For the past few years, watchmaking has been enjoying a new lease of life. Younger generations are taking an interest in it, collectors are becoming more numerous, and with them comes the same recurring question: should you choose a quartz movement or an automatic movement? At Col&McArthur, our belief is simple: that choice is yours alone, and it will always be the right one. Whether it stems from a love of mechanics or the appeal of a particular design, it simply deserves to be an informed decision. And to make that decision, one must first understand what truly sets these two movements apart.
Choosing between an automatic watch and a quartz watch means choosing between two expressions of time: that of a mechanical movement, powered by the motion of the wrist and the mainspring housed within the barrel, and that of quartz, where a battery causes a quartz crystal to vibrate with remarkable precision. The fundamental difference therefore lies in the way the energy required to power the watch is generated.
What Is the Real Difference Between an Automatic Movement and a Quartz Movement?
An automatic watch draws its energy from the movement of the wrist. Every movement of the arm sets the rotor in motion, winding a spring housed inside the barrel. This spring then continuously releases its energy to the mechanism for as long as the watch is being worn or until its power reserve is fully depleted.
The power reserve refers to the theoretical period, as stated by the manufacturer, during which the spring continues to supply the movement with energy and keep the watch running accurately, even when it is no longer being worn. The very same principle already powered the timepieces worn during the great expeditions and military campaigns of the last century.
A quartz watch, by contrast, is powered by a battery that causes a quartz crystal to vibrate at a constant frequency, delivering outstanding precision with minimal maintenance.
Choosing between these two movements therefore means choosing between two experiences of time: the ingenious, methodical expression of human craftsmanship found in mechanical watchmaking, where energy comes to life through the watch worn on your wrist, and the understated reliability of quartz, designed to display time with exceptional accuracy.
Neither is inherently superior to the other. Each tells its own story, embodying two distinct expressions of human ingenuity.
How Does a Quartz Watch Work?
The quartz crystal is the beating heart of every quartz watch, representing one of the great technological breakthroughs of the 20th century. Its arrival transformed the watchmaking industry so profoundly that it gave rise to what is still known today as the Quartz Crisis.
A battery powers an electronic circuit that causes the crystal to vibrate at an exceptionally stable frequency: exactly 32,768 times per second. These oscillations are converted into electrical impulses, which drive a small motor that moves the hands with near-perfect precision.
Where the barrel of an automatic watch stores mechanical energy generated by the movement of the wrist, the battery of a quartz watch delivers a stable electrical current. This technology, popularised from 1969 onwards with the arrival of the first commercially available quartz watches, revolutionised the watchmaking industry by making a level of precision once associated with marine chronometers accessible to everyone.
How Does an Automatic Watch Work?
An automatic watch carries within it a principle inherited from the great watchmakers of the 18th century, from Abraham-Louis Perrelet to Hubert Sarton, the Liège-born watchmaker to whom our Maison has already dedicated a tribute model: transforming the everyday movement of the wrist into living energy.
At the heart of the movement lies the rotor, an oscillating weight that pivots freely with every motion of the arm, like a pendulum faithfully following the rhythm of its wearer. Through a finely engineered system of gears, this rotation winds a spring housed inside the barrel, the movement’s true reservoir of energy.
As the spring gradually unwinds, it releases the force required to keep the hands moving steadily.
Unlike a quartz watch, which draws its energy from a battery, an automatic watch relies on no external power source: it lives through the movement of the person wearing it. A fully wound mainspring can provide a power reserve lasting several days, allowing the watch to continue running even when it is no longer on the wrist.
Every automatic watch is therefore a finely assembled piece of engineering, designed, crafted and brought to life by the expertise of watchmakers and engineers. It represents one of the purest expressions of mechanics and a passion for fine watchmaking.
That same philosophy can be found in our military and aviation watches, available with both quartz and automatic movements, where the instrument follows its wearer into the heart of the action.
Winding and Power Reserve: What Really Changes in Everyday Use?
Wearing an automatic watch every day means wearing a companion on your wrist that follows you and operates in rhythm with your movements.
The movement winds itself through the motion of the wrist, or manually by turning the crown. Using the crown becomes necessary whenever the watch has stopped, ensuring it can resume keeping time for as long as possible.
Every step sets the oscillating weight in motion, winding the mainspring inside the barrel and restoring the energy required to drive the hands. Depending on the movement, this power reserve often ranges from 38 to 70 hours.
This creates an almost ritual-like discipline: if an automatic watch is left unworn for too long, it will stop and may, over time, suffer from deterioration, for example as the lubricants inside the movement begin to lose their properties. It is therefore recommended to keep your watch running at least once a week.
A quartz watch, on the other hand, requires virtually no effort or particular attention. A battery powers an oscillator whose regular vibrations ensure exceptional accuracy, with no spring or kinetic energy to maintain.
The choice ultimately comes down to the experience you are looking for:
Wearing it every day: the automatic movement winds naturally through the motion of your wrist, without requiring regular manual winding.
Wearing it occasionally: the power reserve will eventually run out, requiring the watch to be manually wound and the time reset.
Choosing quartz: there are no particular wearing constraints. The battery provides a constant source of energy for several years. However, it should be replaced promptly once depleted to prevent leakage that could damage both the movement and the case.
Passing the watch on: a mechanical movement lends itself more naturally to the ritual of transmission, through the way it functions, the additional care it requires, including servicing every four to six years, and its perceived residual value. Quartz, meanwhile, offers simplicity and ease of use.
Accuracy: Why Quartz Beats Automatic on Paper, and Why It Matters Less Than You Might Think
The numbers speak for themselves: a quartz watch typically loses or gains only a few seconds per month, whereas an automatic movement may deviate by several seconds per day.
Inside a quartz watch, the crystal oscillates more than 32,000 times per second under the electrical current supplied by the battery, delivering a cold, mathematical, almost absolute level of precision.
Inside an automatic watch, a spring releases energy captured through the movement of the wrist, subject to the more unpredictable laws of friction and gravity.
Much like the Col&McArthur collections, which tell stories from History that deserve to be remembered and passed on, an automatic watch does more than simply display the passing of time.
It tells a story of effort, transmission, the patient ritual of manual winding inherited from the earliest mechanical watches and transformed into perpetual movement, and the meticulous care involved in assembling each piece.
Those who choose this mechanism are not simply buying seconds. They are choosing an embodied experience of time, a legacy to wear and, one day, to pass on: a state of mind, a symbolic choice rooted in a deep appreciation for craftsmanship.
This mechanical reliability was once also a matter of safety. The watches worn by soldiers of the era were themselves equipped with mechanical movements, allowing our heroes to coordinate their actions and carry a true travelling companion on their wrist.
Maintenance, Longevity and Long-Term Cost: What Sellers Do Not Always Explain
The true cost of a watch is rarely revealed at the time of purchase. It becomes apparent in the decade that follows.
A quartz watch requires minimal maintenance: generally, a battery replacement every two to three years, costing only a modest amount each time, as well as the occasional inspection of its water-resistance seals.
The quartz movement causes the crystal to vibrate at a high frequency, delivering a level of accuracy that a mechanical movement cannot match. It is a quiet advantage, with battery replacement remaining its principal recurring cost.
However, a depleted battery should never be left inside the watch for too long. An ageing battery can leak and cause serious damage to the movement.
An automatic watch requires greater care. The mainspring inside the barrel stores the energy transmitted by the wrist without the need for a battery, but the movement should be periodically serviced by a watchmaker, with costs varying depending on its complexity.
At our workshop in Liège, we recommend a complete service every four to six years in order to preserve both the accuracy of the movement and the water resistance of the case.
An automatic movement is often compared to the vehicle you rely on every day. It may continue to run after four or six years, but regular maintenance is what ensures your watch can accompany you throughout your lifetime, and perhaps far beyond it, into the lives of those you hold dear and to whom you may one day pass on your finest timepieces.
At the end of the day, the decision is no longer simply a technical one.
It comes down to what you are looking for: the reliability, low maintenance and generally lower price of quartz, or the craftsmanship of an automatic movement, its mechanical beauty, and the discipline and respect demanded by the watch you choose to wear on your wrist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an automatic watch stop if you do not wear it?
Yes. Without the movement of the wrist to drive the rotor, an automatic watch will gradually use up its power reserve and eventually stop, requiring manual winding and the time to be reset.
Do you need to wind a quartz watch?
No. A quartz watch does not require winding. It is powered by a battery that causes the quartz crystal to vibrate, requiring no intervention from the wearer.
Which is more accurate: an automatic watch or a quartz watch?
On paper, the quartz watch is more accurate, typically deviating by only a few seconds per month compared with several seconds per day for an automatic movement.
Does an automatic watch require more maintenance than a quartz watch?
Yes. An automatic watch generally requires a mechanical service by a watchmaker every four to six years, whereas the routine maintenance of a quartz watch is largely limited to periodic battery replacement.
Can the same watch model be available in both quartz and automatic versions?
Some collections, particularly within our military and aviation universe, are offered in the same style with both quartz and automatic movements, allowing each wearer to choose between two distinct experiences of time.
