Comments:
Credit: aBlogtoWatch
Best wishes
Alkiro
Minute counter jumper and the brake disengage
Chronograph running
Column wheel kind of
Heart cam and hammer and brake engaged
Example, omega cal. 1270/fp 1270
A chronograph quartz, with column wheel and heart cam and some treats that you could find in a traditional chronograph watch
Here's the face...
Best
Jev
Decorated Quartz?
I met with representatives of Ronda, and they showed me this decorated version of their 5030 caliber.
I understand this is just a sample to test the idea with potential clients.
Your thoughts???
Sorry if it sounds rude...
But, in the end of the day, it's still quartz, right?
Definitely looks better than just an usual plastic or plain metal quartz movement but adding the decorations in half-half effort way (seems there's no machined beveling around the edges of the bridges as well) personally I think it's kinda gimmicky move.
Best
Jev
Definitely looks better than just an usual plastic or plain metal quartz movement but adding the decorations in half-half effort way (seems there's no machined beveling around the edges of the bridges as well) personally I think it's kinda gimmicky move.
Best
Jev
Not rude at all - as you say, at the end of the day - it will still be quartz... [nt]
No message body
FP Journe unveiled the Elegante (dedicated to women) with a Quartz movement 3 years ago and the movement is shown and decorated as you can see thanks to the shot below. Well, not so bad... but it's a quartz!
Credit: aBlogtoWatch
Best wishes
Alkiro
At least he make some effort of making this in-house :p
And it got some innovative features as well, but oh yeah.... It's a quartz
Best
Jev
Best
Jev
And I don't know if, today, the demand for watches from women is for a Quartz movement :-/
Best wishes
Alkiro
Alkiro
Well... You know... Women :)
Afraid of having keloids due to the frequent winding the crown, or, break a nail when trying to set the time, and when in hurry, forgot to wind the watch when it was taken out to use (most of the time wasted on wearing make ups)... Etc etc... 
Best
Jev
Best
Jev
I think women who are able to pay a huge amount of money are probably watch collectors or, at least, interested in Horology... so they want a mechanical movement and not a Quartz watch.
Today, the problem is that Quartz movements are associated to cheap watches and not high end ones. That's the main problem imho even if they are nicely decorated.
Best wishes
Alkiro
Best wishes
Alkiro
Yes, it's true,
But it represents a little percentage of women that love haute horlogerie... And what I see from high jewelry collection from high end brands most of them are quartz as well (piaget, graff, chopard, etc although except breguet, jlc, blancpain, some cartier, etc that uses mechanical movement inside it). Somehow I know the feeling as usually women watch are much smaller than mens, and beside that it works well it had to looks good as well as "mostly" whenever they strapped on a watch they can't wear their jewelry bracelet or it will look too much, and practicality as whenever the watch wounds down, it's pretty hard to reach the tiny crown to wind and set the watch as well. Once I've ever asked ladies around my office that works around these field and mostly the answer are "troublesome", which is kinda ironic. Haha...
Best
Jev
Best
Jev
I've met women with Rolexes who had no idea why their watches weren't running
It was a bracelet to them.
There's a reason quartz is used, it's really easier for some folks.
(I know women who love watches whose blood pressure would go up if they saw my post)
There's a reason quartz is used, it's really easier for some folks.
(I know women who love watches whose blood pressure would go up if they saw my post)
IMHO - The back crystal will make or break the deal. FPJ made a very nice job! If we will decide to use
the decorated quartz with in DeNovo I will hide the battery and expose a selective part only. Our designer is playing with it now, but he prefers to play with the decorated Sellita we are using for our next model... Can't blame him ;-))
Well.... On contrary tho, I think some quartz out there deserved an exhibition caseback tho....
Minute counter jumper and the brake disengage
Chronograph running
Column wheel kind of
Heart cam and hammer and brake engaged
Example, omega cal. 1270/fp 1270
A chronograph quartz, with column wheel and heart cam and some treats that you could find in a traditional chronograph watch
Here's the face...
Best
Jev
May be hiding the "sacrilege" part could be a good idea if you can really embellish and nicely decorated the other elements.
But I'm still thinking that's not the right product positioning today. High end watches + Quartz movement = bad idea ;-)
Best wishes
Alkiro
Best wishes
Alkiro
I'm not really convinced in the product positioning. I would be very interested in knowing if sales for this model are good or not
Best wishes
Alkiro
Alkiro
FPJ is (just) under a 1000/yr watches made
I thought I remembered Mr. Journe saying that he doesn't intend to go above a thousand a year.
Watches sold is a different matter, but I think it's much, much closer for FPJ than, say SwatchGroup.
Ok thank you for the info. I thought it was slightly above 1000 timepieces today
Best wishes
Alkiro
Alkiro
Certainly better than no decoration
but I'd prefer striping over perlage. I think Breitling does a good job of dressing up their quartz chronograph movements. They have a decorated full plate (with some Breitling engravings added in) that acts as a dust cover with longer bridge screws that go into the standard movement.
Why? Why not? Mechanical movements don't "need" decoration either, do they?
Some quartz movements are attractive. Most are not. Why not make them pretty as opposed to ugly, if we can?
Cazalea
I certainly like the idea...
Sure it's still no mechanical movement, but why not spending some time making a quartz movement nicely decorated? As long as it is in balance overall with the type of movement I guess
Look at the Seiko 9F decorations. This sounds to me like anti quartz....
prejudice to me. Mechanical watches need cosmetic finishing no more than quartz watches to function well.
I'm a fan of ornate quartz.
There's a huge difference between rock candy and diamonds, and I think there's as great a spread between truly thoughtful quartz tech/decor and, for example, a quartz watch found in a fast food kid's meal ;-)
Consider the gorgeous 2010 model year Girard Perregaux Laureato series of 40 pieces with its handsome caliber 13500 with display caseback; that watch doubled as a compelling proposition in its own right and a rightful tribute to Girard Perregaux's heritage of innovation in quartz technology.
Or consider the F.P. Journe Elegante family's caliber 1210. Is this really "just quartz?" Is there no technical innovation, no heart in the finishing of the plates and bridges? I would argue that this watch family has more than appeal; it has soul.
Finally, the (Seiko) Credor calibers 7R08A1 (Eichi) and 7R14A1 (Eichi II) are finished as well as anything from Switzerland... and they're fundamentally quartz calibers. Without a quartz crystal oscillator, these masterpieces go nowhere.
Quartz technology and finish are analogous to mechanical watches in that they span a spectrum of quality. Our limited experience may prejudice us in favor of mechanical movements; truly cheap and disposable (e.g., pin-lever/Roskopf) mechanical calibers have become almost extinct in the west since mechanical watchmaking became an exclusively luxury marketplace, but cheap mechs still exist. ETA's C10111 in the Sistem51 features a plastic escapement, bridges bound by glue, and robotic assembly. Is this really to be placed on a pedestal - reflexively - over something like the GP, Journe, or Eichi? Seriously?
Just because most quartz amounts to disposable consumer electronics doesn't mean all quartz must fit that mold. Thermocompensated (and Swiss Lever escapement!!) Rolex Oysterquartz 5035 and 5055 chronometer calibers from the late 1970s continue to give good service after decades; that's performance befitting a true luxury product. A quick survey of high horology and the luxury sector shows what is possible when open minds and generous budgets are directed to glorify a quartz caliber.
Best,
Tim
Well said, Tim. I did consider buying the Journe Elegante. Only disagreenew is that...
I see Spring Drive watches as hybrid movements. YMMV.
Very valid points Tim, that have given me food for thought...
Now you mention it, we very rarely look at the cheap end of mechanical watchmaking and feel it brings down the high class calibres out there... so why do we do the same with Quartz?