A New Level of Accuracy for the Quartz Watch?

Gary writes:

This is an interesting line of quartz watches that use a sweep second hand like an automatic (so there's no way the second hand can be misaligned with the dial markers). Plus, these watches are much more accurate than a typical quartz watch (within 10 seconds per year rather than 15-30 seconds per month).

http://bulovaprecisionist.com/

Amazon sells quite a few different Bulova Precisionist models. These seem like the modern-day equivalent of the Bulova Accutron, the original versions of which used a tuning fork rather than a quartz crystal to provide the most precise timekeeping available for watches in the 1960s (they were rated within 1 minute per month).

Related articles

Gary's Initial Impressions of the Casio MDV106-1A

Seiko Kinetic Watches Need a Lot of Wear to Keep Going

Comments

[jonnybardo]

I like the Precisionist. I saw one a few months ago and was surprised how big it looked.

This one is particularly nice:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-Bulova-Precisionist-Model-96B156-/400473987157?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item5d3e1c1855

Check out that bezel and the lume markers - especially the tuning for 12 o'clock. I'm not sure about the checkerboard pattern, though.

[herculodge]

Not bad on the rubber strap: http://www.amazon.com/Bulova-96B155-Precisionist-Champlain-Rotating/dp/B0058YYDG0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2ZHBHTI3RIMWF&coliid=I2Z5IHAY9Z6TIS

[Angelo]

I'm liking quartz these days. After a "routine" surgery that was anything but, I ended up in and out of the hospital (not finished yet unfortunately) for the better part of 6 weeks. My watches didn't get much use. My Seiko Kinetic had lost time. I don't like the pressure/responsibility of HAVING/NEEDING to wear watches at frequent intervals to keep them accurate. I'm preferring quartz these days. If I only had one or two watches, a Kinetic or automatic would be fine. But with a larger collection----I want the flexibility to wear, or NOT wear, watches as I see fit. Speaking of which, out of the hospital, my 1979 Chevy Monza, with no on board computers, no nothing really----started on the first try. Meanwhile, my BMW, with parasitic drain on the battery from so much modern crap, had a dead battery. Sometimes progress isn't progress.

[Gary]

Sorry about your stay in the hospital, Angelo. That doesn't sound like much fun.

I like solar powered quartz watches, because they don't need to have the battery replaced. In addition to saving money, this maintains the water tightness of the watch. Once they are initially at a decent charge, all you have to do is leave them where they can get some light. I have models from both Citizen (Eco-Drive) and Casio (Tough Solar). I wish someone would build a solar-powered Precisionist type of watch movement.

You're right about modern cars depleting the battery when sitting for an extended period of time.

[Angelo]

Gary: Thanks. Yes, the hospital was awful. It's almost impossible to get a decent night's sleep at the hospital---and since rest/sleep is important for health, it's sort of crazy to consider that. They wake you up every hour for something different----just awful.
Regarding solar----I'm on board with that----but do they have a lifespan at which point they stop holding a charge from solar light? At that point, can batteries run them like any other quartz? That also makes me wonder, have any quartz/battery powered watches been produced in the past----that can no longer be serviced because the batteries are no longer made? I'm thinking the early ones----LED watches from the early 70s for example.

[Gary]

I'm not sure how long the rechargeable battery used in a typical solar powered watch will last. I heard somewhere of some Eco-Drive watches still working after 10 or 15 years. I imagine at some point parts won't be available to repair them (as with many other products). As far as I know, they cannot use standard batteries, but the rechargeable battery can be replaced if the part is still available.

According to Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-Drive

"Solar cell and secondary battery life expectancy

According to Citizen, experimental data showed the solar cell and secondary battery will last for more than 10 years. According to Citizen Europe, laboratory tests showed that after 20 years the secondary battery retains a power storage capacity of 80% of its initial capacity."

For the Casio Tough Solar watches, many of them are so cheap that when the rechargeable battery dies they would be considered throwaway items.

[Doug T.]

I'm not sure that the sweep second hand is that unusual on quartz watches -- I've had plenty of Seikos and Casio analogues with sweep second hands.

I am a nut about watch accuracy, though, which is why I now only buy watches and clock radios that coordinate with WWVB or some similar time synchronization method.

[Zenaida]

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