Considering watchmaking students spend 2 to 4 years getting the basics on these things that are about the size of a quarter and thick textbooks have been published on the theory and practical aspects of watchmaking, this will be only a brief overview. The two main types of watches produced today are mechanical and quartz. Mechanical watches-as the name implies-consist of gears, springs, levers, etc. and no electronic components. Quartz watches come in a variety of forms: analog, digital, battery powered, light powered, motion powered, and radio controlled to name a few. This page will discuss...
Quartz Watches
There is no such thing as a "lifetime watch" At least one that does not require any maintenence. A quartz watch is running 24 hours a day 7 days a week even if it's put in adrawer and not worn for months. (Remember-forgetting about a watch for long periods of time can allow the battery to run down and possibly leak which can damage the movement.)
A Battery that has leaked and corroded |
While there is little friction on the moving parts, the almost microscopic amounts of oil will eventuallydry up causing the watch to run slow, stop or drain the battery too fast.Exactly how long before this happens is difficult to predict. Often it is between five and ten years.Many watches have been known to go 15 or 20 years without cleaning-amazing considering little els in our daily life runs continuously, is so dependable, and is so relied upon. While this means low maintenence there is something else to consider in the care for your watch. Little "seals" or gaskets are all that keep dirt and water from entering and they don't last forever.
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Dirt, heat, persperation, lotions, soaps and many other things effect how long they will last. Check with the manufacturer on their recommendations. Usually they should be checked at each battery change and replaced every 5 years or so. Like the movement you might go well beyond the recommended time frame without a problem but then suddenly have amajor failure. When the gaskets fail, the repair can be costly. It is up to you the customer to decide how much you care about your watch and whether to follow the recommended maintenence procedures. |
