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Information About

Spring Drive




It uses a Main Spring like in a mechanical watch to store the watch energy. It does not have a conventional Escapement to regulate the unwinding of a spring, but a device that Seiko calls a ''Tri-synchro Regulator''. It regulates the three kinds of energy used in the Spring Drive mechanism, the mechanical power of the mainspring, the Electrical Energy , generated from this mechanical power, and the Electromagnetic energy that governs the rotation of the Glide Wheel . The energy generated by electro-magnetically braking the glide wheel is used to power a control circuit and quartz Crystal Oscillator , which in turn regulates the electro-mechanical braking of the glide wheel. The glide wheel turns 8 times per second. These innovations result in a watch where the hands do not tick; rather, they glide. The manufacturer claims that the watch is accurate up to 1 second per day.

The design was first conceived in 1977, and Patent s were applied for in 1982. The movement first appeared in the Credor 'luxury watch' range as a limited edition in 1999 and was shown in Seiko models at the 2005 Basel Watch Fair . The Seiko models were officially launched at the Musée D'Orsay in Paris on the 14th September, and went on sale the following day.

Swatch 's research company ASULAB has developed a similar (if not even identical) movement called the High Precision Mechanics calibre. {Link without Title} No watches using this calibre are for sale.


MOVEMENT CALIBERS


  • 5R64 : 32 stones, day, small seconds.

  • 5R65 : 30 stones, day.

  • 5R66 : 30 stones, day, GMT.

  • 5R77 : 30 stones, Moon Phase indicator.

  • 7R06 : 88 stones.

  • 7R68 : 30 stones, day.

  • 7R88 : 30 stones, day.

  • 9R65 : 30 stones, day.

  • 9R66 : 30 stones, day, GMT.


Standard features:
  • Time accuracy: Monthly rate within ±15 sec (equivalent to a daily rate of ±1 sec)

  • Power reserve indicator.



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