A closer look at the innovative Seiko Spring Drive.
From the simple stepwise staccato tick of a quartz watch to the continuous beating of the mechanical timepiece, the movements of a timepiece is the result of its key components and mechanism. Watches powered by the Seiko Spring Drive, however, are characterised by the smooth, silent, continuous sweep of the second hand.
Before discussing this innovation, let’s take a brief look at the history of watchmaking.
Chronologically speaking, mechanical watches have been in existence for over 600 years. Horologically speaking, most believe that the first clock was built around 1386, and stands at the Salisbury Cathedral in England. Others contend that the oldest clock stands in the Beauvais Cathedral in Chioggia, Italy. Over six centuries, there have been astounding modifications and progress in the watchmaking industry, but fundamentally, the wheels, gears and cogs have remained the same; the mainspring and the escapement remain the beating heart of the timepiece. These, regardless of beat frequency, power reserve and the number of complications, would still generate a seemingly continuous yet intermittent motion of the second hand.
Most of us are aware of the Quartz Crisis, which is by far the most significant adversity in the history of watchmaking. By 1983, the crisis reached a critical point. The introduction of quartz watches saw a reduction in traditional mechanical watch production, and the number of watchmakers in the Swiss watch industry (which focused on the latter) declined from 1,600 watchmakers in 1970 to less than 600 by 1983. Seiko, Citizen and Casio were the main watch companies that not only introduced the quartz electromechanical movements but also replaced analogue displays with digital displays. The quartz crystal mechanism results in the stiff staccato one-second beat of the second hand movement.
Quartz movements have unparalleled time keeping accuracy, but they require batteries for power – and therefore may not be the ideal choice for long expeditions. In contrast, while mechanical watches may “live” forever, they tend to be less accurate timekeepers.
Fast forward to 2005, Seiko engineer Yoshikazu Akahane succeeds, after 28 years and 600 prototypes, to create a timepiece that combines the best of both mechanical and quartz watchmaking.
Instead of a traditional escapement, the mechanical watch has its mainspring, gears, wheels and cogs integrated with an electronic regulator and a high-precision integrated circuit control system.
This system is known as the Tri-syncho regulator, which harnesses three types of power:
- Mechanical power – generated through the rotor and mainspring, mechanical power rotates the glide wheel at eight revolutions per second (which is too fast;
- Electrical power – at the centre of the glide wheel is a permanent magnet that rotates between two electromagnets (a pair of wire-wrapped coils). By Faraday’s law, this acts as an electrical generator that sends an electric current to the integrated circuit and quartz crystal;
- Electromagnetic power – the electric current passing through the quartz crystal causes it to oscillate at exactly 32,768 Hz per second. Electrical energy is transmitted back to the integrated circuit, which in turn powers the electromagnet. Speed regulation happens here: As the glide wheel rotates too quickly, the electromagnet applies an exact brake force (based on the oscillation frequency of the quartz crystal) on the glide wheel to slow it down.
Call it a hybrid if you wish, but the result of this innovative Tri-syncho regulator is a precise, accurate and smooth sweep of the second hand, perfectly timed to each second.
With it, time flows continuously, seamlessly, and uninterrupted.
Calibre 9R65 & Grand Seiko SBGA211 [Grand Seiko Heritage Collection].
Artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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