Quartz equivalents for common NH movements
Quartz movements with the same basic functions as the NH35, NH36, NH38, NH34 and NH39, along with the important fit differences.
Sometimes I want the layout of an NH build without another mechanical watch to wind and set. Quartz also makes sense for a watch that will sit for weeks at a time or one where accuracy matters more than the movement inside it.
There are quartz movements that do roughly the same jobs as the common NH calibres. I am calling them equivalents based on what they display. They are not interchangeable. None of them should be expected to fit an NH case, dial, hands or stem.
At a glance
| NH movement | Closest quartz option | Why it is close |
|---|---|---|
| NH35 | Miyota 2115 | Three hands and a conventional date window |
| NH36 | Miyota 2105 | Three hands with day and date |
| NH38 | TMI VH31 | Three hands, no calendar and a smoother seconds hand |
| NH34 | Ronda 515.24H | Three hands, date and a central 24-hour GMT hand |
| NH39 | TMI VH60 | Three hands with a 24-hour subdial |
| NH70 / NH71 / NH72 | TMI VH31, functionally | Three hands and no calendar, but no skeleton equivalent |
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NH35: Miyota 2115
The NH35 is easy to match. The Miyota 2115 has three hands and a date, with versions for a date window at three or six. Miyota lists it at 10½ lignes, 4.15 mm high, with a three-year battery and accuracy of ±20 seconds per month.
It is a sensible starting point for a quartz date watch, but I would not use it to convert an NH35 build. The size, stem position, hand fittings and dial feet are different. Find a 2115 case and dial first, then build around them.
If I wanted a slimmer watch, I would also look at TMI’s VJ12. It offers the same basic three-hand-and-date function in a thinner movement.
NH36: Miyota 2105
The Miyota 2105 is the closest straightforward match for the NH36. It has three hands, day and date. It shares the 2115’s 10½-ligne size, 4.15 mm height, three-year battery and quoted ±20 seconds-per-month accuracy.
Miyota offers different window positions and day-wheel configurations. Check the exact movement suffix and dial drawing rather than ordering from a title that only says “2105.” The same warning applies to an NH36, but its measurements do not carry over to the Miyota.
NH38: TMI VH31
Any basic three-hand quartz movement can run a dateless watch. I prefer the VH31 here because its seconds hand moves four times per second. It is not identical to an NH38 running at 21,600 vibrations per hour, but it looks closer than a one-second quartz tick.
TMI lists the VH31 at 10½ lignes and 3.45 mm high, with a two-year SR920SW battery. There is no date and no open-heart display. If the whole point of the NH38 dial is seeing the balance, quartz has nothing equivalent to show through that opening.
NH34: Ronda 515.24H
The Ronda 515.24H is especially close to the NH34 on function. It has three normal hands, a date and a central 24-hour GMT hand, so the dial and bezel can follow the same basic idea.
It still needs its own case, dial and four-hand set. Do not read “11½ ligne” on the Ronda sheet and assume it belongs in a case advertised for a 12-ligne NH34. Overall movement size is only one measurement; stem height, holder shape, dial feet and hand fittings decide whether the watch goes together.
There are plenty of quartz dual-time movements with a subdial. TMI’s VD3 family is one example. They can make a good GMT watch, but they are not the equivalent of an NH34 layout because the second time zone is displayed differently.
NH39: TMI VH60
The VH60 is a good functional match for the NH39’s small 24-hour display. It combines the VH series’ four-step-per-second motion with a 24-hour subdial, and TMI lists the same 10½-ligne size, 3.45 mm height and two-year battery as the VH31.
It cannot copy the NH39’s open-heart view. If the balance opening is a major part of the dial design, I would keep the mechanical movement. If the 24-hour subdial matters more, the VH60 is a good fit for the idea.
NH70, NH71 and NH72: no real quartz equivalent
The skeleton NH movements are chosen because the movement itself is visible. A VH31 can reproduce the three-hand, no-date function, but it cannot reproduce the reason for choosing an NH70, NH71 or NH72. A quartz skeleton dial normally shows a battery, coil and circuit rather than a mechanical train and decorated rotor.
For that kind of watch I would use the skeleton mechanical movement or change the design. A basic three-hand quartz movement matches the functions, but not the point of the watch.
Start with the quartz movement, not the NH parts list
Start with the quartz movement rather than an NH shopping list. Download its drawing, then find a dial and case made for that exact calibre. Check the date or day window, hand-hole sizes, stem height, movement holder and battery access before ordering.
Quartz gives you lower maintenance and much better everyday accuracy, but it does not create a shortcut through the compatibility work. It is a different build with a familiar set of functions.
For the mechanical side of the comparison, see Choosing between NH movements.