Analysis · 10 September 2026
The question is not which is better. It is what you expect from the watch.
For years, a very simple hierarchy has taken hold: the automatic watch would be the authentic one and quartz a lesser alternative. But a movement does not make a piece interesting on its own. Design, construction, condition, reference and intended use matter just as much or more.
Quartz is usually more accurate, needs less attention and can spend weeks in a drawer before returning to the wrist without having to be set. For a daily, travel or beater watch, that convenience is not a compromise: it is a real advantage.
In return, the battery needs replacing from time to time and it offers less of the mechanical element many enthusiasts enjoy. In the secondary market, generic quartz watches also tend to need a particularly appealing reference, design or price to stand out.
An automatic is powered by the movement of the wrist. Knowing that a set of wheels, springs and gears is working beneath the dial without a battery is part of its charm. Mechanics add conversation, ritual and, in many cases, a special connection with the piece.
It is also less accurate, stops after some time without use and can be more complex to service. Choosing one means accepting these small inconveniences because they are part of what we seek in it.
The secondary market
An unknown automatic is not automatically a good buy. And a sought-after quartz watch does not stop being interesting because it has a battery. Brand, exact reference, condition, contents, demand and entry price are the facts that decide whether a piece makes sense.
That is why we prefer to study each watch before applying a fixed rule. Judgement begins when we stop buying a category and start buying a specific piece.
There is no better one.
There is one that is better for you.
