Seven quartz watches to add to your collection
For years, “best quartz watches” would have been seen by purists as something of an oxymoron. The received wisdom was that for a watch to be taken seriously, it needed a mainspring. But high-end quartz watches have long since put paid to that myth: here are the best
The romance of mechanical engineering is unlikely to fade anytime soon but a battery buzz is growing.
The received wisdom has long been that if you want a “proper” timepiece, it has got to have a mainspring – anything other than mechanical was seen as soulless. So what to make of the resurgence of high-end quartz?
For some, it’s about design. The Cartier Santos-Dumont, for instance, is 7mm thick, thanks to its battery-powered movement – 20 per cent thinner than the standard Santos.
For others, it’s about doubling down on the inherent advantage of quartz, which is reliability. A new watch category dubbed “high-accuracy quartz” (HAQ) is gaining traction, particularly among the online watch community. The Grand Seiko 9F86 Quartz GMT, say, is accurate to +5/-5 seconds per year – an astonishing feat.
The romance of mechanical engineering is unlikely to fade anytime soon. But, even for arch traditionalists, here’s a tip: seek out a vintage Rolex Oysterquartz and throw it in the back of the safe. You might just find it pays dividends.
Here, we round up the best quartz watches…
1/7Hublot Big Bang Steel Diamonds
A Hublot Big Bang is an inherently maximalist watch, so it's one of the few timepieces can rock an “iced out” look without seeming try-hard. With its 126 diamonds, the outward design is truly special but, as always, there’s quality inside the case: Hublot’s own reliable HUB2900 quartz movement boasts an impressive three- to five-year power reserve. The black rubber strap offsets the glitz of the diamonds just enough to make this a resolutely unisex piece. £8,600. At Watches Of Switzerland. watches-of-switzerland.com
2/7Breitling Endurance Pro
From the outside, Breitling’s Endurance Pro is an armoured car of a watch: rugged, satisfyingly angular and perfectly suited to every kind of sporting activity. But the exterior belies a movement that’s up there with some of the most refined: the brand’s COSC-certified Caliber 82 “SuperQuartz”, which Breitling says is ten times more precise than normal quartz. And, in fact, the 44mm case itself is made from Breitling’s own “Breitlight” alloy, which is 3.3 times lighter than titanium. A technical marvel through and through. £2,450. breitling.com
3/7TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Indy 500
Designed in tribute to the Indy 500 – the storied 500-mile endurance race held annually in Indianapolis – TAG Heuer’s 43mm quartz chronograph is only available in a limited run of 1,500. As well as featuring the Indianapolis Motor Speedway logo at six o’clock, the seconds and chronograph indicators at three and nine respectively have been designed to look like speedometers, while a strip of bricks on the dial references the Speedway’s famous brick starting line. For anyone even remotely interested in motorsport, this is an essential. £1,750. tagheuer.com
4/7Tissot PRC200 42mm
Tissot has a reputation for great value and the PRC200 does nothing to dispel it. If you want an everyday, reliable Swiss quartz watch with tachymeter and chronograph for under £500 – well, here you go. With its stainless-steel case and 200-metre water resistance, it’s hard-wearing and we just love that blue dial. The colour is almost hypnotic. £430. At Watches Of Switzerland. watches-of-switzerland.co.uk
5/7Rado Integral 41mm
The Integral – as the name might suggest – has an integrated bracelet (making it bang on trend) and a wonderfully refined design (like an ultra-modern Cartier Tank). Both the strap and case are hard-wearing ceramic with a stainless-steel edge, and the uncluttered dial features a day-date indicator at six o'clock, with four diamond-dot hour markers at 12, three, six and nine. £2,010. At Watches Of Switzerland. watches-of-switzerland.co.uk
6/7Cartier Santos-Dumont
2018's return of the Santos de Cartier – the world's first pilot's watch, in effect, as it was made for the Brazilian adventurer and early aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont – stole the horological show. The following year belonged to its quartz-driven sibling, made in small and larger sizes in either steel, bimetal or pink gold. It's the dress watch to beat. £3,350. At berrysjewellers.co.uk
7/7Baume & Mercier Clifton Club Quartz
Baume & Mercier's Clifton range of automatic models re-set the standard for affordable mechanical watchmaking a few years ago. Joining the sporty Club collection is a new piece featuring Swiss-made quartz movements set within the attractive stainless steel 42mm case – offering the same chic yet sporty aesthetic in an even more competitive package. £1,290. baume-et-mercier.com
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