zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

No argument with any of your points from a purely technical standpoint. But an expensive watch is not a mere teller of time, it is an expression of personal taste and helps define your self image. My SMP auto is certainly less accurate than most quartz watches.

Both my automatics are within 2 sec/day when worn 24/7 and when I place the watches crown right in their cases over night the result is my mechanicals are more 'accurate' than my quartz watches (TAG 4000, Swiss Army) over time.

I'm a technologist by profession. Yet I prefer records over CDs, analogue dials over digital ones on my various stereo systems, and yes, mechanical watches over quartz. Is this a character flaw on my part? Stupidity or ignorance? A need for something out of the mainstream, perhaps? A fascination with eeking the best out of an old technology? I really don't know the answer. I just know that even taking all your well stated arguments into account, I still prefer my automatic watches.

My automatics make me feel good. I have no emotional attachment to my quartz watches. For whatever reasons they have, a large number of seemingly intelligent people feel somewhat the same. Thank heaven for our differences or we'd all be wearing TIMEX Indiglos.

Mark

: This debate, which tends to pop-up every other
: week on this forum, is easily dealt with.

: If you want superior accuracy, superior
: robustness (5000G's remember), simplicity
: and convenience, then buy the quartz
: version.
: There is no need to constantly adjust the time
: to an accurate source and this will save the
: screw down crown from becoming worn from
: constant adjustment and readjustment.

: As for the myth that an auto can be as accurate
: if you get to know your watch and place it
: in several different positions depending on
: whether you want it to lose/gain time -
: forget that carry on. Thats a manufactured
: accuracy - no good if you never take your
: watch off.

: If you marvel at the wonders of intricate
: machines, are mesmerised by a sweep second
: hand and want a precisely engineered
: movement (mass produced) which has been
: tweaked by Omega, then buy the auto. People
: who like fiddling with things and watching
: grass grow will marvel that a piece of
: technology based on the 1600's can be so
: accurate (-6/+3 per day) and will spend
: hours watching the second hand tick (some
: may even stay up late to catch the rapid
: date spin over rapidly).

: Just remember, both versions require regular
: servicing (battery replacement for the
: quartz). In fact Omega reccommend having the
: water resistency checked before the
: "bathing season" which implies at
: least annually. So don't buy into the con
: that an auto will require less servicing.
: And if anything goes wrong it won't matter
: what you've got. The watch is a luxury item.
: Anything major outside the warranty period
: and it's bound to be costly to fix.

: And last, the quartz was the first to be seen
: worn by P.Brosnon in Goldeneye making it the
: true Bond watch.