By Brent Robillard

Something worth timing

There are watches people talk about, and there are watches people wear. My Breitling Aerospace has become one I do both with.

When I packed for Geneva Watch Days recently, I brought two watches. One was the anOrdain Model 1 Porcelain, a conversation-starter and a nod to the independent, artisanal watchmaking I was travelling to see. It drew a lot of comments, too. Put a group of watch people around a table and a handmade porcelain dial will generally give them something to discuss.

The other was my Aerospace. Two time zones. Titanium. No fuss. An everyday watch accompanying me to a week of fairly extraordinary watchmaking.

I was very happy with that little travelling collection.

The Breitling came to me in 2022, through a friend who was helping a retired Canadian Armed Forces veteran sell a few watches. I had been shopping around for a birthday purchase, moving pieces along and considering my options. The Aerospace wasn’t even on the shortlist. Then some photographs arrived, and less than forty-eight hours later a 2007 E79362 was on its way to my doorstep.

There was some unfinished teenage business involved. I remembered the Breitling advertisements: flight suits, reflective visors, aircraft, and the suggestion that a sufficiently cool watch might somehow bring me closer to all of it. Thirteen-year-old me wanted to be a pilot. Adult me could, at least, buy the watch.

Fortunately, it turned out to be a very good one. Light, slim, accurate, and full of functions I could actually use. My article about it remains one of the most popular evergreen pieces on this website. Evidently, quite a few of us have a soft spot for that particular combination of aviation history and eighties electronics.

Read the original Aerospace story.

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Anyone who has ever owned a G-SHOCK can tell you about the benefits and attraction of a solid quartz-powered timepiece. Yet somewhere in the collecting conversation, we still manage to make quartz sound like an apology. Someone shows you a watch they love and then adds, almost sheepishly, that it’s quartz.

Why the qualification? We happily spend hours discussing case proportions, bracelets, dial colours, and the watches we remember from television. All of those things still come into play even when a battery is involved.

There is plenty to discuss inside the case, too. Thermocompensation, solar charging, radio synchronization, and digital displays represent decades of watchmaking development. Even an uncomplicated quartz movement can help a designer deliver a thinner, more affordable watch. Those are worthwhile decisions.

For this list, we’re including conventional battery-powered watches, solar quartz, digital, and meca-quartz. These ten come from our own coverage, with the original reviewers credited where appropriate. The order follows the conversation. Each gives us a reason to put it on.

UNIMATIC Modello Quattro UC4 Classic

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Quartz watches worth buying:

1. Marathon Stainless Steel Navigator with Date

The Marathon SSNAV-D is an easy place to start because I own one of these, too. Apparently, I have a weakness for practical watches with an aviation background.

The 41mm steel Navigator carries its history in that asymmetric case, the clear dial, and the tritium tubes that remain visible through the night. It also uses an ETA F06.412 with PreciDrive and HeavyDrive technology. The former addresses precision; the latter helps the movement manage shocks. Quartz gets some proper engineering attention here.

What I particularly like is how the whole watch comes together. The case sits nicely on the wrist, the 12-hour bezel is useful, and at 11mm thick it avoids much of the bulk people associate with a military watch. There’s 100m of water resistance, as well.

I can admire an elaborate movement for an afternoon and still want this on my wrist the next morning. That seems a perfectly reasonable arrangement.

Read our Marathon SSNAV-D review.

Marathon Navigator — Marathon Stainless Steel Navigator with Date @calibre321

2. Citizen Promaster WaveTracker Blue

When the WaveTracker arrived, I had recently been listening to James Stacey discuss sailing with SailGP. My own racing-yacht credentials remain somewhat limited. By which I mean nonexistent.

Still, I enjoyed wearing the Citizen. Its analogue hands and MIP LCD display share a surprisingly readable dial, while the Eco-Drive U812 provides tide information, a yacht timer, moonphase, and a perpetual calendar. There’s enough going on to keep the curious owner occupied for a while.

It reminded me of the Aerospace in the way a useful instrument can become an easy everyday companion. The steel Citizen has considerably more heft, but its 42.4mm case felt comfortable on my 6¾-inch wrist.

Solar charging adds another attraction. I mentioned in the original review that Breitling’s bill for my last Aerospace battery replacement was a little embarrassing. Eco-Drive’s ability to replenish its rechargeable cell from light has obvious appeal after that experience. Just remember to give it some light.

Read our Citizen WaveTracker review.

Citizen Promaster WaveTracker Blue — Citizen Promaster WaveTracker @calibre321

3. Citizen Tsuki-yomi A-T

Citizen deserves a second entry because the Tsuki-yomi takes the discussion somewhere else. Here is a watch that combines radio-controlled timekeeping, a perpetual calendar, world time, and a moonphase display, all powered by light, but controlled by radio.

I like the grey-dial version in particular. The lunar texture gives your eye something to explore, and the moonphase adds a little romance to a very capable piece of electronics. Accuracy and sentiment seem to get along just fine.

At 43mm, it sounds substantial. The Super Titanium case and bracelet bring the weight to roughly 105 grams, however, and that changes how it feels through a day of wear. It settled comfortably on my wrist.

The distinction with radio control is worth understanding: the watch corrects itself against an external time signal where reception permits. Its extraordinary synchronized accuracy comes from that connection. I find the engineering interesting in its own right, particularly when it saves me from adjusting the calendar again.

Read our Citizen Tsuki-yomi review.

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4. Bulova Lunar Pilot Black Hole

The Lunar Pilot was one of the watches that caught my attention early in collecting. I remember spotting an original reissue on someone’s wrist while standing in line at the licence bureau. I probably should have said hello. Instead, I tried to look interested in the queue while staring at his watch.

Bulova has a terrific story here. David Scott wore a mechanical Bulova chronograph on the Moon during Apollo 15. Today’s Lunar Pilot carries that connection forward with a high-frequency quartz movement, vibrating at 262 kHz.

The Black Hole finally brought the case down to 41.2mm, which made a welcome difference on my wrist. Its light-absorbing black dial adds an unusual depth, with the hands and markers appearing suspended over it.

The limited-edition premium requires some thought. This is an expensive quartz chronograph. But the smaller proportions, distinctive dial, and movement give us plenty to discuss alongside its famous ancestor. The attraction was already there; the fit made it more persuasive.

Read our Bulova Lunar Pilot Black Hole review.

5. Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC813

The SSC813 is one of those watches that makes sense almost immediately. A white dial, dark sub-registers, a black tachymeter bezel, and a compact case. Seiko understood the assignment.

Of course, those ingredients appear on plenty of chronographs. The attraction here is how neatly they’re assembled. The 39mm case and short 45.5mm lug-to-lug measurement make it approachable, while the sword hands and warm luminous material give the familiar panda layout some character.

Inside is the solar-powered V192. Wear it, keep it charged, and it can sit ready for the next outing without the winding and resetting that often accompanies a collection of mechanical chronographs.

My original review noted that it’s fairly thick for quartz at 13.3 mm. The case shape helps disguise that on the wrist, but it’s worth remembering if thinness is your priority. What earns it a place here is the complete package: good proportions, a convincing sporting design, and an easy movement to live with.

Read our Seiko Speedtimer SSC813 review.

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6. Brew Metric Retro Dial

I remember stopping mid-scroll when the original Brew Metric appeared. Years later, Jonathan Ferrer sent over the Retro Dial for another look, and the attraction was still there.

The television-shaped case, asymmetrical registers, and little bursts of colour give it an identity you can recognize across a table. The coffee connection helps, too. I am unlikely to object to a watch that encourages a break for an espresso.

Its Seiko VK68 meca-quartz movement deserves some credit for the result. Quartz handles the timekeeping, with a mechanical chronograph mechanism providing the pusher action and quick reset. You get a satisfying little interaction each time you use it, within a case measuring 36mm across and 10.75mm thick.

Those dimensions speak volumes. So does keeping the price accessible enough for someone to buy it because the design makes them smile. I like the Metric exactly as it stands, colourful dial, coffee references, battery, and all.

Read our Brew Metric Retro Dial review.

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7. Elliot Brown Beachmaster NIVO Professional

The Beachmaster is a useful reminder of how much engineering happens outside a movement.

Its internal bezel works with the GMT hand to count down toward an event, then track time after it begins. The system grew out of a conversation with Royal Marines and earned a patent. I suspect most civilian owners will find considerably less dramatic things to time. Getting dinner ready remains a perfectly respectable use.

Then there’s the shock protection, the bolted caseback, the external countdown bezel, and the 300m water resistance. Even operating the internal bezel gives you something to appreciate mechanically.

The Ronda 515.24H quartz movement provides the timekeeping and independently adjustable GMT hand. It belongs comfortably within that collection of practical features.

I liked the NIVO’s textured dial and pale grey finish when I reviewed it. At 40mm across, it sounds compact, although the 50mm lug-to-lug measurement and 14 mm thickness give it real presence. This is a substantial tool watch with a lot of thought behind it.

Read our Elliot Brown Beachmaster NIVO review.

8. RZE UTD-8000

Including digital watches gives us the RZE UTD-8000, and I’m glad it does. I’ve spent enough time with RZE’s titanium watches to recognize the family resemblance here immediately.

The original example I handled was a blue preproduction prototype. It had the angular case, hardened titanium, and practical strap options I’d come to expect, surrounding a large LCD display beneath sapphire. It felt like a natural addition to the collection. Sheepishly, I also have to admit that I know own the CKG model.

The module covers the familiar needs: time, calendar, stopwatch, and alarm. A readily available CR2032 powers it, and RZE’s module warranty was a welcome part of the original proposition.

There’s something satisfying about seeing a smaller watch company take this format seriously. Case finishing, materials, strap comfort, and legibility deserve attention on a digital watch. Here, those details give you a good reason to look beyond the usual choices. I’d happily leave room for one beside the analogue pieces.

Read our RZE UTD-8000 review.

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9. Vario Versa

After all those instruments and chronographs, the Vario Versa gives us something dressier to play with. And play with it you probably will. Tyler Frederick certainly did when he reviewed it for us.

The rectangular case flips over to reveal a second dial. Two Ronda Slimtech 1062 quartz movements let each face keep its own time, so you can set them alike or use the second for another time zone. It is an appealingly straightforward way to give one watch two personalities.

Tyler spent a fair amount of time changing faces before settling down to wear it. He also reported receiving more compliments from people outside the hobby than with any other watch. That’s a useful perspective when we get too absorbed in our own collecting vocabulary.

The case measures 26mm across, with a 40mm lug-to-lug length. Leaf hands and a leather strap complete the more formal appearance. A reversible watch with this much charm is easy to appreciate, whatever your usual taste in movements.

Read Tyler’s Vario Versa review.

10. Momentum Sea Quartz 30

My dad used to let my brother and me stay up late on Thursdays to watch Magnum, P.I. That probably explains at least some of this watch’s appeal. Television has a lot to answer for in my collection.

Before the Rolex GMT-Master, Tom Selleck’s Thomas Magnum wore a Chronosport Sea Quartz 30 during the show’s first three seasons. Momentum’s revival brings back that familiar look, including the prominent numerals, orange minute hand, and slim dive-watch profile.

Wesley Wright chose the conventional quartz version for our review because it stayed closest to the original. The 42mm case measures 47mm lug to lug and 11.3mm thick, and he found it comfortable on his smaller wrist. Sapphire and 300m water resistance make it a capable contemporary diver, too.

But quartz is part of the attraction here, right alongside the rubber strap and television memories. I can supply my own Hawaiian shirt. The Ferrari may have to wait.

Read Wesley’s Momentum Sea Quartz 30 review.

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Check out The Ultimate Watch Buying Guide

Room in the watch box

I came home from Geneva with plenty of photographs of movements I could happily spend an afternoon examining. I also came home very pleased with the two watches I’d taken.

The anOrdain gave me exactly the conversations I’d hoped for, along with a few unexpected ones. The Aerospace kept two time zones close at hand and made itself useful throughout the trip. Both justified the space in my bag, and my wrist.

That’s how I tend to judge a watch after the initial excitement settles: do I keep reaching for it? With the Breitling, the answer has been yes for years. The battery has never made that affection difficult to explain.

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