If you’re a regular reader, I’m willing to bet that your views around quartz timekeeping will be pretty negative. After all, this is a technology that was (almost) responsible for the downfall of mechanical watches. But, as you’re about to find out, not all quartz watches were created equal. Sure, there’s the cheap and cheerful plastic contraptions that consist of battery, circuit board and a very big spacer. And then there’s the 9F. Seiko pioneered quartz technology with the release of the Astron back in 1969, and they’ve innovated ever since. Of all their many achievements in the field, one of the most impressive is the 9F, introduced in 1993 as part of Grand Seiko’s quartz line. Simply put, it’s a true, high-end quartz movement, treated with the same level of care and precision as a traditional mechanical movement. Hand-assembled, with 133 parts, an aged quartz crystal, which is paired with a specifically programmed integrated circuit, for optimal accuracy. Not to mention the sealed, finely aligned coil block. The date wheel shifts in 1/2000th of a second, and the whole thing can go for 50 years without needing lubrication. And on the accuracy front, it’s good for +/- 10 seconds…
The post HANDS-ON: High-end quartz – Grand Seiko celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 9F with two limited editions (SBGT241 and SBGV238) appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
