zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

It all depends on what you want the watch for. Some people like quartz because it's hassle-free and keeps super accurate time. Others wants automatics because a watch that requires no outside power fascinates them. It's pretty much up to you.

If you get a quartz, you'll be replacing a battery every few years and updating the date every once in a while. That's about all the hassle a quartz watch has.

If you get an automatic, you may have to wind it every now and then if you don't wear it a lot. You may have to re-adjust the time every now and then to correct for the relative inaccuracy (if you care about one or two seconds).

For most people, they do not NEED the insane accuracy of a quartz watch. Most of the time you can get the feel for your automatic and have it keep pretty good time (put it in a certain position at night).

Another thing to consider is that a quartz watch can take a little more of a beating than an automatic. An auto has many moving parts, although the new Co-axials have a sprung balance which means it can take a little more shock.

I own both a quartz and an auto. I first bought a quartz watch (SMP Midsize Quartz) around last Thanksgiving. I love it very much, but I kept getting that itch. A few weeks ago I purchased a Seamaster Aqua Terra (38mm co-axial). I LOVE it. I honestly don't think I can go back to a quartz now. I won't sell my SMP, but I also don't plan on purchasing another quartz. For those instances where I need a watch that can take a little impact (snowboarding), I'll wear my SMP, otherwise I'm always wearing my Aqua Terra.

You can also find some articles on TimeZone on why maybe people like mechanical watches more than quartz - I believe the article spoke to the point of having something "to take care of." You will also find many people saying that a mechanical watch (whether it's an auto or not) has a soul of its own.

Hope this helped - if you have any more questions, ask.