Since its introduction in the world of watch making, the quartz watch has gained great popularity. Before its appearance, the pendulum clock was used on a whole, but that did not give as accurate the time as was required. The quartz watch provided accurate time to people and helped in time keeping.
Basic Principle
The quartz watches follow the same basic principle that the earlier watches made use of. Pendulums were used in earlier watches to oscillate at a fixed frequency. It is highly important to allow the oscillations to regulate and keep a fixed time. Quartz watches began to be manufactured for mass consumption in the late 1970s. For quartz watches as well, oscillation was required to keep the watch functioning.
Functions
To understand the technical functions of the quartz watch, you must first be aware of what is a quartz watch. Quartz crystals are extremely precise and accurate crystals that are used in quartz watches. The quartz watch basically consists of a small battery that is used to activate tiny crystal quartz. This battery helps exert mechanical pressure on the quartz crystal.
It is widely known that quartz crystals are piezoelectric. By piezoelectric we mean that when the appropriate mechanical pressure is exerted on the quartz crystal through the use of the battery, an electrical charge is generated. This electrical charge causes rapid vibrations that are used by the microcomputer chip, installed within the watch, to convert them into energy, to be used for the functioning of the watch.
Shape and Size
The form of quartz crystals is such that they can be cut into a regularized shape, size and form. This accuracy in cutting the quartz crystals actually helps the crystal vibrate quite a few thousand times per second. This quality of the quartz crystals is what makes them extremely stable oscillatory resonators that are adept at keeping accurate time, a quality that was missing in the earlier manufactured clocks and watches.
Frequency
This frequency is then converted into pulses. These pulses are then sent onto the quartz watch display. Sometimes, when the watch is designed differently, these pulses are sent to a motor that allows movement in the "seconds" hand of the watch. Quartz watches are simple and accurate. They have a hassle free set up and do not require too much care. In fact, the quartz crystals can function in most kinds of environment. They are also relatively cheaper to manufacture, so there are not any high replacement and maintenance costs for your quartz watch.
