How long can a quartz watch be worn? What is its lifespan?

　　The first watch most of us buy isQuartz watches, which comes in various beautiful styles, is highly functional, and keeps more accurate time, making it very popular among pragmatists and fashion-conscious individuals. However, mechanical watches, with a history of only a few centuries, often convey a message in marketing that they have a longer lifespan than quartz watches. Some customers are reluctant to buy quartz electronic watches because they believe quartz watches have too short a lifespan and are not durable. In fact, this view is incorrect.

　　How long is the lifespan of a quartz watch?

Longines PrimaLuna series ladies' quartz watch L8.112.4.87.6, sapphire crystal, stainless steel case, 50m water resistance, Swiss quartz movement

　　Generally, the short-term lifespan of a quartz watch is around 5-10 years, while quartz watches with LCD screens are generally around five years. Well-maintained quartz watches can last 10 to 15 years, and excellent quartz watches can last twenty to thirty years. The short-term lifespan of a quartz watch refers to issues like depleted battery power, short circuits or open circuits in coil components, leakage in the quartz oscillator, or damage to the CMOS integrated circuit, which can be resolved by replacing parts without affecting its long-term lifespan. The long-term lifespan of a quartz watch refers to the wear and tear of the mainplate and bridge holes; since the movement operates under very little force, this is usually not a concern. However, for movements that use plastic plates and gears, the ageing period of the quartz watch is the main consideration.

　　There are very few mechanical parts in a quartz watch, and the transmission torque between parts is only about 1/300 of that in a mechanical watch. Therefore, part wear is extremely minimal, and malfunctions are rare. The lifespan of a quartz watch can be described as semi-permanent. However, if maintenance is neglected, your quartz watch may experience frequent faults or even become completely ruined.

　　Factors affecting the lifespan of a quartz watch

　　An analogue quartz watch consists of a quartz oscillator, semiconductor integrated circuit, resistor, capacitor, stepping motor, battery, and some transmission gears. The so-called ageing of a quartz watch refers to the ageing of the quartz oscillator. Over time, the quartz oscillator gradually ages, and the accuracy of the oscillation frequency decreases, causing the timekeeping error to increase. Generally speaking, after 10 years of use, the daily error of a quartz watch is still within 1 second (the daily error of a new watch is generally less than 0.2 seconds). Additionally, component failures are random faults and are unrelated to the lifespan of the quartz watch, but rather to its maintenance. Special attention should be paid to moisture protection for quartz watches; if they get damp, the resistors and capacitors may deteriorate, and the stepping motor coil (its wire diameter is only 1/7 of a human hair) may mildew and break, affecting the lifespan of the quartz watch. Other factors, such as the small number of transmission gears and their slow operating speed, mean that the wear of these parts has a negligible impact on the lifespan of the quartz watch.

　　Because dust and moisture in the air enter the inside of the watch when the case back is opened, you should go to an authorised service centre when replacing the battery.

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