What Exactly Are Swiss Quartz Movement Watches?

The Swiss are world-famous for their timeliness. With a public transportation system so prompt that you could set your watch by it, there was little surprise when Switzerland decided to take on the watch-making business. Due to this reputation – and the Swiss’ overall reputation of exquisite detail and mechanical work – owning a Swiss quartz movement watch is very desirable. Yet not every watch that claims this accolade actually delivers.

To understand the Swiss distinction, you should first appreciate the importance of the quartz movement. The movement, in simplest terms, is the gut of the watch. Old watches have a mechanical movement that relies on winding for continued operation. Modern watches feature quartz, which is an electronic system that uses a quartz crystal for oscillation. Quartz movements are amazingly accurate. If you start this type of watch on January 1, you should not be off by more than a second or two by the time you reach December 31.

At this time, the Swiss and the Japanese are vying for the corner of the market dedicated to quartz movement watches. Whereas the Swiss have mechanical and time-keeping prowess on their side, the Japanese watch makers point to the country’s superior reputation when it comes to the manufacture of electronics. Retailers caught in the middle of the fight are sometimes tempted to hedge their bets and call a watch “Swiss” while concurrently pointing to its Japanese origin. This has prompted the Swiss to define the term “Swiss quartz movement” for the sake of authenticity.

First and foremost, the movement must have been made and set into its case in Switzerland. Secondly, this action must have been performed by a Swiss manufacturer. If one or both of these conditions are not met, the watch cannot be considered a genuine Swiss quartz movement time piece. Some retailers have gotten confused over the question of origin. Swiss law makers decided that they would accept movements that consisted of at least 50 percent of Swiss-made parts and were fully assembled in Switzerland.

If you are in the market for a watch and insist on authenticity, visit a jeweler who knows how to tell time pieces apart. If you are trying to go it alone, look for a watch that says “Suisse,” “Swiss Quartz” or “Swiss made” on the case. Other stamps may include “Produit Suisse” or “Fabrique en Suisse.” On the flipside, if you see a stamp that says “Swiss case,” note that the movement is not an authentic Swiss piece but only the case meets the distinction of having been manufactured in Switzerland.

Look at the documentation that comes with the watch. In some cases, you may notice that it features the name of the city of manufacture rather than the name of the country. Another determination may be the certification from the Control Officile Suisse de Chronometers. If your watch is a certified chronometer, it simply means that the movement has been tested and found not to lose in excess of five seconds per day under extreme conditions.

Peter Suchy Jewelers is located at 1137 High Ridge Road in Stamford Connecticut and we carry many vintage and estate Swiss Quartz watches so we invite you to stop by our showroom.

Or, if you prefer purchasing vintage or estate watches and other types of jewelry, head on over to our eBay store.

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