask Jase.
Let me know if you have misplaced my shipping address.

[JasonM]

I guess I walked straight into that one... Well played sir.

[Wibbs]

Great thread.

I recently visited a good friend in Tokyo that has an amazing collection including these two that I think should be noted here,

Ohhh now they're a rare pair alright. Nice.

Probably the most unusual qurtz watch I have is this Scubapro 30ATM,

Nice again. I've been trying to find out what was the earliest proper dive watch that was quartz powered. The best I've come up with so far is a Certina with a 1975/6 dated movement. I'm surprised they didn't come along earlier.

[JasonM]

Ohhh now they're a rare pair alright. Nice.



Nice again. I've been trying to find out what was the earliest proper dive watch that was quartz powered. The best I've come up with so far is a Certina with a 1975/6 dated movement. I'm surprised they didn't come along earlier.

Interesting question. Ill have a think.

[Bender]

An early 90's 7T59 and I've owned several and sold them for some reason but this one is staying put.



I got one of these 20 years ago as a present. Must still be in one of the drawers in my parents place :)



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