Grand Seiko..Spring Drive more expensive than 9F quartz by almost £2k.

[Dave in Wales]

By £1950......Just wondered why that was?

Spring Drive £4700...
https://www.berrysjewellers.co.uk/wa...t-watch-p18293

9F Quartz £2750..
https://www.berrysjewellers.co.uk/wa...t-watch-p18295

Both have a handful of mechanical bits and a handful of electronics.

Both are 40mm, therefore I would have expected the case, hands, dial, date ring and bracelet to be the same or similar.

The integrated circuits, from the schematics I've seen, appear to be equally complicated, and both have a quartz crystal, the same or similar

Both are Grand Seiko, so the fit and finish should also be the same.

I realise that one is battery driven the other automatic, but why the £1950 difference ?

[verv]

I think the battery driven vs mechanically driven is the answer.
Batt variants are usually cheaper than auto winding models in most brand lineups.

[hughtrimble]

I think the 'handful of mechanical bits' slightly undersells things, but I agree it's quite the price difference.

I'd still pay the extra for the SD though, they're really quite gorgeous things to see work, especially with a display back.

[abraxas]

By £1950......Just wondered why that was?

.....

Because that is what the market is prepared to pay.

[Jim W]

I am certainly not the best person to answer this question.... I own three Spring Drive Seiko's and they are awesome. Seiko's Spring Drive is surely one of the finest watch movements in the world. There are various versions. Most have 50 jewels and 72 hours power reserve. Spring drive cannot be compared to a 9F quartz movement. The Spring Drive is a very complex self winding mechanical movement with the mainspring controlled by a quartz oscillator. I will leave it to other more knowledgeable members to explain it further.

[ryanb741]

The 9F85 Superquartz movement is IMHO the best movement they do. I think GS underprices their quartz movements as that's what the market seems to think they are worth(i.e. the irrational view that quartz is inferior to mechanical). That being said there is something quite magical about the smooth sweep of a SD seconds hand and like an earlier poster I'm ok paying for that even if value-wise I would be paying more for an inferior watch!

[M1011]

Purely based on perception I imagine. Quartz = cheaper, right?

Got to agree with Ryan though. I'm seriously considering adding a GS to my own humble collection again, and it would certainly be a 9F quartz. Not that I don't like their high-beat and spring-drive movements too, I just think the 9F is quite special.

[JGJG]

I think it’s down to market norms. I would pay a premium for their quartz over their sd... a platonically perfect time keeping device :)

[ralphy]

Clue?



R

[Shubs]

I've always had the impression that Seiko saved their special dials for the Spring Drive and Hi Beat models and so I've always assumed there are small quality differences in other parts too, such as case and hands, but perhaps that's wrong.

[JGJG]

I've always had the impression that Seiko saved their special dials for the Spring Drive and Hi Beat models and so I've always assumed there are small quality differences in other parts too, such as case and hands, but perhaps that's wrong.

They have an awful lot of nice dials in the 9F range, particularly jdm models using the SBGX001 case shape.

[notenoughwrists]

https://www.grand-seiko.com/global-e...ovement/quartz



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[higham5]

I feel its a posters have alluded to above, differential prices based on market perception. Seiko dont work on a simple cost plus model they position a watch price wise based on what they think it will achieve in the marketplace .

Remember about 5/6 years ago Omega increased the selling prices of its new mechanical releases to move substantially away from their quartz range, then promptly pulled the ladder up behind the mechanical models.

Just my thoughts

Steve

[PreacherCain]

Agreed, I think it's nothing to do with intrinsic value and everything to do with what people will pay. Fundamentally, of course, you can apply that to the entire watch world - if we were all actuated by intrinsic value we would only buy radio-controlled solar G-shocks. After all, they're super accurate, highly functional and virtually indestructible in any human-survivable context I can think of. Any mechanical watch is objectively a worse time-keeper and less durable: the minute we start paying over G-Shock money for a watch which performs worse, logic has taken a back seat to desire.

As it happens, I think the Spring Drive movement is a really intriguing and unique bit of horology, and I love mine; the 9Fs are equally impressive, but personally I have no issue with the price differential.

[Neil.C]

Well, they are both quartz.

[ryanb741]

That being said the new GMT Quartzes are being offered at a smidge under £5k which I'm going out on a limb here and saying is 'lively' price-wise.

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[cirotti]

That being said the new GMT Quartzes are being offered at a smidge under £5k which I'm going out on a limb here and saying is 'lively' price-wise.

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Apparently only 17 will land in UK...actually, 3 have been sold already!!

[JGJG]

They look fab all the same. But yep, strong money :/

[abraxas]

Well, they are both quartz.

The 9F is quartz. The spring drive is a "hybrid", part quartz and part mechanical.

[Tiny]

Well, they are both quartz.

Spring drive is quartz and mechanical simultaneously. A unique design. Everyone should have one in their collection for completeness.

[Neil.C]

The 9F is quartz. The spring drive is a "hybrid", part quartz and part mechanical.

I realise that, hence the wink.