This newspaper advertisement is from the Albuqerque Journal, Sunday May 10,1970. This advertisement, and others like it almost brought the world of mechanical watch making to its knees. A Watch more accurate than the sun itself, quite a statement. While reading this 38 year old article, I can sense the shudder that pervaded the Mechanical Watch World in the early 1970's when Quartz watches flooded the market; they were cheaper and more accurate than their mechanical counterparts. It is the same thought that entered the minds of many companies that became redundant due to modern technologies. Companies that made camera film for camera's, ribbons for typewriters, VHS , gas lanterns and carriages for horses. The Mechanical Watch World thought their days were numbered, and truth be told the sales of Mechanical Watches slumped. Less people learned the trade of Mechanical Watch Making as they saw no future in it.
The Mechanical Watch receives its power from a main spring. This power is transmitted by a wheel train through the escape wheel and pallet to the balance wheel. Accuracy is controlled by the oscillating rate of the balance wheel. The time indicating hands are turned by the wheel train. Every watch part needs to be carefully crafted to perfection, any slight imperfection will seriously compromise the precise time keeping . Although an incredible amount of skill, craftsmanship and time is invested in the making of the Mechanical watch, it can be made no more accurate than 2-3 seconds per day. The Mechanical Watch dates back to the 1600's.
The quartz watch receives its power from a specially designed battery which activates a quartz crystal inside the movement, vibrating at 33 times per second. The vibrations are then translated into impulses by a computer chip that drives an electronic motor which moves the watch hands. Even the most inexpensive, off the rack, quartz watches are accurate to less than .05 per day. The First Quartz Watch prototype was developed in 1967 with the Beta 21. By 1970, the Pulsar, the first digital watch was developed and by 1976 the 1st watch under $20 was placed on the market.So it seems that as a result of the inexpensiveness, accuracy, and sheer numbers of Quartz Watches available, Mechanical Watches would vanish from the modern world. The Mechanical Watch World was on the brink of extinction ,when the novelty of the Quartz watch began to fade, and slowly Mechanical Watches made a come back. Mechanical Watches now filled a different role of times past. Mechanical Watches filled the role of class, quality and centuries old tradition. True they are less effected by adverse temperatures, and can last longer if maintained , but it is not a competition between the two that can be tabulated. The two types of watches are very different, and it is in their difference that each will attain their place in the Watch World.
