The movement, or caliber, is the engine driving a watch. There are three basic types of watch movements that you can find in luxury watches for sale, which are: Quartz, Manual-Wind Mechanical, and Automatic Mechanical. Quartz movements use a battery and a crystal, and are the most accurate. Mechanical movements have a complex system of springs and gears, and usually have a purist appeal. We’re going to cover all the major types of watch movements, their advantages and disadvantages, and what to compare when picking the right watch for you.
Key Takeaways:
- Quartz movements are electronic. They use a battery to vibrate a quartz crystal for the most accurate timekeeping.
- Mechanical movements are powered by a coiled spring (the mainspring) and don’t need a battery.
- Manual-wind movements need to be wound regularly to maintain power.
- Automatic movements are self-winding. They use a weighted rotor that turns with wrist movement to replenish power.
- Modern watchmaking also utilizes hybrid calibers that combine mechanical and electronic components (e.g., Seiko Spring Drive).
Quartz watches are reliable and easy to maintain but lack the intricacy many collectors are looking for in a really great luxury watch. Ultimately, mechanical watches are split into two camps: automatic and hand-wound. In this article, we’ll be going into depth about what watch movements are, how each movement works, the differences between Japanese and Swiss movements, and which watch movement is best for you.
The Three Foundational Watch Movements
Quartz Watch Movements: Precision and Power
A quartz movement is not just mechanical gears. It has electronic circuitry as well. A battery sends an electrical current to a quartz crystal, which causes it to vibrate at a very exact frequency: 32,760/second. A microchip converts the vibrations into pulses. The pulses power a stepping motor, which turns the gears that move the watch hands.
Quartz movements keep time more accurately than mechanical movements. A quartz will usually gain or lose only 15 to 25 seconds per month, by watchmaking standards. You can usually tell a quartz watch by its telltale one-second tick, where the second hand jumps from marker to marker rather than sweeping smoothly. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best quartz watches for those looking to purchase a pre-owned luxury watch.
Quartz Pros & Cons:
Pros:
- High accuracy with minimal time deviation
- Low cost for both manufacturing and ownership
- Shock resistance makes them ideal for active lifestyles
- Very thin profiles possible due to compact electronic components
- Minimal maintenance, requiring only battery replacement every 2 to 3 years
Cons:
- Requires periodic battery replacement
- Lacks the romantic appeal and craftsmanship of mechanical movements
- Generally considered less prestigious in luxury watch circles
- Limited visual interest when viewing the movement
Examples: If you’re looking to explore modern affordable quartz watches, visit our Rolex Oysterquartz guide, or read our OMEGA quartz watch guide.
Manual-Wind Mechanical Movements: The Purist’s Choice
A manual-wind mechanical movement gets all its power from the tension of its mainspring. This is a tightly wound spring inside a barrel. Winding the crown literally winds the spring tighter. As the mainspring unwinds it slowly releases energy that is transferred through a series of gears to power the hands.
As they do not contain a battery or automatic winding mechanism, manual movements can be much thinner, which is why they are the most common for dress watches, where some of the most iconic mechanical movements can be found with a thin case. The daily act of winding also provides a physical relationship between wearer and watch that collectors often appreciate.
Most modern mechanical watches have a power reserve in the 40 to 80-hour range, depending on the caliber. At the far end of the spectrum, brands like A. Lange & Söhne have pushed that number well beyond a week, if you can believe it.
Manual-Wind Pros & Cons:
Pros:
- Slimmest profile possible since no rotor is needed
- Full view of the movement through exhibition casebacks
- Deeply engaging ritual that connects you to the watch
- High collector value, particularly in vintage watches
- No concern about keeping the watch in motion
Cons:
- Requires daily or near-daily winding to maintain timekeeping
- Increased wear on crown and gasket seals from frequent winding
- Can stop if you forget to wind it
- Less convenient than automatic or quartz for daily wear
Hour by Hour: The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch is a manual-wind classic. Some older Rolex models were also manual caliber, before the company moved to focus on automatic.
Automatic (Self-Winding) Mechanical Movements: Intricacy Meets Convenience
An automatic movement includes all the wheels and springs of a manual-wind caliber, but has an added weighted rotor. Your wrist moves throughout the day, which makes the rotor spin. That motion then turns the mainspring, which keeps the watch running without having to wind it daily.
Automatic movements are very complex. The rotor system needs extra parts, like clutch mechanisms to avoid overwinding, and the watch case will be thicker to accommodate them. Most automatic watches have thicknesses of 11mm to 15mm (0.43 to 0.59 in), but ultra-thin automatics are possible, as shown by Piaget’s models under 10mm (0.39 in) thick.
The sweeping second hand of an automatic watch is also a hallmark feature. Instead of ticking once a second, the hand sweeps in a continuous motion, and is usually at 6 to 8 beats per second (21,600 to 28,800 vibrations per hour in horological terms).
| Feature | Automatic (Self-Winding) | Manual (Hand-Wound) |
| Power Source | Weighted Rotor (Wrist Motion) | Crown Winding (By Hand) |
| Convenience | High (Winds itself while worn) | Low (Requires regular intervention) |
| Case Thickness | Generally Thicker | Generally Thinner |
| Movement Visibility | Often obstructed by the rotor | Full view of the gear train |
| Daily Interaction | Passive (just wear it) | Active (must wind regularly) |
Examples: At the luxury end, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Calatrava showcase automatic movements finished to the highest standards of Swiss watchmaking.
Hybrid and Advanced Watch Movement Technologies
Beyond the standard manual, automatic, and quartz movements, some take a more hybrid approach. Movements like the Spring Drive or Eco-Drive borrow elements from multiple systems to power a watch.
Seiko Spring Drive: The Mechanical-Electronic Hybrid
The Spring Drive movement was first released in 1999 by Seiko and is one of the most important modern developments in watchmaking. The movement is wound by a mainspring just as a conventional mechanical watch would be, but instead of being regulated by an escapement (the tick of a standard mechanical movement) it is instead run through a Tri-synchro regulator that uses a quartz crystal and integrated circuit to control the rate at which the energy of the mainspring is released.
The result is a watch that has the soul of a mechanical watch with the accuracy of quartz. This can be accurate to within one second a day. The second hand sweeps smoothly and silently without any ticking. Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches use this technology.
Kinetic & Solar Power
Kinetic: Seiko’s Kinetic technology is a self-winding mechanism with an automatic rotor like a conventional self-winding watch, but which generates electricity instead of storing energy in a mainspring. The electrical energy is used to charge a rechargeable capacitor which in turn powers a quartz movement. This gives the watch the advantages of an automatic watch and the precision of a quartz movement, without the need for periodic battery replacement.
Solar: Citizen was the first manufacturer to use solar-powered watches with the Eco-Drive movement, Casio has a similar movement called Tough Solar. Solar movements have photovoltaic cells on the movement, under the watch dial, which transform light of any wavelength into electrical energy. A fully charged watch can run in complete darkness for at least six months, and many users will go years without any maintenance on their solar watch.
Movement Comparisons and High-End Hierarchy
Knowing how different watchmaking traditions approach quality makes it easier to choose the right watch for your collection. Geographic origin and finishing quality create distinct categories within the watch market.
Swiss Movement vs. Japanese Movement: The Battle of Calibers
At its core, the Swiss-versus-Japanese watchmaking debate comes down to two very different philosophies. Swiss movements, whether made by ETA, Sellita, Rolex, Patek Philippe or another manufacturer, favour mechanical complexity and artisanal values; attention to aesthetic finishing and detail, and a certain historicism and brand cachet. Swiss watchmaking has been around for centuries, and the “Swiss Made” label has become one of the most recognizable (and valuable!) signals of quality in the industry.
| Feature | Swiss Made | Japanese Made |
| Focus | Artistry, Finishing, Heritage | Innovation, Durability, Efficiency |
| Precision | COSC Certified Standards | High Standards (often non-certified) |
| Typical Cost | Higher | Generally Lower (Excellent Value) |
| Finishing | Extensive hand-finishing | Machine-finished precision |
| Market Position | Prestige and luxury emphasis | Practical performance emphasis |
Japanese movements by Seiko, Miyota (Citizen’s movement division) and Orient prioritise technological advancement, quality control and efficiency. Japanese movements have been responsible for a host of horological innovations ranging from the quartz crisis of the 1970s to recent innovations such as Spring Drive. Japanese movements are a good value and are very reliable and accurate in relation to their price point which is often lower than the Swiss equivalent.
Neither is better than the other. Swiss movements lead the way in the luxury end where finishing and prestige are most important. Japanese movements are best at giving the user accurate timekeeping for the lowest prices, and the more expensive Japanese watches (eg Grand Seiko) are now rivaling Swiss luxury watches in fit and finish and innovation.
What Defines a High-End Watch Movement?
Fine movements separate themselves by characteristics that go well beyond the bare minimum. The degree of finishing brought to each timepiece makes a caliber transcend from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Each movement is hand-finished by watchmakers for dozens of hours using time-honored techniques.
The caliber itself also factors into it. Beautiful as they may be, simple time-only movements can never fetch the same price tags as complicated calibers that display more information or special functions.
Hallmarks of High-End Calibers:
- Finishing Techniques: Côtes de Genève (Geneva stripes) on bridges and plates, circular perlage on the mainplate, hand-beveled edges with mirror polishing and anglage (beveling and polishing of internal angles)
- Complications: Tourbillons that counter the effects of gravity, perpetual calendars that account for leap years without adjustment, minute repeaters that chime the time and chronographs with additional timing functions
- Materials: Silicon hairsprings that resist magnetic fields and temperature variations, anti-magnetic alloys for movement components and precious metal rotors or decorative elements
- Precision Certification: Official chronometer certification from COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres), requiring accuracy between -4 and +6 seconds per day, or even stricter in-house standards like Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer (+2/-2 seconds per day)
- In-House Manufacturing: Movements designed, developed and produced entirely by the watch brand rather than using third-party calibers
Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and A. Lange & Söhne are examples of brands that excel in movement finishing and the creation of complications. The calibres used by these brands are often developed over a number of years and represent watchmaking at its highest.
Choosing Your Perfect Caliber: Final Thoughts on Watch Engines
Some people love the set-it-and-forget-it accuracy of quartz, others prefer the convenience of an automatic and some enjoy the ritual of winding a manual watch. There’s no single “correct” choice. It really comes down to how you wear your watch and what you want from it day to day.
At the end of the day, the movement is what brings a watch to life. Knowing a bit about what’s happening inside the case adds another layer of appreciation. Even during something as simple as checking the time.
