How a Quartz Watch Works

A quartz watch keeps time with a tiny quartz crystal oscillator, which beats at exactly 32,768 times per second (or 2¹⁵).

How 32,768 Vibrations Become One Second

The quartz crystal vibrates at 32,768 Hz, and this high frequency is divided down to one pulse per second using a series of 14 flip-flops:

• Each flip-flop circuit divides the frequency in half. For example, the first flip-flop halves the frequency from 32,768 Hz to 16,384 Hz.
• This process continues with each flip-flop halving the frequency further: 16,384 Hz to 8,192 Hz, then to 4,096 Hz, and so on.
• After 14 flip-flops, the frequency has been divided down to 1 Hz, or one pulse per second.

Converting Pulses to Time

1. Quartz Oscillator: The quartz crystal vibrates at 32,768 times per second (2¹⁵).
2. Frequency Division: The 14 flip-flops divide the frequency down to 1 Hz, creating a steady one-second pulse.
3. Driving the Gears: This one-second pulse drives a small motor that turns the watch hands precisely.

This accurate timekeeping mechanism is why quartz watches are known for their precision.