Автокварц сағат механизмдері: технология, тарих және өндірушілер

Type of watch movement

Automatic quartz is a collective term describing watch movements that combine a self winding rotor mechanism (as used in automatic mechanical watches) to generate electricity with a piezoelectric quartz crystal as its timing element. Such movements aim to provide the advantages of quartz without the inconvenience and environmental impact of batteries. Several manufacturers employ this technique.

A rotating pendulum inside the case is attached to a relatively large gear which meshes with a very small pinion. As the wearer moves, the pendulum turns and spins the pinion at a very high speed up to 100,000 rpm. This is coupled to a miniature electrical generator which charges a storage device which is a capacitor(s) or a rechargeable battery. A typical full charge will last between two weeks and six months.

Citizen, one of the world's largest watch manufacturers, also built an autoquartz powered watch: the Eco Drive Duo (released in December 1998). Novel to this watch was the use of both mechanical power as well as a solar cell. This model was an attempt to enter higher priced markets (at a cost of around $1000 USD), but the technology failed to attract consumer interest and Citizen has since stopped making use of the unique movement. No other autoquartz powered watch from Citizen is known; all other Eco Drive models only use solar power or thermal power.

Ventura is a small Swiss watch manufacturer claiming to be "the World's only manufacturer of automatic digital watches". Their VEN 99 movement was the only watch to ever combine autoquartz and digital readout of time (LCD) in one package. Offered were three models: the Sparc rx, fx and px. In late 2006, the company started selling their movement with an incorporated alarm, another exclusive feature. All hardware is proprietary to Ventura. In 2007 the company went into bankruptcy. Support was available from an independent entity. In 2011 the company re emerged from bankruptcy and continued to sell its models, introducing the "2nd gen Micro Generating System" and marketing the watch (Sparc MGS) integrating it as the world's first and only digital readout multi function automatic quartz module. Unlike with other manufacturers the watch movement (VEN 10) and power source (MGS) are separate units, only linked by a single wire.

In spite of the relatively complex mechanical parts used, Seiko has positioned their kinetic watches to be medium priced. Exceptions are kinetic with other complications such as chronograph movement 9T82, 7L22 and direct drive movements. ETA sold Autoquartz to a variety of Swiss manufacturers with pricing below $100 (Swatch) to multiple thousands (Omega, Baume et Mercier, et al.). Ventura prices its automatic quartz watches at around 2000 4000 Euro.