Quartz Watch
A quartz watch keeps time using a quartz crystal that a battery makes vibrate. It is far more accurate than a mechanical watch and needs almost no maintenance, drifting only about fifteen seconds a month and running for years on a battery or on light.
The heart of a quartz watch is a single, unwavering vibration: a small battery sends current to a quartz crystal, and the crystal oscillates exactly 32,768 times per second. Because that beat is so regular, quartz keeps time with an accuracy a mechanical watch cannot match.
How it differs from mechanical
The clearest tell is the seconds hand. Unlike the smooth, gliding sweep of an automatic watch, a quartz seconds hand ticks once per second, the visible pulse of the electronics underneath.
Types, by how they are powered
- Battery quartz: the classic setup, with a battery changed every few years
- Light-powered: solar systems such as Citizen Eco-Drive turn light into energy, so there is no battery change at all
- Shared trait: ordinary quartz drifts only about fifteen seconds a month, and high-accuracy quartz can reach a few seconds a year, with almost no upkeep either way
For most people who want accuracy with no fuss, quartz is the calm, dependable answer. See how it sits against other systems in the Movement category, and for real examples our Best Japanese Watches guide.
Related terms
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Frequently asked questions
Is a quartz watch more accurate than a mechanical one
Yes, noticeably so. The quartz crystal vibrates 32,768 times per second, an extremely regular beat, so an ordinary quartz watch drifts only about fifteen seconds a month, while a typical mechanical watch can drift ten or more seconds a day.
How often does a quartz watch battery need changing
On a battery quartz watch, the battery is usually changed every few years. On light-powered models such as the Citizen Eco-Drive there is no battery change at all, because the watch makes its own power from light.
Why does a quartz second hand tick instead of sweep
That tick is normal for quartz. Unlike the smooth sweep of a mechanical movement, a quartz second hand advances once per second, making each electronic pulse visible.