Round-UpSpot On! Five Timepieces That Will Not Fail The Accuracy Test
While a movement is the engine that powers a watch, it has to be accurate to ensure there are no lags in timekeeping else the whole purpose is defeated. Here are some outstanding timepieces that you can rely on, no matter where you are or what adventure you are undertaking
May We Recommend
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 42mm
Since its launch in 1993, the Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M, has become a favourite with sportspersons, athletes, divers and was even strapped onto the wrist of Hollywood actor, Pierce Brosnan for the first time in the 1995 film—GoldenEye—where he essayed the role of the suave, British secret agent, James Bond. Apart from the verdant hue, the dial of this model features a ‘wave’ pattern with the date window at six o’clock, and is topped by a unidirectional rotating bezel with a polished green ceramic ring with a grand feu white enamel diving scale. The skeleton hands and raised indexes are rhodium-plated and are filled with white Super-LumiNova, while the helium escape valve has been given a conical design. This robust sports watch has a polished, brushed stainless steel bracelet, with a new integration to the case, giving it a dress watch feel. However, those wanting a sportier look can choose an integrated green rubber strap, which complements the dial. Water-resistant to 300m, it is driven by Omega’s co-axial master chronometer calibre 8800, an automatic movement, approved by METAS. It is resistant to magnetic fields reaching 15,000 gauss and features a free sprung-balance with a silicon balance spring, with automatic winding in both directions. It has a rhodium plated finish with Geneva waves in arabesque and is visible through the sapphire crystal on the caseback.
TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02
The TAG Heuer Carrera line has always featured the most advanced technology that the brand has developed. The Heuer 02 movement is a sophisticated in-house innovation, comprising 168 components, including a column wheel and a vertical clutch—ensuring improved chronograph timekeeping and an impressive power reserve of 80 hours. This is a thinner movement, which allows for a thinner case design and improved comfort for the wearer. The thickness is 6.95mm, compared to the Heuer 01’s 7.30mm. The vertical clutch improves the precision of the start-and-stop functions as well as the running of the chronograph second hand, meaning that there is no loss of time when using the chronograph function. There is also better precision and greater stability with a frequency of 28,800vph. The 42mm chronograph featured here is crafted in stainless-steel and features a rose-gold plated accented dial, combining formidable Swiss watchmaking credentials and modern elegance. Besides the regular hours, minutes, and seconds, the chronograph functions have 1/4 second, a 30-minute counter at three o’clock, a 12-hour counter at nine o’clock, and a rectangular date window positioned at six o’clock. Water-resistant to 100m, it is presented on a brown leather strap.
Zenith Defy 21
When the El Primero calibre was first launched in 1969, it took the watchmaking world by storm. It was the first automatic column-wheel chronograph movement that offered an exceptional high frequency of 36,00vph, and an automatic winding system that delivered 50 hours of power reserve. Over the years it has undergone a series of modifications and has driven several watches from Zenith, but the core values remain the same. The Defy 21 series launched in 2017, is also powered by the same iconic movement that has put Zenith in the upper echelons of fine watchmaking. The watch featured here comes in a robust black ceramic case measuring 44mm, generous enough to house this mechanical marvel. It represents a quantum leap in both performance and aesthetics. It boasts a frequency of 360,000vph or 50 Hz—ten times that of its El Primero predecessor, enabling 1/100th-of-a-second precision. An exquisitely designed display offers a glimpse into its workings. The inner bezel bears a scale graduated from 1-100, around which a 1/100th of a second hand sweeps at a lightning speed of one turn per second. The movement also uses fewer components, ensuring supreme performance by minimising tedious adjustments. In addition to significantly improved performance and mechanical structure, the design draws inspiration from the rugged looks of its 1969 original model. The open-worked dial also showcases a star-tipped sweep-seconds hand, large luminescent baton-type hands and facetted hour-markers. One can also see the 30-minute counter in blue at three o’clock, black counter for 60-seconds at six o’clock, and a small seconds counter positioned at nine o’clock. The chronograph power-reserve indicator is at 12 o’clock, highlighted by a red insert. Water-resistant to 100m, the watch is presented on a black rubber strap fitted with a double-folding clasp.
Breitling Superocean Heritage B20 Automatic 44
Over the last couple of years, Breitling have become synonymous with watches that offer supreme accuracy, thanks to all their timepieces that are equipped with the chronometer certification from the COSC. And among them is their most reliable in-house B20 automatic calibre, which also powers the Superocean Heritage B20 Automatic 44 model featured here. Inspired by the original Superocean from the 1950s, the Superocean Heritage line combines iconic design features with a modern touch. Sporty and elegant, it features a unidirectional-rotating dive-timer bezel in black and a dial to match, the display features the word ‘chronometer’ clearly printed below the Superocean logo, above six o’clock. The watch comes in a 44mm stainless-steel case that is water-resistant to 200m, and features 18-karat gold elements, such as the base of the ratcheted bezel. Additional accents that complement the gold are markers on the bezel and the dial’s applied hour indexes and hands, which feature adequate Super-LumiNova, for enhanced visibility in the dark or underwater. The B20 movement keeps the watch ticking for at least 70 hours and Breitling’s ‘mesh-style’ bracelet complements the overall sporty aesthetic of this timepiece.
Grand Seiko Elegance
Grand Seiko are an authority when it comes to Japanese watchmaking excellence. Their double index at 12 o’clock, sword-shaped hands and classic design aesthetics make their watches stand out in the crowd. This model from their Elegance Collection is inspired by the Lake Suwa, frozen during the winter. This is when a jagged ridge appears over the surface, and legend has it that this ‘Omiwatari’ is the crossing used by gods to cross over from one side to the other. The dial looks ethereal and is exquisitely finished. It has the colour, feel and texture of the snow-covered ice on Lake Suwa, and is framed by a 38.5mm stainless steel case. The timepiece is driven by the manual-winding Spring Drive calibre 9R31, which has the Dual Spring Barrel that delivers a power reserve of about 72 hours when fully wound. Its finishing is visible through the exhibition caseback along with the power reserve indictor, the ‘lion’ emblem, and 30 jewels. This mechanical marvel offers supreme precision and accuracy with a deviation of +/−15 seconds per month, which technically amounts to +/− 1 second per day.
Shop The Story
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Omega Seamaster
210.30.42.20.10.001
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TAG Heuer Carrera
CBN2013.FC6483
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Zenith Defy
49.9000.9004/78.R782
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Breitling Superocean Heritage
UB2030121B1A1
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Grand Seiko Elegance
SBGY007G
