Question: what is a quartz crystal in a watch

title: Quartz clock
text: Many inexpensive quartz clocks and watches use a technique known as inhibition compensation . The crystal is deliberately made to run somewhat faster . After manufacturing , each module is calibrated against a precision clock at the factory and adjusted to keep accurate time by programming the digital logic to skip a small number of crystal cycles at regular intervals , such as 10 seconds or 1 minute . For a typical quartz movement this allows programmed adjustments in 7.91 seconds per 30 days increments for 10 - second intervals ( on a 10 - second measurement gate ) or programmed adjustments in 1.32 seconds per 30 days increments for 60 - seconds intervals ( on a 60 - second measurement gate ) . The advantage of this method is that using digital programming to store the number of pulses to suppress in a non-volatile memory register on the chip is less expensive than the older technique of trimming the quartz tuning - fork frequency . The inhibition - compensation logic of some quartz movements can be regulated by service centers with the help of a precision timer and adjustment terminal after leaving the factory , though many inexpensive quartz watch movements do not offer this functionality .