Is my Astroavia watch battery powered?

[MagicalTrevor]

Stupid question and I can't find the answer anywhere else!

I have a Astroavia 319L which I bought a few years ago. It had previously stopped because I didn't wear it but found it and started wearing it again. After playing around with it the watch just started going again and all was well.

Fast forward to now and my watch has stopped moving. I'm not sure whether it's battery powered, windup or something else.

So before I take it into a jewellers, what's the crack? Cheers

[yeti]

MagicalTrevor said:

Stupid question...

Apparently there is no such thing.

I beg to differ

If you shook it and it started, then stopped it might be automatic. If you wound it then it might be hand winding or still automatic. If it just started, you may have got a bit of extra life or compoleted the circuit again on a battery movement.

How the flip are we supposed to know!

Picture or a link to it please!

Edit: I am >that< bored. 10 secs on their website says it's quartz. Battery needed (or worse).

Edited by yeti on Saturday 28th December 11:21

[MagicalTrevor]

Sorry guys I know nowt about watches!

I did have a look on their website but couldn't find the information so I'm much obliged that you found it

For what it's now worth, here is the photo

[JRewing]

Try a new battery. I don't think that the model is 319L, I think you're reading '316L' which is the standard of the steel used in the construction

[Variomatic]

Almost certainly quartz from that photo, and from the other offerings oon their site - can't see any mechanical stuff with a quick browse and they won't be producing mechanical chronos at those prices!

The (almost) definitive answer is how does the seconds hand move? If it "jumps" one second every second then it is quartz, if it appears to sweep smoothly then it's almost certainly mechanical. There are a few "sweep" quartz movements out there, but I'm not aware of any chronos that do so.

Incidentally, the 319L marked on the back is the grade of stainless that the case is made from, not the model number

[Hoofy]

Next he'll be asking about the 710 cap.

A quick google suggests it's a Citizen quartz movement so will require a new battery.

Edited by Hoofy on Saturday 28th December 12:48

[MagicalTrevor]

Thanks guys

I went full retard on that one

[Variomatic]

Not to worry, as you say you know nothing about watches

Besides, it could have been like this stunning example of horological ingenuity unadulterated Chinese crap:

[yeti]

MagicalTrevor said:

Thanks guys

I went full retard on that one

[JRewing]

Variomatic - what I'm seeing is a small quartz movement with a completely separate part which looks like a cheap automatic (imitation) movement and I can't see how they link or function in a usable way, especially considering the single crown without pushers.
Are the mechanical parts and rotor without function?

And where can I get one?

[Variomatic]

That's exactly what it is - a cheap quartz watch with a completely redundant "bolt on" auto that does nothing but runs the visible balance and the small seconds hand

I was given it by a customer who found that the "main" hands weren't working and had no interest in paying for a repair "did I want it to play with?". So it sat at the back of my bench for nearly a year waiting for me to find time to see how they'd arranged that curious off-centre layout on an mech movement.

Finally dropped it out of its case today and all was made clear!

[Spice_Weasel]

yeti said:

MagicalTrevor said:

Thanks guys

I went full retard on that one

Am I the only one thinking of Tropic Thunder after reading that?

[Hoofy]

Variomatic said:

Not to worry, as you say you know nothing about watches

Besides, it could have been like this stunning example of horological ingenuity unadulterated Chinese crap:

That's cheating. There was you thinking some amazingly complicated movement.

[MagicalTrevor]

Spice_Weasel said:

yeti said:

MagicalTrevor said:

Thanks guys

I went full retard on that one

Am I the only one thinking of Tropic Thunder after reading that?

Erm... and me

[sparkyhx]

don't (or didn't) Fossil make Quartz watches with mechanical second hand - totally unconnected with timekeeping.

[ReaderScars]

Hoofy said:

That's cheating. There was you thinking some amazingly complicated movement.

And to think it took a year to build up the courage to open it!

[Variomatic]

sparkyhx said:

don't (or didn't) Fossil make Quartz watches with mechanical second hand - totally unconnected with timekeeping.

Apparently yes - the Fossil Twist range:



A lot better made, but still just as pointless

And it was more lack of time than fear that stopped me opening it sooner - the customers' ones pay the bills, this one was for play

[Hoofy]

Check this beauty.

http://www.wernersflyingwatches.com/products.asp?P...

TBH The Chinese manufacturers are very creative. Take the Tri-phase on that site. It's really just a bog standard movement with funny hands.

[Variomatic]

That's actually kinda cool

As for the Chinese in general, they definitely bear watching (excuse the unintended pun :P ). Their quality control has improved dramatically over the past decade or so and they're also moving into fields where quality [i]has[i] to be good if things are going to work at all like mech chronographs and tourbillons.

They're also doing them at prices that the Swiss can't even hope to compete with - like full mech 3 register chrono movements for under £90!

[Hoofy]

I wouldn't worry too much if I were the likes of Tissot. Once human rights and ethics starts to take effect then they'll have to charge the same amount as Japanese watches go for.