WATCH BASICS
Automatic vs quartz watches
The clearest way to understand the difference is to watch the second hand. Quartz ticks; automatic sweeps. Below, both are running live — then we break down accuracy, maintenance, price and which one is right for you.
Live: the quartz second hand steps; the automatic sweeps.
Three ways a watch keeps time
Quartz
A battery sends current through a quartz crystal that vibrates 32,768 times a second. Cheap to run, extremely accurate, and virtually maintenance-free apart from batteries.
Automatic
A rotor spins as your wrist moves, winding a mainspring that powers the watch. No battery — it runs on your motion, with the smooth sweeping seconds collectors love.
Manual (hand-wound)
The same mechanical heart as an automatic, but you wind it by hand each day. Often thinner and more traditional — a favourite of purists.
How an automatic winds itself
That green half-disc is the rotor. Every time you move, it swings and winds the mainspring. The spring slowly releases its energy through a train of gears to the escapement, which beats several times a second — that’s what turns the smooth sweep of the second hand. Take the watch off and it keeps running on its stored energy (the “power reserve”) for a day or two before it needs winding again.
So which should you buy?
If you want a grab-and-go watch that’s always right, survives being ignored for months, and costs less — buy quartz. If you love the craft, want a piece that runs on motion alone, and enjoy the ritual and the sweep — buy automatic. Most collectors end up owning both.
Whichever you choose, you can track it in the Veloce app — logging wears, a service history, and stats — and follow the brands you collect.
Watch glossary
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Complications
Chronographs, GMTs, moonphases.
Watch brands
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between automatic and quartz watches?
A quartz watch is powered by a battery and a vibrating quartz crystal, so its second hand ticks once per second and it keeps very accurate time with almost no maintenance. An automatic (mechanical) watch is powered by a wound mainspring driven by a rotor as you move, so its second hand sweeps smoothly and it needs no battery — but it is less accurate and needs periodic servicing.
Is automatic or quartz better?
Neither is strictly better — it depends on what you want. Quartz is more accurate, cheaper, and lower-maintenance, making it ideal for daily beaters and tool watches. Automatic watches are prized by collectors for their craftsmanship, the smooth sweeping seconds, and the fact that they run without a battery for decades with servicing.
What is the difference between automatic and mechanical?
All automatic watches are mechanical, but not all mechanical watches are automatic. A manual (hand-wound) mechanical watch must be wound by hand; an automatic mechanical watch winds itself using a rotor that spins with the motion of your wrist. Both use a mainspring and gears rather than a battery.
Why does an automatic watch have a sweeping second hand?
A mechanical movement’s escapement beats several times per second (typically 6–10), so the second hand advances in tiny increments that look like a smooth sweep. A quartz movement pulses once per second, producing the familiar tick.
How often do quartz and automatic watches need maintenance?
A quartz watch mainly needs a new battery every 1–3 years and a full service only rarely. An automatic watch typically benefits from a full service roughly every 4–6 years to keep it running accurately. You can track service history for either in the Veloce app.
Do automatic watches keep good time?
Good ones keep time well — a healthy automatic runs within roughly ±5 to ±20 seconds per day depending on the movement, and COSC-certified chronometers are held to about −4/+6 seconds per day. Quartz is still far more accurate, at around ±15 seconds per month.
Track whatever you wear
Quartz or automatic, log every wear and its service history free in the Veloce app.