What is a Meca-quartz Movement?
The Story of the “Meca-quartz” Movement
The release of the Dan Henry 1964 Chronograph has produced tremendous interest among our customers, and has raised many questions about the movement that makes this watch tick:
Meca-quartz movements have been used for four decades in the foremost timepieces produced by Jaeger LeCoultre, IWC, Cartier, Porsche, Chopard, and other premier manufacturers. Today, meca-quartz movements power chronographs made by manufacturers large and small, including Seiko, and, of course, the latest release from Dan Henry.
What is a Meca-quartz Movement?
Meca-quartz is a design unlike any other in the watch industry. A meca-quartz movement is a hybrid, with two distinct mechanisms working in partnership: in a meca-quartz chronograph, the timekeeping functions are controlled by a quartz movement, while the stopwatch functions of the chronograph are recorded by a mechanical module. Both functions are powered by the same battery.
The Strengths of Two Movements for Accuracy and Performance
Meca-quartz builds on the strengths of these two types of movements: the accuracy of quartz with the crisp feel and performance of a mechanical chronograph. Compared to a conventional fully-mechanical chronograph, a watch with a meca-quartz movement can be slimmer, more durable, and more reliable, cheaper to maintain and faster to service.
The Seiko VK63 Movement
The 1964 Chronograph is equipped with the Seiko VK63 meca-quartz movement -- a direct descendant of the earliest mechanisms and perhaps the most reliable and rugged meca-quartz mechanism available today. The VK63 is the ideal engine to power a racing-inspired timepiece like the 1964.The Dan Henry 1964 Chronograph was created as a tribute to the great chronographs of motor racing’s most daring age. At Le Mans, Monza, and the other legendary racing circuits of the world, these rugged timepieces were seen on the wrists of a generation of superbly talented and fearless drivers. We honor that heritage with our 1964 chronograph.
