As far as precision, Bulova claims to have the most precise quartz (battery powered) watch on the market: Bulova Precisionist
In as far as the precision of automatics, most movements have a rating of +/- 10 secs per day. Most of my pieces are powered by an ETA 2824 (swiss movement). The pieces I own are fairly accurate. The ETA 2824 is the "work horse" of watch movements and is utilized by most watch companies as the base engine and then altered to their specifications. Some companies (Rolex, Breitling) make their own movements. If you ever purchase an automatic, remember that there is a break in period (approx 30 days) of use before the movement settles in and you can check its accuracy. If it is way out of whack, you can have it adjusted.
Be aware that the Swatch Watch Group owns the majority of watch companies and watch movements. They are limiting the production and sale of ETA movements. A lot of companies are switching to the Citizen owned/produced Miyota 9015 (equivalent to ETA 2824) as the base engine. A lot of compaines are using Chinese made movements (Seagull) as well.
Just remember that "Swiss Made" is a standard that is almost misleading. The watch must have 51% parts made and assembled in Switzerland, but can be assembled in other countries (aka China). I posted some info below from one of the watch frums I belong to because it gets really confusing.
Information found at;
[url=http://www.fhs.ch/en/swissm.php#2.Information]http://www.fhs.ch/en/swissm.php#2.Information[/url] from
Legally speaking
Conditions for use Case
A
Swiss watch "
Swiss Quartz"
indication
A
Swiss watch movement "
Swiss parts" indication
Material extent of the use of
the word "
Swiss" Role of the FH
Wristlet
Conditions for use
A
Swiss
watch
Only when it is
Swiss, may a watch
carry the indications "
Swiss made" or "
Swiss", or any
other expression containing the word "
Swiss" or its
translation, on the outside. According to Section 1a OSM, a watch is considered
to be
Swiss if:
its movement is
Swiss;
its movement is cased up in Switzerland;
and
the manufacturer carries out the final inspection in Switzerland.
A
Swiss watch movement
As we have seen, to be
Swiss, a watch must use a
Swiss movement. According to Section 2 OSM, a movement is
considered to be
Swiss if:
it has been
assembled in Switzerland;
it has been inspected by the manufacturer in
Switzerland; and
the components of
Swiss
manufacture account for at least 50 percent of the total value, without taking
into account the cost of assembly.
If the movement fulfills these conditions,
but the watch is not assembled in Switzerland, the "
Swiss" indication may be affixed to one of the components
of the movement. On the outside of the watch, may then only appear the
"mouvement suisse" or "
Swiss movement" indication.
Section 3 § 3 OSM requires that the word "movement" appear in full, and be
written in the same type-face, of identical size and colour, as the word "
Swiss".
right wrong
Material extent
of the use of the word "
Swiss"
The word
"use" is understood in a broad sense: it not only covers the application of the
above-mentioned designation to the watch, but also, according to Section 3 § 5
OSM:
the sale, offering for sale or putting into circulation of watches
bearing such an indication;
the application of this designation to signs,
advertisements, prospectus, invoices, letters or commercial
papers.
Particular cases
Wristlet
The "
Swiss made" indication may
only appear on a wristlet if it is of
Swiss
manufacture and if the watch is also
Swiss. A
wristlet is considered to be
Swiss if it has
undergone an essential manufacturing operation in Switzerland and if 50 percent
of the production costs originate in Switzerland.
When a
Swiss wristlet is attached to a watch manufactured
abroad, it may only bear a reference to the word "
Swiss" if this designation clearly shows that only the
wristlet is of
Swiss manufacture (for example,
"
Swiss wristlet").
Case
The "
Swiss case" indication on a watch case betokens that the
case is of
Swiss manufacture. A case is considered
to be
Swiss if:
it has undergone an
essential manufacturing operation in Switzerland (stamping, turning, or
polishing);
it has been assembled and inspected in Switzerland; and
over
50 percent of the manufacturing costs (excluding the value of the material) are
due to operations carried out in Switzerland.
When the "
Swiss case" indication appears on the outside of the
case, and the watch is of foreign manufacture, the origin of the movement or of
the watch must also be affixed to the outside of the watch.
"
Swiss Quartz" indication
This indication is often
illegally affixed to the outside of the watch, especially by foreign
manufacturers wishing to show that the quartz movement used is of
Swiss origin. But, according to the OSM, the use of this
indication on the outside of the watch signifies that the watch is
Swiss.
"
Swiss parts"
indication
This marking indicates that the movement is composed of
movement-blanks which have been manufactured in Switzerland, but assembled
abroad. This indication may only appear on the movement, and never on the
outside of the watch.
I wear a Citizen EccoDrive Worldtimer most days. Solid SS, solid back ( movement removes from the front) solid SS bracelet and gives me two time zones ( I keep it set to Pacific Time as my daughter lives in Seattle) and is MORE than enough accurate for my daily needs.
