TGIF: Will Tariffs Drive Watch Enthusiasts Back Towards Quartz Timepieces?

With tariff laws changing in the United States and trade rivalries being renewed, the price of watches--especially Swiss watches--seems to be climbing steadily. As a watch enthusiast, I'm not seeing quite as many great deals on Swiss-made mechanical watches. In some cases, the price difference between a quartz watch and a mechanical watch is truly significant. With all the challenges in the job market and in dealing with inflation and economic uncertainty, it's enough to make me wonder if it's worth it to postpone mechanical watch purchases in favor of a more affordable quartz version. 

Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium Automatic (Amazon Photo)

Comparing Tissot Gentleman Mechanical and Quartz Watches

For example, let's consider the venerable Tissot Gentleman in mechanical and quartz varieties. Take the Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium Automatic (above). It's a beautiful watch. It has 100-meters of water resistance and an 80 hour power reserve. But, it costs nearly $1000 on Amazon. You can examine it here at my Amazon affiliate link. It's perfectly proportioned at 40mm in diameter and 11.5mm thick. But, for about half the price, the Tissot Gentleman in quartz is a noteworthy adversary.

Tissot Gentleman Quartz Watch

In quartz, you get a very similar style. There aren't sub-second markers between the second or minute markers. It doesn't have a chrome box around the date. But, the case and bracelet are nearly identical. The quartz model has a 40mm diameter case that is slightly thinner at 8.52mm thick. Like the automatic, the quartz watch has 100-meters of water resistance. However, it comes in at just under $500. That's a $500 savings over the mechanical version. You can see the Tissot Gentleman in Quartz on Amazon here.

Which would you choose?