closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Results 1 to 27 of 27

Thread: Something different incoming

  1. #1
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1

    Something different incoming



    Seiko solid siver pocket watch with original ditto chain & clip.
    The seconds hand slides smoothly over the snowflake-like dial.

    The blueish ring is just reflection of sort; to the naked eye there is nothing blue there.

  2. #2
    Craftsman Sulie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    South Wales
    Posts
    955
    Seiko solid siver pocket watch with original ditto chain & clip.
    The seconds hand slides smoothly over the snowflake-like dial.

    The blueish ring is just reflection of sort; to the naked eye there is nothing blue there.[/QUOTE]

    Gorgous piece . ... and on a logo stand !!??

  3. #3
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1

    Different lighting


  4. #4
    The logo looks like the Elnix one, so is it an electronic watch (ie not mech or quartz) ? I assume the serial number is accessible - early 70s ?

  5. #5
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Sulie View Post
    Gorgous piece . ... and on a logo stand !!??
    Lego yes ;-)

    From what I hear the heavy silver case and smooth movement of the seconds hand over the textured dial make it different.

    It is an example of a VERY odd model line: At the time Seiko put the latest of their Elnix calibers in very well made and highly finished watches of the GS level, which they had just discontinued.
    Totally not what we would expect. Appearantly they saw the electric as a high end movement. I can follow the logic but it does clash with the current ' luxury mechanical' perception.
    All in all a VERY interesting watch which I am glad to have found.

  6. #6
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by rsykes2000 View Post
    The logo looks like the Elnix one, so is it an electronic watch (ie not mech or quartz) ? I assume the serial number is accessible - early 70s ?
    Yes, Elnix cal. 0702A.
    Their last generation lelectric with transitors to avoid sparking.

    The case was produced november 1973.
    Even the chain is solid silver!
    It has a screw down rear lid.

  7. #7
    I quite like that - I'd always associated pocket watches with mechanical, so interesting to see Seiko doing it differently.

  8. #8
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Tam View Post
    I quite like that - I'd always associated pocket watches with mechanical, so interesting to see Seiko doing it differently.
    Ah, but there have been and are all types of calibers inside. From electric to accutron and at the moment even tc quartz (Citizen Exceed)-

    This particular one is as I wrote a clear cut example of Seiko putting the Elnix in a hígh end watch. Odd from today´s pov but quite understandeable from a technical view point.

    With the last of the GS calibers for as far as they were concerned they had reached the end of the limits of the performance of the escapement mechanism. This is why they in the light of the emerging quartz technology had discontinued the Grand Seiko line.

    The Elnix lacks that limiting escapement mechanism and álso has the main spring replaced by a more constant drive I can thus follow the logic of continuing in this direction.
    Remember that at the time they were still exploring other ways to eliminate the escapement mechanism. Per example the sd concept, which was dug out from the mothballs 20 years later to met the mechanical fashion.
    It also explains the micro regulator which does not realy match with our present day perception of electric movements.

    Ditto the case/dial manufacturing as the guy (it was realy thát small scale!) who had made the special GS hardware had his hands free.

    It was the same at Citizen as in 1971 the X8 electric was outpriced by ONE mechanical only:the top of the range Chrono Master - the Special Officially Certified Superior Chrono Master.
    At Seiko it seems that the Elnix to some extent filled in the gap left by GS.
    Last edited by Huertecilla; 21st January 2014 at 19:28.

  9. #9
    Master Kakadu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Arganil, Portugal
    Posts
    1,235
    Very nice indeed - the chain is superb as well.....now you need a nicely embroidered waistcoat!

  10. #10
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Kakadu View Post
    Very nice indeed - the chain is superb as well.....now you need a nicely embroidered waistcoat!
    Actually I have several waistcoats; velvet, brocade, suede, incl. embroidered and all.
    Not a bad idea to have a few cleaned and wear them when I am back on weight. Another nice motivation! Thanks

  11. #11
    Grand Master Daddelvirks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Leiden- Netherlands
    Posts
    39,813
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Huertecilla View Post
    Actually I have several waistcoats; velvet, brocade, suede, incl. embroidered and all.
    Not a bad idea to have a few cleaned and wear them when I am back on weight. Another nice motivation! Thanks
    Interesting find Petrus.
    Especially when sitting inside a pocket watch.
    Those watches go well with a big belly, bit Dickens period like......

    Daddel
    Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!

  12. #12
    Grand Master Velorum's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    .
    Posts
    14,132
    An interesting looking watch

    Where did you find it?

  13. #13
    Master NenoS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Karlovac, Croatia
    Posts
    1,426
    Wonderful piece.
    Congrats.

  14. #14
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    An interesting looking watch

    Where did you find it?
    In the web-shop of a seller with watches on ebay.


    Have meanwhile found confirmation that Seiko indeed saw it as a stop-gap at the high end between the in their perception outdeveloped mechanicals and the still ultra costly quartz technology and had Daini Seikosha (now SII) put them in high quality cases.
    When they can sell their highly accurate twin quartz technology at the same price, the Elnix is binned. Unfortunately they do not continue the precious-metal-smithing of special cases.




    I have lóóóóng desired a such crafted vintage GS but those were simply beyond my set limit as they fetch a serious uplift.
    This Elnix comes close enough with a smooth gliding seconds hand as übercool bonus with the price bonus of electric instead of the extra of gold and GS.

  15. #15
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Daddelvirks View Post
    Interesting find Petrus.
    Especially when sitting inside a pocket watch.
    Those watches go well with a big belly, bit Dickens period like......

    Daddel
    I personally find a pocket watch particularly well suited for sitting in the rhs small pocket insert of your jeans under the casual smart jacket.

    Last edited by Huertecilla; 21st January 2014 at 22:57.

  16. #16
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1

    The intimate details




    Source; crazywatches.pl

  17. #17
    Grand Master Daddelvirks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Leiden- Netherlands
    Posts
    39,813
    Blog Entries
    1
    Very nice finishing.

    How long does a battery last on those?

    Daddel.
    Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!

  18. #18
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Way more than multi-barrel main springs and driving more constant.

    For hów long I don´t know Daddel. My guesstimate could be way off in either direction but at least the months instead of the days of a multi-barrel.

  19. #19
    That is beautiful. I have a 'thing' for pocket watches.

    Congratulations on a great find!

    Also, love the Lego stand. I'll be raiding the kids Lego to make some myself!

  20. #20
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1

    About plastic

    Yes, I like the Lego too.
    It adds a refreshingly relativating touch.

    Mentioning plastics, another interesting detail is the ' white plastic' movement ring.

    It is a piece of Delrin which at the time was an expensive wonder material with indeed very attractive properties without the slightest risc of seizing, oxidation or cathodic corrosion.
    It realy IS an ideal material to make a movement spacer from and even more so when there is a battery inside. It was at that time per example also used by Jaeger Le Coultre in their then high end quartz watches.

    Again a sign of the time, the timeS plural in fact because back then is was perceived an ideal material for a quality solution, whereas now we perceive it as a cheap substandard.

  21. #21
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1

    'Seen' only three, sofar.

    I know of one in the collection of an scwf member and than there is this pristine one for sale http://www.antiwatchman.com/J-7574

  22. #22
    Master
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    uk
    Posts
    1,457
    Very very nice indeed and a bargain in many respects.

  23. #23
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by AlexM View Post
    Very very nice indeed and a bargain in many respects.
    I paid considerably less still.

    There are a lot more collectors of higher end japanese watches in Japan and even though there are less such watches outside of Japan, they are totally in the shadow of Swiss stuff, so the least common ones tend to be cheaper outside of Japan.

  24. #24
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1

    For the few interested

    I have been looking at the design and workings of the Elnix again and like the ESA9150, Citizen Cosmotron, as it realy IS a step up from the traditional all mechanical.

    When one cares to look at it a bit better is becomes clear that from the escapement wheel on, it is all the same as the now so revered mechanicals.
    It also shares the balance spring and -wheel. Even the frequency of the wiggly spring is the same!

    So what is the difference.
    The difference is really only eliminating the two bottle necks;
    1. The escapement mechanism
    2. The main spring

    These two result in thé performance limiting factor:
    The main spring holds a (variying with the state of wind) force on the cogs driving the escapement wheel.
    The escapement mechanism holds this force down to a speed governed by the frequency of the balance spring.
    Without that braking action the spring would instantly wind down, whizzing the hands over the dial.

    The electric does not work this way:
    The balance wheel is both kept in motion, at the frequency of the balance spring, by - and switches the movement of the ancre magnet of a coil. The battery does nothing but put electrical tension on the coil.
    In the above mentioned calibers permanent magnetism of the balance wheel literally indúces the movement of the ancre wheel to driving the entire movement.
    There is NO physical contact, No FRICTION in the balance mechanism, NO FORCE on any gears other than the minimum needed to drive the hands.

    In the generation of these calibers, the switches are transistorised and the electrical current flowing is electronically minimised.

    From a technical pov it really ís a step up from the main spring driven escape mechanism.
    It is just that the quartz cristal oscilator is a far more stable oscilator than the hair spring/ balance wheel.

    For those interested in reading up from basic explanations to nitty gritty I have here a link to a pdf with The electric watch repair manual by Henry B Fried:

    http://www.ehorology.com/ebooks/Elec...pairManual.pdf

  25. #25
    Craftsman Sulie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    South Wales
    Posts
    955
    For those interested in reading up from basic explanations to nitty gritty I have here a link to a pdf with The electric watch repair manual by Henry B Fried:

    http://www.ehorology.com/ebooks/Elec...pairManual.pdf[/QUOTE]

    Absolutly fantastic... 114 pages of execellent reading ... I have printed off ready for digestion

  26. #26
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Spain
    Posts
    23,658
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Sulie View Post

    Absolutly fantastic... 114 pages of execellent reading ... I have printed off ready for digestion
    You´re welcome.
    Enjoy the read!

  27. #27
    Master
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    uk
    Posts
    1,457
    Quote Originally Posted by Huertecilla View Post
    I paid considerably less still.

    There are a lot more collectors of higher end japanese watches in Japan and even though there are less such watches outside of Japan, they are totally in the shadow of Swiss stuff, so the least common ones tend to be cheaper outside of Japan.
    More fool them,they don't know what they're missing. Wear in good health.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information