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Seiko Watches - Underrated?

Roger

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Originally Posted by Aperipan
Functionally, Seiko and many Japanese firms make a great functional product but they can't design.
You're kidding, right? Take a look at some Seiko Credors or Citizen Campanolas or Chronomasters (all of these Japan-market watches). In my opinion, their design is far superior to what's coming out of Switzerland these days. You may not like their designs, but that's personal preference, and to assert that "they can't design" is ludicrous. People are paying $50K and up for Credors of exquisite design.
 

TheWraith

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Originally Posted by davidsj
The one on the left is made in Japan only, I think the one on the right is an American model, not sure where it is made. From this I assume the quality of the one of the left is better. But then the one on the right is $400 or so cheaper correct? I don't like the finish though.

Thanks for that. I also assumed the left pic to be the better overall piece, but know little about Seiko. Thanks for the assistance (anyone else feel free to do likewise if you wish. Much appreciated).
 

Roger

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Originally Posted by Sgt_Strider
lol, thx for the reassurance. I'm just wondering how do I get the leather strap to fit my wrist perfectly? Does Seiko sell different kind of straps to accomodate the differences in wrist size or I just have to use the different holes in the strap to secure it on my wrist?
If you have small wrists, shorter-than-normal watchstraps are available from a number of places. Here are two from whom I've bought straps with good results.

http://debeerwatchbands.com/

http://www.thewatchprince.com/watch-band

If you have regular-sized wrists (say 6.75" to 7.5"), a regular-length strap should work with the existing holes. If the strap is too loose in the last hole, you could have another hole punched (or, better, go to a smaller strap). If you have large wrists, extra-length straps are available from suppliers like DeBeer and the WatchPrince. The DeBeer bands are particularly nice, and you can get them directly from DeBeer or from the WatchPrince, who also sells many other brands. Getting a good fit to your wrists should be no problem whatsoever. The one thing you don't want is a band that is too long. In that case, the end wraps up the side of the band and gets caught on things.

Good luck!
 

Roger

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Originally Posted by davidsj
What do you guys think of this watch?

http://www.seiyajapan.com/product/S-...z_SBQK085.html

http://www.seiyajapan.com/product/S-...z_SBQK087.html

For the price it seems like a steal.

Those watches at those prices are a steal (and you should be very ashamed about paying so little
laugh.gif
). They are very nice-looking watches with a truly great movement in them, the Seiko 8F32. This movement, like all of the Seiko 8F-series quartz movements, are the most accurate non-thermocompensated quartz movements out there, as far as I know: +/- 20 sec. per year. Talk about set and forget!
 

Roger

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Originally Posted by Wingnut
Seiko's Kinetic is an electronic quartz movement. It is powered by "electricity" and is Seiko's answer to the Citizen Eco-Drive technology that recharges its internal cell with ambient light. To get around Citizen's patents, Seiko devised a mechanical charging system that uses a rotor similar to that used in a mechanical watch. Instead of a gear train that winds a mainspring though, it uses a sub-miniature coil and magnet to generate electricity to either a charge a capacitor or a tiny rechargeable battery (Seiko uses both methods . . . which depends on the specific movement). The rest of the watch movement is electronic quartz. This is a picture of a Kinetic inside a Lorus (a brand owned by Seiko). You can see the rotor . . . and above that in this photo is the traditional coil found inside a quartz watch. The gear and pinion labeled in the photo are turned by the rotor . . . the pinion is on the end of the generator.
Kinetic_small.jpg

That's interesting and a great picture. Let me just comment on one point you made. I don't think that the Kinetic system of Seiko's was introduced because they couldn't use a light-powered system like Citizen's Eco-Drive (which is just their name for a light cell replenishing the battery or capacitor). In fact, Seiko has for some time had their own "Solar" light system (in addition to their Kinetic models), and Casio and Junghans do too. Nobody was prevented from this by Citizen's patent for their particular system. I think that the reason we haven't seen Citizen, Casio, et al., bringing out their own kinetic system is that this approach is inherently inferior to a good light-cell system, and that this latter idea will win out in the rechargeable-battery sweepstakes.
 

Spatlese

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OK, all this talk...now I've got the Spirit 013 on the brain too.
 

Lowndes

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I just received the SARB031 from Seiya this past week and couldn't be happier. It is an awesome watch and a great deal for under $440
 

davidsj

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Originally Posted by dlion0721
I just received the SARB031 from Seiya this past week and couldn't be happier. It is an awesome watch and a great deal for under $440

Same here. I think he recently cut the price though by $20
smile.gif
 

clee1982

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By the way, anyone know a good place to buy Seiko Spirit either in NYC or online?
 

B2C2V

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For those US based who bought from from Seiya Japan, could you share your experience on US Customs clearance and Customs duty if any? TIA.
 

Lucky Strike

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My only Seiko, so far:
Seiko.jpg
Seiko DX, my first watch, given to me when I was ~10. It was given to me by my godfather in the late seventies, after he bought several of them cheaply, on a trip to Japan. My beater watch, worn with jeans. The band seems to have come out wrong in the photo, - it actually matches jean/indigo blue quite closely in colour. I'd really like one of these - RAF pilot's issue:
seiko_raf_06.jpg
seiko_raf_04.jpg
Pics from http://www.50717.com/
 

Lucky Strike

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Here's a real collector's item - 1941 pattern Seikosha pilot's watch:
seikosha1.jpg
seikosha2.jpg
seikosha3.jpg
seikosha4.jpg
 

TGPlastic

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Originally Posted by TheWraith
I've fallen in love with this Seiko from Seiya Japan:

http://www.seiyajapan.com/product/S-...z_SBCM023.html

Superb watch for the price. I'll be getting one
biggrin.gif


I own that watch. It's the only watch in my watch box that presently shows the correct time right down to the date. (The others are autos.) One thing to consider: it's smaller than most divers. It caught me by surprise when I acquired it. Very accurate. Nice watch.
 

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