Quartz Watches: The best of timeless pieces

If there is one underrated phenomenon in the history of watchmaking, it is the Quartz Crisis between 1970-1980's. Prior to this, watches were considered expensive and a luxury item in most households. 

Some of these pieces have been passed down from generations, and are still owned by descendants of those who wore them in the 70's and 80's. 

The vast majority of wrist watches we see around us everyday is very likely a Quartz watch. It has a simple mechanism: a battery, a quartz crystal and an oscillator. If your watch is powered by a battery, chances are it is a quartz watch. 

This technology is so simple and mass produced in the 21st century, it can be found in wrist watches and other time keepers as cheap as Tk100 (If you are willing to scour the footpath markets of Motijheel, Baitul Mukarram and New Market). 

For some clarity, fashion brands such as Daniel Wellington, Emporio Armani, Calvin Klein or Tommy Hilfiger, are essentially cheaply made watches from mass production factories in China. With the addition of their brand logo, the watches are priced at often 10 times of what it cost to produce. 

While out scouting for a new watch, I once came across a generic DW watch priced at Tk20,750+ on Amazon. I later found the same watch without the branding of DW for around Tk2,075 on Aliexpress. 

So without any further ado, here is our recommendation for some of our top picks among quartz watches for the enthusiasts.

As the local watch shops cater more to fashion watches over watch brands with a horological history, it is a bit harder to find our recommended watches in stock in the market. Moreover, the prices mentioned are subject to changes due to the changing dollar rate.

Casio Classic Quartz Watch with Resin Strap (MW-240-1EVCF) 

Casio MW-240-1EVCF is a simple wrist watch with a minimalist design made of resin. At this price point, it is a bargain and should serve you for years to come without any issues. You can find other fashion brand's watches around this price but they will not last you as long as this Casio. 

Price: Tk1,800

Where to buy: https://www.penguin.com.bd/product/casio-mw-240-1bv-analog-mens-watch/

Timex Unisex Weekender 38mm watch

The classic Timex weekender is a fan favourite budget watch with an easy reading dial and 50 metres of water resistance. The biggest selling point of this piece is its indiglo feature: the whole dial lights up when you press the crown. 

Additionally, with quick release straps, the choice to customise this watch is practically endless. You can install any strap of your liking within seconds, especially if they are nato straps. 

However, some corners were cut. The watch has a considerably loud ticking sound, and the brass frame can get dented easily if you bash your arm into a hardwood desk or a wall. But at this price, this is a great value for money.

Price: Tk4,912

Where to buy: https://www.ubuy.com.bd/en/product/7MV9RC-unisex-weekender-38mm-watch

Casio 'Duro' MDV106-1A

Dive watches generally have a 200 metres of water resistance, a strong case, a screw down crown and a bezel. The Casio Duro has it all, including an engraved caseback sporting the image of a Marlin. 

The Casio Duro was always a fan favourite for budget watch enthusiasts. But a few years ago the fan following gained even more traction once it was widely reported that Billionaire Bill Gates is mostly seen wearing this wristwatch. 

You can wear it as a daily watch or go scuba diving with it, and it is sturdy enough to withstand the harshest of beatings a layperson's 365 days a year can bring.  

Price: Tk6,902

Where to buy: 

https://www.ubuy.com.bd/en/product/3ESMLK-mens-mdv106-1av-200m-duro-anal...

Fossil Grant

The Fossil Grant is a pretty popular watch in Bangladesh. If it is a chronograph, chances are you have seen someone wearing it. Even though we did mention that we will not recommend fashion brand watches, Fossil will be an exception as they do not price their watches as high as most other fashion brands. Their price tag reflects what you get. 

The Grant features a roman numeral dial with sub dials representing the chronograph which can keep time upto 30 minutes. By no means it is a 'true chronograph', but it is not intended to be one – it is meant to be a fashionable watch for everyday use.

Pro tip: The Fossil Grant is usually priced at $140, or Tk14,525, but patience here will reward you as it is often on sale at $65, or Tk6,743.

Price: Tk10,854

Where to buy: 

https://www.ubuy.com.bd/en/product/D7AKTZ0-fossil-men-s-grant-quartz-lea...