The Seiko VK64 Movement: Why We Chose It for Our Chronograph
What makes a good chronograph movement? Accuracy? Reliability? Durability? The feel of the chronograph?
For us, it's all of these things.
When we designed the Militex Duxford Sprint, one of the biggest decisions we had to make was what movement should power it.
We looked at a number of options before settling on the Seiko/TMI VK64 meca-quartz chronograph movement.
And we think it was the right choice.
The Duxford Sprint is a watch inspired by the golden age of motorsport — the cars, the speed, the engineering and, importantly, the instruments used to measure it.
So the movement had to be more than just something that told the time.
It had to be accurate, dependable, practical and enjoyable to use.
That's where the VK64 comes in.
What is the Seiko VK64 Chronograph movement?
The VK64 is a meca-quartz chronograph movement manufactured by Time Module Inc. (TMI), part of the wider Seiko Group.
Meca-quartz is a combination of two technologies.
The timekeeping side of the movement uses quartz regulation, giving you the accuracy and consistency that quartz movements are known for.
The chronograph side incorporates a mechanical-style mechanism, giving the stopwatch function a more traditional feel and operation.
It's a clever combination.
You get the everyday practicality of quartz while retaining some of the character associated with a mechanical chronograph.
And for the Duxford Sprint, that combination makes a lot of sense.
Why use a meca-quartz chronograph?
There is sometimes a perception that mechanical automatically means better.
We don't agree.
Mechanical, automatic, quartz and meca-quartz movements all have different characteristics. The important thing is choosing the technology that is right for the watch and how it is intended to be used.
The Duxford Sprint was designed as a watch to wear and enjoy every day.
That means we wanted a movement that would be:
Accurate. Reliable. Robust. Practical. And easy to live with.
The VK64 ticks those boxes.
Because the timekeeping is quartz regulated, the movement doesn't rely on the balance wheel, hairspring and escapement found in a conventional mechanical movement.
There is no winding and no need to keep the watch running through regular wear.
Put it on your wrist, set the time and go.
That's exactly the kind of practicality we were looking for.
The best of both worlds
One of the most appealing characteristics of the VK64 is its combination of quartz timekeeping and mechanical-style chronograph operation.
Activate the chronograph and the central hand begins measuring elapsed time in 1/5-second increments.
Stop it and the timing can be read from the chronograph registers, then reset using the lower pusher.
It gives the Duxford Sprint the interaction we wanted from a traditional sports chronograph without the complexity and cost of a fully mechanical chronograph movement.
For us, that's an important distinction.
We aren't trying to pretend the VK64 is a mechanical movement.
It isn't.
It's something different — and in the right watch, we think that's a very good thing.
A Japanese movement with Seiko heritage
The VK64 is produced by Time Module Inc. (TMI), part of the Seiko Group, and is manufactured in Japan.
TMI has developed a wide range of movements used by watch manufacturers around the world, and the VK64 sits within its range of premium chronograph movements.
The Seiko connection also has an impressive history.
Seiko's story began in Tokyo in 1881, when Kintaro Hattori established his watch and clock business.
Almost 90 years later, in December 1969, Seiko introduced the Astron, the world's first commercially available quartz wristwatch.
That development changed watchmaking forever.
Quartz technology brought an entirely new level of accuracy and consistency to wristwatches and eventually became one of the most important technologies in modern watchmaking.
Seiko also has a long history with chronographs and precision timing, including its development of mechanical chronograph movements during the 1960s and 1970s.
That's history we like.
And perhaps it's no coincidence that the Duxford Sprint itself draws much of its character from that same era.
The VK64 and the golden age of the chronograph
The 1960s and 1970s were a fascinating period in watchmaking.
Chronographs became closely associated with motorsport, aviation and engineering.
They weren't simply watches.
They were instruments.
A tachymeter could be used to calculate speed over a measured distance. A chronograph could measure elapsed time. Sub-dials provided additional information at a glance.
This is the spirit we wanted to capture with the Duxford Sprint.
Of course, modern technology gives us advantages that weren't available fifty or sixty years ago.
The VK64 combines that vintage chronograph character with modern quartz accuracy and convenience.
In other words:
Old-school character. Modern practicality.
That's very much the Militex approach.
Is the VK64 reliable?
Reliability was one of the main reasons we chose it.
When you're building a watch for customers to wear every day, reliability matters far more to us than simply choosing the most complicated movement available.
The VK64 is a quartz-regulated movement, meaning the basic timekeeping is controlled by a quartz oscillator rather than a traditional mechanical regulating system.
That makes it particularly well suited to someone who wants an accurate, dependable everyday chronograph without having to think about winding or regularly resetting the watch.
TMI specifies an expected battery life of approximately three years, depending on usage.
And when the battery eventually needs replacing, it is a straightforward service rather than a major movement overhaul.
For an everyday chronograph, we think that's a very sensible proposition.
What functions does the VK64 offer?
The VK64 provides the features we wanted without unnecessary complexity.
Depending on the specific configuration, the movement provides:
Quartz-regulated timekeeping
Chronograph function
1/5-second chronograph measurement
Minute counter
24-hour indication
Date display
Approximately three years of battery life
Japanese manufacture
It's a compact and relatively thin movement too, which helped us achieve the proportions we wanted for the Duxford Sprint.
Why not use an automatic chronograph?
This is a question we're sometimes asked.
The simple answer is that an automatic chronograph would have changed the character of the watch.
Automatic chronograph movements are fascinating pieces of engineering, but they tend to be more complicated, thicker and significantly more expensive.
We wanted the Duxford Sprint to remain accessible.
We didn't want the movement to push the price of the watch into a category where you're paying a huge premium simply because the movement is mechanical.
Instead, we put the money where we think it matters — into the overall watch.
The 316L stainless-steel case, domed sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and pushers, 100m water resistance, detailed dial and finishing all contribute to the finished watch.
And underneath it all is a movement that simply does its job.
Why we chose the VK64 for the Duxford Sprint
Ultimately, it comes down to what we wanted the Duxford Sprint to be.
We wanted a proper chronograph watch with the visual character of the great motorsport watches of the past, but with the convenience of something you can wear every day.
The VK64 gives us that balance.
Accurate
Quartz regulation provides dependable everyday timekeeping.
Practical
There's no winding and no need to keep the watch running through regular wear.
Reliable
It's a well-established quartz chronograph architecture from TMI, part of the Seiko Group.
Enjoyable
The meca-quartz chronograph provides a more engaging stopwatch experience than a simple basic quartz movement.
Affordable
Using a meca-quartz movement allows us to offer the Duxford Sprint at a price that we believe represents genuine value.
And that last point is important to us.
We don't choose movements because they sound impressive
At Militex, we're not interested in throwing technical specifications at you simply to make a watch sound more expensive.
We are watch enthusiasts ourselves.
We look at the whole picture.
Does the component work well?
Is it reliable?
Is it appropriate for the watch?
Does it offer good value?
And perhaps most importantly:
Would we be happy wearing it ourselves?
With the VK64, the answer was yes.
The heart of the Duxford Sprint
The Duxford Sprint was inspired by an era when watches were designed as instruments and chronographs were closely associated with speed, racing and engineering.
Today, we have access to technology that those original designers could only have dreamed about.
The VK64 brings some of that modern technology into a watch that deliberately looks back.
It's accurate enough for everyday life, practical enough to wear without fuss and still gives you that satisfying chronograph interaction when you press the pusher.
That's why we chose it.
The Seiko/TMI VK64 isn't the most complicated chronograph movement in the world.
And that's precisely the point.
We chose it because it is right for the job.
Reliable. Practical. Accurate. Enjoyable.
And, in our opinion, a perfect fit for the Militex Duxford Sprint.
The Militex Duxford Sprint
The Duxford Sprint combines the VK64 meca-quartz chronograph movement with a 38mm 316L stainless-steel case, domed sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and pushers, 100m water resistance and a tachymeter bezel.
Inspired by the golden age of motorsport and named after our home at Duxford Airfield in England, it is our take on the classic sports chronograph — built for today.
Built in Great Britain. Inspired by history. Designed to be worn.
Discover the Duxford Sprint at Militex Watches.
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