Types of Watches

Mechanical

As the traditional “wind-up” watch, the mechanical movement is powered when the wearer winds an internal mainspring by turning the crown on the side of the watch. The spring gradually unwinds and turns tiny interlocking wheels, which move the watch hands to measure seconds, minutes and hours.

Quartz

A quartz watch uses a movement typically powered by a battery. The battery sends electronic impulses through a small bar of synthetic quartz crystal, which oscillates 32,768 times per second. A quartz watch should function properly for years, with a battery life of one to five years.

Quartz watches are more accurate than mechanical watches, for two reasons. Once mechanical watches have many additional moving parts, which results in more friction and less accuracy as the parts interact. Two, the consistency and speed of the vibrations of the quartz crystal allow for superior accuracy of the measurement of seconds. Quartz watches may also be powered by solar of kinetic energy, instead of batteries.

Automatic of Self-Winding

Mechanical timepieces are wound by the motion of the wrist. This motion makes the rotor pivot around a staff connected to the mainspring through a gearing. Over winding is prevented by a clutch. They can also be wound manually. 

Analog

An analog watch displays time with traditional hands that move about the dial. 

Digital

A watch that displays the time through numerals, usually using LCD or LED technology, rather than with a dial and hands (analog) display. Digital watches have no moving parts.