New HEQ

A while ago, I blogged about high end quartz (HEQ) watches and reviewed the Seiko SBCM023 diver's watch, fitted with the high-frquency 8F35 movement; a watch I am still delighted to own. It has, however, recently been joined in my small watch collection by its GMT brother, the SBQJ015:



This watch is powered by the 8F56 variant of the 8F movement family. Like the other 8F's, this features a quartz oscillator vibrating at 196kHz, rather than the normal 32kHz, to provide a less thermally-sensitive, more accurate movement. This model adds a handy GMT (second timezone) function and, in the SBQJ015, encases it in a lightweight and handsome titanium case. So far, it's more than meeting the accuracy specification of less than 20 seconds per year deviation. Another HEQ winner. :)