It has been a while... Here is my watch up close

pwnell · Post by **pwnell** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 9:47 am

I am always astounded by the level of detail and precision we can achieve in manipulating the minerals earth provides to produce something as elegant as a mechanical watch (yes, I know this is spring drive but it is still 99% mechanical).

Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE by Waldo Nell, on Flickr
Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE (Makro - Canon 5DsR + 100mm F2.8 IS Lens)

Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE by Waldo Nell, on Flickr
Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE rear (Makro - Canon 5DsR + 100mm F2.8 IS Lens)

Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE by Waldo Nell, on Flickr
Grand Seiko Watch, 4x*1.25, EPI-POL, HF A

Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE by Waldo Nell, on Flickr
Grand Seiko Watch, 4x*1.25, EPI-POL

Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE by Waldo Nell, on Flickr
Grand Seiko Watch, 4x, EPI-KL, HF A + Pano

Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE by Waldo Nell, on Flickr
Grand Seiko Watch, 4x, EPI-KL, HF A

Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE by Waldo Nell, on Flickr
Grand Seiko Watch, 4x, EPI-KL

Grand Seiko SBGE033G Watch LE by Waldo Nell, on Flickr
Grand Seiko Watch, 2x*1.25, EPI-KL

Saul · Post by **Saul** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:22 am

Impressive photos/light

Jacek · Post by **Jacek** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 12:44 pm

Waldo super photos !

harisA · Post by **harisA** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 2:44 pm

Your images with 4x objective through the thick protective synthetic sapphire at the back of watch are looking good. With a 10x objective you will certainly see significant deterioration.
Really impressive watch with a price tag of a rolex or omega.

pwnell · Post by **pwnell** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 2:54 pm

harisA wrote:Your images with 4x objective through the thick protective synthetic sapphire at the back of watch are looking good. With a 10x objective you will certainly see significant deterioration.
Really impressive watch with a price tag of a rolex or omega.

Thanks. The real crazy thing is the Japanese... This watch is supposed to have an accuracy similar to a quartz watch: ±15 seconds a month. Thing is, it does not do that. It is closer to ±1 second per 2 months. Spring drive is pretty cool.

mawyatt · Post by **mawyatt** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:27 pm

Great images of a wonderful subject!! The precision and workmanship at this tiny detail is quite amazing.

Agree with Saul, your lighting is superb!!

Best,

Mike

vasselle · Post by **vasselle** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:34 pm

Bonjour
Époustouflant comme images
Cordialement seb

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:41 pm

Wonderful images!

From what I read at https://grand-seiko.us.com/about/moveme ... rive/9r66/ , the time-keeping mechanism actually is a quartz watch, with the 32,786 Hz reference signal generated by a quartz oscillator using electrical power derived from mechanical movement instead of a battery.

Spring Drive is a unique watch technology that combines the power derived from a mainspring with the high accuracy of an electronic watch. Like all other mechanical watches, Spring Drive uses the energy generated by the movement of the wearer’s wrist to move the hands, but it also uses this to create electrical energy that powers a unique regulator that is up to ten times more accurate than any traditional escapement.

The Tri-synchro regulator combines three types of power:

1. Mechanical power (to generate and store energy in a mainspring)
2. Electrical power (to activate an IC and quartz oscillator)
3. Magnetism (to apply a brake to the hands via a rotor/stator)

Further details at https://grand-seiko.us.com/about/movement/springdrive/ . It's a very interesting hybrid system.

--Rik

harisA · Post by **harisA** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:25 pm

acceptable loss/gain for a high end mechanical watch movement is -/+4 seconds per day
For a high end quartz watch -/+2sec per month!

A Grand SeiKo can achieve +/-10sec per year.

pwnell · Post by **pwnell** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:36 pm

rjlittlefield wrote:the time-keeping mechanism actually is a quartz watch

Yes - but only the synchronization logic. There is still a spring that winds down and moves the hands. The quartz crystal just drives the solenoid that slows down this unwinding. Best of both worlds.

CEN · Post by **CEN** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:54 pm

I still prefer "Glashütte Original", although I can just afford a Swiss-made ETA-Caliber, processed in Glashütte by Union...........

The precision of such watches does not really matter..........

I like the Grand Seiko!

Regards

Christian

hkv · Post by **hkv** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 3:40 pm

Very nice images! And a nice watch!

houstontx · Post by **houstontx** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 9:32 pm

if you like watches AND microscopes then you will love this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzrwSslXcRU

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:38 pm

... incredible watch with photo(s) to match.

-JW:

Marek Mis · Post by **Marek Mis** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 3:50 am

Perfect images ! I like the 3 th and the 5 th the most.

Marek