# Quartz And Electronic?



## Sparky (Nov 2, 2005)

Hi all, probably a very silly question, but what is the difference between a Quartz, an electric and an electronic watch? I am talking about whether the battey performs a different process for each.

I did perform a search, but nothing came up.

Do they all tick like a regular quartz i.e. once per second or do some of them have a smooth motion like an auto/manual wind?

Thanks in advance

Mark


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Sparky said:


> I did perform a search, but nothing came up.










Electric and Electronic Watches 

Excluding modern day watches....

Electric : battery, coil on balance and a set of electrical contacts (no electronics / silicon etc) 1957 through to about 1967

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/type/mov...moving_coil.php

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/type/fix.../fixed_coil.php

Electronic : battery, transistor, coil (either stationary or on balance or tuning fork) 1962 through to about 1975

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/type/tra...lance/index.php

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/type/tun...tuning_fork.php

Quartz : oscillating crystal. Some very early quartz watches had a conventional balance.

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/type/qua...rtz_balance.php

Cheers

Paul


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## Sparky (Nov 2, 2005)

Hmmm, I obviously didn't realise that the top bit was a clickable link, thanks!

With regard to my second question, do any of them (other than tuning fork) have a smooth (auto like) second hand or are they all one-second tickers?

Thanks again

Mark


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok, Tuning forks and Springs drives are smooth but the electrics run like autos (almost smooth) and quartz tick (tho they could have been made to run smoothly but designers chose they should tick as they record full secs)...


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

JonW said:


> Ok, Tuning forks and Springs drives are smooth but the electrics run like autos (almost smooth) and quartz tick (tho they could have been made to run smoothly but designers chose they should tick as they record full secs)...


Yes, I picked up a cheapo alarm clock in Spain that runs a sweep (a genuine sweep) seconds hand, like the old electric clocks, origin was of course China. Quite impressive actually by comparison. If they did this with more watches I could be tempted to get a few more quartzies. (and it don't keep you awake ticking in the middle of the night







) Well some of us have to get up in the middle of the night for a







, and the ticking can make it difficult to get back to sleep (was going to say hard, but this lot on here -- well!







)


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