I know that I'll never put Quartz and Mechanical watches in the same world but I also remember that quartz was a major evolution in the watchworld: reliable, accurate, thinner, lighter...
And this period let people design crazy watches (as the 70' and 80's knew how). By the way I relly like your Nixon.
Hence, I'm happy it exists and poped in the 80's.
I have this quartz from familly, a Cartier Vendome LC (purchased 1981), I love it.
