Quartz mvt with sweep second hand

[horologist]

There has been a lot of talk about making a functional replica with all the looks of the real deal minus the expenses and headaches that come with it!

 

a quartz replica is very practical but also very obvious with the cha- cha- cha seconds hand motion giving away the nature of the step motor quartz and the next best substitute would be the other impractical tuning fork Bulova style mechanism.

 

Upon recently changing a battery in my kitchen quartz clock which has a sweep seconds hand, made me want to look into for a watch equivalent And stumbled on this quartz powered  seiko which surprises me why not more of these types of mvts were not so common.  It would be practical to build an MBW with this type of movement and mist of my headaches would be gone!!   Food for thought

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h8ZC3vsBPLg

 

 

[508-Fanatic]

Super rare movement, based on the spring drive found in the Grand Seiko's I believe... I think they can be found from the late 80's early 90's in 34-36mm sizes, in varying condition from $500-$700

[Timelord]

I am not sure about the spring drive but you could be right.  I was under the impression that the spring drive was a later release in their Credor line.   These super 18k gold models go in the 5-6 digit price tags!

 

I believe citizen has a Miyota chronograph 6S21 which has a sweep second hand.  I also have a wall clock that is quartz but the seconds hand moves smoothly like the accutron Bulova tuning fork movement.   I don't know why these quartz modules in watches were not more common with a sweep seconds hand as I don't buy the reasoning that they take up more battery power as discussed in other forums many moons ago.  I change my clock battery one every 3 years or so.  The quartz module spells out the phrase "very cheap" with that  cha cha beat!  Then again Rolex made a mechanical watch with the seconds hand that has the same cha cha beat !  It is a matter of perspective I guess!

[Timelord]

Here it is, I just remembered which one it was! 

 

The rolex truebeat which is a mechanical movement but mimics a cheap quartz watch!

 

A possible solution to the OP's proposition to have a 

 

"Functional replica with all the looks of the real deal minus the expenses and headaches that come with it!"

 

A nice write up on 

 

https://gearpatrol.com/2018/08/02/rolex-tru-beat-history/

 

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by Timelord

[DetektivTudor]

Seiko VH31, 4 beats per second, about 15 bucks

[horologist]

2 hours ago, DetektivTudor said:

Seiko VH31, 4 beats per second, about 15 bucks

Thanks - where from?   I believe this is the non date mechanism and was looking to see if a date version exists like the 5S42?

[DetektivTudor]

http://www.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=2Move_Manu_Japan_V-4

[automatico]

Bulova Accutron II and Precisionist watches have smooth sweep second hands and keep time within 5 or 10 seconds a month.

There are also ESA/ETA balance wheel electrics from the 1960s/1970s and you can sometimes find nos examples for around $50 each.

 

http://electric-watches.co.uk/movement-types/transistorised/

[DetektivTudor]

I had two Bulova Surveyors, they kept more like 10-20 sec per year. And had a beautiful sweep, like super hi-beat

[Timelord]

Those Bulova electric watches are great BUT most of them used the old mercury battery which are no longer available due to the obvious reasons.   You can buy a silver oxide substitute battery in an adapter but they are in excess of £15 and only last some 8 months!  Good for the anachronistic reason but not so  sure if It is the option to replace a mechanical mechanism for the economy argument!

[automatico]

"Those Bulova electric watches are great BUT most of them used the old mercury battery which are no longer available due to the obvious reasons."

 

Bulova Accutron 214, 218 etc originally came with mercury 1.35V batts.  Modern silver oxide replacements are 1.55 volts.  The 'Accucell' cuts the voltage down little but most use 395 cells with a voltage reducer in a plastic adapter.

 

Full size Precisionist and Accutron II (time only and time and date) use 3V 2016 coin cells.

 

ESA balance wheel electrics from 1960s/1970s may have been delivered with 343 batts but they can use 344 or something similar.

343 = mercury

344 = silver oxide

[Timelord]

8 hours ago, automatico said:

Bulova Accutron 214, 218 etc originally came with mercury 1.35V batts.  Modern silver oxide replacements are 1.55 volts.  The 'Accucell' cuts the voltage down little but most use 395 cells with a voltage reducer in a plastic adapter.

 

I absolutely love these Bulova Accutrons as they remind me of the Apollo space times when Bulova accutrons were so much a new wonder.  My soft spot!!!

 

However, I am still not inclined to remove the movement from these timepieces to fit into a replica, as it defeats the economical purpose of avoiding the issues associated with the mechanical automatic watches.  I would only use a quartz movement with a sweep second hand to avoid the problems that come with automatic mechanical watches as they are getting scarce and expensive ( also because eta clones are no option !!!!! ).

 

The last time I replaced a battery in my Bulova tuning fork, I purchased it from

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Accucell-1-1-35V-Battery-Bulova-Accutron-214/202624029392?hash=item2f2d5552d0:g:n~YAAOSwYgxa6136

 

and as one can see they are not cheap, where they last a few months only.  Mine loses a minute per day. so I might as well stick to the mechanical watch!!!!

 

Also, these coils and parts are expensive to replace as very few people in the world have parts for them, they charge what they like!!!   They roll their sleeves back when a sucker like me comes along and just grin, thinking I have caught the biggest fish for today!!!

Getting like Rolex authorized centers.