differences

Opinion:

A great way to see the differences between mechanical spring driven timepieces and battery driven quartz watches is to look back in time. Oil paintings are items of art with mass appeal and unlimited pricing. Digital imagery is mass produced and has mostly only personal value. Oil paintings are representations of the subject (not very accurate). Digital images are very accurate representations of the subject.

MECHANICAL 

• All parts are metal

• Hand applied decorations and bevel polishes

• Some GENEVA produced mechanical watches are Ponce de Geneve standard. ULTRA HIGH END

• Oscillators determining accuracy work between 3 Hz to 5 Hz ( -4 to +6 seconds / day) COSC

POWER RESERVE PROCEDURE

You may experience that your self-winding watch occasionally stops overnight or appears to be running slow. This does not necessarily indicate a malfunction of the watch. In most cases the problem is related to the power reserve that has not been properly initiated or to insufficient wrist movement while wearing the time-piece.

The basis for proper functioning of a self winding watch is the power reserve of the mainspring. Many people are unaware that a self winding watch needs to be wound first manually (building up the power reserve), before it will start working automatically. This is called the initiation process. Without the initiation process the time-piece will never work properly and consistently.

The power reserve is initiated by winding the watch manually. Turning the winding crown in a clockwise direction for about forty revolutions, sufficient for most time-pieces.

Upon completion of the initiation process, the watch will wind itself automatically (re-building the power reserve) by means of an oscillating weight that shifts every time the watch’s position is changed by the movement of the arm and wrist.

A self winding watch should be worn at least eight hours a day to maximize the power reserve.

If this is not possible, or if the watch has been off the wrist for a while, the initiating process must be repeated.

QUARTZ

• 30% of components are plastic

• No decorations no art

• No Ponce de Geneve

• Oscillator determining accuracy work at 36768 Hz (0.1 to 1 seconds / day)

Watchmaking is an art form that has been around for centuries. Watches are vessels of time that contain the history of entire families. Mechanical wristwatches, such as those made by Vacheron Constantin since 1755, can last forever if maintained by a true master watchmaker. They can be passed down through generations. In contrast, quartz watches will eventually decay and become useless. Battery-powered watches were invented only 40 years ago.