Seiko Spring drive explained

[clockboy]

This Vid explains how the Seiko spring drive works. Seiko IMO are now the leading innovators of the industry. This is a truly new concept giving a mechanical watch the accuracy of quartz.

 

 

[jdm]

1 hour ago, clockboy said:

This Vid explains how the Seiko spring drive works. Seiko IMO are now the leading innovators of the industry. This is a truly new concept giving a mechanical watch the accuracy of quartz.

I like Seiko a lot. But it must be noted that Spring Drive is partly quartz, because that is the timing element used to precisely brake a wheel. And it's not even that new, having started sales in 1999.

To be fair, with just that to boast in 3 or 4 (if you count developing time) decades, Seiko is not a major of a technology innovator when it comes to mechanical watches. The title should perhaps go to Omega with Coaxial escapemnt, Rolex and others with silicon hsirspings, and the Swiss and German industry at large, the only ones that have introduce many totally new movements. Not to mention their haute horlogerie which never cease to amaze with incredible realizations. 

[VWatchie]

Very informative! I thought these were quartz driven but are in fact a main spring driven but quartz regulated. I wonder, did anyone ever service one of these Spring Drive watches? I wouldn't mind wearing that GS! 

[jdm]

21 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

I wonder, did anyone ever service one of these Spring Drive watches?

I don't think that any member here did. Seiko mandates these to be sent to Japan for repair or service. Because of that you can find tons of marketing material, influencer and owner raving but very little in-depth technical covering. The Horological Times issue attached below has some. And I remember a photo service by an American watch academy, but can't find it anymore. 

2006-01-web.pdf

[Graziano]

27 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

Very informative! I thought these were quartz driven but are in fact a main spring driven but quartz regulated. I wonder, did anyone ever service one of these Spring Drive watches? I wouldn't mind wearing that GS! 

I wouldn't mind pulling one to pieces 

[jdm]

2 minutes ago, Graziano said:

I wouldn't mind pulling one to pieces 

Neither would I, if I was in a Seiko workshop and guaranteed immunity.
Not terribly expensive starting €2,000 for an used one, still no good reason for an amateur to take chances on it.

[Graziano]

35 minutes ago, jdm said:

Neither would I, if I was in a Seiko workshop and guaranteed immunity.
Not terribly expensive starting €2,000 for an used one, still no good reason for an amateur to take chances on it.

u are right jdm but wouldn't it be nice to have the ability and confidence 

[watchweasol]

Hi   Thank you for the attachment on your post jdm It makes very interesting reading  and I shall read it again, This is indeed a new innovation and a very clever one.

[vinn3]

4 hours ago, jdm said:

I like Seiko a lot. But it must be noted that Spring Drive is partly quartz, because that is the timing element used to precisely brake a wheel. And it's not even that new, having started sales in 1999.

To be fair, with just that to boast in 3 or 4 (if you count developing time) decades, Seiko is not a major of a technology innovator when it comes to mechanical watches. The title should perhaps go to Omega with Coaxial escapemnt, Rolex and others with silicon hsirspings, and the Swiss and German industry at large, the only ones that have introduce many totally new movements. Not to mention their haute horlogerie which never cease to amaze with incredible realizations. 

    as i recall.   the early "de Carle" book says the concept of a slipping main spring was patended by Movato.  vin

[vinn3]

3 hours ago, jdm said:

I don't think that any member here did. Seiko mandates these to be sent to Japan for repair or service. Because of that you can find tons of marketing material, influencer and owner raving but very little in-depth technical covering. The Horological Times issue attached below has some. And I remember a photo service by an American watch academy, but can't find it anymore. 

2006-01-web.pdf 6.11 MB · 3 downloads

    VERY good refural !

[Redwood]

Did someone make a clockwork radio many moons ago that turned an electric generator, same sort of idea

[watchweasol]

Hi  yes they did , I was Trevor Bayliss who invented it ostensibly for the third world  where they did not have electricty or access to batteries. I have one in the workshop. There is a handle at the back which folds out and than you crank it up It works quite well.

[jdm]

11 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

Hi  yes they did

Emergency radio, pick one

 

[Nucejoe]

I got a spring drive and expect more power reserve for the money or of the technology. The speed power reserve builds up in it was interesting back when I bought the piece and have ever since wondered about its precision after repair.

Has anybody seen a serviced one?

[clockboy]

This has gone off piste a bit. The reason this is an innovative concept is the achilles heal with the mechanical watch has always been the escape. The most errors, faults and time discrepancies are the escape and this eliminates these errors. The purists will reject this and claim it only quartz but it is a mechanical watch but quartz driven. For now with a $47,000 price tag many will not purchase but as time progresses the costs will drop and it will become a real alternative for consideration. 

[jdm]

1 minute ago, Nucejoe said:

I got a spring drive and expect more power reserve for the money or of the technology. The speed power reserve builds up in it was interesting back when I bought the piece and have ever since wondered about its precision after repair.

Please explain yourself better? What is the current power reserve, and why you do worry about precision after repair, which can only be done throught officical channels at Seiko Japan for a an high price certainly?

1 minute ago, Nucejoe said:

Has anybody seen a serviced one?

You have been here a long time and I'm sure you know well the ins and outs of this forum. We are lucky to have very knowledgeable people about Swiss and non-Swiss piece of moderate to medium value, plus a Master Watchmaker. But when it's about an elitist's Japan Domestic Market piece , you would struggle finding a repair expert worldwide, outside of Seiko.

By the way I'm myself amazed about the lack of knowledge about Japanese/Seiko top end offering. As in confusing Spring Drive with Kinetic / AGS (Automatic Generatic System), etc. Grand Seiko / Spring Drive has been a pinnacle produce very well know to demanding watch collector since at least a decade. 

[jdm]

11 minutes ago, clockboy said:

This has gone off piste a bit. The reason this is an innovative concept is the achilles heal with the mechanical watch has always been the escape. The most errors, faults and time discrepancies are the escape and this eliminates these errors. The purists will reject this and claim it only quartz but it is a mechanical watch but quartz driven. For now with a $47,000 price tag many will not purchase but as time progresses the costs will drop and it will become a real alternative for consideration. 

Few purists except perhaps the most hardheaded ones reject the value of Spring Drive / Grand Seiko watches, just have a look at the "inventory signatures" of prominent collectors on popular sites like WatchUSeek.
Luckily for prospective buyers as I mentioned above the the entry price to the club is Euro 2,500 for 2nd wrist nice piece and not exceedingly more for a brand new one:

https://www.seiyajapan.com/collections/grand-seiko/products/grand-seiko-spring-drive-gmt-sbge213

That is just to show a listed price of JPY 669,600, (about EUR 5,800), before considering discounts and manufacturer  restrictions.