Comment by CydeWeys
4 years ago
If you want absurd accuracy in a watch powered by mechanical energy (without just resorting to a battery-powered quartz), look into Grand Seiko's spring drive. It's super interesting technology, and the result is a smoothly sweeping second hand (as in it's actually continuous, not merely a higher number of beats per second).
yep, i've considered that one; insane engineering for sure. but the watch's aesthetics don't do it for me. also, it does feel a bit like cheating ;), if an EMP were to go off, i dont think the Spring Drive would come out okay like a purely mechanical watch would.
another crazy one is Zenith's all-silicon oscillator:
https://masterhorologer.com/2017/09/14/zenith-defy-lab-the-w...
https://monochrome-watches.com/zenith-defy-lab-revolutionary...
To be clear, there are literally hundreds of different models of Grand Seiko watches that are powered by spring drive that have been produced over the past two decades plus, with wildly varying looks across the range. It's not just one watch I'm talking about here.
i probably would not get a watch model from two decades ago, let's limit it to maybe past 5yrs.
most (all?) that i've seen have a power reserve gauge. if it's a daily wearer, that needle will be pegged to max and basically useless clutter. complications for their own sake are not my cup of tea.
most (all?) that have a date function have the extra-wide single digits, which i'm not a fan of.
(i could go on)
i know it's not one model, but there's certainly similar design language to them (as there should be, perhaps), likely due to the geometry of the movement itself. i havent seen anything wildly varying, as you say.
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