Cadisen C7064 – 40mm Mecha-Quartz Chronograph | VK68 | 50m
Mechanical chronographs are fascinating, but they are also complicated, relatively expensive and not necessarily the most sensible way to put a stopwatch on your wrist. The Cadisen C7064 takes a different approach, combining the accuracy and convenience of quartz with a Japanese mecha-quartz chronograph movement that gives the stopwatch considerably more mechanical character than the average battery-powered watch.
The case measures 40mm across, which is a particularly sensible size for this style of chronograph. Additional subdials can make a watch appear larger and busier than a simple three-hander, but the C7064 avoids stretching into the 42–44mm dimensions common among many modern chronographs. Its approximately 47mm top-to-bottom length should keep the watch relatively controlled across the wrist, while the 12mm thickness gives it enough substance to feel like a proper sports watch without becoming excessively bulky. At approximately 80g on its woven fabric strap, it is also substantially lighter than an equivalent chronograph on a full stainless-steel bracelet which makes the C7064 particularly easy to wear for longer periods and gives it a slightly more relaxed character than an all-steel sports watch.
Inside is the Japanese TMI VK68 mecha-quartz chronograph movement. Quartz means that the basic timekeeping is electronically regulated by a battery, giving it considerably greater everyday accuracy than most affordable mechanical watches. The interesting part is what happens when you use the chronograph. Press the upper pusher and the large central chronograph hand begins moving in 1/5-second increments. Rather than making the familiar once-per-second jump associated with basic quartz watches, it travels around the dial in much smaller steps, creating a noticeably smoother appearance. When the chronograph is stopped and reset, its hands return rapidly to zero using a mechanical-style reset mechanism. That instant return is one of the characteristics that gives TMI's VK series its 'mecha-quartz' name and makes operating it considerably more satisfying than a basic quartz stopwatch. The chronograph can measure elapsed periods of up to 60 minutes which makes it genuinely useful for timing exercise, cooking, journeys or anything else where having a simple stopwatch immediately available is useful. One thing that can initially confuse someone new to chronographs is the central seconds hand. When the stopwatch is not running, the large central hand remains stationary at twelve o'clock. Normal running seconds are displayed on one of the smaller subdials instead. That is exactly how the movement is designed to operate rather than an indication that the watch has stopped. TMI estimates approximately three years of battery life under normal use which provides the C7064 one of the major advantages of quartz ownership: it can spend days or weeks off the wrist and still be running when you return to it, without needing to be wound or reset. The movement itself is also considerably more accurate than the average affordable automatic. Quartz timekeeping removes much of the daily variation associated with mechanical movements while still giving the chronograph itself some mechanical-style interaction.
Above the dial is crystal with an anti-reflective coating. The dial follows a traditional three-register chronograph layout, placing the additional information around the centre while keeping the main hour and minute hands relatively easy to identify. The luminous hands and hour markers add some useful visibility once the surrounding light disappears. This is not intended to compete with a dedicated dive watch for lume performance, but having some low-light visibility makes sense on an everyday sports chronograph. Around the outside of the dial is a fixed tachymeter scale. This is traditionally used alongside the chronograph to calculate average speed over a known distance. If, for example, you travelled one kilometre in 30 seconds, the position of the chronograph hand against a conventional tachymeter scale would indicate an average speed of 120 kilometres per hour. It is a fairly specialised function today, but remains a genuine piece of traditional chronograph design rather than simply decorative printing.
The case is made from 316L stainless steel with a mixture of brushed and polished surfaces which gives it enough refinement to work away from purely sporting clothing without turning the whole watch into something overly shiny. The woven canvas-style strap reinforces the slightly more casual character. At 20mm where it meets the case, it also uses one of the most common strap widths available, so moving onto leather, rubber or another fabric strap later should be extremely straightforward. Brown leather could make the C7064 considerably smarter, while another fabric strap would preserve the more casual vintage-chronograph appearance.
Water resistance is rated to 50m, or 5 bar which is perfectly sensible for rain, hand washing and the ordinary splashes an everyday watch encounters. This is not the watch I would choose specifically for regular swimming; the push-pull chronograph controls introduce additional points that need sealing, and I would certainly avoid operating either chronograph pusher while the watch is wet or submerged.
The C7064 makes a lot of practical sense; it gives you a genuine chronograph without asking you to accept the cost, thickness or maintenance associated with a fully mechanical stopwatch movement. The VK68 is particularly important to that argument. A conventional quartz chronograph could provide similar accuracy, but the smoother 1/5-second stopwatch hand and instant reset make this considerably more enjoyable to interact with. The 40mm dimensions help as well; chronographs can become large very quickly, so keeping the case relatively restrained makes the C7064 considerably easier to use as an everyday watch rather than something that only works with casual clothing..
For someone who wants a compact first chronograph with some mechanical-style interaction but without the expense and maintenance of a fully mechanical movement, the Cadisen C7064 offers a convincing combination. The 40mm proportions make it genuinely wearable, the VK68 is far more interesting than a basic quartz calibre, and the lightweight fabric strap keeps the whole watch easy to live with.
Included in the box:
Cadisen C7064 chronograph watch, Cadisen presentation box, English instruction manual and cleaning cloth.
Worth knowing:
The large central seconds hand is used by the chronograph and normally remains stationary when the stopwatch is not running. Regular running seconds are displayed on a smaller subdial.
Water resistance is rated to 50m/5 bar. That is appropriate for normal everyday water exposure, but I would not choose the C7064 specifically for regular swimming and would avoid operating the chronograph pushers while the watch is wet or submerged.
