Thanks, Ulysses,
Thought you might be interested in a nice little discovery I made while browsing watches in the Seiko sub-brand, "Wired". This is a more youthful/fashion focussed brand based on the unusual designs. Among them I found this gem.
http://watch-tanaka5.sub.jp/WIRED/AGAW403/
This is a rather handsome chronograph that comes at a decent size of 44mm and includes a very novel and unusual "mecha-quartz" movement. These movements used to be the exclusive domain of Swiss quartz watches that cost thousands of dollars, yet this watch and others like it (there's a nice model that is IP plated with a blue dial) cost around the $130 mark. What makes the movement special is that unlike most quartz chronographs, it use one stepper motor to drive the main watch functions and one motor to independently operate the chronograph mechanism, which includes a heart-shaped cam and hammer system allowing the chronograph hand to instantly reset, just like a fully mechanical watch. As well as looking rather neat, it also saves power that would ordinarily be used to step the needle all the way around back to zero.
It seems to me this is something of a forgotten technology so I don't think many people would be aware of it. Certain Pulsar/Seiko models sold in the West have this movement (VK63) but it's not advertised as being a feature which is very surprising considering how little you would have to spend to get it - around the $80 mark but they're not as good looking as those in the Wired range I reckon. Assuming you don't mind the shipping fees, I think it would make an interesting addition to a collection.
Ulysses, thanks. I see several nice ones on eBay.
Posted by: herculodge | November 15, 2012 at 06:25 AM