The quartz movement is the movement that turned the horological industry upside-down. When watchmaking giant Seiko first launched it, it revolutionized the industry – the movement was more accurate than any mechanical or automatic calibre; it was cheaper to produce and emulate, and ultimately, paved the way for cheap watches to rule the market.
Today, quartz watches abound. From high-end watchmakers to mid-tier ones down to affordable brands, even fledging watchmakers rely on quartz watches as their main product lines. For purists, quartz has a reputation of being a second-class citizen because of its battery use, but most connoisseurs don’t mind it. In this article, we’ve collated some of the best mid-range quartz watches that won’t break the bank:
Diesel Mr. Daddy Chronograph
Diesel isn’t a brand that you instantly associate with excellent watches, but the apparel giant has had a watchmaking department for quite some time now. Like many clothing brands, Diesel relies on its brand affinity to sell its watches. Most of the brand’s timepieces are based on quartz, and there are several standouts from the line.
Mr. Daddy Chronograph Quartz is one of them. It’s a men’s Diesel watch that’s a looker, on the bigger side of wear than most – at 51mm, the dial will gain some random onlookers, with the chronograph movement in full display. The watch itself doesn’t follow the standard styling of chronograph watches – indices and three small “watches” inside the circle. Instead, Diesel opted to do a traditional watch dial on the third, biggest sundial.
There’s a date complication inside of it, with the main “subdial sporting the standard chronograph watch look. The styling skews to a more contemporary take on watches with dial options from black to white.
Bell and Ross Aviation Men’s Quartz
Bell and Ross continue to dazzle not only on the mechanical- and automatic-loving front but on quartz watches, too. Their line of quartz watches is nothing short of extraordinary. Sporting the square case that’s been the brand’s identifier since its conception, the Aviation men’s quartz watch is a study in how a blocky black aesthetic is right for all the right reasons.
All the elements on this watch are in matte black – case, bezel, dial, even the rubber strap. The case is ceramic, which automatically means that you must pay for more than your average, run of the mill quartz. The indices are in Arabic numerals, chunky lumens for a 39mm, but overall, this is a solid watch to be a daily driver. There’s a date complication on the 4 o’clock position, too.
Frederique Constant Horological Men’s Quartz
Frederique Constant has been in the game for centuries now. The brand knows how to make high-quality watches, whether mechanical, automatic or quartz. Although there are several automatic watches that the brand has churned out over the years that are instantly shoo-ins for a collector’s item, the horological men’s quartz is easily the best starter watch for most people.
This men’s quartz watch from Frederique is the quintessential dress watch – styled to perfection, sophisticated to a fault, and classy without trying too hard. The blue dial is gorgeous to look at, featuring top of the line sapphire crystal that’s a mainstay on luxury automatic watches.
The watch is based on a Swiss quartz movement, featuring a 30m water-resistance, and a date display on the second subdial. The second subdial also houses the 1/100 stopwatch function, which to be honest, an overkill in this watch. Some people may find a use for them, but the majority won’t even know what it’s for.
Under the hood, the Swiss quartz also adds modern smartwatch features, like activity monitoring and sleep tracking. This is the watch to get when you want something that has basic smartwatch features but has the classic styling of a dress watch.
Citizen Chandler
Ah, Citizen. The legendary Japanese watchmaker is a stalwart in quartz watchmaking, with their Eco-Drive movement a cut above the typical quartz. There is a battery in Eco-Drive movement, but what they lack is the servicing that needs to be done because the watches in this line can harness power from the sun and light sources. A thing of sorcery, if you ask us.
But in the realm of true quartz movement watches, Citizen has a few standouts as well. The Chandler is easily one of the more technically-adept timepieces in this category. The Eco-Drive quartz movement is as accurate when compared with the best high accuracy quartz movements out there.
It has a chronograph complication, with three subdials for more accurate timekeeping. The stainless steel case is top class and paired with a brown leather strap – it’s instantly a classic.
Takeaway
Quartz watches are some of the most accurate in timekeeping, so if you want to be on top of your time and schedule, a quartz watch is the best option to get! Have fun shopping for quartz watches!
Rene Bennett is a graduate of New Jersey, where he played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s Editor, he enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
