The 10 Best Quartz Watches of 2020

It is hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of Quartz watches. This once revolutionary
technology continues to dominate in the watch industry, making itself useful even in today’s smart watches. In 1969, Seiko introduced the world to Astron— its first commercially available quartz timepiece. Since then, quartz has proved its value across time — in analog, digital and now smart watches.

A Brief History of Time-Keeping by Quartz

Quartz is a crystal which produces vibrations when an electric current is passed through it. Every watch requires an element to maintain its accuracy. Mechanical watches use a balance spring and balance wheel. Quartz watches use a tiny piece of the crystal shaped into a tuning fork which is connected to a battery. It replaces an intricate and complex network of gears with a battery, crystal and a few small motors. Quartz watches can compete with the most expensive and expertly-tuned mechanical watches, with its accuracy being approximately 15 seconds per month.

High Accuracy Quartz or HAQ is a variant of this material, and these watches have an
accuracy rate of 10 seconds per year. This is achieved by taking into account the effects of temperature on the crystal and “thermo-compensating” (compensating for fluctuations in temperature) when these changes are detected. Since Quartz requires very little in machinery, it helps reduce the bulkiness and provides sleeker, more lightweight pieces. It also requires minimum servicing and upkeep when compared to mechanical watches. Quartz has also been used as an “analog timekeeping base” for Hybrid Smartwatches, with features like step trackers and heart rate monitors added on. Some watchmakers have also been able to combine it with atomic timekeeping to further increase its already immaculate accuracy. So while some purists might claim it to be an old, simplistic technology and frown upon its replacing mechanical watchmakers, Quartz continues to prove its utility. If this hasn’t convinced you to invest in a quartz timepiece, perhaps our list of the top quartz watches of this year (in no particular order) will change your mind. This list shows-off the versatility of quartz and includes everything — from fashion pieces to space-travel gear.

1. TAG Heuer Monaco

One of the most iconic watches ever made, the original Monaco was worn by Steve McQueen in the 1970 racing film Le Mans. This is a contemporary version of the iconic watch with a square shaped dial and three color options — black, white and brown. All versions have an alligator strap with a 37mm Steel Fine-Brushed case and various dial specs including diamond and mother of pearl in some versions. While the original version worn by Steve McQueen may not be widely accessible, this is an equally stylish model with the added accuracy of quartz.

Features

• 100m water resistance
• Steel case and crown
• Alligator leather
• Options for rose gold and diamond details

2. Timex Reissue Falcon Eye

In a string of reissuing their Q series, Timex recreated their 1978 ‘Falcon Eye’. They maintained a “sleazy” 70’s feel by staying loyal to the original design down to the weave of the band with a 38mm case. It has a woven, stainless steel band with a two-toned case and striated electric-blue dial, keeping its 1970s spirit intact. While it may not be a luxury timepiece, this watch has an important place in the storied history of watches.

Features

• 50m water resistance
• Adjustable stainless steel bracelet
• Self-adjust clasp

3. Mondaine Stop2Go

Mondaine has a longstanding collaboration with Switzerland’s railway network as it manufactures clocks for train stations around the country. These clocks pause for two seconds at the end of every minute before restarting, in an effort to keep the rail network in sync. The 41mm Stop2Go follows from this tradition and stops for 2 seconds and jumps back into position at the end of every minute. While this
may mean an inaccurate seconds count, it may be a fair trade for the quality of product and cultural significance from a heritage Swiss company. Afterall, isn’t quartz
synonymous with Switzerland?

Features

• 30m water resistant
• Anti-glare and scratch resistant sapphire crystal
• BackLight technology lets you read time in the dark without any batteries as the hands glow from their underside
• Leather straps in multiple colours

4. Gucci Grip Logo-Engraved Stainless-Steel Watch

This watch comes with a brushed stainless steel dial with three windows - for hours, minutes and date. The dial features engraved stripes and the GG logo. This silver colored 40 mm watch has a fragmented strap with an internal clasp and comes in a special edition box. With their Grip series, Gucci has led the luxury transition into quartz watches.

Features

• 30m water resistance
• Ronda quartz movement
• Swiss made
• Embellished with the iconic GG logo

5. Breitling Colt Skyracer

Made especially for youthful thrill-seekers, this watch is bold and robust. Named after Breitling’s Skyracer that takes part in the Red Bull Air Race, the 45mm watch is powered by SuperQuartz and has a thermocompensated quartz electronic movement. The watch is “ultra-light and ultra-sturdy” with a case made in Breitlight®. It goes the extra mile with a removable strap that has various measuring scales for “adventurers of all kinds”

Features

• 100m water resistance
• Sapphire display, glare proof on both sides
• Black and Green strap options
• Thermocompensated quartz to optimize accuracy in extreme weather conditions

6. Sinn Hydro UX SDR Dive Watch

This dive watch is made from high-strength seawater-resistant German Submarine Steel. It is perfect for divers and the sleek design makes it equally wearable in non-diving situations. The bezel has a dive timer and the watch is functionally reliable over a wide range of temperatures.

Features

• The movement is pressure resistant upto 5000m and with 12,000m for the case.
• Sapphire crystal class with high readability underwater and freedom from reflection at any angle and from fogging
• High-precision temperature compensated quartz movement, which is functionally
• reliable from –20 °C up to +60 °C
• Crown placed at 4 o’clock so as to avoid pressure on the wrist

7. Luminox F-117 Nighthawk 6422 Watch

Next on the list is another sporty watch, this time inspired by Lockheed’s F-117 Nighthawk stealth attack aircraft. It has a unique PVD-coated matte gunmetal stainless steel case and a link bracelet. It is available in two colors and is Swiss made.

Features

• 200m water resistance
• Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
• Stainless steel bracelet with security clasp
• Luminox self-powered illumination and SuperLuminova on numbers and bezel for unparalleled night visibility

8. TAG Heuer Formula 1

This watch was inspired by TAG Heuer's partnership and history with the Formula One races. The watches come in a variety of different combinations, with the most iconic designs sporting combinations of blue and orange. This 43mm design sports a blue dial with orange and white markings and an orange seconds hand. The design also has an “Easy Grip” crown for use with driving gloves and a “Driver Extension” to the bracelet with a double safety clasp so that it can be worn over a racing suit. TAG Heuer claims to produce some of the finest Swiss quartz. There are a number of designs with more subdued colors -- something for everyone.

Features

• 200m water resistance
• Sapphire crystal
• Steel bracelet with double security clasp
• Super-LumiNova® technology is applied to the indices and hands to provide perfect legibility

9. Tissot PRC 200 Chronograph

This watch was launched after the success of Tissot’s PRS200 sports line. It is a sports watch with a sleeker and more classic look. The reduced bezel ensures increased readability and the space for multiple dials. This 42mm watch has a stainless steel case and straps. Several different color combinations are available. It is powered by swiss quartz and is perfect for anyone looking for budget friendly swiss quartz alternatives to the likes of TAG Heuer.

Features

• 200m water resistance
• Scratch-resistant Sapphire crystal
• Superluminova technology optimises readability
• Tachymeter scale without overbearing bezel

10. Omega Speedmaster SKYWALKER X-33

This next-gen watch was designed especially for astronauts and was approved by the European Space Agency for use on its missions. It has an LCD digital display which shows elements such as time in up to three different time zones, three alarms, chronograph and countdown functions, and a perpetual calendar. In addition to analog and digital functions, it tracks mission and phased elapsed times. It is powered by the quartz chronograph movement - OMEGA calibre 5619, with a thermo-compensated integrated circuit which was developed with ESA astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy, who himself has orbited the earth a whopping 120 times. This watch is for those who want the most powerful quartz experience.

Features

• 45 mm case made from grade 2 titanium
• Black ceramic bezel ring, black dial with an LCD display and a grade 2 and 5 titanium bracelet.
• Hands can be disengaged to read the digital display clearly.
• The LCD display has an electroluminescent backlight with grey segments on a black background