Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Quartz Watches

Once you really dive into the world of watches, the subject of quartz reveals itself to be somewhat contentious and tends to bring a lot of strong opinions to the surface. But it’s important to note that not all quartz-powered watches are made equally, and there is a lot to be said of the easy, hassle-free nature the technology provides. While our team of Editors is typically tasked with writing about watches with a lot of mechanical complexity going on in the movement department, today, we’ve challenged them to select what they think are the best quartz watches out there on the market and to argue their case.

Bilal Khan: Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0

I’ve always had a soft spot for driver-style LED display watches and nobody is doing them quite like Girard-Perregaux, especially when the brand relaunched its 1970s classic, the Casquette. There is something subversively fantastic about the level of finishing on something that, essentially, displays the time like your basic digital clock. The curved caseback and polished edges framing the display are matched with a bracelet with an inner rubber lining that is so soft and comfortable. But really, more than anything else, the Casquette just looks so cool and succeeds in making a digital LED watch feel like a high-end timepiece. Sure, $5,200 is a lot for a digital quartz watch but these limited editions seem spoken for at the moment, so it’s not too far-fetched.

Mark Bernardo: Citizen Tsuki-Yomi A-T

While there are lots of quartz watches worthy of acclaim, I have settled on, as my pick for this list, a watch that I actually own, and one that I wear often, perhaps even more often than many of my favorite mechanicals — one that hits the sweet spot between utility, stylishness, sturdiness, and comfort.

The Citizen Tsuki-yomi A-T came to me as an unexpected Christmas gift last year, and it has proven to be the perfect companion for “everyday” situations. I can wear it for a day of work or for a night out, I can leave it on when I change outfits from “office” mode to “outdoor” mode, and since it’s an Eco-Drive — technically, that makes it a quartz watch, even though I’ll never have to change the battery —  I can put it on when I’m headed out the door in a hurry and not have to worry about winding, or setting it for the correct time. Both the case and the bracelet are in titanium, making it so light that I can literally forget that I’m even wearing it.

Then there is the unusually high-end functionality. “Tsuki-Yomi” is a name derived from a mythological Japanese moon god, and “A-T” stands for “Atomic Timekeeping.” The watch is the first-ever light-powered, radio-controlled wristwatch with a moon-phase complication as well as a perpetual calendar, meaning that as long as its Eco-Drive caliber is running and the watch is exposed to transmissions from the world’s six “atomic clocks,” the time, date, and moon-phase will be accurate without any manual adjustments necessary. The 43mm case has an array of finishes that elevate the watch to a level of luxury beyond what its sub-$1,000 price tag would indicate. Also elite in its execution is the dial, with a subtle, textural motif evoking a lunar landscape and a carefully chosen, translucent color tone that allows light to penetrate to the solar cell behind it — ensuring that the Tsuki-Yomi A-T is all charged up for the next wearing, which, if recent history holds, will be not too many days from now.

Erin Wilborn: Cartier Panthère

It’s no secret that I am drawn to watches of teeny-tiny stature. Because of this, I have made peace with the whole quartz drama, tending to compromise on the mechanical inner workings under the hood in favor of compelling, petite designs when it comes to the watches I want to actually wear. Though I was highly considering the smallest Santos model, which made its debut in 2025 (and wears like a dream), I had to go with my gut instinct, which informed me that Cartier’s Panthère was the only correct option for the task at hand.

The Panthère has, since its 1983 inception, been a quartz-powered watch. Unlike other classic Cartier designs that have been scaled down and equipped with quartz down the line, quartz is foundational to the Panthère identity. Further, the collection has never made a shift into mechanical movement territory, aside from a few one-off, rare, high-jewelry and sculptural takes that carry the Panthère name, but not the petite square case and slinky bracelet design that we typically associate with the line. The focus is, instead, on blurring the line between jewelry and watch. It’s packed with all the signature calling cards of Cartier, and defined by its signature thin profile, petite sizing, and, of course, the bracelet’s lithe sensuality inspired by its namesake. I think one could reasonably argue that the Cartier Panthère's perennial popularity isn't in spite of it being quartz, but because of it. 

Danny Milton: Seiko Speedtimer SSC947 "Pogue"

Favorite is so subjective. As I type this, I am wearing a quartz Timex Japan digital Ironman – a throwback to the OG Ironman of the 1990s. I could call this my favorite, but for the sake of fun, I am going to pull a Seiko out of the hat with the SSC947 Seiko Speedtimer. This watch has been deemed the modern iteration of the classic Seiko "Pogue" Speedtimer, made famous by its connection with space travel. What I love about this watch is that it marries "out there" looks (yellow dial, Pepsi-style bezel) with easy-to-use functionality via the solar quartz movement within. This is literally “set it and forget it” (while making sure it gets ample light sources in the process), and with its sub-$1,000 price point mixed with its history, it's a hard one not to have in the collection. I say this not currently having one in my collection. I should change that.

Blake Buettner: Sinn EZM2 Hydro

I associate quartz movements with high-performance watches that require their use to meet the design goals. Be it extra-thin dimensions, or ultra-accurate timekeeping, or in the case of the Sinn EZM2 Hydro, filling the dial with oil to provide extreme legibility and pressure resistance. The EZM2 is a part of Sinn’s legendary mission timer series, and this reference takes a different approach to the dive watch formula. By filling the case with oil, it will theoretically be impervious to pressure changes, as the liquid cannot be further compressed. Additionally, the oil brings the details of the dial directly to the surface of the crystal, as though they were painted on the surface, allowing visibility at extreme angles. The unconventional approach requires the use of a quartz movement, a role filled by the ETA 955.312. It’s the very best kind of ridiculous, and it’s Sinn at its very best.

Jonathan McWhorter: Grand Seiko SBGP013 

The idea of the one-watch collection is a question that will never actually be answered. My idea of a perfect watch is no doubt different than yours (foreshadowing), but it’s a fun problem to solve. The amount of choice in the watch world is immense, and there is most certainly a watch for every wrist. But what does that have to do with my choice for favorite quartz watch on this list?

The SBGP013 from Grand Seiko makes a really strong case to be a fantastic one-watch collection. This comes down to a few key specs. First off is the water resistance, rated to 100m. A great everyday watch should be a no-brainer when washing your hands, doing dishes, hopping out in the rain, or jumping in a pool. 

Secondly, the 40mm case of the SBGP013 is a great size that has presence and easy legibility for quick glances while running errands during the day. Also, the elegant form factor and finishing of the GS Heritage collection puts the watch right at home wherever you’re getting dinner that night, no matter how hard the reservations are to get. Speaking of size: the 20mm lug width means that if you’re bored with the bracelet, options for aftermarket straps are going to be endless and the watch even more versatile.

Finally - and this is crucial for the one-watch collection - the fact that this watch uses a 9F Quartz movement completes the equation for a perfect One Watch. Accuracy of +/- 10s per year is the ultimate in grab-and-go convenience, let alone luxury. For me, the SBGP013 will be fit for most any scenario; the watch will always be running, and it will always be set.

D.C.Hannay: Marathon 41mm SSNAV

As the type of dweeb who’s been around watches for a bit, you might think I’d be somewhat jaded toward quartz, considering it’s the typical point of entry for those of us wrist-deep into this obsession.

Au contraire, mon frère: you couldn’t be more wrong.

I kid you not: I unironically and unapologetically appreciate a great quartz timepiece for all its many virtues. Now, don’t misunderstand me: I think a mechanical watch movement is one of the greatest and most miraculous inventions ever, um, invented, but with quartz, you get a lot for relatively (sometimes comically) little in terms of financial outlay. I’ll elaborate.

First off, I’ll forgo digital contenders: otherwise, we’ll be here all day (hides box of G-Shocks). And we can start with one of my least surprising choices, the world-beating value of the Casio Duro, just about the most overstuffed $75 you can spend on a dive watch that’s most likely tougher than you’ll ever be. I’ve owned two (the first was “liberated” by my daughter), and if they made one sized at 40mm, it’d be just about perfect. Another great quartz watch is the recently hot Terra field watch from India’s Delhi Watch Co., one of the most original designs I’ve seen in a long time, with its carabiner-like case profile and jaw-dropping price point. Also on my shortlist is the Prevail Onward Future Field Watch, the unkillable 200-meter bead-blasted ingot that looks like it came straight out of a sci-fi epic. Believe me, I could go on, but the takeaway here is that quartz has an awful long list of attributes, including dependable timekeeping, shock and temperature-resistant properties, set-and-forget convenience, and of course, cost of ownership. 

There are exceptions, of course: Grand Seiko and F.P. Journe both make some of the most next-level quartz timepieces in existence, but my pick for the ideal quartz daily driver comes from Canada by way of Switzerland, with the Marathon 41mm SSNAV Quartz. Marathon is renowned for their uber-tough tool watches, and their iconic steel pilot’s model happens to have a great retro look as well. Developed in conjunction with Kelly Air Force Base in 1986, the Steel Navigator (SSNAV) is a direct descendant of Marathon’s ‘80s “Adanac” Navigator, with a few key updates added to the formula since. The Parkerized stainless case offers that low-key tactical look, and features a screwdown crown for 100 meters of water resistance. And while you can specify your own Navigator with a Swiss automatic Sellita SW200-1 movement, my pick is the 3-jewel ETA F06.402 Quartz, and it’s as overengineered as the SSNAV looks. The Swiss-made caliber boasts HeavyDrive high-torque technology for increased hand inertia and greater shock resistance, along with PreciDrive thermal compensation for stable timekeeping, accurate up to +/- 10 seconds per year. 

So the SSNAV is basically a Toyota HiLux for the wrist, and that’s before you factor in the sapphire crystal, self-illuminating tritium gas tube dial markers, and the bidirectional 12-hour bezel, one of the most beautifully simple ways to track a second time zone without a GMT complication. If you like, the SSNAV can also be specified with an Arctic white dial or the limited Blue Yonder colorway, but in this case, I’m betting on black. With this winning hand, you’re getting durability, accuracy, convenience, and genuine utility, not to mention its rugged good looks, making the Navigator nearly unbeatable as your everyday copilot.