With so many watch manufacturers making their own movements in-house nowadays, we are completely spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing the best one. From quartz to automatic to manual winding, each type of watch movement boasts a variety of different benefits and drawbacks.
To make things easier, we have put together a list of some of the industry’s best watch movements from each of our favourite luxury watch manufacturers. Our team of watch specialists are always on hand as well to answer any questions you have on watch movements and our collections of luxury and designer watches.
Best Breitling Watch Movements
Breitling have played in a key role in the development of watch movements, particularly focusing their efforts on perfecting the chronograph complication. They are one of only a handful of Swiss manufacturers that ensure each and every one of their movements is chronometer certified with a daily variation rate of less than -4/+6 seconds - corresponding to a 99.99% degree of accuracy. All Breitling watches are also accompanied by an exceptional five-year warranty.
Breitling SuperQuartz – Every quartz watch designed by Breitling is equipped with their own in-house Breitling SuperQuartz movement. These represent the high-end of quartz watches and boast an accuracy ten times more accurate than the standard quartz equivalents. They are quite easily one of the most impressive quartz movements within the industry remaining COSC certified, thermocompensated and with an accuracy of 10 seconds per year.
Find Breitling SuperQuartz watches here.
Breitling B01 Manufacture Automatic – This self-winding column-wheel chronograph movement is one of the finest calibres created by the brand. It is assembled completely in-house by Breitling in their workshops in La Choux, Switzerland which allows them to have complete control over its reliability. It uses a vertical coupling system which eliminates hand jumping once the chronograph function is triggered and thus reduced the chance of inaccuracies. The Breitling B01 Manufacture automatic movement also boasts an impressive power reserve of 70 hours which is perfect for someone who doesn’t necessarily want to wear a mechanical watch every day to then have to rewind it.
Find Breitling B01 Manufacture watches here.
Best TAG Heuer Watch Movements
Another manufacturer valued for their luxury chronographs, TAG Heuer are also widely responsible for a variety of innovations within the watch industry. They have smashed a range of chronograph records for precision and have created the world’s first belt-driven watch, the first ever magnetic double tourbillon and the first high-frequency chronograph moved by magnets. All TAG Heuer movements are made in Switzerland and must meet an extremely strict criteria for precision before being released. Unlike Breitling, TAG Heuer do offer some non-chronometer movement as well as several calibres awarded a COSC certificate.
TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer 01 – This milestone movement is a fantastic example of incredible accuracy at an affordable price. It boasts a 50 hours power reserve, column wheel, oscillating pinion, chronograph functions and a stunning skeletonised design on many of the Calibre Heuer 01 watches. It is one of the most beautifully looking automatic movements on the market, becoming particularly popular with fans of car engines since its aesthetic is similar.
Find TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer 01 watches here.
TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer 02T – The epitome of luxury, this COSC certified automatic chronograph is combined with a titanium and carbon flying tourbillon making it one of the most reliable mechanical movements in the industry. It is also one of the most affordable tourbillon movements out there making it incredibly popular with collectors. All the fitting, assembly and adjustment work is performed by hand in TAG Heuer’s workshops in Switzerland and comes with a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.
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Best Grand Seiko Watch Movements
Since their founding, the concept of Grand Seiko was risen out of the desire to build the world’s best watch. They have now become known as one of the greatest watch manufacturers in the world, creating each of their movements in-house in their workshops in Japan where craftsmen and women who have honed their craft to such an extent can adjust parts by hand to tolerances of one hundredth of a millimetre. You can’t go wrong with Grand Seiko watch movements, with each one boasting an accuracy that will amaze.
Grand Seiko 9R65 Spring Drive – Every 9R mechanical movement created by Grand Seiko is truly incredible and assessed against a unique and rigorous set of standards over the course of 17 days. The 9R65 calibre is combined with the brand’s Spring Drive technology which uses an electronic regulator to deliver a level of precision that no mechanical watch can match. Rather than being COSC certified, the 9R65 takes things one step further and is designated with the ‘Grand Seiko Special Standard’. This means that it is more accurate than a chronometer watch and comes with an accuracy of +/- 1 second per day.
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Grand Seiko 9F Quartz – Completing redefining what it means to own a quartz watch, the Grand Seiko 9F quartz calibre brings simplicity and precision to the forefront. It comes with an Instant Date Change mechanism which shows the date change in the blink of an eye and is one of only a few quartz movements to be assembled completely by hand. Grand Seiko have also developed its Super Sealed Cabin technology to ensure that every GS quartz movement is protected from the risk of damage or dust entering the calibre when the battery is changed.
Find Grand Seiko 9F Quartz watches here.
