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High end watches by "Grand Seiko"

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Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

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Posted

I got a springdrive whcih I no longer wear and have kept in bank safe deposit box in past seven years.I wonder if the rechargable capacitor or battery in it would corrode as regulare batteries do. 

The back is SS and has not yet been opened. Power reserve indicator show no power loss during several months of rest with motor off.

Should I take the battery out?

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AndyHull Distinguished Member

AndyHull

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Posted (edited)
12 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

I got a springdrive whcih I no longer wear and have kept in bank safe deposit box in past seven years.I wonder if the rechargable capacitor or battery in it would corrode as regulare batteries do. 

The back is SS and has not yet been opened. Power reserve indicator show no power loss during several months of rest with motor off.

Should I take the battery out?

I believe it is probably a supercapacitor, (or in more modern variants a very particular type of rechargeable lithium cell, which they call an "energy storage device", since they claim the watches to be sans battery ).

These do not tend to leak as the chemistry involved is entirely different from primary cells, of the type found in most quartz watches . I would tend to leave well alone, particularly since the removal would require major surgery, as the "energy storage device" is spot welded to metal contact plates, which are in turn screwed to the circuit board and/or mechanism,  so you need to remove l large percentage of the watch to remove them. 

Remember the old adage, if it 'aint busted, don't fix it.

Edited by AndyHull
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Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

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2 hours ago, AndyHull said:

.. actually on reflection, does the spring drive even have a capacitor/battery reserve, is the whole point of it, not that the power is in a spring... other more knowledgeable will no doubt put me right.

Hi andy, Some article on the suject, talks of two hundered high percision parts used in basic springdrive and use of electromagnetism in it .That confused me and looks like I confused you instead and it is cofusing.

I am now thinking if the point of springdrive is not what you said, what is the point of springdrive then? 

I got a chinees cased seiko kinitic for $200, rotor charges a battery which run a quartz movement, while the springdrive retails for 6K. This tells me if springdrive used a battery of the sort, why not buy kinitic. 

I now think one idea of springdrive, is to eleminate the need for battery and its replacement , available pix online show nothing resembling a battery or capacitor. 

The watch feel high quality perhaps comparable to rolex, AP,  a bit heavy though, should you ever consider to get one, I recomment a titanium case.

 

 

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tritto Member

tritto

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Hey guys. As Pip said, the Grand Seiko high end sub brand has been around a long time - since the 1960s. Throughout that time they've been high end mechanical and some high end quartz watches. The quality is certainly as good as high quality Swiss stuff.
As for the spring drive, it's driven by a mainspring - not a battery and step motor. It does have a quartz element - there is a 'brake' that regulates the movement and this 'brake' is controlled by a circuit (I'm not sure without reading up whether this circuit gets its power direct from the mainspring as it is released or if there is any stored power). Either way, this is very sophisticated technology and in no way comparable to a kinetic watch.


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Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

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3 hours ago, AndyHull said:

Its a really smart arrangement, if I didn't think it would end in divorce, I might consider splashing the cash on one. :D

This like most seiko lack elegance, some glory. My passion for a thin manual ulysee nardin or IWC remains. 

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