Strap

I was actually quite surprised by the look and feel of the included leather strap and that’s saying something, because I usually swap leather out for a NATO any chance I get. It’s thick but pliable and I was able to adjust it for a snug fit without much difficulty. Once again, at 16mm thick, it was important for me to have the watch properly fitted and that wasn’t an issue, thanks to this strap. To be honest I’m not even sure if this press sample has exchanged hands a few times already. I say this only because it seems as if the strap itself has already progressed through its “break in” period, which speaks to the comfort and quality I experienced here.

The buckle is substantial with minimal branding and a secure fit. Stitching is tight, there are no frayed segments, and the keepers are easy to manipulate when necessary. Something I know a few individuals feel indifferent about is the riveting. I understand the aesthetic but to me, that design is more at home when paired with a traditional Flieger-style watch. But ultimately I was happy with the strap and even if it isn’t to your liking, you can swap it out for something like a single-pass RAF nylon strap or traditional NATO.

Movement

Powering the Hemel HFT20 Chronograph is the Seiko VK64 meca-quartz movement. You’ll also hear folks refer to these as hybrid movements, which utilize a quartz crystal regulator paired with a series of gears borrowed from (in this case) Seiko’s own in-house mechanical chronographs. In the most basic sense, this provides the wearer with the best of both worlds; quartz accuracy and the pleasures of interacting with a mechanical chronograph. Upon actuation of the chronograph mechanism, the system engages with the quartz motor but allows the central chronograph hand to sweep at about 5 beats per second. When the user chooses to stop and reset the mechanism, the central hand snaps back to zero just like a mechanical chronograph.

Battery life is around 3 years even if you run the chronograph for a full hour every day and accuracy is rated at ± 20 seconds per month. This is pretty typical for quartz and while the watch is also available with a Seiko NE88 column-wheel chronograph, I almost feel as if the watch is a little more fun and approachable with the quartz movement. Once again, I would have loved to see a slightly thinner case when you consider how thin the VK64 is. The Autodromo Prototipo, for example, comes in at just 11.5mm thick and uses the same Seiko meca-quartz movement.

Conclusion

Case thickness aside, I think that the Hemel HFT20 Chronograph is an enjoyable watch that can easily be overlooked. There’s value in having something with the kind of grab-and-go convenience that this watch has – and more often than not, those are the types of watches that stay on my wrist for weeks on end. The choice customers get when selecting a movement is also attractive so if you’re more of a purist, I suppose you can opt for the NE88 column-wheel chronograph version. Being the quartz fanboy that I am, I’ll stick with this version. Price for the Hemel HFT20 Chronograph with the Seiko VK64 meca-quartz movement is $449. hemelwatches.com

Necessary Data
>Brand: Hemel
>Model: HFT20 Chronograph
>Price: $449
>Size: 42mm diameter, 16mm thickness, 49mm lug-to-lug
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone that wants dual-time tracking and a cool quartz beater that isn’t a dive watch.
>Best characteristic of watch: The convenience of the Seiko VK64 meca-quartz movement.
>Worst characteristic of watch: It’s slightly thicker than it needs to be.