In fact, this Tag Heuer Aquaracer Automatic XTA324 watches movement has over 220 unique parts, 25 jewels, and is less than half as thick as the Zenith El Primero or the Valjoux 7750. On top of that, because this is a quartz movement, accuracy runs at about +1 second per month, meaning this would be the watch by which you should set the rest of your collection.This movement, called the Cal 631, was actually developed by Jaeger LeCoultre, and features a second hand at 6 o'clock that ticks, but a sweeping Tag Heuer Aquaracer Automatic XTA324 watches center chronograph hand. This particular version that we've found today also has a skeletonized red alarm hand,this IWC a fairly complicated timepiece.These meca-quartz IWC's are hard to track down, and represent an innovative time in the watch world. The one we've found for sale here happens to be a great example in marvelous condition. For more details of this JLC designed Meca-Quartz powered IWC chronograph, click here.
The use of a quartz movement in a high-end Swiss watch seems counterintuitive today, but everyone's done it. Omega has done it, Rolex has done it, Audemars Piguet has done it, Breitling STILL does it (and did it in a very strange way here), even Patek Philippe Tag Heuer Aquaracer Automatic XTA324 watches makes a quartz watch or two. Thus, it should be no surprise that this IWC Ingenieur from the early 90s features a quartz movement, but this isn't just any quartz movement...it is a MECA-QUARTZ MOVEMENT!!!We can sense the eyes rolling right now, those watch nerds at Hodinkee have invented a term for a really powerful quartz movement. Wrong. The official name of the movement in this IWC is the Meca-Quartz, named as such because this Tag Heuer Aquaracer Automatic XTA324 watches movement is actually a hybrid of a quartz and a mechanical. How does this work exactly?Well, a quartz movement (with a battery and everything) powers the base motor while the chronograph is mechanically driven. This genius hybrid is nothing to sneeze at.
