Okay, so i was reading a thread that has seiko new release. Then i got into a comment that says
“Anywhere from -10s to +15s a day. … I was ok with that accuracy when their divers were $400, not $1k+.”
So i really wonder if this statement is actually true, that 1k watches have better accuracy than +15/-10 Sec. Does watches in this price range really state their accuracy and have good accuracy that makes Seiko watches look over priced.
This Thread doesn’t care about YOUR certain model current accuracy, im taking what the manufacturer said (or if they don’t say anything) it has. Because same thing can be said with Seiko’s product, seen some of their Low end budget movement have really good accuracy. So your Watch accuracy is irrelevant here.
So Lets go!
Let’s start with this sub favorite Tissot PRX doesn’t even state the expected accuracy of the watch. Since its not chronometer certified according to the User Manual:
“Most watches which are not certified chronometers have an average accuracy tolerance of around -10/+30 seconds per day”
this thing cost around 500-700 bucks. Tissot doesn’t state the accuracy of the watch but they do imply on their manual that its -10/+30 sec per day because it doesn’t have any chronometer certification.
Another favorite watch around here, Hamilton Khaki. Hamilton also didn’t make any claim for the watch. That watch cost u 1k usd. According to their FAQ page: “Most watches that do not have a chronometer certificate have an average course deviation of -10/+15 seconds per day.”
Now lets go to Christopher Ward The Twelve. Another 1K+ watch, using a selita movement. Accuracy Stated in the Website Page +/- 20 Seconds.
Then we go to Doxa, another favorite brand in here. the Sub 200 professional. Another almost 1k watch. No stated accuracy.
Lets go a bit Highend the Longines Conquest. Almost 2K watch, using L888 Movement (this is not COSC). No actual stated Accuracy too.
So I guess the Seiko stated accuracy is about par for the course for most major brand. Its not really worse than other brand that sells their watch at higher point and didn’t disclose their accuracy number (which IMO is worse).
So my question would be, why does it always comes up on seiko products the criticism on their movement accuracy but never on other brands?
Maybe seiko should stop posting their accuracy number all together, so they would have a better brand perception, since lots of other brands did that and escape criticism.
Or is it because of the Swiss bias? Since the movement is Swiss there for its fine because surely swiss movement is higher in quality.
Either way this is what I find, feel free to correct and add to the discussion.
Personal Rant: if accuracy is so important why don’t u just buy a 50 bucks quartz and be done with it instead of going into mechanical watch.
if accuracy is so important why don’t u just buy a 50 bucks quartz and be done with it instead of going into mechanical watch.
Exactly what I’ve done, very early, after I started having an interest in watches. My most expensive quartz is a The Citizen (fka as Chronomaster) HAQ: accuracy -/+ 5 SPY (Eco Drive). And yes, that ‘Y’ means year.
Most others feature ‘assisted accuracy’ (GPS or atomic clock radio signal time sync). I’ve found my niche, and there’s much to enjoy.
I crave accuracy, my brain is wired that way. I’ve said it elsewhere: my heroes are Japanese station masters who apologise publicly and profusely when the Shinkansen is 10 seconds late.
I don’t care about second hands not ‘sweeping’, or not ‘hitting the markers’. Please note, that I greatly respect the craft that goes into mechanical watches. But their lack of accuracy (compared to quartz) would drive me mad.
Who actually cares about accuracy? Especially in a sub-$2000 mechanical movement? Seiko movements are durable, can last a long time without servicing, and are fully in house.
Accuracy and movement decoration is where they take a backseat to the Swiss at entry level luxury and below. Two things I really don’t care about.
They’ve got as much history as anyone and their dials and designs are where they shine. Two things I actually really care about.
You didn’t account for the price difference between the watches you mentioned and the Seiko
The Seikos with the -10/+15 spec have the L movements and are generally over $3000
- That is 4 times the price of a PRX
- That’s more than 4 times the price of a Hamilton Kahki
- Almost 3 times the cost of a CW12
- 1.5 times as much as a Longines Conquest
My SKX runs +/-3 seconds while my 2 seiko divers are all over the place, Kinda stopped caring since I don’t wear them every day.
Cheaper movements need to be tuned carefully. Seiko can and does make one of the most accurate mechanical movements in the world, the Grand Seiko.
https://www.grand-seiko.com/us-en/collections
It is 100% mechanical watch driven by a flywheel whose accuracy is regulated by an electromagnet connected to a crystal. Accuracy is typically +/-1 sec per day.
The Quartz Tuna is +/- 0.5 sec per day.
The cheap movements like the NHxxx https://calibercorner.com/seiko-caliber-nh34/
Are in I can’t even estimate how many watches. A great many. It’s accuracy from the factory as you can see is +40/-20 sec per day. The movement however CAN be tuned to +/- 10 sec per day but it is a mass produced watch and time is money. The other thing is that this watch has a general lifetime of around 10-15 years. It’s cheaper to just replace the movement than to have it serviced. Movement is around $40-$60
There are 26 calibers of Seiko watches. The upper range would be Presage and then Prospex and the top being Grand Seiko. So it really depends on the particular watch and the particular movement.