Differences between mechanical and quartz watches

The primary difference between quartz and mechanical watches lies in the energy source used to drive the movement.

Mechanical watches contain a mainspring. When a watch is wound, the mainspring is tightened. As the mainspring unwinds, it drives the movement of the watch. A major drawback of mechanical watches is the inconsistent speed of the mainspring's movement, which leads to a decrease in timekeeping accuracy. Accuracy is also affected by factors such as temperature, location, component wear, and other variables. Therefore, a daily variance of fifteen to thirty seconds in a mechanical watch is considered normal. The minimum variance can be as low as four to five seconds.

Quartz watches use a battery as an energy source. The battery outputs electrical energy to the electronic block and motor inside the watch. Every second, the electronic block sends a pulse to the motor, which drives the hands. Because quartz crystals provide the most stable pulse, they ensure the highest accuracy (generally, the monthly variance is between fifteen and twenty-five seconds; the minimum variance can be as low as five seconds per year). Because of the quartz crystal inside, the watch is named a quartz watch. Additionally, a single battery can work continuously for several years, so there is no need to wind such a watch.

Generally, mechanical watches are much more expensive than quartz watches. This is because mechanical watches require precise manual adjustment and calibration during production, whereas quartz watches are typically assembled on automated production lines. It is widely believed that mechanical watches have a longer lifespan than quartz watches. However, this is not necessarily true, as all moving parts in a quartz watch are similar to those in a mechanical one. The lifespan of electronic components has not been fully tested, but they likely possess a similar longevity.