This movement of a watch is its heart and is – quite literally – what makes it tick. There are three main types of movement: manual-wind, automatic and quartz watches. In this article, we will explain what the key characteristics are of each of these different movement types and the differences between them.
Different watch movement types
There are three overarching watch movement types (and some others we will look later, too!) which generally fall into one of two categories: mechanical and quartz. The mechanical category can then be split further into automatic and manual-wind watches. To start with, I want start by taking a look at mechanical watches, as these were the only ones available up until the first quartz wristwatches appeared in the late 1960s and into the 1970s.
Mechanical watch movements
All mechanical watches work following a similar principle – at its core, a barrel containing a tightly wound spring is slowly allowed to unwind, and the movement uses this release of energy to turn a series of cogs and gear trains which ultimately make the hands on the dial move. The rate at which this energy is released is regulated by the escapement, which ensures steady rate of energy is released, and thus the accuracy of the timekeeping.
Mainspring and barrel
This same spring is normally used to drive multiple complications, although there are some pieces which have multiple barrels (and therefore multiple springs), which then are used to separately drive different functions of the watch. The ways in which these barrels are wound is the differentiator which introduces the ‘manual-wind’ and ‘automatic’ sub-categories of mechanical watches.
Manual-wind watch movements
The first pocket watches and clocks were made with mechanical, manual-wind movements. ‘Manual-wind’ refers to the process by which the spring in the barrel is wound tight – the source of energy that makes the watch work. In early pocket watches this was done by using a key, although this eventually transitioned to being a crown on the side of the case, which is the method most common in mechanical manual-wind watches today and is often seen at the 3 o’clock position.
There are some notable exceptions to crown-based manual winding, such as the Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari; the movement in this piece offers an incredible 50-day power reserve and takes some serious torque to wind – to help with this, Hublot provide a small tool which looks like a drill to wind the watch!
Automatic watch movements
A natural evolution of the mechanical manual-wind watch, the automatic movement includes an innovation which supersedes the need to manually wind the spring on a regular basis to keep the watch running. The first self-winding movement was invented in 1780 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, who incorporated an oscillating weight in his perpétuelle pocket watches which moved as the pocket watch itself moved, and subsequently wound the spring.
Today we commonly find rotors in automatic movements, which are now available in different styles and aesthetics including peripheral and even micro-rotors.
Breitling B01 movement with rotor
Breguet tourbillon movement with peripheral rotor
Bulgari Octo Finissimo movement with micro-rotor
Mechanical movements often also include a mechanism to ensure that the springs are not overly wound to the point of damaging the movement, and as such automatic pieces can often be manually wound via the crown, too. This varies from movement to movement and so it is always advisable to check first.
For me, mechanical watch movements are the heart and soul of horology; the beauty lies in the fact that, assuming they are cared for properly, mechanical watches have extraordinary longevity thanks to the quality of the workmanship that goes into creating them. In my opinion mechanical watchmaking is perhaps the most perfect blend of tradition, precision engineering, and art.
On the dial-side, mechanical watches can be recognised by the movement of the seconds hand if present, which will move in a ‘sweep’ motion rather than a ‘tick’. That being said, there is a mechanical dead-beat or true seconds complication which does convert this motion into a ‘tick’.
On the reverse-side, mechanical watches are often adorned with a clear, or sapphire (or exhibition) caseback window, through which you can admire the movements and appreciate them to their fullest. The complexity of mechanical movements means they can come at a price. Whilst you can find accessible mechanical watches for a few hundred pounds, there are those which extend into the many thousands, and even hundreds of thousands of pounds. The key differentiators are materials, precision of the movement, and varying degrees of finishing and hand-finishing.
One manufacturer that is famous for their movements is A. Lange & Söhne, who hand make and hand finish every single component, regardless of the complexity, and assemble each movement by hand twice for each timepiece.
A. Lange & Söhne movement
Quartz watch movements
The first quartz wristwatch was the Astron, released by Seiko on 25th December 1969. Quartz technology uses a battery to send an electrical current through a piece of quartz crystal, which in turn resonates at a specific frequency of 32,768 times per second. This precise frequency is converted into a single pulse every second, which advances the hands on the dial.
These movements are cheaper to produce, more reliable with fewer moving components, and more accurate given they are driven electronically. Indeed, the introduction of quartz movements with these characteristics led to what is known today as the quartz crisis from the late 1970s through to the late 1980s/early 1990s, where mechanical watchmaking suffered horrendously, as watch sales shifted predominantly to quartz pieces.
Quartz movements remain popular – they are often used for accessible watches and fashion brands, although there are also luxury brands which offer more expensive, high precision quartz calibres from Grand Seiko through to even Patek Philippe.
Other watch movement types
There are some other watch movement types which don’t necessarily fit neatly into one of the three categories of manual-wind, automatic or quartz movements. The most well-known examples of this are Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive movement, and F.P. Journe’s electro-mechanical Élégante.
The Spring Drive movement is a true hybrid; it is mechanically powered by a mainspring which is used to drive the movement, whilst simultaneously using this energy to generate electrical power to drive an electronic regulator, ensuring a consistent rate of energy release. Where upon close inspection of a ‘sweeping’ mechanical second hand you can normally see tiny incremental ‘ticks’ by eye, a Spring Drive movement presents a near-perfect ‘sweep’. Whilst there are many debates that can be had about Spring Drive movements, to my mind it doesn’t really fit as ‘mechanical’ or ‘quartz’, instead bringing the best of both worlds together to create something new.
Grand Seiko SBGY003 with Spring Drive movement
F.P. Journe’s electro-mechanical Élégante also uses a quartz-powered calibre, however there is a small motion detector visible through an aperture at 4 o’clock which, if no motion is detected for 30 minutes, stops the hands from moving to preserve power. The time is maintained by the electronic circuitry, and when the motion detector identifies that the watch has moved, the hands are automatically reset to the correct time. The impact that this has on battery life is that with daily use, a battery is expected to last for up to 8 years, and with sporadic infrequent use, up to 18 years.
The electro-mechanical movement is visible through a sapphire caseback, with a small heart placed over the micro-processor within the movement.
F.P.Journe Élégante - note the aperture at 4 o'clock
In summary
Personally, I think that understanding the different watch movement types – even if only a little – can really help foster a deeper appreciate of watches. As each movement, whether it be mechanical-wind, automatic or quartz come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages, it can be an important factor to consider when looking to acquire your next timepiece and I hope this article has helped explain some of the key characteristics of each, and how they are all so different.
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You might also be interested in:
- Watch Movement Types Explained
- A Case for Quartz Watches
- Watch Finishing Techniques
- Watch Stationery and Gift Ideas
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