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 replica watches ?
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. Here, we round up the high-end clone quartz watches…
Breitling Endurance Pro
From the outside, Breitling Endurance Pro fake with red rubber strap 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.
Cartier Santos-Dumont
2018’s return of the Santos de Cartier copy with silver dial– 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.