Wrist watches with alarm function: short history of wrist alarm clocks

The wrist alarm clock, also known as a wristwatch with alarm function, has a long history dating back to the 19th century. However, at that time it was still mainly pocket watches that were not worn on the wrist. The first development towards the wristwatch with alarm function came later.

Eterna caliber 68 and the Zenith Alarm

The first wristwatch with an alarm function is considered to be the Eterna Caliber 68, presented in 1914, which was a derivative of pocket watch calibers of the time with an alarm complication. Shortly after, Zenith, a renowned Swiss watch brand, presented the Zenith alarm wristwatch in 1920. This model already offered an alarm complication lasting up to 45 seconds. This model also used a mechanical movement based on a pocket watch caliber.

The watches remained niche products for a long time and did not catch on. One reason was the fact that many people stuck to pocket watches and the time was not yet ripe for such innovative wristwatches.

Vulcain Cricket and its successors

Over the years, further advances were made in the development of wristwatch alarm clocks. The Vulcain Cricket model, introduced in 1947, attracted more attention than previous developments. The Cricket was the first wrist alarm clock to produce an alarm sound similar to the chirping of a cricket (hence the name Cricket). This distinctive alarm function brought the model great attention and popularity. The Vulcain Cricket was worn by celebrities and politicians, including US presidents. The iconic model helped establish the wristwatch with alarm complication as an object of style and prestige.

During the 20th century, several iconic alarm clock models were developed that are still known today. One example is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox, which was introduced in 1950. The Memovox Deep Sea variant combined alarm function with high pressure density and was very popular among divers.

The Seiko Bell-Matic was a groundbreaking wristwatch with an alarm function that was launched in 1966. It was one of the first affordable wristwatches with an automatic alarm mechanism. With the comparatively low prices, this model series contributed to the popularization of wrist alarm clocks.

Quartz and Smart

With the advent of quartz watches in the 1970s, wristwatches with alarm complications became even more accurate and reliable. The emerging digital displays allowed users to accurately set the alarm time and use various alarm functions.

Today, there is a wide variety of wristwatch alarm clocks on the market. From classic mechanical models to high-tech smartwatches with multiple functions such as sleep monitoring and personalized alarm tones, there is something for everyone.

Quartz wrist watches with alarm function: battery operated precision

In contrast to its mechanical counterpart, integrating an alarm clock function into a quartz watch is much less technically complex. In addition to the cost-effective implementation, quartz variants convince with high precision.

The Tag Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Alarm is a high-quality wristwatch with alarm function from the renowned Formula 1 collection from the house of Tag Heuer. It features a precise quartz movement and a sporty design inspired by the world of motorsports. The watch is equipped with an alarm function that allows the wearer to be reliably woken up. With its robust stainless steel case, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and waterproof design, the Tag Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Alarm is suitable for both everyday wear and sporting activities.

Solar powered wrist alarm clock

The precision of a quartz wrist alarm is also found in solar-powered variants. The Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar is an innovative watch with alarm function that combines state-of-the-art technology with stylish design. It is part of the T-Touch model series, with which Tissot presented one of the first touch watches back in 1999, long before smartwatches in the narrower sense existed.

The T-Touch Expert Solar has a movement that is charged by sunlight or artificial light sources to ensure a long-lasting and environmentally friendly power supply. In addition to the alarm function, the T-Touch Expert Solar offers a variety of other useful functions, such as an altimeter, barometer, compass, thermometer and chronograph (lap and split stopwatch). The high-quality titanium case and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal make the watch robust and durable. With its technological advancement and versatile range of functions, the Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar is an interesting wristwatch especially for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts.

Smartwatches in elegant guise: more than just alarm clock function

Smartwatch technology does not have to be tied to the typical, usually somewhat clunky design, but can also be implemented in stylish designs.

The Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch Gents Vitality is an elegant men’s wristwatch with alarm complication and a number of other functions. The innovative development combines modern smartwatch technology with the classic design of a dress watch. The watch has a high-precision quartz movement and is equipped with a variety of smart functions, including an alarm function.

Via a smartphone connection, the wearer can set the wristwatch alarm individually and be reliably woken up. In addition, the smartwatch offers functions such as activity and sleep tracking, heart rate measurement and notifications of calls and messages. The elegant stainless steel case and classic dial give the Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch Gents Vitality a timeless and appealing look. Smart functions are digitally applied to the otherwise classic and uncluttered dial. The Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch Ladies Vitality is in no way inferior to the men’s model.

Haute Horlogerie wristwatch: the highest mechanical craftsmanship

Even in the present day, watch lovers can still find classic mechanical wristwatch alarm clocks equipped with a real complication. This craftsmanship has remained as an exquisite niche product and is mainly found in the luxury segment.

The Blancpain Villeret Réveil GMT is an exquisite wristwatch with Weck complication from the prestigious Villeret collection of the traditional watch manufacturer Blancpain. This mechanical watch is a masterpiece of watchmaking art and features a complex movement (caliber 1240H) with a number of functions, including a Weck complication.

The Blancpain Villeret Réveil GMT wristwatch alarm can be precisely set to gently wake the wearer at a specific time. The caliber 1240H is also equipped with a second time zone (GMT), which allows the wearer to keep track of the time in another region or time zone. A GMT alarm is also given with the Blancpain Villeret Réveil GMT. The case made of precious materials and the elegant dial with traditional hands and indices give the Blancpain Villeret Réveil GMT the unmistakable elegance and exclusivity that Blancpain stands for.

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Optimal for time measurements – frequency-stable pendulum movements

During experiments, Galileo Galilei found in 1632 that for the period of oscillation of a pendulum, the weight is insignificant and the amplitude of the oscillation is secondary. The latter applies in particular to small oscillations. The length of the pendulum, on the other hand, is influential. For example, pendulums that are just under one meter long need one second to move from one side to the other.

In addition, pendulum movements are comparatively stable in frequency, which is important for timekeeping. Everyone can see this for themselves, because the children’s swing is a pleasurable interpretation of the pendulum: The composition of the suspension and the seat determines the frequency at which one swings. Doomed to failure are attempts to influence it significantly. Galileo recognized the importance of his investigations for time-measuring devices without elaborating on the idea.

Centerpieces of clock history: gravity pendulum and balance wheel

Christiaan Huygens was inspired by Galileo’s law of the pendulum and discovered that an oscillator in clocks must be designed in such a way that it can develop its natural oscillation for a long time and constantly. Fittingly, he designed the gravity pendulum with its now familiar design and had the first pendulum clock built in 1657. The astronomer realized that his concept was only suitable for stationary grandfather clocks. He therefore tinkered with a rotating wheel, which was ready for the market in 1674. Since then, this so-called balance wheel has served as a vibration generator in clocks that are intended to be used regardless of their position. With improved materials, tools and techniques, the component was reduced in size until it fitted into wristwatches.

Watch connoisseurs know that, strictly speaking, Huygens’ invention is made up of the rotating oscillating body and a spiral spring, which is used to regulate the oscillation frequency. Such an oscillating system is called an oscillator. The technical term is also used for classic clock pendulums, because they also combine several tasks of an oscillating system.

Oscillators that can hardly be influenced

The core objective of clock making is to reproduce standard time as accurately as possible. In the 17th century, Huygen’s pendulum clock was groundbreaking in that it showed deviations of only 10 seconds every day. The inventors were not satisfied with this. They experimented with oscillating bodies such as torsion pendulums, which made it possible to achieve enormous power reserves in torsion pendulum clocks. More than 80 years ago, the special alloy Nivarox brought great progress in optimizing the material of the oscillators. Temperature, air resistance or humidity: the more effectively external influences were counteracted, the more accurate the clocks became.

Ambitious watchmakers also quickly realized that increasing the rate has a positive effect on accuracy. This is especially true for wristwatches that are confronted with influences such as vibrations. The goal of integrating high-frequency oscillators into watches that are also small and have low deflections was therefore clear.

Tiny frequency miracles: tuning fork oscillators in watches

Mechanical wristwatches now elicit 18,000 to 36,000 vibrations per hour from the balance wheel. This corresponds to frequencies of 2.5 to 5 hertz (Hz). Traditional brands continue to drive mechanical precision timekeeping to this day. This is exemplified by Slimline watches from Frederique Constant, which impressed with its beat frequency of 40 Hz when it debuted in 2021.

This increase in frequency is remarkable in the segment of mechanical regulation. If you compare it with visionary watch legends, it seems manageable. In 1921, Max Hetzel had the brainwave to bring oscillators with a tuning fork shape into play. It took forty years before the concept was ready for the market and characterized Bulova’s Accutron. It impressed with an oscillation frequency of 360 Hz, narrowing deviations to 60 seconds per month. The electrically powered tuning fork watch sold millions of copies, but was quickly supplanted by the next innovation.

Quartz fast oscillator

In 1880, Jacques and Pierre Curie discovered that the electrical poles of quartz crystals shift in the course of elastic deformation, resulting in an electrical voltage. Conversely, they deform when an electric voltage is applied to them. The whole thing is called the piezoelectric effect and explains why quartz crystals are used as oscillators in watches. They oscillate at high frequency for the benefit of rate accuracy and save space. Warren Marrison introduced a working quartz watch in 1928. Ten years later, laboratories could buy the first precision watches with quartz.

The quartz wrist watch

The performance of oscillating crystals increased when, due to scarce natural crystals, synthetic production with quartz sand was introduced. This made it possible to influence the crystal structure in such a way that it became, for example, pressure-insensitive and temperature-stable. Further challenges were mastered until quartz wristwatches ready for series production were presented in the early 1970s. Debutants with oscillators from the laboratory, such as the Seiko Astron, the Astro-Quartz Junghans or the Hamilton Pulsar watch, were greeted with applause.

For technology fans, it was astonishing that the first quartz luxury watches almost cracked the 10,000 hertz mark with their oscillation frequency. Soon after, conceptual improvements and practical considerations resulted in tuning fork-shaped oscillating crystals with 32,768 Hz being defined as the standard. If they meet a high level of production competence at the watch manufacturer, the deviations are limited to 60 seconds per year. In comparison, mechanical luxury watches are already celebrated when their rate deviation is limited to 2 seconds per day.

Beyond wristwatches, quartz is surpassed as an oscillator only by the chemical element cesium, which characterizes the conventional atomic clock. Their development gathered momentum in 1940, when essential findings on magnetic resonance imaging were obtained for nuclear magnetic resonance. Its low error rate was sensational, amounting to one second in 30 million years. The cesium clock, which incidentally also contains a quartz, has since been surpassed by atomic clocks with laser light pulses. Their rate deviation is one second in 100 trillion years.

No convincing performance without perfect ensemble

Every oscillator is slowed down by damping. It therefore needs energy to get going and stay going. This is provided by weights, spiral springs or batteries. The energy supply would simply fizzle out without another ingenious invention for the movement: the escapement. Only in conjunction with numerous components do oscillators become the clock whose transmitted impulses correspond to one second. Pendulum, balance and oscillating quartz: Their quality is only revealed when all components are brilliant and perfectly matched to each other. Oscillators of various types are thus found in mechanical as well as quartz wristwatches, albeit quite different ones.

What does the oscillator do in watches?

This question would be inadequately answered if one were to focus on oscillations. With its recurring deflections, it not only keeps watches in motion, but also controls their processes. That’s why watchmakers also call it the rate regulator.

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Although electric timepieces are out of the question for many mechanical enthusiasts, they reveal an immense technical fascination upon closer inspection. Above all, the heart of the clock, the oscillator, is a delicate marvel on the wrist. Read on to find out how the mechanism works and why quartz oscillators surpass the precision of mechanical alternatives many times over.

Definition: Oscillator explained simply

According to the physical definition, oscillators refer to systems capable of oscillating. In watches, they act as clock generators and appear either as a balance-spring combination (hand-wound and automatic watches) or in the form of an oscillating quartz (quartz watch). The central task of the oscillator is to generate a steady beat, so that the energy stored in the mainspring barrel or in the battery is not arbitrarily passed on to the hand movement. Simply put: Without an oscillator, there is no correct seconds rhythm. Mechanical watches follow a quickly explained principle: The energy stored in the wound barrel is passed on to a wheel system, at the end of which is the so-called assortment (combination of pallet, escape wheel, balance, hairspring) including the oscillator. The oscillator regulates the energy before it is passed on in a finely timed manner to the movement. The development of functional assortments was one of the most demanding achievements of horology and made the world of watches as we know it today possible in the first place.

Quartz oscillators: A crystal sets the pace

Even the explanation of a quartz oscillator is not witchcraft. Analogous to the mainspring of a mechanical movement, the battery serves as an energy store. The quartz oscillator is used to ensure that it does not pass its current on to the gear train unregulated: looking like a small tuning fork, the crystal is made of synthetic material and is made to oscillate by the battery’s electrical voltage. The basis of this process is the piezoelectric effect, which was discovered in 1880 by the famous physicists Pierre and Jacques Curie. It states that certain crystals change their shape when a surface voltage is applied. The crystal vibrates exactly 32,768 times per second (32,768 Hertz).

Why exactly 32,768 hertz?

Whether it’s TW-Steel, Tag Heuer or Breitling, the standard frequency of 32,768 hertz can be found in all price ranges and at all manufacturers. The reason for this uniformity is not a physical law, but a standard first defined by Girard-Perregaux in 1971 and subsequently adopted by the entire industry. To understand this, we need to consider the goal of a quartz watch: In the end, the second hand should move exactly once per second, that is, at a frequency of one hertz. However, an oscillating crystal whose natural frequency is one hertz according to piezoelectric laws would be huge and would not fit into any wristwatch. The smaller the crystal, the higher the frequency.

Watch manufacturers use the following trick: they use a much smaller quartz crystal (a few millimeters) that oscillates at 32,768 hertz when electricity is applied. Of course, the second hand must not tick at this speed. To reduce the frequency, a T-flipflop circuit is used between the oscillator and the gear train, consisting of 15 individual T-flipflops. These components each halve the incoming frequency. If you divide 32,768 hertz 15 times by 2, you get exactly 1 hertz. Now the oscillations are translated into the duration of one second and are finally passed on to a stepper motor, which transfers the energy to the gear train and thus the hands of the Junghans, Bruno Söhnle or other quartz watch. Each time the oscillator (the quartz crystal) completes 32,768 oscillations, the stepper motor transmits exactly one pulse to the gear train, resulting in a tick of the hands.

Quartz oscillator: Many times more precise compared to automatic watch

You see: A quartz oscillator is easy to explain. The important question is: What advantages does this modern-looking system, which was developed back in the 1920s, offer over mechanical timekeeping? The strongest argument lies in the massively increased precision. While a mechanical Junghans, Omega, or Tag Heuer typically clocks in at three to five hertz with its balance spring oscillator, the disproportionately higher frequency of the quartz movement provides a massive increase in accuracy. COSC-certified mechanical watches deviate between -4 and +6 seconds per day from atomic time, while average quartz calibers allow only 30 seconds of rate error per month.

High-end versions such as Breitling’s SuperQuartz movements increase this precision tenfold. For the wearer, this means that the time only needs to be readjusted every few months at most. Four other advantages of quartz technology are also strong selling points for many watch fans:

Robust, easy to clean and flat: other advantages

• Resistance: Compared to their mechanical counterparts, quartz oscillators are noticeably less sensitive to shocks, vibrations and pressure. An extreme example, the Sinn UX diver’s watch with an incredible 5,000 meters of pressure resistance from its quartz movement, illustrates the argument.
  
• Maintenance effort: Apart from battery changes (usually every two years), quartz watches typically require no special care, while mechanical movements need serious maintenance (oil changes, revision, etc.). The more complex the caliber, the more expensive and lengthy the process.
• Flat construction: although mechanical movements can now be wafer-thin, quartz models on average allow for the flatter construction. This is a clear advantage, especially for delicate ladies’ watches.
• Price: Even high-quality quartz movements require significantly less manufacturing effort than mechanical calibers, which translates into more affordable prices.

Disadvantages: Where does the quartz movement need to pass?

The percentage of quartz models in the product portfolio varies depending on the manufacturer: while TW-Steel, Bruno Söhnle and Maurice Lacroix are brands that offer a high level of choice, electronic timekeeping is a rarity at Omega. Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and other high-end manufactures, on the other hand, have now completely abandoned quartz technology. The reason is simple: luxury watches are emotional products. Although the quartz movement convinces with rational arguments, it lacks the technical fascination of a handmade automatic movement made of hundreds of finely decorated components. Complexity, mechanical know-how and the joy of being able to admire dozens of filigree-tuned components through a glass window are THE reason for many buyers to purchase a timepiece at all in the 21st century. The aspects of a long tradition, the inheritability of a “forever” lasting value and the differentiation from digital everyday life are missing from the quartz model. For enthusiastic mechanics lovers, quartz watches are cool commodities that do not differentiate themselves decisively from other electrical devices.

Practical disadvantages should also be mentioned: First, quartz watches require more frequent visits to the watchmaker (two-year battery life versus five-year maintenance interval for mechanical watches); second, their durability is considered lower. However, we dare to doubt whether this argument stands up to the progressiveness of modern quartz oscillators.

Der Beitrag What is an oscillator? erschien zuerst auf Uhrinstinkt Magazine.

In 729 million years, it will still run precisely to the second: The NPL-CsF2 atomic clock in London. Neither quartz watches nor mechanical timekeepers can match this precision. But which brands do you have to visit to find the most accurate mechanical watches? From Breitling to Zenith, our magazine shows you the most accurate automatic movements in the industry and explains why luck also plays a role in the purchase.

Gear deviation: measurement of precision

To determine how accurate a wristwatch is, the daily deviation from perfect time is measured. If this were zero seconds, we could speak of perfect precision and the timepiece would be a serious competitor for the NPL-CsF2 atomic clock. In reality, however, this is never the case: even quartz clocks, which are known for their exceptional accuracy, move away from atomic time by a few seconds per year. An exception are radio-controlled clocks, which do not generate permanent rate deviations due to their regular synchronization with international time signal transmitters. In the mechanical universe, however, different standards apply: top-of-the-range watches stay within the window of -2/+2 seconds daily, but even five seconds difference would be a reasonable value. In the entry-level range of mechanical watches, even 20 seconds of rate deviation per day can be tolerated. Of course, these are not the most accurate watches in the industry.

Rolex: From Datejust 41 to Submariner the strictest criteria

These days, many watch enthusiasts question whether the prices of new Rolex watches are still justified. However, there is one thing that cannot be debated: The rigorous precision standards of the traditional Geneva brand. While the COSC still allows deviations of -4/+6 seconds a day to pass in its testing procedures, watches with the five-pointed crown in their latest generation of calibers must meet -2/+2 second accuracy. The Rolex Datejust 41 was one of the first watches to enjoy the pleasure of what is currently Rolex’s most accurate self-winding 3235 movement: Thanks to a new barrel, the patented Chronergy escapement with Parachrom hairspring and other technical details, the manufacture movement is not only extremely precise, but also has a considerable power reserve of 70 hours.

Breitling, Tag Heuer and Co.: Many brands rely on COSC

Compliance with such extremely precise standards of accuracy involves a great deal of technical effort and is difficult to achieve, especially in lower price ranges. Many manufacturers from entry-level to high-end therefore rely on the standardized, globally recognized testing procedure of the official Swiss chronometer testing body COSC. Even Rolex has its watches issued the coveted certificate and additionally applies its more stringent in-house criteria. Consequently, by no means all COSC-certified timepieces are equally precise; if you’re looking for the most accurate watches, Breitling, for example, is the place to go. In addition to the in-house B01 automatic movement, the B20, developed in cooperation with Tudor and used in the Breitling Superocean Heritage II, also stands out for its accurate rate. Durable and technically balanced, it is respected throughout the industry, offering 70 hours of endurance and meeting COSC guidelines with flying colors.

In addition to the Breitling Superocean Heritage II, the TAG Heuer Carrera Caliber 36 deserves a special mention: To build the automatic movement, the Swiss manufacturer used the technical know-how of LVMH’s sister company Zenith, which has one of the most precise and best movements of all time in its program with the El Primero. Its high frequency of five hertz, which plays into the cards of a precise gait, is adopted by the TAG Heuer Carrera Caliber 36 and paired with a 50-hour power reserve. If you’re looking for the most accurate watches at relatively affordable prices, you’ve come to the right place.

Omega: METAS certificate for highest accuracy

More stringent in comparison to the COSC is the precision measurement of the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), which has gained a high profile primarily through Omega, but is in principle open to all brands. In order to identify the most accurate mechanical watches, METAS, in contrast to the COSC, carries out precision measurement in six instead of five layers, tests entire watches instead of pure movements, and attaches importance to a high magnetic field resistance of 15,000 gauss. Eight different tests must be completed under the influence of this magnetic field, and the watches must not deviate more than 5 seconds a day from perfect time.

A prime example of the performance of METAS movements is the caliber 8800 in the Omega Planet Ocean 600M: its free sprung balance with silicon hairspring ensures exceptional longevity and precision, while the rhodium-plated finish with Côtes de Genève arabesques is a highlight for the eye. Not to be missed is the in-house Co-Axial escapement. Despite 600 meters of water resistance, the Omega Planet Ocean manages to reveal its precise beauty through a glass back. 55 hours of power reserve is a decent value.

Zenith El Primero: King of precise chronograph movements

Zenith comes closer to the accuracy of radio-controlled watches than any other mechanical brand. Although the “normal” El Primero calibers are already extremely precise with their beat frequency of five hertz, the Defy collection breaks records with the Inventor: the technical masterpiece achieves an incredible 18 hertz (129,600 vibrations per hour) thanks to the in-house, patented Zenith Oscillator in caliber 9100, which replaces around 30 components of a standard movement in one piece. The precision of this Zenith El Primero is in heavenly spheres: A maximum of 0.3 seconds of rate deviation per day sets new standards for mechanical watches.

Variance: Why precision is a matter of luck

A glance at the precision standards of COSC, METAS and others reveals that the accuracy of mechanical watches can only ever be guaranteed within a certain range, such as -5/+5 seconds of daily rate deviation. In plain language, this means that every watch ticks a little differently, which is due not only to tiny mechanical differences, but also to the smallest differences in regulation. You have to keep in mind that one day comprises 86,400 seconds; if two watches differ by five seconds, the continuity of production is still impressive. Whether you as a buyer get a specimen close to the zero-second limit or the five-second maximum deviation is a matter of luck.

Junghans: accurate radio-controlled watches for absolute precision

Whether it’s Junghans Force or Junghans Spektrum, anyone looking for perfect precision synchronized with atomic time signal transmitters should set their sights on the radio-controlled collections from the traditional Black Forest brand. You can’t be lucky or unlucky here, because the modern radio technology achieves the same result in every watch. The all-ceramic Junghans Force is particularly modern and minimalist, while the Junghans Spektrum follows a more traditional aesthetic with Arabic numerals and a ceramic bicolor stainless steel case.

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Precise, efficient, and highly controversial, electric movements have caused heated discussions in the watch world and changed the industry like no other innovation of the 20th century. But how does a quartz movement actually work? We take a look behind the scenes of this ingenious microtechnology, explore its history and explain how it works in an understandable way. You can read all about the quartz movement now.

Simply explained: The basic principle of quartz movement

How a mechanical movement works is familiar to most enthusiasts: Energy is stored in a mainspring and passed on via a gear train to the regulating organ (“assortment”), which uses the escape wheel, balance, hairspring and pallet anchor to generate the beat of the timepiece. The beauty is that a quartz movement works in exactly the same way in its basic structure – with the difference that other components are used. The task of storing energy is now no longer performed by a barrel, but by a battery. A gear train still exists. And where in the mechanical movement the assortment provides the correct second beat, quartz movements use a tiny crystal. This quartz crystal determines how much energy the battery is allowed to deliver to the gear train so that exact time measurement takes place. But how does a quartz movement work in detail? Before we clarify this question, we’ll first get to the bottom of how the electrical system came into being.

From the laboratory to the wrist: the birth of the quartz watch

The latter begins earlier than one would expect – namely in the 1920s. At that time, the quartz movement was not conceived in its function for wristwatches, but was used in the form of huge apparatus in American laboratories. The breakthrough came with the New York inventors Joseph W. Horton and Warren Alvin Marrison, who presented the world’s first quartz movement in 1927. It is already many times more precise than the mechanical movements of the time, but suffers from extreme fluctuations in precision depending on temperature. However, news of the new invention spreads around the globe like wildfire and leads to enormous technical advances. In 1932, researchers Adolf Scheibe and Udo Adelsberger in Berlin succeeded in ensuring an average daily rate deviation of just 0.002 seconds with the help of constant temperatures. A milestone in time measurement. In 1938, the first freely marketable quartz watch for industry and science appeared.

In the post-war period, quartz watches replaced the previously widespread precision pendulum clocks as the scientific standard and were rapidly optimized to more compact designs. The noble Geneva-based manufacturer Patek Philippe, known for its fine mechanical movements, made a decisive contribution to this development. In 1960, it launched the “Chronotome,” the first portable quartz timepiece. At that time, electrical technology was incredibly expensive, making even the best mechanical watches from Rolex, Omega and Co. seem affordable. It was not until 1969 that Seiko succeeded in building the world’s first quartz watch for the wrist, the Astron, which was ready for series production.

How does a quartz movement work in detail?

A look at the complexity of the technology reveals why it took decades to perfect it in miniature. We remember: The quartz crystal regulates how much energy is transferred from the battery to the gear train. But the fork-shaped crystal can’t do it alone: A stepper motor is connected between it and the battery, which offsets the pulses of the quartz crystal with the energy of the battery and transports the latter to the gear train in a throttled manner. The fact that the crystal can generate pulses at all is due to the piezoelectric effect. The latter, which we all know from the piezo igniter of a gas grill, means that certain metals and crystals change their shape under electrical voltage.

In the technical world, a deformation is referred to as an “oscillation”. How fast these oscillations occur depends on the size and shape of the crystal and influences how many pulses per second are passed from the battery to the stepper motor and ultimately to the gear train. Of course, we want exactly one pulse per second so that the second hand ticks exactly once per second. To ensure that the quartz movement fulfills this function, the entire industry has agreed on a standard value of 32,768 oscillations of the quartz crystal per second. Quite fast, this little tuning fork.

Quartz crisis: Mechanical watches on the precipice

Even with a fertile imagination, inventors Joseph W. Horton and Warren Alvin Marrison could probably not have foreseen the extent to which their technology would change the world of watches. After Seiko launched the first quartz wristwatch in 1969, a veritable storm of revolution swept through the watch world: in 1970, Junghans introduced the Astro-Quartz, the first German version for the wrist, followed by the legendary Hamilton Pulsar in 1972. With a retail price of over $2,000, it was more expensive than many a car in its day. But during the 1970s, quartz technology became so affordable that everyone could afford it, and mechanical watches lost their raison d’être for many people.

Because quartz was far more precise, far less expensive and often far more reliable than mechanical watches, sales of traditional timepieces plummeted dramatically. By the end of the quartz crisis in the mid-1980s, many traditional brands had gone bankrupt, and thousands of jobs in the traditional watch industry had been eliminated.

From bargain to luxury quartz watches: Today’s model spectrum is huge

We have to admit: Although we are passionate fans of mechanical movements, the speed and accuracy of the quartz movement hold a certain fascination for us. If you want to experience the unbeatable precision of electronic timekeeping, you’ll find it in all price ranges: While the traditional Swiss brand Tissot already offers high-quality quartz watches in the T-Classic and T-Trend collections below the 200-euro mark, Tag Heuer specializes in premium quartz watches with high-performance chronograph functions. The sporty Formula 1 collection, as well as the Tag Heuer Aquaracer, are excellent examples of the manufacturer’s electric expertise. If it should be more affordable, the top brands Hamilton, Junghans and Longines are strong favorites of our magazine besides Tissot.

Those who want to experience electronic technology from its most exclusive side will find a spectacular selection of luxury quartz watches at top brands like Omega and Breitling. The latter take electric timekeeping to the extreme with extreme temperature resistance, long battery life and even higher precision values than regular quartz movements. This shows that quartz does not have to be cheap. The technology has its full justification in the luxury class.

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