How each movement works
A quartz watch is powered by a battery that sends current through a quartz crystal. The result is outstanding accuracy and almost no maintenance.
An automatic (self-winding) movement is purely mechanical — the motion of your wrist winds a mainspring that powers the watch. No battery, just a living, sweeping motion of the hands.
Accuracy and maintenance
Quartz is more accurate — drifting only seconds per month. An automatic typically drifts a few seconds per day, which is completely normal for a mechanical watch.
Quartz only needs a battery change every few years. An automatic is best serviced every 3–5 years, but with good care it runs for decades and is passed down through generations.
Feel and character
An automatic watch has soul — a smoothly sweeping seconds hand and often an exhibition caseback that reveals the movement at work. It is the collector's choice.
Quartz is practical, light and carefree — ideal for everyday wear, sport and travel.
Which one to choose
Choose an automatic if you value craftsmanship, tradition and the feeling of a living movement on your wrist.
Choose quartz if you want maximum accuracy with minimal care. At TSAR BOMBA you will find both — from carbon and titanium cases to classic steel.