We continue our series exploring the watch industry. You can read the earlier published articles about How CNC Machines Transform Watch Manufacturing Today (1st episode). Another topic is Mechanical Movements vs Quartz: Key Differences Explained (2nd episode). Today, we continue the journey to discover whether high-end watch makers produce Quartz watches.
Thank you for reading this post, don’t forget to subscribe!While mechanical movements are the “gold standard” for traditional luxury, not all popular high-end watches are mechanical. Many prestigious brands offer high-end quartz models. These models are valued for their precision. They also offer specialized functionality or serve as “jewelry that tells time”. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Market Reality
- Dominance: Mechanical watches dominate the high-end market. They account for 92% of Swiss watch export value growth for timepieces priced above CHF 3,000.
- The Quartz Exception: Almost all top-tier brands, including Patek Philippe and Cartier, maintain quartz models in their current collections.
- Price Point: Quartz is often the “entry-level” for luxury brands. However, some high-end quartz watches can cost tens of thousands of dollars. This is due to precious materials like gold or diamonds or extreme engineering. [1, 2, 5, 6, 7]
High-End Quartz Examples
Several “holy grail” brands produce quartz watches that collectors highly prize:
- Patek Philippe Twenty~4: A dedicated ladies’ line that predominantly uses high-quality, hand-finished quartz movements.
- F.P. Journe Élégante: A revolutionary high-end quartz watch with a “sleep mode” to extend battery life up to 18 years. It can retail for over $13,000, with some secondary market prices exceeding $40,000.
- Grand Seiko 9F Series: Known for some of the most advanced quartz movements in the world, which are hand-assembled and regulated for extreme accuracy (+/- 10 seconds per year).
- Cartier Tank: Many versions of this iconic model use high-efficiency quartz movements that last up to eight years.
- Breitling Emergency: A specialized high-end quartz watch equipped with a dual-frequency distress beacon for search and rescue. [7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14]
Historic High-End Quartz
Some high-end quartz watches have become legendary collectors’ items:
- Rolex Oysterquartz: Produced between 1977 and the early 2000s, these are now rare and highly sought after by collectors.
- IWC Ingenieur SL Quartz: A Gérald Genta design from the 1970s that commands high prices at auctions today. [7, 14, 15]
Are you interested in a timepiece for its investment value? Or are you seeking a worry-free daily wearer that provides exceptional accuracy? Please comment below to share your thoughts. Together, we can foster a community that exchanges knowledge and explores various topics of interest.
[4] https://www.wixonjewelers.com
[8] https://essential-watches.com
[9] https://essential-watches.com
[14] https://revolutionwatch.com
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