How to tell mechanical from electric at sales?

[TomG]

So, I know this is a total newb question, but I am a total newb, so here goes...

There you are at an estate sale and you want to pick up some inexpensive mechanical

watches to learn on, how do you know for sure it's mechanical, without taking the

back off?  Obviously, if it says "Quartz" on the dial it's electric, but will it always  say that?

Any other give-aways?

Thanks for the time!

 

[Klassiker]

Pick it up and wind it. If you can hear a ratchet, it's mechanical.

[oldhippy]

Who ever is handling the auction would know, just ask or look at the catalogue. 

[AlexanderToerzs]

Hi Tom,

If it's a runner and has a seconds hand check that. If the seconds hands jumps from second to second it's a quartz watch. If it is sweeping from second to second with barely noticible interuptions it's mechanical. In the unlikely event that it's electrical and has yet a sweep second: buy it. It's most likely a pre-quartz tuning fork watch and a collectors item.

Cheers and all the best from Hamburg

Alex

[KOwatch]

Electric (battery driven spring oscillator) and quartz watches were a big thing when introduced, so they usually advertise this on the dial.

Also, while technically quartz are battery powered and thus electric, if you see "electric" or "electronic" on the dial it's very likely one of a number of battery powered, balance wheel designs. For this reason quartz watches are usually not referred to as "electric"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_watch

[spectre6000]

My quick-glance go-to is to look at the crown. Aside from Seiko 5s from a fews years ago and back (which are obvious in their own right), all mechanical movements I'm aware of (even automatics) can be hand wound. In order to be able to be wound, the crown has to be large and knurled enough to do so. Quartz watch crowns are intended to be used a few times a year, and only for setting, so they're almost universally smaller and not very knurled. Mechanical watch crowns [i]can[/i] be very small and smooth if they're super worn, but they'd likely also be badly brassed to go with the wear, and be obvious that way. There can absolutely be overwrought quartz watches with big crowns to look like they're mechanical, but typically they'll be pretty obviously chitzy and give themselves away that way.

[TomG]

Thanks for the tips, just what I was looking for!