# Smooth Sweep Quartz Watches?



## mrmonday

I have a new found fascination with smooth sweeping quartz watches. I like the accuracy of quartz watches but I can't stand the ticking seconds hand. My first love was the seiko spring drive which I realize isn't a true quartz watch. I then learned about tuning fork watches but the constant hum put me off of them. After doing some more research I came across the Bulova Precisionist and Accutron II watches which fit the bill nicely but they are all over 40mm and I was looking for more options when I came accross the Seiko 5S42 movement. This Seiko movement has a smooth sweep but I'm not sure if it's technology is tuning fork or more similar to the technology found in the precisionist line. If anyone has more info on this movement or any other smooth sweeping quartz movements that I am unaware of please comment below. Here's a video of that seiko movement.


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## gangrel

262khz Bulova models. Usually marked as such on the dial. Used to show up in the Accutron II line, but I think that line's being phased out. So check the Precisionist line. Seconds hand moves, IIRC, 16 times a second, which is beaten only by a Spring Drive. It's also fairly accurate; not sure it quite hits our typical criteria, but it's not that far off.

The common problem with high-beat quartz is power consumption. Not so different from high-beat mechanicals, which tend to have shorter PR.


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## mrmonday

gangrel said:


> 262khz Bulova models. Usually marked as such on the dial. Used to show up in the Accutron II line, but I think that line's being phased out. So check the Precisionist line. Seconds hand moves, IIRC, 16 times a second, which is beaten only by a Spring Drive. It's also fairly accurate; not sure it quite hits our typical criteria, but it's not that far off.
> 
> The common problem with high-beat quartz is power consumption. Not so different from high-beat mechanicals, which tend to have shorter PR.


Yes I mentioned both of those in my OP, did you read it? I'm looking for information on how the Seiko 5s42 works, is it tuning fork?


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## Tom-HK

The 5S42 uses a 196 kHz quartz crystal oscillator and 'ticks' four times per second. A viscous dampener smooths the ticks out into a continuous glide.

(The 'ticks' are inaudible)


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## tedinasia

Just me or does everyone seem a bit snappy this weekend... To the OP: The New Mexico gentleman was simply offering his insight which I myself found interesting.


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## DaveM

mrmonday said:


> My first love was the seiko spring drive which I realize isn't a true quartz watch./QUOTE]
> 
> It is an old argument, but cannot resist a comment. In my opinion :-
> > The Spring-drive is a true quartz watch. Its time-keeping is entirely regulated by a quartz crystal
> > But it is clever enough to power itself from hand-motion instead of a battery
> > It is the only quartz watch with 'no tick', the hands are driven by a 'velocity' motor -- not a stepper
> > Other 'smooth quartz tick, but hide the tick by a combination of 'fast tick' and damping


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## mrmonday

Tom-HK said:


> The 5S42 uses a 196 kHz quartz crystal oscillator and 'ticks' four times per second. A viscous dampener smooths the ticks out into a continuous glide.
> 
> (The 'ticks' are inaudible)


So it seems like this is the closest thing to the perfectly smooth sweep of spring drive since they both use a dampener. I want one! Thanks for the info.


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## hughesyn

Spring Drive is a quartz watch.

Buy one and be happy.


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## ronalddheld

Spring drive is a hybrid watch.


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## gtief

Spring drive is a quartz watch, but not as we know it.


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## ronalddheld

Spring drive is a hybrid of quartz and mechanical technology. Not a HAQ by spec or performance on the whole.


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## V.I.T.

Spring Drive is the work of the devil. Im kidding of course. Never held one, but I've owned two Bulovas with the 262 kHz movement and they're pretty cool and silky smooth. I'm pretty sure I've seen them in smaller than 40mm as well, although I've never specifically looked.


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## mrmonday

V.I.T. said:


> Spring Drive is the work of the devil. Im kidding of course. Never held one, but I've owned two Bulovas with the 262 kHz movement and they're pretty cool and silky smooth. I'm pretty sure I've seen them in smaller than 40mm as well, although I've never specifically looked.


I have not been able to find any smaller than 41mm so please post model #'s if you know of a smaller model.


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## V.I.T.

mrmonday said:


> I have not been able to find any smaller than 41mm so please post model #'s if you know of a smaller model.


You're right!! Like I say, I've never really looked at their sizing. I did manage to find a post on WUS mentioning the size of the movement will not allow for a smaller case. Sorry. They're still nice watches, but I get the size issue.


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## tmathes

V.I.T. said:


> You're right!! Like I say, I've never really looked at their sizing. I did manage to find a post on WUS mentioning the size of the movement will not allow for a smaller case. Sorry. They're still nice watches, but I get the size issue.


The diameter of the movement will allow for a smaller case but not a thinner case, at least for the chronographs. I've seen photos of open Precisionists they all had spacers.

I don't see why they couldn't make the case smaller. My Aqua Terra is 13.5mm thick but is only 39mm diameter, it doesn't look out of proportion. Maybe it's their customer base, they like big.


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## GlennO

SBGA 283 & 285 are two 39mm models that I know of.

There are other ways to avoid your dreaded quartz tick too.


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## nycddancer

Folks have described the 5s42 well; the 5s21 is the non-tc version of it.

Some other watches with near-smooth second hands (since as mentioned only the spring drive and the 5sxx avoid ticks entirely)
Beta 21: found in many watches, ticks 256 times per second
Longines ultraquartz (cal 6512): not actually sure, ticks hundreds of times per second. 
Bulova accuquartz 224: quartz-regulated version of the accuracy 218, ticks 341 times per second
Bulova UHF watches: tick 16 times per second
Luch 3055: quartz-regulated watch with balance and lever escapement; ticks 8 times per second.









Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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## yankeexpress

Bulova Surveyor model is 40mm and the 3-hand Accutron II versions are 16 beat per second smooth like the bigger Precionist models.



Bulova Accutron II Surveyor With Precisionist Movement Watch Review | aBlogtoWatch

The 3-hand Accutron II 262kHz retain the 16 beat per second super-smooth sweep second of the big Precisionist, unlike the chronograph versions of Accutron II 262kHz movement, which are 8bps sweep..

Video review showing the 16 bps sweep of the Accutron II sweep hand:


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## Tom-HK

nycddancer said:


> Folks have described the 5s42 well; the 5s21 is the non-tc version of it.
> 
> Some other watches with near-smooth second hands (since as mentioned only the spring drive and the 5sxx avoid ticks entirely)
> Beta 21: found in many watches, ticks 256 times per second
> Longines ultraquartz (cal 6512): not actually sure, ticks hundreds of times per second.
> Bulova accuquartz 224: quartz-regulated version of the accuracy 218, ticks 341 times per second
> Bulova UHF watches: tick 16 times per second
> Luch 3055: quartz-regulated watch with balance and lever escapement; ticks 8 times per second.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


Quite a collection you have there. I especially like the Beta 21 Omega. I tried one on in a shop, recently, and am trying to decide on whether to purchase.

One small correction: neither the 5S42 nor the 5S21 is TC. I believe the 5S42 is HAQ by nature of a high frequency oscillator, rather than by thermocompensation.


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## nycddancer

Tom-HK said:


> Quite a collection you have there. I especially like the Beta 21 Omega. I tried one on in a shop, recently, and am trying to decide on whether to purchase.
> 
> One small correction: neither the 5S42 nor the 5S21 is TC. I believe the 5S42 is HAQ by nature of a high frequency oscillator, rather than by thermocompensation.


Thanks! I did not know that about the 5s42. I've been thinking about sourcing a 5s42 movement to drop into my 5s21-7a10, if the movements are compatible (although upon reflection I would assume they are probably not).

The beta 21 is lots of fun, although mine is a bit troublesome - from time to time it starts running off minutes per day, then fixes itself. I'm trying to find a megaquartz at a good price to pair with it, given the case shapes.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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## ouhacked12

Cheapest sweep with a Seiko VH64 movement. Really decent for the price and a perfect parts donor for a case swap out one day.


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## JOHN J.

mrmonday said:


> Yes I mentioned both of those in my OP, did you read it? I'm looking for information on how the Seiko 5s42 works, is it tuning fork?


That's a snarky reply. Are you in a bad mood?


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## ronalddheld

This thread really did not need bumping.


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## Indiglo92

Nobody mentioned the Seiko VH3. It is a 3 hand quartz movement with a sweep second hand(4 beats per second). I have one in my Seiko Wired AGAJ407 below.

Wired seiko commercial


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## ronalddheld

This is not about HAQ watches solely. Mr. Moderator is thinking of closing this thread.


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## Batboy

How about the (excellent quality, IME) Smiths Seafire?


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