Home » Seiko Watches » Grand Seiko Spring Drive Titanium Watch
Grand Seiko watches are based on a ‘modest’ goal of the Japanese watchmakers – they simply wanted to craft an ideal timepiece. The Grand Seiko Spring Drive Titanium watch is a modern version of that basic concept, with a pure artistic simplicity in design and the most sophisticated technology.
Until recently, watches from the Grand Seiko collection were reserved just for the Japanese market. Today, a half of a century after the first Grand Seiko was launched, watch lovers from all around the Globe have a chance to enjoy these remarkable timepieces.
The Grand Seiko Spring Drive Titanium watch is a real representative of this luxury collection. It follows the course of original concept – a natural simplicity, the form without any unnecessary decoration and the highest legibility – in order to highlight the mechanical perfection inside the case (Seiko’s Spring drive caliber).
Spring Drive Technology
The Spring drive technology entered the Grand Seiko collection in 2004, which was a unique fusion of the best that Seiko can offer – the best design and the best movement. The Spring drive is a revolutionary mechanism that combines the great tradition of making reliable mechanical timepieces with an amazing product of advanced technology – the Tri-Synchro regulator.
This self-winding mechanism is also powered by the main spring, but unlike other hi-quality mechanical watches, it incorporates completely different type of regulator which provides the same accuracy as a quartz watch. This means that it has a superb precision, ten times higher than any other mechanical timepiece.
The Grand Seiko Spring Drive Titanium watch is powered by the Spring drive Caliber 9R65 which comprises 30 jewels and has a superb power-reserve of 72 hours. This watch works three days, without any winding, thanks to another remarkable advancement that comes with the Spring drive. In order to make a watch that would not stop beating during the weekdays, Japanese watchmakers reduced the power loss and made an efficient winding system which also provides higher accuracy (1 second +/- per day) and durability.
‘Best Basic’ Concept
As the Spring drive was made in different size than the calibers from the original models, the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Titanium watch needed a larger and thicker case. Seiko reviewed every single detail and crafted a new, high-intensity titanium case which is 12.5 mm thick., with a mid-sized diameter of 41 mm and. However, the legendary ‘best basic’ concept has been preserved and even raised to an artistic level.
The watch comes with a perfectly clear snow-white dial which features luminescent, silver hour and minute indexes, a date window at the 3’o clock position and a power-reserve indicator. The first thing that you will notice about Grand Seiko watches is a great legibility. Along with the anti-reflective sapphire crystal, specially shaped and polished watch hands are there to reduce glare and increase readability. Unlike the hour and minute hands that come in silver color, the second’s hand is painted in blue, in order to highlight a famous motion of the Spring drive.
The transparent sapphire crystal case-back reveals movement of every single piece in the precise mechanism and shows the lion emblem of Grand Seiko, a symbol of the highest quality. Its superb water-resistance of 100 meters goes with the brand’s intention to craft the best watch in the world.
Grand Seiko Spring Drive Titanium watch has a solid high-intensity titanium bracelet and a solid titanium one, with moderate weight. Its special, three-fold clasp incorporates double push buttons on both sides.
The Seiko Spring Drive mechanical automatic is so amazing wristwatch. It is simply the best of the bests. There is no other mechanical watch runs more accurately than a Spring Drive regardless of price.
A 1 million dollar automatic still have +5/-5 sec/day variation, but a Spring Drive Automatic is regulated down to +1/-1 second a day accuracy, and best of all, never needs sending back to factory every few years for adjustments and service (typical service is $500 each time). My is 6 years old and still run EXACTLY like when I first received it which is about -1 second every 3 day.
The Spring Drive second hand is gliding silently. This is the one main factor that I bought a Spring Drive.
There is no other watch can do this unless it is a quartz that needs batteries like the Bulova Accutron Perfectionist. Fit and fisnish of a Spring Drive is impeccable. All components are made in-housse by Seiko and each watch is hand assembled, adjusted, regulated and finished by highly skilled Seiko watchmakers (I heard only 5 Seiko watchmakers are qualified to assemble Spring Drive when I read about it in 2005). But at any rate, this is the best wristwatch man can get regardless of price period.
Isn’t that great, looking at a smooth second hand of this Seiko. Someone could say that it isn’t enough for choosing a expensive watch, but that feature was a key factor to me, when I was looking for a stylish model for mine dressy style.
1 second every 3 day? You must be joking. It is incredible. Why should someone buy something else? Maybe it is not a most beautiful watch in the world, but as a full package, it is at on top. Of course, if this fact about precision is true.
Despite the mechanism, I would never put this watch on a wrist. To me, it looks so old fashion, which is, I think, more important than a marvelous movement of a hand.
@Bobo The old fashion style is the thing that actually makes this watch even better in my opinion.
Sorry to be ‘picky’, but the engraving on photo 3/6 clearly says ‘stainless steel’ – wrong watch! or is the back stainless?
@BAO: Wonderful piece of technology, this is true. But it is still just a quartz which is not even thermally compensated like The Citizen or Bulova Precisionist. As the design is also not my favorite (I prefer Grand Seiko GMT automatic instead), if I have to chose a precise mechanical I will go for Omega Speedmaster co-axial. If I have to chose a High end quartz, The Citizen is my favorite. The Bulova Precisionist is actually better technology but the finishing is much cheaper.
@ Cititor: But it is still just a quartz?
With all due respect, it seems that you have not read carefully either this review or the very informative Bao’s post.