by: Joseph Scurro
website: www.discount-watches-guide.com
A unique watch that marries together the arts of mechanical
and electronic watchmaking, Seiko Spring Drive is
presented at Basel 2002 in a luxurious design featuring an
18-carat white gold case and genuine crocodile leather strap.
At first glance, Seiko Spring Drive watch may not seem profoundly
different from other handwound watch mechanisms. But in fact
it is an amazing example of Seiko's unique micro-mechatronic
prowess, because only Seiko Spring Drive offers quartz accuracy.
The unwinding mainspring not only drives the smooth sweep
movement of the large hands, it also powers a rotor whose
tiny electrical output induces a quartz crystal to emit a
reference signal. An integrated circuit measures any divergence
between this signal and the rate at which the spring is unwinding
and adjusts the unwind rate as necessary. These refinements
ensure the Spring Drive luxury watch is accurate to ±15
seconds per month. The IC runs on only 25 nanowatts, half
the power used by a conventional chip. This remarkable ultra
low-power, low-voltage IC is one of the unique technologies
that have made Seiko Spring Drive possible.
In contrast to the leading-edge technical wizardry within,
the Seiko watch's outward appearance is one of serene and
classic elegance, with a stepped silver dial balancing the
beauty of the mechanism when viewed through the skeleton caseback.
Powerful, entrancing and uniquely innovative, Spring Drive
wrist watch has arrived, and the world of luxury mechanical
watches will never be the same again.
- Handwound spring-driven quartz mechanism. No battery.
- Accuracy of ±15 seconds per month.
- Operates for up to 48 hours when fully wound.
- Power reserve indicator.
- Case: 18K white gold. Skeleton caseback.
- Dial colour: Silver.
- Glass: Dual curve sapphire crystal.
- Band: Black crocodile leather.
- Water-resistant: 30m water-resistant.
- Market entry: Autumn, 2002.
- Availability: To be manufactured as a limited edition.
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