Omega Quartz vs Automatic Comparison

Comprehensive comparative analysis of Omega Quartz and Automatic models: Case finishes, movement precision, dial details and production tolerances are examined in detail with Saat Detective expertise standards.

Before we dive into the differences between the different watches in these collections, let's explain the difference between a quartz watch and an automatic watch. To some, this may seem like a simple matter for those new to the world of watches, but it is important to talk about the differences. To keep things simple, we won't go into the visual differences between these collections because there are so many different designs out there. Instead, we will talk more about the movement differences, the price difference between automatic and quartz models, and why quartz movements and quartz watches cost less than their mechanical counterparts.

Omega Quartz VS Automatic

Seamaster | Speedmaster | DeVille | constellation

Automatic Mechanism

The automatic movement is completely mechanical and uses a mechanism consisting of springs and gears to power the watch. An automatic caliber, also called a self-winding movement, is usually wound on first use via the crown, then "recharges" thanks to a rotor with the kinetic energy generated as you wear it. As you move your wrist, the rotor rotates, which winds up the mainspring in the watch's mechanism, keeping it fully charged. There is even a mechanism that disengages the winding gears when the bow is fully wound; This way you won't set the spring too much.

Quartz Mechanism

A quartz watch uses a quartz mechanism powered by a quartz crystal with a watch battery. The battery sends an electric current to the quartz crystal, which creates a vibration, or oscillation, as watchmakers call it. Quartz is a high-frequency crystal that resonates 32,768 times per second, resulting in higher sensitivity. Quartz watches were first introduced in the late 1960s. This period was the beginning of what the watch industry calls the 'quartz crisis'; a period when many traditional watch manufacturers felt threatened by the emergence of the quartz watch.

Battery-powered watches are more precise than mechanical watches, and the production cost of these new quartz movements was negligible compared to mechanical calibers.

Master Co-Axial Chronometer VS Co-Axial Chronometer

Not all mechanical watches are the same. One of the terms you will see on the dial of Omega watches is "Co-Axial" and "Master Co-Axial", another is "Chronometer" or more recently the phrase "Master Chronometer"; We'll explain this a little more in a moment. Let's start with Co-Axial. The Co-Axial escapement (a mechanism that regulates the tension released from the main spring and transfers it to the balance) was introduced some time ago and offers a Si14 silicon balance spring that can resist magnetic fields up to 1,000 Gauss. It also allowed maintenance and service intervals to be extended as it reduced wear and increased durability and stability.

The phrase Chronometer means that a third party called COSC tests the movement for a minimum accuracy of -4 seconds to +6 seconds per day. While this is a huge difference in deviation compared to Quartz, it is considered extremely accurate for a mechanical watch.

The Master Co-Axial escapement has the same precision as the Co-Axial, but with the same accuracy and higher resistance to magnetism than a standard Co-Axial COSC chronometer. The Master Co-Axial movement must first obtain a COSC certification like other Co-Axial chronometers, then undergo additional testing to verify whether it can resist magnetic fields greater than or equal to 15,000 Gauss. Omega states that most of the services they receive throughout the life of their products are related to the magnetization of a watch mechanism. So it made sense to address this problem head-on.

So why would anyone pay more for a less accurate watch?

When it comes to the actual mechanics of a watch, the parts that make it work and move, there are huge differences. Many watch enthusiasts prefer a mechanical movement, such as an automatic/self-winding watch, because it has a mysterious value of its own, thanks to those little mechanical wonders that power the watch.

Looking through the transparent caseback of many watches allows you to see these gears and springs in action, an experience that is quite hypnotic. This is probably the main reason why many “watch people” start collecting watches in the first place. More effort went into creating it. It's the same reason why some people prefer to hang a hand-drawn portrait of themselves on their wall rather than a photograph.

Having said this, let's continue with the differences between mechanical versions and quartz versions in various Omega watch collections, starting with the Seamaster family of diving watches.

Omega Seamaster Quartz or Automatic

There are various collections within the Seamaster series. Let's start with the collection that actually has Quartz versions... Omega Aqua Terra series. Let's explain what these are and how they compare. To keep things simple, we will only consider watches that come in both quartz and self-winding versions and are still in production and on the market at the time of writing this comparison. There are many collections that do not have a battery-powered version, such as the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean.

Omega Aqua Terra Quartz or Automatic

The non-quartz/mechanical watches within these collections are the Omega Aqua Terra Co-Axial and Omega AquaTerra Master Co-Axial (shown here in rose gold).

First of all, when a watch has a quartz version or an automatic (mechanical) version, you can almost always bet that the price of the quartz watch will be lower. "From where?" you may ask. For beginners, making a quartz movement takes less time. Designing, manufacturing and assembling mechanical movements, such as a self-winding or hand-wound watch, often require many more hours, days, and sometimes even years of labor. In some, the date window is at 6 o'clock, in others it is at 3 o'clock.

The most affordable new AT Quartz watches, which include women's 30 mm and men's 38.5 mm versions, have a list price of around XXX.

The most affordable mechanical version of the Omega AT collection is the Aqua Terra 150m Co-Axial, currently only available in men's sizes 39mm to 43mm; The list price is around XXX and discounted prices start around XXX.

Omega Speedmaster Quartz or Automatic

The Omega Speedmaster collection is largely purely mechanical; It consists of either automatic Speedmaster watches or hand-winding Speedmaster watches. It is an extremely iconic collection as the Omega Speedmaster was the first watch to land on the moon. Perhaps in order to keep the prestige of the collection at its peak, they avoided producing quartz versions.

However, a few quartz Speedmasters somehow managed to blend in. These are Speedmaster Spacemaster Z-33 Chronograph and Skywalker X-33. They both have very futuristic names. These quartz watches are nothing like the quartz versions in other collections, which generally follow consistent design principles. No sir. Next to the standard mechanical Omega Speedmaster automatic models, these look like something out of a spaceship. Take a look at the watch featured here and you'll see what I mean. The digital display is more in line with a Breitling Exospace B55 than an Omega.

Omega DeVille Quartz VS Automatic

The Omega DeVille collection can be divided into several subcategories. Some are purely mechanical, while others are either automatic watches or battery-powered quartz models.

Omega DeVille Prestige Quartz VS DeVille Prestige Automatic

The DeVille Prestige collection in particular is one such collection that includes both Quartz and Automatic watches. One thing you'll notice about Omega DeVille Prestige watches is that the mechanical self-winding versions all use Omega's Co-Axial escapement in their movement. The DeVille Prestige Automatic is available in both women's sizes from 32.7mm to 36.8mm and men's sizes of 39.5mm. List prices of the most affordable automatic DeVille Prestige watch start at XXX, while discounted prices start at around XXX. For upper segment models with Power Reserve feature, you can find models with list prices starting from XXX; Prices for upper segment models with diamond bezels and cases made of precious metals such as 18 carat yellow gold and 18 carat pink gold go up to XXX.

Check out Omega De Ville Prestige Quartz

Omega DeVille Tresor Quartz VS De Ville Tresor Master Co-Axial

De Ville Tresor is a collection that requires a little more explanation to truly understand the differences. First of all, we need to explain the difference between Co-Axial Chronometer and Master Co-Axial Chronometer or 'Master Chronometer'. Master Co-Axial is a Master chronometer with higher precision and higher resistance to electromagnetic frequencies than Omega Co-Axial chronometers. The Chronometer designation means that the movement is sent to a third-party testing facility called COSC, where the caliber or movement is fine-tuned until it reaches an accuracy with a maximum drift threshold of -4 seconds to +6 seconds per day, at which point it is issued a COSC certificate stating that the movement is a Chronometer.

It is important to note that: Omega De Ville Tresor Master Co-Axial is not an automatic watch. It uses the Omega caliber Master 8511 movement, which is not a self-winding watch, but a manually wound (also known as hand-wound) watch. This means that there is no rotor in the movement that rotates as you move your wrist, winding up the mainspring in the watch. In Master Co-Axial, the entire installation process is done manually, by hand. Click here to learn more about the differences between manual winding watches and automatic watches.

Omega De Ville Ladymatic Automatic or Quartz

The Omega De Ville Ladymatic uses the Omega 8520 movement, a certified COSC chronometer, and is only available as an automatic watch. As of today, there is no Omega De Ville Ladymatic Quartz version available; only self-winding Omega Ladymatic models are available.

Omega Constellation Quartz VS Automatic

Most Omega Constellation watches, including the new Omega Constellation Globemaster, are Automatic watches. However, there are quite a few Omega Constellation Quartz watches, mostly in smaller women's sizes and a few in the 35mm mid-size.

For Omega Constellation Quartz models, list prices start at XXX and go up to XXX for higher-end models with diamond pave dials and precious metal cases. Discounted prices on Omega Constellation Quartz watches start from the entry-level models and reach up to XXX on the most expensive models mentioned above.

For Omega Constellation Automatic models, the list price starts at XXX for entry-level models and goes up to XXX for upper segment models. Discounted prices for Omega Constellation Automatic watches start at XXX for the more affordable models and go up to XXX for the most expensive models.