[jpsum]

you would think the watch manual would tell you this kind of stuff.

[double_j]

I think they usually do. The breitling booklet specifies 40 times. I'll have to check the rolex instructions.

Just to clarify (although I'm not a watch guru by any means):

Quartz - battery powered watch. No winding needed but periodic battery replacements are required. Usually considered lower end (e.g., watches below $1,500) but some quartz movements are prized for their accuracy and reliability (E.g., Breitling Superquartz).

Automatic - traditional watch movement (powered by a wound spring) with a self powering mechanism that will wind the watch through normal arm movement. Can also be wound manually via the crown. A fully wound automatic will usually continue to run for approx 24 to 48 hours without any additional winding or movement. Once stopped, the watch will need to be set and wound before wearing. Automatic watches do not have batteries to replace but they should be periodically serviced. Automatic movements are probably in all or practically all of the watches you'll see above $1,500-$2,000 or so.

Manual - don't even know if these are made anymore (maybe in pocket watches?). A traditional (spring powered) watch without a self winding mechanism as found in an automatic. Must be wound (and continually rewound) via the watch's crown.

Some other info:

Some watchmakers employ a variation of a quartz movement powered by by movement or light. These cannot be considered as automatics since the recharging mechanism actually creates and stores energy to a battery instead of creating tension in a spring. Examples are the seiko kinetic or citizen ecodrive.

The internal mechanism (aka the movement) is often referred to as a 'caliber' for identification. E.g., the breitling chronomat automatic watch contains a variation of the the ETA-manufactured caliber #7750. Many other watchmakers also use this same movement as it is not uncommon to outsource the manufacturing of watch internals.

Any function performed by a watch besides telling time is called a complication (e.g., moon phase or date).

A chronograph is an analogue watch that also has a stop watch type function (I.e., its movement contains a chronograph complication).

A Swiss watch movement that has passed certain independent tests for accuracy and reliability may be labled as a 'certified chronometer'. These are generally the more sought after Swiss automatic movements.

[hl0m4n]

yea after doing research i found this to summarize things up:

-Quartz watches are powered by a miniature battery and an integrated circuit which provide the energy.
-Hand-wound mechanical watches work on the principle of a spring system which needs to be rewound to provide energy.
-Automatic watches also work on the principle of a spring system, but one which is automatically rewound by the movements of the wrist.

great video on all these:

happy holidays

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by hl0m4n

great video on all these

Hey buddy, great video indeed; many thanks. But after looking at other 'related' videos, I was dismayed to find out they were 'replicas', which seemed to look freaking IDENTICAL, down to the 'swiss made' written at 6 o'clock and on the rotor. Yeah, the $250 price gave it away.

I assume those non-authorized distributors with perfect feedback claiming to sell legit watches are doing so, but man, the US government should stop that. And Youtube too IMO. Oh well, at least the one I want is not available in fake form . And I doubt fakes come with the boxes and everything. Good day gang.