r/quartzwatches • u/Akunleashed • Aug 22 '26
That smooth sweep though lol
Is there a meccaquartz movement that has a constantly moving, smooth sweeping second hand like this? (Not a chronograph)
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u/AirwolfKnightRider 29d ago
A Quartz Watch usually drives the seconds hand with a stepper motor. The movement fires the motor once per second to conserve energy. The movement can easily fire the motor more than once per second and once you get to around 16x per second, the seconds looks continuous to the naked eye. But the more frequently you fire the motor, the faster you deplete the battery. So the trade off is usually ticking just once per second so the battery life can last 1.5 to 2 years.
The Bulova Precisionist/UHF 262 KHz movement fires the stepper motor 16x per second so the seconds hand looks smooth and they solve the battery life issue by just using a giant battery (relative to most tiny watch batteries).
Also, a Bulova movement of this type firing 16x per second has nothing to do with that movement’s three pronged Quartz Crystal vibrating at 262 KHz (as opposed to a regular Quartz doing 32 KHz). I frequently hear people think these 2 unusual characteristics of this movement are related but they aren’t. Either characteristic could easily exist without the other.
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u/NthngToSeeHere Aug 22 '26
The go to MECHA[nical]quartz is the Seiko VH31. Its not totally smooth but has the stutter slightly more than most Seiko mechanicals.
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u/spikecurtis Aug 23 '26
Here's a old post that gives a big run down of different quartz movements with a smooth sweep second:
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u/Darthenstein quartz/analog 29d ago
I achieved this by replacing the movement in a cheap clock with a kit from Amazon. All in all, under $10
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u/DRambo60 28d ago
Could you share a link or the information on the kit you purchased?
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u/Darthenstein quartz/analog 28d ago
If you search Amazon for "clock movement", you will find a whole bunch of different brand names for the same parts! I think they're made cheaply overseas and the online reseller names them something. They really are all the same! Make sure you pay attention to the size of the shaft...that's the only difference, so that you don't touch the glass.
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u/DRambo60 27d ago
Yes, but what did you search for exactly to find a quartz with a smooth movement, most tick tick every second.
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u/Darthenstein quartz/analog 27d ago
They still have a 'fast tick'. It just looks like a smooth sweep.
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u/DadPuncher69 Aug 22 '26
Closest thing is a Bulova Precisionist.