If you just want a solid, affordable watch to wear every day, there's good news: you have tons of great options with quartz watches — those whose timekeeping is regulated with a tiny quartz crystal and powered by a battery.
Watchmakers of old strived to make their watches more accurate, reliable, robust, thinner, lighter, feature-heavy and economical to produce. Quartz achieves all of that, but it remains controversial in watch-collecting spheres where many look down on the tech as less interesting than that of complex and expensive mechanical watches.
Maybe you just want to know what the real deal with quartz is. Or, perhaps you need practical advice on what features to look for or how to change a battery. To that end, we've collected topics that include everything from the technology's history to the best brands and watches using it today. Everything you want to know about quartz watches and how to buy one is right here.
Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a Quartz Watch
A primer on how quartz works, its benefits and examples of watches that use it well.
The Seiko Quartz Watch That Broke Switzerland
This is quite possibly the most historically significant quartz watch ever made.
5 Affordable Quartz Watches Even "Watch Guys" Want to Wear
Long disdained by collectors with preferences for mechanical technology, sensibly priced quartz watches are finally in the crosshairs of connoisseurs.
How to Change a Watch Battery
Getting your quartz watch into working order need not necessitate an expensive trip to the jeweler.
5 Watches Taking Quartz Movements to the Next Level
Increasingly, watchmakers are using quartz movements to push boundaries in the watch world.
10 Watches That Prove Quartz Is Better Than You Think
Quartz watches are often looked down upon, but they’re more reliable and accurate than their mechanical counterparts.
Watch Collector on a Budget? Start With Vintage Quartz
More affordable and reliable than mechanical watches, vintage quartz watches make collecting less intimidating.
The Best Watches Under $100
Most of which are quartz.
These Are the Best Watches Under $200
A level up.
These Watches Combine Quartz Movements and Mechanical Elements
A small and strange part of horology, but one of the most affordable ways to get a nice-looking chronograph watch.
Seiko's Hybrid Technology Is Unique in Watchmaking
Spring Drive offers the craftsmanship and wearing experience of mechanical watches and the accuracy of quartz. We examine how it works.
How the Q Timex Swept the Watch World Off Its Feet
We speak with Giorgio Galli, Timex Group’s Chief Design Director, about the brand's quartz watch phenomenon — and their newest model.
10 Great Solar-Powered Watches
If you're getting a quartz watch, one of the best features you can look for is solar charging.
