A watch movement is the engine that powers the watch. Different watch movement types determine its accuracy, durability, and functionality. There are 3 main types of watch movements which are mechanical watch movement,automatic watch movement, and quartz watch movement. The vast majority of watches on the market have these three movements.

Understanding the differences between types of watch movement is crucial for making an informed decision when purchasing a watch. In this article, we will discuss the different type of watch movement, including their advantages and disadvantages, and provide some guidance on how to choose the right one for your needs.

Watch movement types from different country

The country where they are manufactured can also classify movement watches. The most well-known countries for watch production are Japan, Switzerland, Germany, and China.Each country has its own unique characteristics and differences in their watch movements.

Japanese movement watch

Japanese watch movement incorporates Japanese-made mechanical, automatic, or quartz movements. Japanese movement watch is known for their precision and reliability. Some of the most well-known Japanese watch movements include the Seiko nh5, nh34, Citizen Eco-Drive, and the Miyota 8215,9015,2035.

Swiss movement watch

Swiss movement watch is considered the gold standard in the watch industry. Swiss-made movements are renowned for their precision, craftsmanship, and high-quality materials, making them the gold standard in the watch industry. Some of the most famous Swiss watch movements include the ETA 2824, Valjoux 7750, Sellita SW200-1 and the Patek Philippe Caliber 240.

German watch movements

German watch movements are known for their technical innovation and precision. German watchmakers have a reputation for combining traditional craftsmanship with modern engineering to create high-quality and reliable watches. Some of the most popular German watch movements include the A. Lange & Söhne Caliber L121.1, Glashütte Original Caliber 36, and the NOMOS Alpha.

Chinese watch movements

Chinese watch movements are often associated with affordability and mass production. While they may not have the same reputation for precision and craftsmanship as Japanese, Swiss, or German movements, they can still offer good value for money. Some popular Chinese watch movements include the Seagull ST36, Hangzhou 6300, and the Shanghai 3LZF.

Watch movement types

According to the different functions and power source, there are three main types of watch movement: mechanical watch movements, automatic watch movements, and quartz watch movements.

Quartz movement watch

A battery that sends an electric current through a small quartz crystal powers quartz movement watch. Because of quartz’s piezoelectric properties, the battery causes it to vibrate (oscillate) at a very specific frequency: 32,768 times per second. The circuit counts the number of vibrations and uses them to create an electrical pulse.The earliest quartz watches appeared around the 1970s.

Mechanical movement watch

Mechanical movement watches use energy from a wound spring to power the watch. A mechanical movement comprises an intricate series of springs and gears that turn energy into precisely regulated movements.This allows the watch to run with exceptional efficiency, and accurately keeps track of passaging time.

The earliest pocket watches, as well as wristwatches, were mechanical watches, in this case mainly manual mechanical, which were powered by turning the crown to tighten the winding.

Automatic movement watch

The automatic watch movement features a freely rotating weight of metal called a rotor, and the movement of the wearer’s wrist causes the rotor to rotate, and as the rotor spins, it automatically winds around the main spring inside the movement to power the watch.

Automatic watches have an anti-damage mechanism that ensures that the winding is not too tight and damages the movement.

Automatic movement offers the same aesthetic and craftsmanship as manual, mechanical movements, so they are similar. Now high-end luxury watch like Rolex use manual wind mechanical movement and automatic movement. But automatic mechanical movements do not need to be manually wound, increasing convenience. This is also the difference between automatic vs mechanical watch.

The difference between watches movement types

If you want to know more about difference watch movement type（quartz,automatic and mechanical movement), check out the photos.

Conclusion -watch movement types

In conclusion, understanding the different watch movement types is crucial for making an informed decision when purchasing a watch. Country can classify movement watch as Japanese, Swiss, German, and Chinese movements, each with its unique characteristics and differences. The sources of energy can also classify them as mechanical, automatic, and quartz movements, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

In watchessy watch factory, we recognize the importance of providing customers with a variety of watch movement watch options to meet their individual needs and budget. We offer a wide range of watch movements, including mechanical, automatic, and quartz movements from reputable brands.

FAQ

Watch movement jewels

Like any other mechanical device, a watch movement requires gears that move or rotate, and it is the bearings in a watch that have jewels in them. They set these jewels in various parts of the movement to help reduce friction within the movement.In addition, most of these jewels are synthetic rather than natural.

Different movements have different numbers of jewels, for example, the Japan NH34 movement is with 24 jewels, the Sellita SW200-1 is with 26 jewels, and the Miyota 9015 movement has 24 jewels.

Skeleton watch movement

A skeleton watch is a type of a mechanical watch in which the wearer can see the moving parts of the movement through slight cut-outs in the front of the case, the case back or the dial. The tourbillon is a more typical feature of skeletonized watch movement. This is because skeletonization allows you to see the balance wheel, the heart of the watch, and thus better show the watch’s subtle design.

Watch movement cases

The watch movement is the heart of the watch, so where is it placed? They place the movement inside the watch case and secure it with an inner cover to protect it from the outside world. The movement is connected to the outside environment by a crown, which can be turned to adjust the time and access the watch function like chronograph, GMT, dual time, etc.

Watch movement parts

Parts of a watch movement vary depending on the type of movement. Quartz movements have a few parts, usually less than 20. The names of the main parts of a quartz movement are: quartz crystal, coil, circuit, battery, brake, etc.

However, the mechanical movement has hundreds of components such as the number of a jewel as mentioned before, which is usually over 20 pcs. The key the mechanical movement parts are the mainspring, balance wheel, escapement, etc. The mainspring is the power source of the watch, and the escapement is the mainspring. The mainspring is the power source of the watch, while the balance and escapement are used to regulate the time.