Quartz vs. Mechanical

Saw this very thoughtful editorial in a 1976 issue of Europa Star magazine. It talked about the coming age of quartz watches, and whether they would replace mechanical watches. Time would tell us that both kinds of watches can exist in harmony. There are those who value the accuracy of a quartz watch, and those who prefer the warmth and tradition of a mechanical watch. I find it interesting that the article predicted LED watch would not last long due to their power drain. In any event, here's the editorial:

Until When Will Watches Remain Watches

Almost two months have passed since the closing down of the big spring fairs. What conclusions can be drawn from these events which everyone had been waiting for with mixed feelings of apprehension and hope?

One thing is certain: A recovery has taken place but on a relatively modest scale. Buyers from the whole world over who went to Switzerland and Germany paid very special attention to the collections that had been prepared for them. More than ever, they compared prices and models and the resulting orders were never the result of chance.

The password seemed to be CAUTION. Caution before a market still convalescing from the dread disease that had struck it down so suddenly, caution before the pitiless struggle waged between mechanical and electronic calibers, often in the frame-work of the same concern. In this war between traditional watches and the various new quartz systems with digital or analogue displays, no real decision has yet taken effect this spring. 

While there is no doubt that electronic watches have gained a solid foothold on the market and are now accepted by the great majority of manufacturers and distributors, it is certain, too, that mechanical watches, especially automatics, are far from having said their last word. The trend seems to be towards a harmonious division of the market that will take place when the fever arising from a novelty owing its immense popularity to a slightly mysterious technology has abated somewhat.

 It must be noted, however, that the industry which, with a few exceptions, seemed to hesitate to follow its American competitors, on the burning territory of electronics, has now made its choice. In an astonishingly short lapse of time, the powerful concerns of this country have assimilated the lessons of its adversaries and succeeded in turning out models of excellent timekeeping performance and reliability.

So much so that it can be said today that Switzerland will soon be taking the lead again in the field of electronics, at least where high-grade products are concerned, especially those models equipped with liquid crystal display. The situation is different in the sector of watches with LED display produced on a large scale. Prices here have dropped in a spectacular manner and there will certainly be some surprises in the future. It is thought generally in the trade that the present vogue for this kind of display which usually requires a pusher to be depressed and consumes a lot of electricity, might be short-lived and diminish progressively as more perfected systems of permanent display come on the market. In any case, for how long will the solid state watch still deserve the name of watch? The growing number of functions in prototypes presented by manufacturers cause this question to be raised seriously. Are we not at the eve of a fundamental mutation in time-keeping instruments leading to something infinitely more complex? We only have to wait for the future to supply the answer.