Meca-quartz on a 3 hander?

[Elkins45]

This question is in reference to some AVI-8 watches currently on sale: viewtopic.php?f=3&p=119236&sid=ae023e5e ... 39#p119227

I thought meca-quartz was a quartz watch with a mechanical chrono module, but these watches don’t have chronograph functionality. The video clips of the watches running shows a sweeping second hand like a mechanical watch. What’s the story here?

[deckeda]

Mecha-Quartz only implies that it's a hybrid, not a chrono per se.

Watch Geek did a video about one of the AV-8s some months ago, where this was mentioned. He said they remove part of the movement and/or just don't install all the hands ... and then activate the chrono function full time. The Watch Geek video mentioned that the less-smooth tick of the AV-8 seconds hand replicates normal autos ... smooth, but not "too smooth."

You can achieve a smooth seconds hand by using instead the VH31 movement, which is inherently a 3-hander. These can be found in models less than $100. The VH31 is 4 ticks per second, just like your ETA 2824-2 or Selitta SW200 (4Hz). Yes, it sweeps smoother than cheap autos.

But, the VH31 isn't a high-torque movement capable of running larger handsets well, and that may also be why AV-8 doesn't use it (assuming that don't?)

Bottom line: I don't know which movement they are using, and they aren't saying. Either way, it's Seiko (SII) sourced.

[MoT]

Mecha-Quartz only implies that it's a hybrid, not a chrono per se.

Watch Geek did a video about one of the AV-8s some months ago, where this was mentioned. He said they remove part of the movement and/or just don't install all the hands ... and then activate the chrono function full time. The Watch Geek video mentioned that the less-smooth tick of the AV-8 seconds hand replicates normal autos ... smooth, but not "too smooth."

You can achieve a smooth seconds hand by using instead the VH31 movement, which is inherently a 3-hander. These can be found in models less than $100. The VH31 is 4 ticks per second, just like your ETA 2824-2 or Selitta SW200 (4Hz). Yes, it sweeps smoother than cheap autos.

But, the VH31 isn't a high-torque movement capable of running larger handsets well, and that may also be why AV-8 doesn't use it (assuming that don't?)

Bottom line: I don't know which movement they are using, and they aren't saying. Either way, it's Seiko (SII) sourced.

These are VH31 movements, or at least that is what is in my RBL watch from the series they released last year.

[fillerbunny]

The VH31 is 4 ticks per second, just like your ETA 2824-2 or Selitta SW200 (4Hz). Yes, it sweeps smoother than cheap autos.

4Hz = 8 ticks per second. The VH31 is a bit choppier than a Vostok or your typical older Swiss movements, but probably still more pleasing than an once-a-second tick.

[deckeda]

The VH31 is 4 ticks per second, just like your ETA 2824-2 or Selitta SW200 (4Hz). Yes, it sweeps smoother than cheap autos.

4Hz = 8 ticks per second. The VH31 is a bit choppier than a Vostok or your typical older Swiss movements, but probably still more pleasing than an once-a-second tick.

Oof! You're right, I got my beats per second mixed up. Thanks for the correction.