Tour of Seiko Factories and Museum and Interview with Mr. Shinji Hattori

James Dowling of TimeZone recently toured and documented his tours of the Seiko Morioka and Shiojiri factories and Seiko museum as well as conducted a one on one interview with Mr. Shinji Hattori, CEO & President of the Seiko Watch Company.

These factory tours are valuable sources of information of Seiko manufacturing and history as Seiko's public relations machine has not promoted these aspects of the company to the enthusiast audience as much as would would like and less than other manufacturers.  Enjoy!

Seiko Morioka Factory Tour

Seiko Shiojiri Factory Tour

Interview with Mr. Shinji Hattori and Tour of Seiko Museum

Orient Star Somes WZ0221EL Review

There's been at least 4 iterations of the Orient Star Somes model and this one having a center seconds hand and a traditional dial layout is by far my favorite.  The Somes models characteristically have a retro styled cushion case with a fantastic leather strap manufactured by Somes.  Once again, the Orient Star line impresses me with its incredible value for the money.

Review Seiko Sumo SBDC005

Seiko Sumo models SBDC001 black, SBDC003 blue, SBDC005 orange. Released in 2006 and still remains a fantastic option for a commercially manufactured larger cased ISO diver. Doubtful there is any better bang for your buck model out there. The TL;DR summary is that the Seiko Sumo case finishing is on a level of its own, but overall at the expense of other attributes of the watch. Also the large size of the case is beyond the limit of many potential wearers.

New Citizen Signature Diver Spotted 2014

A new model of Citizen Signature Diver has been spotted.  I love these Signatures and I'm excited to see the line continued.  This one looks like an evolution of the Grand Touring line to make it diver styled.  I really like it and look forward to seeing more.

Review of Citizen Signature Diver BL1285-53L

The Citizen Signature line continues to be a great option for those looking for a watch with high end features that don’t break the bank. The Courageous Diver models were released a few years ago in 2011 in a variety of dial and movement options. They have since been reduced in selection, but price wise remain the most affordable option of the entire Signature line. There is a trade off in quality on the Diver model relative to the more expensive Signature models, however, the Divers still represent a good option for something nicer than an entry level Citizen or Seiko.

With the discontinuation of the Signature Chronograph, the Diver model (located in the Courageous line) is the only remaining sport Signature. Unlike the Chronograph model, much of the intricate work on the case and bracelet are lost on the diver, but the Diver still carries much of the Signature DNA.

Seiko 7A28-7040 Quartz Chronograph

A friend sent me his 7A28-7040 to bring back to life.  Having never seen one in person before, I was happy to help him out.

Seiko Caliber V158

One of the few unfortunate things associated with the more reliable quartz, solar charged watches is that pictures of the movement are rare simply because there's hardly ever any reason to open up the watch.

I previously wrote about the Seiko solar diver model SNE107 HERE which uses the V158 caliber inside.  A friend was kind enough to open up his Rail Road approved model which happens to contain the same movement and shared a picture with me.  Looks like a nice construction with a metal top plate and 2 jewels.

Recall -- Seiko Solar Chronograph Diver

I noticed on the Seiko Japan site there is a recall on the bracelet models of the Solar Chronograph Diver models.  Apparently the end links can deform from violent force.  The notice is limited to products with V175-0AD0 and V175-0CF0 stamped on the caseback.  Owners are encouraged to contact their local customer service.

Original Link

G Shock on Gear Patrol

Gear Patrol recently published a nice article on G Shock.  Check it out HERE.

Seiko 7C43-7010

If you think this is an SKX007, you'd be sadly mistaken. It’s something so much better.

Introduction To Watches

I like to follow gear and tech related blogs and sites. I don't have the time to follow these fields closely so its always good to let those more dedicated than I to do the heavy lifting. What you'll quickly find is there's a lot of cross interest between these sites and watch collecting.

I was reading one of my favorite sites called Everyday Commentary, and dropped a comment answering a basic watch related question. The site author, Tony, contacted me and asked if I was interested in writing a basic watch primer for his site. I said sure and this is the product of that exercise. Intended to be very high level, but I thought someone here might find some value in it.

Casio G Shock G9000-8 Stormtrooper Mudman

The Mudman has seen many iterations of both module and case.  The G9000 is my favorite and this particular model is my absolute favorite.  Nicknamed the Stormtrooper like everything else that happens to be white with black accents, the name is somewhat misleading as the resin is more of a khaki color.  With an orange tinted display and a white framed dual display makes this model more unique amongst G Shocks.

In Depth Article about the Seiko 9F Caliber from SJX

SJK has posted a great article about the Seiko thermocompensated 9F quartz caliber with some great pictures too.  Included are clear explanations of characteristic features of the 9F such as the twin pulse, backlash adjust, independent axis for each hand, instant date jumper as well as some cool pictures of Seiko's manufactured quartz crystals which I've never seen before.

Click HERE for the article.

Review of Orient Star GMT DJ00001B Star Seeker

The focus for this review is the GMT DJ00001B nicknamed Star Seeker by Orient USA. This model is positioned as the flagship model for Orient Star with a build and MSRP to match.

And the Beat Goes On

A great demonstration of beats per second using various Seiko watches.  See 5 beats per second all the way  to 100 beats per second.  Be sure to turn your volume up.

 

Casio G Shock G7800

The G7800 line was called the Super Square because the shape is basically a square 5600 on steroids.  There were several options available either with a positive or negative display with a matching color bezel.  There was also a white model available.  Being a reverse display with a black bezel, this one was called the Stealth Super Square.  This model is notable because it simply has the best module I have ever seen in a G Shock.  Really a shame Casio does not use it in any other models.

Casio G Shock GWM5600-A3

If you ever played with plastic green army men as a child, you will be sure to recognize the resin color in this square G Shock as a perfect match.

Orient Star Standard Date Video

Watch Tanaka has posted a nice video of the new Orient Star model Standard Date.  Read more about this model here.  At first glance, I think this model looks pretty good and is competitively priced.  I also received some word that this line will also be available through the US distributors.




Thanks Hiro!

Seiko Celebrates 20 Years of 9F Caliber

Coupled with the celebration of 100 years of wrist watchmaking, Seiko is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the thermocompensated high accuracy quartz 9F caliber.  With a normal accuracy specification of +/-10 seconds per year in standard 9F,  the special release, limited edition 9F caliber will utilize specially selected quartz crystals to provide a heightened accuracy specification of +/-5 seconds per year.

Of course nobody will just buy the caliber!  The special edition 9F caliber will be dropped into a Grand Seiko model SBGX103.  This model will feature a beautifully embossed dial and commemorative labeling on the caseback.  The SBGX103 will be limited to 2,000 production pieces to be released internationally and will be priced at 315,000 Yen.

For more information on the 9F caliber as well as the SBGX103, be sure to click HERE to view the press release.

Seiko SKX007

The venerable SKX007.

If there is one Seiko model which exemplifies Seiko it is the SKX007.  A design rooted in the legacy of Seiko's ancestry of divers.  Value delivered beyond expectation.  A mechanical watch thriving in a world of quartz.  A template for the demonstration of creativity of enthusiasts and hobbiests.

Is it perfect?  No, far from it.  But its there.  Where you expect it to be.  Like a well broken in pair of jeans.

Its days are numbered.  Surely Seiko is smart enough to continue the legacy of this diver.  The new generation of Seiko Monster gives us hope that Seiko will also just nudge the SKX007 forward towards perfection rather than take drastic action. Hopefully we'll find out soon.