General Wristwatch Question No. 1- How much would you pay for a Quartz Watch?

[Teeritz]

I asked this over at the other place once and got a varied number of responses. Given that you can pick up a quartz watch for anywhere between twenty bucks and say, three thousand dollars, I wonder what is your criteria if/when choosing to buy quartz?
My cut-off price would probably be somewhere between a grand to maybe twelve hundred, if I happen to like the design of a watch. And even then, I begin to think of how many nice mechanical watches I could buy for that kind of money.
However, I think at least one quartz watch is good to have in a collection due to it's pick-up-and-go nature.
I have a TAG Heuer Formula 1, that retailed for just under $1,000.oo when they were available, but I don't really see too many quartz watches that thrill me, and most of the time, they have a mechanical equivalent available.

So basically, what's your absolute max when it comes to buying quartz?

[CamB]

I have a Tag Heuer F1 as well- I think I paid around $600 for it in 1992!
If I could get my hands on an Omega Seamaster 2264.50 for say .......$1500 -I'd be tempted.

I would also love an Omega X-33 Skywalker but would probably look elsewhere in that sort of price range.

[Seriously]

I asked this over at the other place once and got a varied number of responses. Given that you can pick up a quartz watch for anywhere between twenty bucks and say, three thousand dollars?

I wouldn't waste $20 on quartz

[CamB]

I wouldn't waste $20 on quartz

I wouldnt rule out that there is a time and place for a watch you can just pick up without having to re -set and rely on its accuracy.Variety is the spice of life.

[Martin]

There's a limited number of quartz watches, I'd consider. Just a few Iconic ones, like certain Breitlings. Rolex Oysterquartz or an X33.
But they should be significantly cheaper than the mechanical alternative.

[Der Amf]

Quartz can do things mechanical watches will never be able to do. Put a movement with 6M26 capabilities but +/- 5 seconds a year in a GS case and you can charge me what you like

[crownpuller]

Pretty much the same answer as I gave before (but with a different picture):

This is the one that changed my "I won't spend that much on a quartz watch" mentality...


Cost me $2,000 in 2002. It's just brilliant; I set all my other watches by/to it, because I know it's going to be right. The accuracy is simply astonishing.
In answer to the question "How much would I spend....?" - If the desire is strong enough (and it would have to be something very special for me to go near or over ^^^ that price, again), my limit would be dictated by the funds available.

[Teeritz]

Quartz can do things mechanical watches will never be able to do. Put a movement with 6M26 capabilities but +/- 5 seconds a year in a GS case and you can charge me what you like

I agree, but in all my time selling watches, mechanical pieces had a much higher repair success rate than quartz. I could send a 1950 Omega off to be restored and it would come back looking brand new (along with a hefty repair bill), but almost all quartz watches that were say, 20 years old, would be returned to my store with a note attached, saying "unable to repair. Parts no longer available".
I once asked our watchmaker; " Hey, what's the story with quartz? The movements will burn out in twenty years. Then what?"
"No matter. They just take out the old movement, slot in a new one and it's good to go for another twenty years."
However, this would be dependant on the brands holding quartz movements for that long, especially in a time where mechanical watches have regained such a huge resurgence in popularity.
I'm only speaking of Swiss brands that I sold. I have a feeling that the Japanese brands might do things differently. And, I've been out of the industry three years now, so things may have changed in that time. Perhaps the Swiss brands treat their quartz models with a little more respect these days.

[drunken monkey]

Useless general answer:

as much as it takes to get the watch I want.

[Seriously]

I wouldnt rule out that there is a time and place for a watch you can just pick up without having to re -set and rely on its accuracy.Variety is the spice of life.

I have had quartz in the past (way back in the past) , but I like (love) the thought of something wholly mechanical working away on my wrist doing the same thing.

Once I'd had a couple of mechanicals back in the past I converted to solely mechanical.

Which is why, now, I just wouldn't buy quartz... not for $20, not for anything.

Wrong?.... maybe?... I can't get past it though