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Results for Quartz Crisis

739 articles · 3 videos found · page 15 of 25

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Quartz Crisis

1969-1985 industry collapse triggered by the Seiko Astron. Cost Swiss watchmaking two-thirds of its workforce; rebounded via Swatch Group consolidation and Biver's Blancpain.

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Worn & Wound
Seiko Astron SSH151 Dec 17, 2025

[VIDEO] The Seiko Astron SSH151, an Award-Winning Tech-Forward Timepiece

Seiko launched the Astron in 1969, changing not just the brand’s trajectory but the way watches were made. The first commercially available quartz wristwatch, it arrived in solid gold and cost ¥450,000, about $1,250 at the time, or roughly $10,000 in 2025. Though “vintage” to modern eyes, its design was surprisingly luxurious and quietly radical, blending traditional finishing with industrial design cues in a way only Seiko could achieve. The exterior, however, was not the main story. The caliber 35SQ inside is what rewrote horology. With a quartz oscillator vibrating at 8,192 Hz, it delivered accuracy far beyond the mechanical watches of the day. It was not only a proof-of-concept that pushed horology into the 20th century, it also proved that Seiko was willing to innovate in an industry steeped in tradition.   The post [VIDEO] The Seiko Astron SSH151, an Award-Winning Tech-Forward Timepiece appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Space Time: Seiko’s Star-Powered Astron GPS SJX Watches
Citizen Dec 17, 2025

Space Time: Seiko’s Star-Powered Astron GPS

In the run-up to the holidays, Seiko facelifts its high-spec, multi-function quartz watch with the Astron GPS Solar refs. SSJ039 and SSH187 - limited editions of its satellite-linked models. While not available in stores until January, the new references make their public debut almost exactly 56 years to the day when the original Astron, the world’s first quartz wristwatch, was launched on December 25, 1969. Initial thoughts Despite pioneering efforts to develop quartz watches in Switzerland, and the commercialisation of category-defining products like the Swatch, the alpine nation has tended to lag a step behind its rivals from the land of the rising sun when it comes to quartz technology. As quartz watches matured and the underlying technology became commoditised, much of the Swiss watch industry redoubled its focus on mechanical watches, seemingly content to cede quartz leadership to brands like Seiko and Citizen. For their part, the dominant Japanese brands have continued to develop quartz watches with conscientious enthusiasm, bringing solar charging, radio frequency and satellite-based connectivity, and ultra-precise oscillators to maturity. In that context, the Seiko Astron is the embodiment of more than half a century of quartz leadership, and combines several of the brand’s strengths in two distinct limited edition models. Though the four-figure prices may come as a shock to buyers more familiar with offerings from brands like Apple, Garmin, and Casio, the A...

Best Solar-Powered Dive Watches For Every Budget Teddy Baldassarre
Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Dive Titanium"] Dec 9, 2025

Best Solar-Powered Dive Watches For Every Budget

While solar-powered quartz technology has been around for decades, it’s still a relatively new innovation in the centuries-old watch world. I wouldn’t say the solar-powered revolution has fully arrived (especially as contemporary enthusiasts continue to find appeal in the craftsmanship of mechanical calibers in an increasingly digital world), but the technology has undoubtedly become more reliable and refined in recent years. The convenience and ease of being able to charge up your watch in both natural and artificial light sources, as well as the security of the long-lasting battery life, actually lend themselves well to more high-stakes and tactical situations. Riffing on that theme, I’ve scoured the watch industry for the best solar dive watches on the market. Down below, you’ll find what I believe to be the most compelling solar divers out there for your reading pleasure, offered at a wide range of price points so everyone can get in on the fun.  [toc-section heading="Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Dive Titanium"] Case: 44mm, Material: Super Titanium, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Caliber: E168 Solar, Price: $575 It was Citizen who truly revolutionized the genre of solar-powered watches in the '90s. The brand was the very first to launch pieces that could power up with both sunlight and artificial light sources with the launch of its Eco-Drive technology, and it remains a leader in the category today. While Citizen has quite a number of solar-powered watches that...

First Look - The New Cimier 47° North Collection, a Fun and Accessible Field Watch Monochrome
Nov 27, 2025

First Look - The New Cimier 47° North Collection, a Fun and Accessible Field Watch

Like so many brands, Cimier faced challenges during the quartz revolution but re-emerged in 2003. Celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2024, the brand launched the 711 Heritage Chronograph, and the recent colourful POP editions reintroduced the name to a new audience, offering affordable, well-built mechanical watches. In 2025, Cimier builds on that momentum with the […]

Introducing: The Brew Metric Teddy Baldassarre Edition Fratello
Brew Metric Teddy Baldassarre Edition Nov 18, 2025

Introducing: The Brew Metric Teddy Baldassarre Edition

The Brew Metric Teddy Baldassarre Edition brings together Brew’s coffee-themed Metric chronograph and YouTuber-turned-retailer Teddy Baldassarre. This special edition keeps the Metric’s compact 36mm case and VK68 mecha-quartz movement while adding a layered blue dial, a revised handset, and a new engraved case back. The collaboration traces back to a 2018 conversation between Teddy and […] Visit Introducing: The Brew Metric Teddy Baldassarre Edition to read the full article.

The ABCs of Time - How Are Mechanical Watches Wound? A Comprehensive Guide to Automatic and Manual Movements Monochrome
Grand Seiko s Spring Drive or Nov 15, 2025

The ABCs of Time - How Are Mechanical Watches Wound? A Comprehensive Guide to Automatic and Manual Movements

There are basically two types of watch movements – mechanical and quartz. The latter is powered by a battery or a combination of solar and rechargeable cells, while the former is powered by one or sometimes multiple mainsprings with no electrical input. There are also grey areas like Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive or Accutron’s Electrostatic […]

Introducing - The New Dakar Edition of the Chronoswiss Opus Chronograph Monochrome
Chronoswiss Opus Chronograph Founded Oct 20, 2025

Introducing - The New Dakar Edition of the Chronoswiss Opus Chronograph

Founded by master watchmaker Gerd R. Lang (1943-2023) in 1983, Chronoswiss rowed against the tide of quartz to become a key player in the renaissance of mechanical watchmaking. Renowned for exceptional craftsmanship and a penchant for regulator displays, Lang’s brand released the Opus chronograph in 1995, the world’s first serially produced skeletonised automatic chronograph, revealing […]

Introducing - The New Blue Sector Edition of the Furlan Marri Cornes de Vache Monochrome
Furlan Marri Cornes de Vache Oct 17, 2025

Introducing - The New Blue Sector Edition of the Furlan Marri Cornes de Vache

A relatively young brand founded by two close friends, Andrea Furlan and Hamad Al-Marri, Furlan Marri started its life on Kickstarter in 2021 with a nicely designed collection of meca-quartz chronographs. The goal of the brand was to “bring back emotional watchmaking with thoughtful design (…) with details rarely seen at this price point”. And […]

The Seiko Rotocall, a Cult Favorite From the 1980s, is Back Worn & Wound
Seiko Rotocall Oct 16, 2025

The Seiko Rotocall, a Cult Favorite From the 1980s, is Back

Seiko’s latest is as surprising as it is satisfying. The reissue of the Rotocall, a digital watch born in 1982, worn by astronauts, and beloved for decades by fans of oddball 80s quartz, is completely unexpected, but finds Seiko working in the register we love to find them in. Which is to say, raiding the archives in a meaningful way that breathes life into classic references and references you might not actually know too much about. I have a feeling the Rotocall might fit into both camps. That’s the nature of a cult favorite, after all. The original Rotocall reference, A829-6019, was conceived as a digital watch that would be a bit easier to operate and use but not lose any of the inherent functionality of a watch meant to perform in multiple disciplines. Rather than a complex menu system or arcane mode switching using a series of buttons, the Rotocall’s functions could be changed quickly by rotating the distinctive octagonal bezel. Setting the time, using a countdown timer, activating stopwatch functionality, and more are all clearly defined by the bezel position. Once you move the bezel to the desired function, a pair of buttons on either side of the case control the action. Think about some of the more complicated digital watches out there and how you might actually navigate from the time display to, say, a calendar, and you start to realize the value here. The simplicity, according to Seiko, was favored by many astronauts, and the Rotocall saw action on well ove...

Best of Both Worlds for The Citizen’s 30th Anniversary SJX Watches
Citizen s 30th Anniversary Citizen Oct 14, 2025

Best of Both Worlds for The Citizen’s 30th Anniversary

Citizen marks 30 years of its upmarket The Citizen collection with a matching pair of limited-edition 30th anniversary watches with aquiline ivory dials. Representing the best of both worlds, the pair offer Citizen’s best calibres in mechanical and analogue quartz watchmaking: one contains the automatic Caliber 0200, while the other boasts the top of the line, feature-rich Eco-Drive A060. The Citizen Caliber 0200 30th Anniversary Initial Thoughts While little known outside Japan and certain enthusiast circles, the eagle-crested The Citizen watches are arguably the best Citizen has to offer, and also a tantalising value proposition. Both models are good in their own right, though the automatic is the winner here. The Calibre 0200 model is probably the best made-in-Japan integrated bracelet sports watch currently available, combining the impressive case and dial finishing we’ve come to expect from premium Japanese watches, and a significantly more upscale movement than the King Seiko Vanac or Credor Locomotive. The quartz model is appealing, The Citizen has plenty of other quartz offerings with the same movement but more interesting dials. The Citizen Eco-Drive 30th Anniversary Eco-Drive cal. A060 The conical bezel and flat lug chamfers of the Eco-Drive model are flat polished using a spinning tin-plate, creating a near distortion-free mirror finish. A Duratec “Platinum” treatment, with a hardness of over 1,000 Vickers, protects the case and bracelet, and also gives ...

Louis Vuitton Revisits First Watch with the Monterey SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Revisits First Watch Oct 6, 2025

Louis Vuitton Revisits First Watch with the Monterey

Louis Vuitton returns to its watchmaking roots with a recreation of its first-ever wristwatch, the Monterey. The remake sticks closely to the aesthetics of the original designed by architect Gae Aulenti in 1988, but is made to modern standards. While the original was a design-oriented creation with a high-tech (for the time) quartz movement, today’s Monterey is high-end in every way – case, dial, and movement are all contemporary high horology. Initial Thoughts The Monterey is an unapologetically nostalgic watch, and a yardstick against which Louis Vuitton measures its progress. In 1988, the Parisian malletier made its first foray into the watch market with Montre I, a private label affair produced by IWC and designed by Gae Aulenti. The 1988 watch was an impressive in terms of design and concept, but somewhat dinky in terms of tech: a multifunction quartz watch in gold powered by an IWC quartz movement that is no longer reparable. (It is also worth nothing that follow-up Montre II was clad in ceramic, possibly hinting at a sequel to this limited edition.) Now, Louis Vuitton wants the world to know it can make make a watch itself, only relying on external suppliers for the very most specialised components – and to a much higher standard than the Montre of the past. And the Monterey (a play on the American mispronunciation of montre, French for watch) completely eclipses the original in quality – much like the recent revival of Daniel Roth by Louis Vuitton. The Mont...

Hands-On With The Impressively Handsome Beda’a Angles Mecaline Fratello
Oct 2, 2025

Hands-On With The Impressively Handsome Beda’a Angles Mecaline

One of the standout releases during Geneva Watch Days 2025 was the duo of Beda’a Angles Mecaline models. The mechanical versions of the Qatari brand’s Angles design the perfect evolution of the quartz series introduced in the second half of last year. I had a chance to find out how the two excellent modern dress […] Visit Hands-On With The Impressively Handsome Beda’a Angles Mecaline to read the full article.

Seiko Looks to Sci-Fi for the Astron GPS SJX Watches
Citizen has inched ahead Sep 15, 2025

Seiko Looks to Sci-Fi for the Astron GPS

Advanced digital watches haven’t deterred leading Japanese brands from continuing to earnestly develop high-accuracy quartz watches in analog formats. Chief among them is Seiko, which has just unveiled two new limited editions of its satellite-linked Astron GPS Solar. While the SSJ037 appears to be a simple time-only watch and the SSH185 looks like a straightforward dual-time chronograph, each watch is solar-powered and includes an electronic perpetual calendar. Limited to 1,500 pieces for the SSJ037 and 1,200 pieces for the SSH185, the new collection is sci-fi inspired, featuring colours and textures common to fictional depictions of space stations. Initial thoughts There are a couple different approaches to making high-accuracy quartz watches. The first is pretty obvious, and involves developing ever-more precise quartz oscillators. Seiko has long been a champion of this school of thought, although Citizen has inched ahead in recent years. The other approach is to make a reasonably precise quartz movement that automatically syncs with an external signal, which might be a radio signal broadcast from any of the atomic reference clocks positioned around the world, a bluetooth signal from the user’s phone, or, in the case of the Astron, a satellite signal. Since the brand debuted this technology in 2012, Seiko has refined things making the watches sleeker and the interface more intuitive. As a result, the time-only SSJ037 is an ordinary 42 mm in diameter and 12 mm thick;...

Citizen Celebrates 30 Years of High-End Watches With Paper-Dial Duo SJX Watches
F.P. Journe s Elegante But unlike Sep 12, 2025

Citizen Celebrates 30 Years of High-End Watches With Paper-Dial Duo

Citizen marks 30 years of its up-market The Citizen collection with two limited-edition watches featuring washi paper dials inspired by Japanese nature. Both use solar-powered quartz movements accurate to ±5 seconds per year, housed in titanium cases treated with ultra-hard Duratect coatings. Initial Thoughts Citizen’s somewhat clumsily named The Citizen sub-brand is 30 years old but little known outside Japan and enthusiast circles. Most The Citizen watches are distinguishable by an eagle crest on the dial, as well as their obvious quality. While the line has since grown to include mechanical watches, which are quite good, it remains a quartz-first brand – which is good as its quartz offerings are excellent and amongst the most advanced in the world. While often compared to the Grand Seiko cal. 9F models, The Citizen’s quartz offerings have more functions, and thus have more in common with the three-hand Seiko Astron 3X models, or Casio’s premium G-Shocks. These share solar charging, a perpetual calendar, and a power saving made which pauses the hands to save energy while not in use, like F.P. Journe’s Elegante. But unlike GPS-reliant Astrons and G-Shocks, Citizen’s high end quartz movements are fully autonomous, and accurate to within five seconds per year with a maximum deviation of two seconds per month during normal use. More important still, The Citizen’s traditionally styled offerings are much easier on the eyes than any G-Shock or modern Astron, stri...

A Hands-On Introduction To The New Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Power Reserve Fratello
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Power Sep 9, 2025

A Hands-On Introduction To The New Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Power Reserve

Hamilton’s Khaki Field line is the brand’s most popular and best-known collection. The outdoorsy watches are fan favorites and available in many variations. You can get a Hamilton Khaki Field in myriad sizes, with quartz, automatic, and hand-wound calibers, as well as with many dial options. But today, the brand introduces a new complication on […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To The New Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Power Reserve to read the full article.

Dennison Doubles Down on Their Stylish Stone Dials (Real Shots) Worn & Wound
Ming ly capricious swings Sep 8, 2025

Dennison Doubles Down on Their Stylish Stone Dials (Real Shots)

Minimal, quartz, stone dial dress watches with “TV-cases” would have been a hard sell with watch enthusiasts just a few years ago, but you wouldn’t know it from Dennison’s rapid rise in popularity. The historic British brand, twice revived, has been one-to-watch in the last year, having launched the ALD line of watches fitting the description mentioned above just last October (2024) to great success. Perfectly timed for the seemingly capricious swings of the enthusiast zeitgeist, the combination of a 60s/70s shaped case, clean, expansive stone dials, effortless style, and approachable price point made them an easy sell for those who wanted to dabble with an aesthetic that was previously the domain of luxury jewelry watch brands. Less than a year since launch, Dennison is back and, quite literally, doubling down on their inaugural line’s success with the ALD Dual Time. An extension of the first line, as the name suggests, the Dual Times can tell the time in more than one location, but do so in a decidedly direct and retro method. They have two movements. Positioned on either side of the dial, with independent crowns on either side of the case, these twin quartz tickers (though it should be noted there are no seconds hands) allow for differences down to the minute. Convenient for the rare 15 or 30-minute timezone change, or perhaps tracking a friend who is always 10 minutes late, this layout is as easy to read as it is visually dynamic. The close proximity of the t...

Introducing: The Dennison ALD Dual Time Collection Fratello
Sep 3, 2025

Introducing: The Dennison ALD Dual Time Collection

When Dennison revealed its ALD series in late 2024, we were initially skeptical. The ’70s-inspired minimalist watches with quartz movements seemed to capitalize on a burgeoning trend for similarly styled vintage pieces. Yet, in person, the moderately-sized Dennison ALD watches convinced all of us on the team. Stone or wooden dials at an attractive price […] Visit Introducing: The Dennison ALD Dual Time Collection to read the full article.

Sternglas Introduces The Hamburg Pro Automatik In Two Variants Fratello
Aug 29, 2025

Sternglas Introduces The Hamburg Pro Automatik In Two Variants

We are no strangers to the Sternglas Hamburg collection. The brand’s popular model, named after its hometown, is available in various versions powered by quartz or mechanical calibers. Additionally, the Sternglas Hamburg is available as a time-and-date model or a chronograph. The German brand now introduces two top-of-the-line models that feature slimmer cases, an upgraded […] Visit Sternglas Introduces The Hamburg Pro Automatik In Two Variants to read the full article.

Introducing - Redesigned Inside and Out, The new Longines PrimaLuna Moonphase Automatic Monochrome
Longines PrimaLuna Moonphase Automatic Longines Aug 29, 2025

Introducing - Redesigned Inside and Out, The new Longines PrimaLuna Moonphase Automatic

Longines introduced its PrimaLuna collection of women’s watches in 2009 with a name designed to evoke the romantic nature of the Moon. However, unlike the PrimaLuna time-and-date models powered by automatic calibres, the PrimaLunas featuring moon phase complications were fitted with quartz movements that might not appeal to women who prefer mechanical movements. For 2025, […]

Introducing - The New Chronoswiss Opus Purple Rain, Celebrating 30 Years of The Skeleton Chronograph Monochrome
Chronoswiss Opus Purple Rain Celebrating Aug 18, 2025

Introducing - The New Chronoswiss Opus Purple Rain, Celebrating 30 Years of The Skeleton Chronograph

When Gerd-Rüdiger Lang (1943–2023) founded Chronoswiss in 1983, his mission was to safeguard and advance mechanical watchmaking at a time when quartz technology threatened to eclipse traditional horology. A master watchmaker, Lang became renowned for pioneering features now considered staples of fine watchmaking, and the openworked mechanical chronograph. In 1995, Chronoswiss launched the Opus, the […]