Watches - another OCD problem
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And I was right. According to this posting:
Question
The Grand Seiko Spring Drive Automatic with a 9R65A movement was introduced last year in Japan. Grand Seiko calibers are all 9 series these days. How does the 5R movement compare with the 9R65A movement used in the Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches which were introduced in 2004? Is the 5 series designation pure marketing or are there some functional differences?
Answer
Here's an official e-mail reply I got from Seiko’s U.S. executive offices on May 17, 2005:
I have the exact quote from an expert in our Tokyo office regarding your movement question pertaining to Spring Drive.
The 9R65 movement is used only for Grand Seiko. The only difference between 9R and 5R is the finish of the rotor bridge and shape of the rotor. As an example, striped pattern bridge for 9R and circular pattern for 5R. Processing method and time are same so it is difficult for us to judge which is better between them. However, in terms of technical modifications and improvements 9R and 5R is same.
You can also find the answer in other seiko watch forums. The same applies to Emperor Tuna and MM300 that have the grand seiko movement without the finishing touch. Cheers.
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IWC have just announced their new Big Pilot's Heritage Watches, which will be formally unveiled at SIHH in a few weeks.
There are two models, a 48 mm with an eight day 4 Hz (28,800 bph) manual wind movement, an a 55 mm with a 2.5 Hz (18,000 bph) calibre. Both have titanium cases, with a soft iron Faraday cage to protect against magnetism, and 60 metre water resistance.
To put them in context, here are some historic pilot's watches. I don't know about the one on the left, but the one in the middle is an enormous WW2 Luftwaffe timepiece, and on the right is the original IWC Mark XI.
I'm quite keen on the 48 mm, which is a more wearable size, and has a better movement.
More at aBlogToWatch or Monochrome Watches.
Last year IWC announced the Connect, a basic smartwatch / fitness tracker module, launching initially with the pilot's watches. I wonder if it's still pending, as it'd make for a potentially useful add-on for the above.
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Casio Smartwatch, powered by Android, via aBlogToWatch.
I find things like this far more interesting than developments at the haute horologie end of the spectrum. There's a sense of something new, or failing that remixed, whereas the traditional watchmakers are obsessed with tourbillons!
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I posted a while ago about my G-Shock frogman watch 'DW-8200-1B '
Sold a while ago due to my worsening eyesight and not being able to see the digital display,
just bought 2 new watches.
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Oris have announced the Carl Brashear limited edition. It's a version of their gorgeous Sixtyfive diver, but in a slightly larger bronze case.
More at Monochrome.
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That is the prettiest Oris I've seen in a long time. Price is reasonable, too. That said, I think making a dive watch with only 100 meter water resistance is a questionable decision.
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A friend of a friend was after an IWC Portugieser Automatic last year, and I was keeping an eye on prices. I don't know what happened in the end, but I reckoned he should get the Anniversary edition instead, as it's probably the nicest watch that they make.
I saw one whilst out yesterday, so snapped a picture for my friend to pass on. It uses the same movement as the Big Pilot I was eyeing up the other day, though the case is a bit smaller. I really like it, and I think it'd work well in both casual and dressy settings.
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These days, it seems like 43mm is mid-range, though I think the size tide is turning. I usually feel comfortable in the 40-44 range, personally. I expect a big guy like Graeme could go up to 46 or so and still have it look reasonable, not like a can of tuna strapped to his wrist.
