Inexpensive Timepieces

         Here are several mechanisms from inexpensive mechanical watches of relatively low quality:

         You can find some good quality watches for very low prices among ladies' watches because many collectors do not want them:

         Here are two electro-mechanical watches. They were quite expensive in their day but can be found very inexpensively today. They are interesting watches for the collector on a tight budget.       

         You can find some early quartz watches for very low prices, though they were very expensive around 1974:

         You might find some relatively good quartz watches, like this Seiko, made between 1980 and 1985. This watch has metal gears and metal plates.       

         However, you might buy a watch that you think is good, but find it has a small inexpensive mechanism inside, like this quartz diver's watch. Buyer beware!             

         Many quartz watches made after about 1990 have very inexpensive plastic mechanisms that should be avoided.             

         Notice how the case has corroded: this is why you should avoid "base metal bezel" and look for "stainless steel" instead.

         The clocks shown at the bottom of each page are java applets I found on the internet. They are best viewed with MS Internet Explorer.