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HIGH ACCURACY TIMEPIECES
that could be used as marine chronometer
This is a list of models available in 2005-2010. This list excludes GPS and radio-controlled watches,
which cannot retain their accuracy in an autonomous way.
Prices are from manufacturer (except for Mühle and Kriëger). Retail prices could be less.
If not otherwise noted, accuracies are from manufacturer specifications. I have limited the list to watches which
claim an accuracy within COSC 2001 standard for quartz watch, that is +/-0.07 s/day or 25 s/year.
Thanks to Bruce Reding for informations and the way he shares his watch enthusiasm.
Thanks to Ppaulusz for informations about ETA movements.
The best starting point to learn about high end quartz watch is this excellent
article from Bruce Reding and George Palasti,
which also lists past and current models.
WatchUSeek's High End Quartz forum
is an interesting place to meet high accuracy watch enthusiasts.
5 s/year
« To my
mind, though, it's distilled essence of watch. A pure, classic
design. Very focused on functionality. Not out to impress. Not trendy.
Nothing there that doesn't need to be there. And, perhaps
paradoxically, very elegant to me because of this.»
Bruce Reding
10 s/year
Citizen
"The Exceed" : classical design. 940 - 1 550 €
Longines Flagship VHP : classical design with perpetual calendar.
Caliber L546 (ETA
Thermoline
movement 252.611). A very interesting WatchUSeek
thread
about this watch.
Piquot Meridien
Octantis : Marine Chronometercertified by the Besançon National Observatory
in France. Perpetual
calendar. ETA
Thermoline
movement. 1 185 - 1 738 €
Seiko
"Grand Seiko" : classical
design. 32768 Hz thermocompensated
quartz. 1 150 - 3
700 €
Seiko Dolce &
Exceline : women and men assorted watches. Not all models of this
line have the 10s/y accuracy. 390 - 900 €
15 s/year
Breitling SuperQuartz :
Aerospace, B-1, and Colt models. As far as I know, no official accuracy claim from
Breitling, but their
chinese
representative gives an accuracy of 15 s/year.
This value seems conservative, as these watches use an ETA
Thermoline
movement, which is said to be rated at +/-0.02 second per day (less than 10 s/year).
20 s/year
Mühle Marine Chronometer : Desk marine chronometer actually built by Hanseatic
Instruments. 4.19 Mhz quartz. 2000 €
Here is a
picture of the test certificate which comes with the clock. The manufacturer
claims that the clock is temperature stabilized an has an accuracy of 0.01 s/day (3.65 s/year), but my model loses 16
s/year (+/-1s). The clock is operated by an Eurosil 1115A IC, which is basically a frequency divider and motor driver.
The hard to find datasheet of its sister chip
Intersil 1115A reveals that
the circuit is not thermocompensated and the accuracy is in fact 1 ppm (32 s/year).
Omega
Constellation Perpetual Calendar : thermocompensated
quartz, caliber 1680 (ETA
Thermoline
movement 252.511).
Seiko Brightz
Chronograph : Caliber 7J21. 700 - 900 €
Seiko Spirit : classical
design with perpetual calendar. Models SBQLxxx & SBQKxxx. Caliber 8F32 & 8F33, 196 608 Hz quartz
Seiko Brightz
SAGM007 & 009. classical design with perpetual calendar. Caliber 8F32. 600 - 780 €
Seiko Diver
Scuba 200 m : diver watch with perpetual calendar, from Prospex line
(Sport watches). Models SBCMxxx. Caliber 8F35, 196 608 Hz
quartz. 200 - 230 €
Seiko
Alpinist : perpetual calendar and 24 h hand, from Prospex line. Caliber 8F56,
196 608 Hz quartz. 300 - 350 €
25 s/year
Kriëger
Tidal Chronometer : 200 m water resistant watch which gives moon
phases and tides. The manufacturer didn't give its accuracy but it is COSC certified. 900 - 1000 €
?? s/year
