Watch Movements Explained - Mechanical vs. Automatic vs. Quartz Watches

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For a more in-depth guide to watch movements, click here: https://gentl.mn/watch-movements Want to stay updated? Sign up here for free: https://gentl.mn/2tB3Wwx Want to see more videos? Subscribe to our channel! https://www.youtube.com/gentlemansgazette --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gentleman's Gazette https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/ https://gentl.mn/2VkAHts Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gentlemansgazette FREE EBOOK: https://gentl.mn/2tB3Wwx While many men will consider or purchase a new wristwatch based solely on the looks of its exterior, the true connoisseur will give equal attention to its internal mechanisms. Such internal workings are collectively referred to as the movement or caliber of a wristwatch and they're the subject of today's video. The movement drives the hands on the face of a wristwatch and also powers its other features, known in the trade as complications. These would include such things as the calendar, chronograph, or alternate time zones. There are two overall categories and three individual types of watch movements. The two categories are mechanical and quartz and within the mechanical category, the two individual types there are manual and automatic. MANUAL MOVEMENT A manual movement, also frequently referred to as a hand-wound movement, is the oldest type of watch movement made. It dates back to the 16th century. Most manual movements will need daily winding in order to keep time accurately but some higher-end models can store energy efficiently enough to only need winding every few days. Some watches will feature a complication known as a power reserve indicator which tells the wearer how long they can go before they actually need to wind the watch again. With this said though, men who prefer to wear manual movement watches generally get into the habit of winding them daily often at a set time, usually before they go to bed, for example. Because manual movements are the most traditional type of movement available, they're typically found in conservatively styled expensive and collectible watch models. Here are some important aspects to consider when purchasing a manual movement watch. First of all, you will need to get into the habit of winding your watch regularly. If you don't do this, the watch will wind down and it won't keep time accurately. With that said though, if a manual watch is wound too tightly or wound at an improper angle, say for example, if you try to wind it while it's already on your wrist, this can do damage to the movement over time. AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT Along with manual movement watches, the other type of mechanical movement is the automatic movement, also known as the self-winding movement. This type debuted in the early 20th century. An automatic movement harnesses kinetic energy from the natural motion of the wearer's wrist. In other words, moving your arm around while you're wearing the watch throughout the day will wind the mainspring. How is this accomplished then? It's because an automatic movement contains all of the components we covered earlier plus an additional component that's referred to as the rotor. This is most often a semi circular metal weight that can swing freely 360 degrees as the wrist moves. The rotor is connected by another series of gears to the mainspring which gets wound as the rotor swings. From there, the mechanisms of the automatic movement are the same as the manual and yes, it can also be wound from the crown, if you so choose. QUARTZ MOVEMENT The final type of movement we'll discuss today is the quartz movement, also known as a battery-powered movement. It was introduced to the public by the Seiko corporation in 1969. Unlike the mechanical movements we just covered, the inner workings of a quartz movement are made up by very different components. Firstly, the power source of a quartz movement is a battery. It takes the place of a mainspring. A watch battery will typically last between one and two years at which time it should be promptly replaced to prevent any leakage of battery acid. Next up is the integrated circuit which carries the electrical charge from the battery to the quartz crystal and from the crystal to the stepping motor. The quartz crystal acts in a similar fashion to the escapement on a mechanical watch. Quartz vibrates when electricity is applied to it and this generates voltage. The stepping motor transforms the electrical impulses into mechanical power and the dial train functions just like the dial train that's found on a mechanical movement. So then, that's our overview of the three different types of watch movements. We'd like to know what were you most surprised by in today's video? #watchmovements #watches #notsponsored