![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Seiko-Quartz-Astron-1969.jpg\")
The 1969 Seiko Quartz Astron, the first quartz watch to be commercialised<\/p>\nThe Quartz Crisis of the 1970s and 1980s was a defining moment for the industry, to say the least. Following Seiko\u2019s Astron in 1969, the first quartz watch to hit the market, a huge swathe of traditional brands closed down as cheap, extremely accurate and virtually maintenance-free Japanese quartz watches hit the streets. Add to this the appreciation of the Swiss Franc, which made exports even more expensive, and Japan was suddenly in a league of its own. Approximately two-thirds of Swiss watchmakers disappeared, and within a decade, Swiss exports declined by more than 50%. During this period, many brands shifted to quartz (at least in part) to survive, although others thrived and created an identity around the new technology. Swatch even formed as an effective answer to Japan in 1983, bringing inexpensive yet stylish plastic quartz watches to the masses \u2013 and subsequently jumpstarting the Swiss industry overall.<\/p>\n
The 1969 Seiko Quartz Astron, the first quartz watch to be commercialised<\/p>\n
Times have certainly changed as mechanical watches have been back in fashion for a couple of decades, but the comeback started in earnest in the 1990s. Quartz watches, for the most part, are viewed as cheaper alternatives today, with exceptions for specific, purpose-built models like Casio\u2019s G-SHOCK or Citizen\u2019s Eco-Drive models. That said, many luxury brands continue to offer high-end quartz models, such as Cartier, TAG Heuer, and Omega, indicating that mechanical and quartz movements still have a place at all levels. Most surprising, however, is the recent trend of quartz-focused brands \u2013 ones that adapted and thrived during the Quartz Crisis and beyond \u2013 embracing mechanical watches after decades of dormancy or even for the first time. Watchmakers like Timex, Casio and others are responding to changes in consumer preferences for mechanical timepieces.<\/p>\n
Timex<\/p>\n
Timex<\/a> is among the most recognised and successful watchmakers in history (with some hardships along the way), founded in 1854 in Connecticut as the Waterbury Clock Company. Of course, everything was mechanical back then, but the brand focused on affordability for much of its existence. As the name suggests, clocks were the initial focus and the company was among the largest for American sales and exports to Europe. By 1887, a new non-jewelled pocket watch was designed with only 58 parts, comprised mostly of inexpensive and easy-to-produce punched sheet brass. Production hit 200 pieces per day the following year, and the Waterbury Watch Company was formed in 1880 to continue mass production of affordable watches. Within a decade, the watchmaker had become the world\u2019s largest by volume. In 1922, the Waterbury Clock Company purchased Ingersoll after it went bankrupt the prior year, but the Great Depression caused fragmentation and selloffs that threatened the company\u2019s solvency. Believe it or not, it was Mickey Mouse that saved the watchmaker after a licensing agreement was reached with Walt Disney in 1930. The now iconic Mickey Mouse watch debuted in 1933 at the Chicago World\u2019s Fair and became the brand\u2019s first million-dollar series. It remains a popular image on watch dials today and even an animated option on smartwatches.\u00a0<\/p>\n During World War II, the company produced military fuse timers and received the Army-Navy \u201cE\u201d Award in 1943, and shareholders soon renamed the brand the United States Time Corporation. Following the war, affordable wristwatches became the renewed focus and wartime techniques like automation and the use of Armalloy came into play. Armalloy was a super-hard alloy that was adapted for movement bearings to replace more expensive jewels, and the success of the new production methods and materials led to another name change in 1950: Timex. \u201cTime\u201d was combined with \u201cX\u201d as the latter represented innovation and technical expertise. In 1956, torture tests were televised live to demonstrate durability, including freezing watches, putting them in water tanks with a running outboard boat propeller and shooting them with arrows. Famed news anchor John Cameron Swayze hosted many events and said after successful tests, \u201cIt takes a licking and keeps on ticking\u201d. He didn\u2019t create the line himself, but it became one of the most successful marketing slogans in history.<\/p>\n Fast forward to the Quartz Crisis, and Timex recognised the opportunity to shift from mechanical to quartz analogue and digital watches, with the latter being a huge trend at the time. Digital watches were not only easy to read, extremely accurate and a complement to the rising personal computer\/tech era, they also provided a smorgasbord of complications that were rare and very expensive on mechanical counterparts (if available at all) \u2013 alarms, perpetual calendars, chronographs, multiple time zones, calculators, memory storage and even games. By 1982, Timex ceased production of all mechanical watches and fully embraced quartz, and the brand became synonymous with inexpensive, reliable and durable watches for the masses \u2013 the \u201cEveryman\u201d watch. Timex dominated sales in the 1980s and 1990s with quartz watches, particularly in the United States, alongside Japanese leaders such as Casio, Seiko, and Citizen.<\/p>\n Timex Ironman and Indiglo<\/p>\n In 1986, the Timex Ironman Triathlon debuted with an aggressive, durable design featuring a large LCD screen and functions for endurance athletes like an 8-lap memory and 100 metres of water-resistance. It became the best-selling watch in the United States within the first year and remains one of the brand\u2019s most popular collections. Designed by John T. Houlihan, the Ironman had large, front-mounted buttons that allowed for easy lap timing, which was a specific request from runners. In 1992, Timex introduced Indiglo, which provided a bright and perfectly even backlight on both analogue dials and digital displays at the push of a button, putting all conventional lume to shame. It used a patented electroluminescent panel with a bluish-green glow and remains unsurpassed today. The iconic Ironman was among the first to debut with Indiglo, and around 70% of all Timex models had the lighting system by the late 1990s. As Timex moved into the 2000s and beyond, it maintained massive global success with affordable quartz and Indiglo technology, having little reason to move away from the battery. The brand is known for adaptability, however, and made a surprising shift to keep up with evolving consumer preferences.<\/p>\n Timex Marlin\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2017, 35 years after successfully abandoning mechanical watches for quartz, Timex returned with the hand-wound Marlin<\/a> \u2013 a reissue of a 1960s model with a 34mm case and reliable mechanical movement (sourced from Seagull<\/a>). Reviving watches from the past has been a big industry trend and Timex had also brought back quartz models like the classic Ironman and Q Timex, but pulling from its older mechanical portfolio was a big hit. The price was only USD 199, so affordability was maintained, and the collection soon expanded to multiple sizes, including 38mm and 40mm, with automatic Miyota movements and exhibition casebacks. More mechanical collections followed like Deepwater, MK1 and Expedition<\/a>, and the continued growth is a real sea change for a brand so closely identified with quartz.<\/p>\n Timex Atelier<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t end here as Timex recently released the Atelier collection, labelled as \u201cThe Next Chapter\u201d by Chief Creative Director Giorgio Galli. The brand is dipping its toes in the accessible luxury market with prices north of USD 1,000, but it demonstrates a commitment and recognition of how important the affordable luxury segment has become. The stainless steel Atelier GMT24 M1a has a Swiss Landeron GMT automatic, sapphire crystal, Super-LumiNova, exhibition caseback and 100m water-resistance. Finishing is a step above the norm, and the price is reasonable at USD 1,450. The Giorgio Galli S2Ti is an even higher-end piece with a titanium case and Sellita SW200<\/a> decorated with perlage and C\u00f4tes de Gen\u00e8ve, and a black ion-plated rotor. It follows the Giorgio Galli S1<\/a> from a few years ago and the price is a bit higher at USD 1,950, but still reasonable for what\u2019s being offered. Both the Atelier and Giorgio Galli S2Ti feature innovative, tool-free I-Size adjustable bracelets (to remove or replace links) and quick-release levers, and can certainly rival some mechanical pieces from Longines<\/a> and Hamilton<\/a>. I never thought I\u2019d say that about a Timex. How times have changed.<\/p>\n Casio<\/p>\n Casio was founded in 1946 by Tadao Kashio in Tokyo, but not as a watch company. Its first product of note was actually the yubiwa pipe \u2013 a ring that held a cigarette for hands-free use and the ability to smoke it down to the nub. The brand soon shifted to electric analogue calculators (without digital screens) in the early 1950s and launched the first all-electric desk calculator, the 14-A, in 1957. This used 341 relays and consisted of a typewriter-sized unit mounted on a rolling desk-sized cabinet that housed the necessary components. At the equivalent of USD 15,000 today, it was pricey yet revolutionary for businesses. In 1965, the more advanced 001 electronic desktop calculator was a true desktop unit without the need for a supplementary rolling cabinet. The display had 10 analogue numbers via rolling digits (like a vintage cash register), although that soon shifted to a LED digital display. In 1972, the Casio Mini became the first personal and truly portable calculator, and the following LC-78 Casio Mini Card shrunk down to a card-sized unit and was only 3.9mm thick. Casio was now firmly established as a world-class calculator brand and technology company, and offices and manufacturing facilities spread globally with a presence in the United States, Germany, London and more.<\/p>\n Casiotron QW02 and Quick Progression<\/p>\n In 1974, Casio leveraged its experience with calculators and released its first digital watch, the Casiotron QW02. At the time, it was the only digital quartz watch with an automatic calendar that adjusted itself for longer and shorter months. February still needed a manual adjustment, so it was an electric annual calendar, but that was soon updated to be a true perpetual calendar. In 1976, the X-1 added both a world time complication and a stopwatch, and Casio became a leader in the quartz digital watch space alongside Seiko and soon, Timex. Another game changer debuted in 1977: the F100, featuring the first all-resin case and strap, bringing a very lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant material to the wrist. Resin also simplified manufacturing as it\u2019s easy to work with, lowering prices as it established quicker mass production techniques.\u00a0<\/p>\n Of course, the brand had to merge its calculator and watch portfolio, although it wasn\u2019t the first to do so. Pulsar released the first calculator watch in 1975 with an LED screen, but Casio went on to produce the most varied LCD calculator models that included data banks and scientific functions. It released its first calculator watch in 1980, the C-80, which used a resin case and was marketed as an inexpensive \u201cmicrocomputer on your wrist\u201d. In 1984, one of the most iconic calculator watches of all time debuted, the no-nonsense CA-50 that appeared on the wrist of Marty McFly in Back to the Future. As mentioned in our previous ABCs article about\u00a0iconic watches appearing in movies<\/a>, the right movie placement can elevate watches to legendary status, and that\u2019s certainly the case with Casio\u2019s CA-50 and its successor, the 1988 CA-53W, which appeared in the two\u00a0BTTF\u00a0sequels and on the arm of Walter White in\u00a0Breaking Bad.\u00a0The CA-53W is still in production almost 40 years later as model CA-53W-1.<\/p>\n Casio F-91W and G-SHOCK<\/p>\n Along with the aforementioned calculator watches, these are Casio\u2019s most iconic. The F-91W was launched in 1989 as a simple, durable resin digital watch that was lightweight, easy to wear, looked good, and just got the job done. Best of all, it was among the most affordable digital watches and remains in production today as the F-91W-1. The model is also recognised as the highest production digital watch of any brand, with over three million units produced per year (well over 100 million since 1989). It has everything you need from a watch \u2013 exceptional accuracy, alarm, perpetual calendar (except for leap years), chronograph, water resistance and an LED screen light. Worn by celebrities, presidents, and even British Army soldiers in the field, these can be purchased today for approximately EUR 20, brand new. \u00a0<\/p>\n The G-SHOCK<\/a> needs no introduction, as it has established what it means to be a tough-as-nails, go-anywhere watch. Launched in 1983 as model DW-5000C, the resin case had a hollow construction that supported the digital module at various points with a shock-resistant \u201cfloating\u201d design, while a reinforced urethane bezel protected the crystal and side buttons. Five durable layers protected the watch from impacts and water-resistance was 200 metres from the start. The G-SHOCK immediately became popular among firefighters and skateboarders, who appreciated its ability to withstand hard impacts and other severe conditions. By the 1990s, it was a major fashion statement for kids and young adults, while models like the MRG-100 with full-metal cases were released for more discriminating watch enthusiasts. The successor to the original was the DW-5600 in 1987 which remains in production today for less than USD 100. The G-SHOCK portfolio is now vast with both analogue and digital models, but all represent a standard of toughness that few watches can match at any price.\u00a0<\/p>\n Casio Edifice EFK-100 Automatic<\/p>\n With all the success Casio has enjoyed with quartz watches, particularly its iconic digital models, but also analogue, it was a big surprise to see an automatic series launch in 2025. It\u2019s the first mechanical watch for the tech-focused brand that also makes Casiotone electronic music keyboards and Privia digital pianos, digital cameras, calculators, cash registers and more. They hit a triple with the Edifice EFK-100 Automatic<\/a> as it\u2019s great looking, well designed and very affordable, giving Japanese rivals Seiko, Citizen and Orient a run for their money. It expands the Edifice collection of metal quartz watches and pulls (almost) no punches \u2013 integrated design, multiple textured dials with a forged carbon option, date, sapphire crystal, exhibition case back, 100m water-resistance and a forged carbon case option. I say triple, not a home run, as it uses a pedestrian Seiko NH35A automatic, so a bit low on the totem pole and not in-house (yet). That said, it\u2019s also a reliable and serviceable workhorse with a beat rate of 21,600vph (3Hz) and a 40-hour power reserve. With a starting price of EUR 279\/USD 280, it\u2019s not the cheapest Japanese mechanical watch available, but it offers enough to justify the still very accessible price. The forged carbon model is EUR 449, but that\u2019s less than half the price of the forged carbon Tissot PRX<\/a> at EUR 1,075. This is a great first effort for a mechanical line with very slick styling, the use of forged carbon and a safe, familiar movement from its home country to get things started and kind of test the waters. Well done, Casio!<\/p>\n Swatch<\/p>\n Unlike Timex and Casio, Swatch didn\u2019t have a period of decades before introducing (or reintroducing) a mechanical watch, so this story is a bit different. Swatch was trying to jump-start the Swiss mechanical watch market, which was at a low point in the early 1990s following the Quartz Crisis. It wasn\u2019t following a trend like Timex and Casio, but trying to create one. Swatch was already the quartz brand for the cool kids by 1990 and in a perfect position to introduce mechanical watches to this newer generation, while also going after intrigued traditionalists. So, this will explain how a brand founded on quartz used its massive success to reinvigorate a floundering mechanical market, because the Swiss have each other\u2019s backs.<\/p>\n Swatch was founded specifically to counter the exploding Japanese quartz market that was eating Switzerland\u2019s lunch. Inexpensive plastic analogue quartz watches with fun and youthful designs made Swatch an overnight success and a sudden Japanese contender. The brand was launched in 1983 with entrepreneur Nicolas Hayek and ETA\u2019s CEO Ernst Thomke (among others), and twelve whimsical 34mm models debuted to massive enthusiasm (including a 13th special edition Jelly Fish model (GK100) with a transparent case\/strap and quartz movement on full display). The Swatch name is a play on \u201cSecond Watch\u201d \u2013 as in an inexpensive second watch to own \u2013 and the idea was a gamble at a time when inexpensive digital counterparts with a high-tech vibe and multiple complications were all the rage. A kid could pick up a Casio with allowance or lawn-mowing money that had an alarm, stopwatch and calendar, and was also easier to read than an analogue dial. However, there was nothing quite like a Swatch \u2013 affordable Swiss-made analogue quartz watches that evoked emotion with colours and funky aesthetics. Production was simplified with one-piece plastic cases (where the back acted as the movement mainplate), a reduction of total parts to 51 (from an average of over 90) and a focus on automated assembly to keep prices low, which were CHF 39 to CHF 49. Within two years, over 10 million Swatch watches rolled out of the factory, and the generated profits were used (in part) to restructure and again save the Swiss watch industry.<\/p>\n What happened next persists today: Swiss brands were consolidated under a single parent company when ASUAG (Allgemeine Gesellschaft der Schweizerischen Uhrenindustrie) and SSIH (Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 Suisse pour l\u2019Industrie Horlog\u00e8re), both financially struggling Swiss conglomerates, merged in 1983. The company became a private entity in 1985 under Nicolas Hayek, who was now CEO of Swatch, and was renamed SMH (Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 de Micro\u00e9lectronique et d\u2019Horlogerie) in 1986. The name changed a final time in 1998 to The Swatch Group, which is now the largest watch conglomerate in the world with 16 major brands including Omega, Breguet, Blancpain, Longines, Hamilton and Tissot. The group also owns ETA, which is the largest Swiss movement manufacturer and supplier to many of its partner brands. With the lightning strike that was Swatch and key management to bring together Swiss brands under one umbrella (as there\u2019s strength in numbers), the industry was basically saved by inexpensive plastic quartz watches coupled with brilliant, out-of-the-box marketing strategies. Of course, there were investors and bankers along the way, but without the early success of Swatch, it\u2019s possible that it wouldn\u2019t have materialised.<\/p>\n Mechanical Swatch<\/p>\n The Irony collection, launched in 1996, introduced stainless steel cases to Swatch for the first time. This was a big evolution where higher-end, more expensive models were introduced to entice both current fans and a new demographic, but there was a bigger strategy behind it. A year later, the first Irony models were fitted with ETA 2842 automatics, so the plastic fantastic quartz brand was now releasing steel mechanical Swiss watches with the signature design language that made them so popular. These also remained affordable, so proper Swiss mechanical watches were available to the masses through Swatch, bringing sophistication to younger fans and intrigue to a more mature audience. Plastic quartz collections still dominated, of course, but the brand was helping to reinforce the allure of Swiss mechanical watches to the post-Quartz Crisis crowd. It was a successful first step, but the broader strategy was to introduce in-house mechanical watches (via partner ETA) in a very Swatch-like way, both in style and production. This would create a more prominent and visible mechanical presence within the portfolio. Enter Sistem51.<\/p>\n At Baselworld 2013, Swatch introduced the \u201cworld\u2019s first mechanical movement (calibre C10111) with entirely automated assembly.\u201d Sistem51<\/a> followed the same successful formula that started the brand in 1983 \u2013 plastic case, a significant reduction in parts and automated production \u2013 everything was assembled by machines without human intervention in clean-room environments. The unique automatic movement was 100% Swiss-made with only 51 parts, mirroring the 1983 quartz original, but now compared to 130 or more mechanical parts. Everything was anchored by a single central screw with a transparent rotor for a full view of the movement. The power reserve was impressive at 90 hours and the movement was made from an anti-magnetic alloy of zinc, copper and nickel called ARCAP. Regulation was factory set via laser and the escapement couldn\u2019t be adjusted, but accuracy was rated at +\/-10 seconds per day. In Swatch tradition, the movement was permanently sealed within the case, keeping it firmly protected but without the ability to be serviced. It was very affordable at CHF 130\/USD 150, maintenance-free and ultimately disposable \u2013 a \u201csecond watch\u201d to enjoy for years and then replace. However, Swatch watches were often a primary watch for younger fans, going back to 1983, and the Sistem51 was no exception. Sistem51 movements eventually merged with the Irony collection, offering this revolutionary, simplified design in more premium stainless steel cases for more seasoned enthusiasts.<\/p>\n Citizen<\/p>\n This is an interesting one, as Citizen<\/a> never fully ceased mechanical production, not to mention its massive movement manufacturing division, Miyota. That said, Citizen devoted a vast amount of capital and focus to quartz technology for decades with major milestones under its belt. Like Timex and Casio, Citizen was (and remains) a department store favourite with a wide variety of inexpensive quartz models shining through glass cases. Although there are a lot of parallels here with Seiko, that Japanese watchmaker has always maintained a stronger mechanical portfolio. Citizen was founded in Tokyo as Shokosha Watch Research Institute in 1918 by Kamekichi Yamazaki, although the Citizen brand name started in 1930 following a takeover by Japanese and Swiss investors. Between this, the first pocket watch was released in 1924 with Citizen on the dial (as a watch for all citizens). Citizen went on to become one of the most innovative and technologically advanced watchmakers in the world, with many industry firsts, pushing quartz potential to the max.<\/p>\n In 1956, Citizen launched the first shock-resistant watch in Japan, Parashock, which was actually dropped from a helicopter to verify durability. Three years later, Parawater became Japan\u2019s first water-resistant watch with a rating of 50 metres. This was six years before Seiko\u2019s first dive watch debuted in 1965, the 62MAS. In 1966, the Citizen X-8 became Japan\u2019s first electric watch with a balance wheel regulated by magnetic coils, but it followed others like Hamilton\u2019s Electric 500 in 1957 (to become the Ventura<\/a>) and Bulova\u2019s Accutron in 1960. It did, however, demonstrate Citizen\u2019s serious investment in technology and it was blended with a world\u2019s first in 1970 \u2013 the X-8 Chronometer with the first titanium watch case<\/a>. At the time, titanium was a rare, space-age material and very hard to work with, so production numbers were limited to less than 2,000. It wasn\u2019t long before Citizen developed new tools and methods to work with the metal and it has since been a leader in the space. There are dozens of titanium models today within Citizen\u2019s portfolio, comprising \u201cSuper Titanium\u201d or\u00a0Duratect<\/a>, a proprietary surface-hardened variant that\u2019s five times harder than stainless steel. The brand was just getting started; however, quartz opened the floodgates for technological success.<\/p>\n Crystron Solar Cell and Eco-Drive<\/p>\n The first light-powered analogue quartz watch debuted in 1976, Citizen\u2019s Crystron Solar Cell, which used eight miniature solar cells on the dial. This eliminated the need for standard battery replacements, which was both convenient and a big step towards environmental sustainability for the exploding quartz industry. It was the precursor to Eco-Drive, which remains one of the most advanced light-powered watch technologies today. It debuted in 1995 in Europe, Asia and Latin America before coming to the United States a year later, and the first Eco-Drive calibre 7878 was powered by solar cells hidden under the dial. The techy solar cell look (from multiple brands) took a back seat to conventional dial designs that made Eco-Drive appealing to a much wider audience. It was made possible by thin-film amorphous silicon solar cells that became efficient enough in the 1990s to rapidly charge by light through translucent dials (that appeared solid to the wearer). Initially, the solar cells were slightly visible at close inspection, but a world away from older cells mounted front and centre on the dial side. Titanium lithium-ion batteries allowed for a 180-day power reserve before requiring a light source for recharging. Many of the quartz movements could also go into a hibernating mode to conserve power after extended periods of darkness. In 2002, Eco-Drive VITRO allowed for truly concealed solar cells, so dials were indistinguishable from non-solar counterparts. By the mid-2010s, over 80% of Citizen\u2019s portfolio was powered by Eco-Drive, with hundreds of different models available.<\/p>\n Eco-Drive Calibre 0100<\/p>\n At Baselworld 2019, for the brand\u2019s 100th anniversary celebration, Citizen introduced a new high-end Eco Drive movement that was autonomously accurate to ONE SECOND per year. No radio signals or Bluetooth \u2013 it managed almost perfect accuracy all on its own. Let\u2019s quickly jump back to 1975 when quartz was still relatively new. Citizen was already pioneering the tech, and just six years after the first quartz watch appeared, it developed the Crystron Mega with calibre 8650A that was accurate to just 3 seconds per year. An astounding achievement when mechanical watches at the time couldn\u2019t even match that per day. Quartz accuracy in the 1970s averaged +\/-15 seconds per month, so 3 seconds per year was extreme even for quartz. It directly influenced the development of Calibre 0100 with a special AT-cut quartz crystal that vibrated at 8,388,608Hz, which is 256 times faster than an average quartz crystal at 32,768Hz. The 1975 Crystron Mega\u2019s crystal vibrated at 4,194,304Hz, so about half of the modern 0100. As we know with mechanical counterparts, higher beat rates are often better, but a high beat 5Hz (36,000vph) movement pales in comparison to a \u201chigh beat\u201d quartz at over 8 million Hz (yes, that\u2019s five vs. eight million). The 0100 is powered by Eco-Drive, so there won\u2019t be fluctuations or disruptions from a low (or dead) battery unless you choose to live in a dark cave. Active Thermocompensation that tweaks frequency for temperature fluctuations and special shock protection contribute to the extreme accuracy.<\/p>\n The Citizen<\/p>\n The above is just a sample of Citizen\u2019s innovations, but they emphasise its decades-long dedication to quartz technology. A relative handful of mechanical watches existed during this time, like the automatic Promaster Diver that used Citizen\u2019s in-house Miyota 8200 series movements. However, with the proliferation of Eco-Drive, quartz equivalents like the Promaster Eco-Drive 200m Diver dominated. In 2021, the watchmaker released a high-end mechanical watch that bypassed the affordable segment and went straight into luxury territory, simply called The Citizen<\/a>. It was a surprise move for this master of quartz, but also a perfect complement to high-end quartz models like the 0100. With a long history of mechanical watchmaking and one of the biggest (by volume) movement manufacturers with Miyota, high-end mechanical pieces make sense with neighbouring Seiko investing such an effort in the space. This also follows calibre 0910, released in 2010 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Citizen watches (from 1930).\u00a0That series represented a serious yet temporary return to high-end, in-house mechanical movements and was part of The Citizen premium line, which started in 1995 with high-accuracy quartz equivalents.<\/p>\n The 2021 The Citizen<\/a> (ref. NC0200-90E) is a luxury integrated sports watch with calibre 0200, a new high-end, in-house automatic made in collaboration with Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret (Citizen acquired La Joux-Perret in 2012, although it continues to operate independently). It\u2019s a time-only watch and accuracy is rated at -3\/+5 seconds per day, so even better than the COSC standard. The 40mm watch itself is well finished with sapphire crystals front and back and a distinctive black textured dial. Priced at USD 6,000, it represented a big departure from the affordable automatic portfolio as it jumped into Grand Seiko territory. Of course, it was going head-to-head with comparable Swiss watches as well, especially with the La Joux-Perret collaboration. A broader mechanical portfolio, although still small compared to the entire quartz lineup, includes the affordable Tsuyosa Automatic<\/a> (USD 270) and divers like the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m<\/a> that competes with Seiko\u2019s Prospex Diver 200m<\/a> (both around EUR 650). The recent Mechanical Day\/Date NY4058<\/a> at only EUR 219 is also a competitor to many Seiko 5<\/a> collections.<\/p>\n Citizen has other product lines like Casio, including calculators, printers and CNC machines, while televisions, computers, handheld games and more were made in the past. The recent focus on mechanical watches, particularly high-end models like The Citizen, shows that a brand so heavily invested in quartz and Eco-Drive technology understands the growing demand for mechanical watches at multiple price levels. Citizen also has the history and name cachet to successfully carry high-end mechanical models, and its nearest competitor, Seiko, has been reinforcing that market for decades. It\u2019s great to see mechanical watches thriving with the Japanese \u201cBig Four\u201d today \u2013 Seiko, Citizen, Orient and now Casio (with more to come from the latter).\u00a0<\/p>\n Quartz Isn\u2019t Going Anywhere<\/p>\n Let\u2019s keep a healthy perspective here \u2013 there will never be a \u201cMechanical Crisis\u201d that threatens quartz-focused brands. And all four brands listed above will never push quartz to the minority of their portfolios. However, what we\u2019re seeing is a positive response to a growing consumer appetite for mechanical watches. The history, artistry and mechanical wonder have captured a new generation like vinyl and CDs. Retro is in style, and mechanical watches also have a prestige that\u2019s hard to match with quartz \u2013 an heirloom vs. a tool, so to speak. I was surprised when Timex debuted the Marlin, but nearly shocked when Casio followed suit in 2025. And these aren\u2019t just passing fads. We\u2019ll continue to see growth in the space among quartz giants, and the industry as a whole is better off for it.<\/p>\n \n https:\/\/monochrome-watches.com\/the-abcs-of-time-the-rise-of-mechanical-watches-among-quartz-focused-brands\/ <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Quartz Crisis of the 1970s and 1980s was a defining moment for the industry, to say the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":279219,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[4155,85,46,125,143693,31317],"class_list":{"0":"post-279218","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-4155","9":"tag-il","10":"tag-israel","11":"tag-technology","12":"tag-the-abcs-of-time","13":"tag-value-proposition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=279218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/279219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=279218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=279218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=279218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Waterbury-Clock-Company-one-dollar-pocket-watch.jpeg\")
The famous Waterbury Clock Company one-dollar pocket watch (1901)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Timex-Old-on-Lizard-Leather.jpg\")
A vintage Timex Marlin watch (image: watchgecko.com)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1992-timex-indiglo.jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Timex-Marlin-Automatic-Review-10.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Timex](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Timex-Giorgio-Galli-S1-Automatic-Value-Proposition-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1974-casiotron.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Casio-F-91W.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/casio-g-shock-1983-DW-5000C.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/First-Automatic-Casio-Watch-Casio-Edifice-EFK-100-Automatic-Collection-Affordable-Mechanical-10.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1981-prototypes-Swatch.jpg\")
Early prototypes for the first Swatch collection<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SchmidMuller-Savonette-05-b-1600x1153-1-e1677134546259.jpeg\")
Image by Sotheby\u2019s<\/p>\n![\"Swatch](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Swatch-x-Blancpain-Blancpain-Bioceramic-Scuba-Fifty-Fathoms-opinion-review-5.jpg\")
The Sistem51 movement in a Blancpain x Swatch
\nSwatch Sistem51<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/swatch-sistem51-blue-6.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/100-years-of-citizen-a-splendid-commemorative-pocket-watch-and-some-clues-on-what-to-expect-in-the-f.jpeg\")
On the left, the first-ever watch produced by Citizen (1924)
\nClass Leading Innovations<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1976-Citizen-CRYSTRON-SOLAR-CELL-worlds-first-commercial-light-powered-analogue-quartz-watch.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Baselworld-2019-Citizen-Caliber-0100-1-second-a-year-accuracy-10.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Baselworld-2019-Citizen-Caliber-0100-1-second-a-year-accuracy-5.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-Citizen-Caliber-0200-Review-14.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Citizen-Tsuyosa-60-Automatic-new-movement-60h-power-reserve-textured-dial-NK0020-55E-NK0024-54X-NK00.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n