The Breitling Watch Source Forums

How wide (if any) is that line between a quartz (battery) movement and mechanical (automatic) movement when it comes to Breitling? Is there a stigma associated with this in the world of the "hard core gamers"? Are there a lot of Quartz owners out there?

That has to be a personal decision for the buyer. I'm not a fan of quartz, but I certainly don't see any stigma attached to them.

I disagree a little with Roff on this.

In the high-end watch world in general, then quartz is very much seen as the poor relation of the mechanical watch. However as far as Breitlings are concerned, they were always traditionally associated with aviation professionals and for them, ultimate accuracy is often prized over the traditional art of watchmaking. Hence IMO, when it comes to Breitling, the gap is almost non-existent especially when compared to the high-end watch world in general.

However, outside of the higher echelons of "WIS-dom", quartz is often preferred by many as it's more accurate, has less moving parts so less prone to problems, more shock and magnetic field resistent, you can leave them for months without wearing them and they will still tell the correct time when you pick them up, etc. It's only weirdos like us that rattle on about mechanical watches have a soul and all that stuff!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Personal preference is what really matters. I went to Breitling because I wanted a mechanical movement watch. After a couple months of searching models, features, design, etc., I ended up with an Emergency, and a a Avenger Seawolf Chrono (both quartz). Go figure.

Also, I couldn't be happier. With a brand like Breitling, quartz or mechanical, I have to appreciate the architecture and styling they put into every timepiece.

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Rolex 126600 Sea Dweller 43
Chronomat (Evo)
Avenger Seawolf Chrono
SuperOcean Steelfish

Omega Speedmaster Broad Arrow GMT

G-Shocks
GWF-D1000-1JF Frogman

I believe that's allowed

There certainly are many WIS out there who would turn their nose up at a quartz watch, and personally they don't excite me, but I certainly wouldn't let the opinions of others influence choice.

The only practical consideration with quartz is that they will likely not realistically last as long. A well looked after mechanical watch can last for literally hundreds of years, not something that you can expect from quartz due to the specialist parts that are likely to be obsolete a hundred years from now - Breitling's commitments is to be able to service them for 20 years after the movement is discontinued.

I'd agree with Roff here. Look at the "Accutron" movements in Bulovas. In the 60's they used a "tuning fork" as the method for regulating time in their wrist watches. A pretty unique, and fairly accurate way of keeping time. Since then, however, the technology has been discontinued and there is little-to-no support. These kind of movements just don't warrant the same kind of reverence that would allow for support for generations to come.

I'm also not a huge fan of quartz.

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“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” - Albert Einstein

agreed, I don't fancy Quartz much myself, but I don't see them in the Breitling world as highly inferior.

but the truth is that mechanical movements are generally more highly regarded than quartz. There's no denying that

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Breitling Emergency Mission-- Breitling B01--
Chronomatic 24H-- Skyland Blacksteel-- Navitimer World--
Emergency Ti-- Chronomat Evo-- Airwolf-- Skyracer Raven
Bentley GMT-- Motors Speed