What Is It With Battery Life In A Quartz Watch?

Stewart H · May 8, 2013

I'm (almost) ashamed to say that I have two quartz watches, both of which I bought new 🤦

The first one was a Breitling Windrider Chrono Jetstream from 1997 and the other a Tissot T-Race Nicky Hayden LE from 2010 that is my weekend knocking-about beater - so gets worn more frequently than any of my other watches. Other than the fact that I use the chrono to time my eggs for breakfast and occasionally playing around at motorbike races, they both spend most of their time sitting in a drawer ticking away.

This evening, I have replaced the battery in the 4 jewel Tissot G10 movement, but the Breitling is still (touch wood) going fine on it's second battery in 16 years (last replaced in 2006) and both watches use a Renata 394 battery.

It is not that I am particularly worried because a pack of 10 batteries cost me £7.00.

The Breitling uses a Piguet 1270 movement that is supposed to have a battery life of 4 to 5 years. Have I just been exceptionally lucky?

MyVintageOmega · May 8, 2013

I imagine you have kept it in a cool dry place where the battery life will sustain much longer than a warm moist storage. IMO

Stewart H · May 8, 2013

That I could see if they lived apart, but they spend most of the time in the same drawer.

Archer · May 9, 2013

Not all quartz watches are equal. The movement in the Breitling is a much higher grade of movement than the Tissot is. It has many more jewels, and as a result the consumption is likely much less than the Tissot, resulting in less drain from the cell.

BTW nothing to be ashamed of owning a quartz movement watch - I own one myslef. Personally I think they offer convenience and technology that a mechanical can't match. People have very little knowledge usually of the technology that goes into a typical quartz movement - it is rather amazing and much more complex than most people realize.

Cheers, Al

ulackfocus · May 9, 2013

Al, I would argue that a quartz watch is technology - a computer chip programmed to tell time based on a reduction equation using a constant (the vibration of a quartz crystal's piezo effect) - versus a mechanical watch being horology..... but we've been there & done that.

However, we do forget that there are jewels in quartz analog watches so thanks for the reminder.

Oh, and there is one aspect where all quartz watches are equal - the respect department. 😁

Archer · May 9, 2013

And your overly simplistic argument/description of how a quartz watch works illustrates perfectly the lack of real knowledge about what technology is inside a modern quartz watch. I do agree that most collectors give it little respect, which is a shame and short sighted in my view.

While I'm certainly not trying to "convert" anyone into being a quartz watch fan (in particular on a forum that is heavily weighted towards vintage), and although I vastly prefer wearing and working on mechanical watches, I can certainly give quartz technology the respect it deserves. Lumping all movements into the same barrel also fails to recognize higher end movements that have finishing similar to high end mechanical watches.

My previous offers stand - if anyone wants to know what a modern quartz watch is all about, I can certainly make a post with that information. Even if you still consider quartz watches something you have no interest in, at least you will understand the advances that have been made that make even the non HEQ movements truly remarkable in their performance.

I think framing something that is filled with technology as not being "horology" is a bit of a slippery slope when companies are exploring new technologies all the time for mechanical watches. If you have ever vibrated a balance spring by hand, then it's hard to consider Omega's process of making balance springs out of silicon wafers in a lab true "horology" either in the traditional sense.

Just my $0.02 Canadian.

Cheers, Al

Stewart H · May 9, 2013

Thanks Al.

I have to admit that until I took the back off of the Jetstream, I was of that opinion. All of the quarts movements I had seen were a flat metal plate with the battery and perhaps, a coil or two showing. Indeed, the Tissot is like that.

To help prove Al's point, here is a photo of the Breitling - I can't be bothered to take the back off of the Tissot again because there is very little to see and it is a PITA to get the back on with my press rather than the special Tissot tool.

As you can see, cotes de Geneve and pearlage.

Mothra · May 9, 2013

al, i suspect a great many of us would be interested in a post on 'quartz as horology'. When you find five minutes...

😀

Archer · May 10, 2013

Let me put something together - more than 5 minutes to do so but I don't mind doing it.

Cheers, Al

Stewart H · May 10, 2013

Thanks Al, although your generousity with your time and advice is already the stuff of internet legend:

http://watchguy.co.uk/about-the-kindness-of-watchmakers/

Archer · May 11, 2013

Thanks - I have had many people help me through my watchmaking life, so I am happy to help others if they need it and I can help. Cheers, Al

CanberraOmega · May 11, 2013

Mothra
al, i suspect a great many of us would be interested in a post on 'quartz as horology'. When you find five minutes...

😀

Absolutely!!!!!

Privateday7 · May 11, 2013

Archer
My previous offers stand - if anyone wants to know what a modern quartz watch is all about, I can certainly make a post with that information. Even if you still consider quartz watches something you have no interest in, at least you will understand the advances that have been made that make even the non HEQ movements truly remarkable in their performance.

Al, count me in. I am really looking forward for your post in this topic. Please enlighten us.👍

Stewart H · May 11, 2013

The only thing that worries me is that, given a proper understanding of them, those adverts that you automatically ignore might become interesting.

Privateday7 · May 11, 2013

Stewart H
The only thing that worries me is that, given a proper understanding of them, those adverts that you automatically ignore might become interesting.

Yes, they are really undervalued vintage or youngtimer high quality Quartz watches out there.