Looking for a HAQ watch

[Morteza]

Hi,
I'm looking forward to buy a high accuracy watch since I'm out of the range of atomic time towers which makes radio-controlled watches useless to me! That leaves me to HAQ watches only. My current watches gain seconds in month, and for someone like me who always wants to know "the accurate time" this is not accurate enough. I'd be so grateful if you help me find one.
Cheers,
Morteza

[artec]

They aren't cheap, so it depends how much you want to spend. If you want to keep below about $1500, you're probably looking at something used. If you can go higher than that, you can get Swiss models, Breitling for example, for a bit over $2000, Japanese models starting at about that and going up to about $3000. The Japanese ones are sold on the Japanese markert only which means buying from one of the dealers who sell overseas. There are several who are completely reliable.
If we are to be any help, you will have to tell us more about what you want..... how accurate, how much money, what characteristics.
Many members here know a lot more about it than I do, but everyone who tries to help will have more questions than answers to begin with.
Good luck!

[Morteza]

Thanks. I want to spend around 2000$ on such a watch (that would be entry line, wouldn't it?). I have no specific let's say criteria. Accuracy comes first, you know (+/- 20 seconds a year would suffice). I have to find models then check the availability here where I live (I'm sure they are pretty hard to find here in this country).

[serdal23]

Dear Morteza,

I am also very sensitive, too much sensitive, about the accuracy.

The best example, around (These days) comes to my mind without thinking, is Seiko SBCM023. The one I sold recently was gaining 0.75 second a year!!! 8 year battery life, perpetual calendar makes this model unbeatable. However it was discontinued early last year and now it is a lot harder to find, and the price range is around $450-$550 US which is still very reasonable IMO. And its case size is 38.5 mm. Mid size diver, I can say.

In the sales section, you can find some Quartz Omega Seamaster timepieces as well. The new one when I asked in the Omega Boutique in Downtown Vancouver is $2200 CAD if I remember correctly. I hear very good things about Omega Quartz accuracy as well. I think it is one of the TC models. I may be wrong. And its case size is 42 mm.

I hope this info helps.

Very Best Regards . . .

Capt. Serdal

[artec]

I think you can probably find the odd NOS TC quartz Omegas but they aren't in production any more I believe. In general, you won't find any watches with 20 spy accuracy unless they are thermocomp. There are individual instances of people who are lucky enough to have a non-tc watch that is exceptionally accurate, but it's certainly not anything you can count on. Even COSC certification only gives you 25.5 seconds per year.
I have no idea what is and is not available in Iran, or whether it would be possible to import Swiss or Japanese models directly into Iran. That's something you'll have to find out for yourself.
I don't know whether the reliable Japanese vendors would ship to you there or not, and I don't know of any Swiss dealers who could or would ship to you in Iran.
I have to say, I think it may prove very difficult to get TC models individually imported to you..... your best chance would seem to be to talk to jewelers in Iran, see if they know what TC quartz can be found there. If nothing can be found in Iran, we can give you the e-mail addresses of vendors in Japan and European countries who might be willing/able to ship to you. I have no idea whether you'd run into import duties etc, of course.
If you can do some research yourself and feel that we could help from here, I'm sure there would be plenty who'd be willing to try.
I wish you the best of luck!

[Defiant4Ever]

Looks like the new citizens are the best bet for $2000 if you can get hold of one. Looking for a HAQ watch

It's a shame HAQs have almost disappeared.

For second-hand, I would look out for Longines VHP.

[Morteza]

Thank you all for the replies. That's very kind of you. @serdal23 That Seiko SBCM023 was really amazing. It has the Seiko 8F35 quartz movement inside which is given the accuracy of less than 20 seconds annually. I think that's a true bang for the buck HAQ. I may be able to find one. @artec I totally agree with you. I'm almost sure I have to ask vendors or jewelers to find me one. I have to talk with them about what HAQ can be imported here as well. I have a friend who has the official Seiko vendor in Iran. He's got Grand Seiko watches which are either automatic or spring drive. I have seen no quartz so far. @ Defiant4Ever To be honest with you all I have seen these days of Citizen here has been eco-drive chronograph watches or divers. I have to sleep with the lady luck to get one, you know

[Sabresoft]

The Christopher Ward C70 model is quite affordable. It is a chronograph, not sure if that is what you'd want. Mine is a "Brooklands" model which is no longer available, but the current C70 DBR1 is very similar. This watch is available from Christopher Ward (UK and US) directly for around $700-800.



The Maurice Lacroix Miros Chronograph has been discontinued, but NIB examples can still be found on eBay and Chrino24 sites, in the $600-$1000 range (prices of late have been rising, probably due to dwindling supply).



And the Sinn UX can be bought for under $2000.



All of the above use ETA Thermoline calibers.

Certina has the DS Master the uses the same caliber as the C70 and the Miros, and sells for less than $2000.

The Bulova Precisionist has a claimed 10 seconds per year accuracy, but many here have been finding bigger numbers. Mine (a Claremont) is showing around 23-24 SPY, just inside COSC specs.

[Drop of a Hat]

Pick up an Omega SMP 300m Quartz. At just over a thousand dollars pre loved, they can be a great deal. Mine hasn't been serviced since it left the factory ten years ago and it hasn't gained a second in 3 days. I love it.

[stanislav]

I will use this opportunity to announce my satisfaction with the Seiko SBQK083 (8F32) JOM as far as keeping time - max +2s between summer time adjustments with weeks off and on wrist. I got it exactly 2 years ago and it has never been more than +2sec off.
Currently it is +1s after I set it for winter time last October.
My other HAQ Longines Conquest VHP Perpetual Calendar (Longines caliber L.546) is +3 sec after I adjusted it (button method) about 2 years ago. Sadly it does not see much wrist time.