What Are Quartz Watches?
As with any technology, the ability to make watches that keep accurate time has changed over the years. With new innovations, watches have become extremely reliable in their ability to maintain time. It is interesting to learn how watches have changed and how the creation of quartz watches came about.
The History Of Quartz Watches
Watches have been around since the 14th century. When watches were initial constructed, they needed to have some kind of internal mechanism that would enable the hands of the watch to keep moving. Inside of a watch could be found a spring, and gears that connected to the hands of the watch. Original watches needed to be wound up in order for the gears to keep running. Some watch makers created watches that used a person’s own daily movements as a way to wind the watch. These original time pieces were made until the 1960’s.
During the 1960’s companies were looking for ways to develop a more reliable and easier to use watch. Companies began using batteries to replace the necessity of winding the watch. A tuning fork was created to replace the gears in a watch, again allowing for better time keeping. These types of watches were very reliable and needed very little maintenance other than the replacement of the battery. In time the watches were even made to be smaller, by using a smaller battery. This innovative watch design was than used to create an even easier to use watch.
The next step in the evolution of watches occurred when companies began looking at quartz crystals as an alternative source to the tuning fork. Quartz was already being used in radios to help transmit energy so why not make quartz watches. The quartz was cut in the shape of a tuner to maximize its ability to transmit energy. Quartz watches were initially very expensive, as much as $500.00 for one. Quartz watches were very accurate and became the standard in watch making.
The price for quartz watches has come down considerable as the process to create them has been perfected. Quartz watches can be found in any store around the world. Quartz watches are any size and are made to be very fashionable.
As our technology expands there may come a time when quartz watches are replaced with an advanced technology that is even more reliable than the quartz watches. Until then, quartz watches are the most accurate and simple to make watches that are available.
