Seiko 9R65, 9R15 manual History of Spring Drive, INTRODUCTION - Spring drive watch, English

■INTRODUCTION - Spring drive watch –

Thank you for purchasing the Grand Seiko Spring Drive automatic winding Model.

The Spring Drive is Seiko’s unique mechanism in which the mainspring is wound by the natural motions of the user and accuracy is controlled by a microelectronics quartz mechanism while using the unwinding power of the mainspring to move the hands.

The Spring Drive powered by natural motions of the user can be called a watch that strongly combines and connects the user with the latest advancements in technology.

A mechanical watch of taste and refinement with an accuracy equivalent to a quartz watch, this sophisticated and innovative watch ticks in step with the pace of a person’s life.

This is a watch that creates a lifestyle for modern individuals who seek affluence and convenience in their life.

That is what the Grand Seiko Spring Drive automatic winding model is all about.

History of Spring Drive

Decades-long dream lives in the Grand Seiko

Grand Seiko’s history symbolizes the culmination of efforts and development aiming for better practical watches.

The Grand Seiko watch was born in 1960, reached the very top in the mechanical watch field around the world at the end of the 1960’s. After a hiatus of dozen years or so, in 1993, the Grand Seiko 9F series equipped with world-class quartz movement was released. In 1998, the 9S series mechanical movement that combined traditional craftsmanship and advanced technology was developed to reintroduce the Grand Seiko mechanical caliber. While using the unwinding power of the mainspring as its sole power source, the new mechanism Spring Drive realizes an average monthly rate of ±15 seconds (For Cal. 9R15, ±10 seconds), substantially exceeding the accuracy of conventional mechanical watches. The watch also embodies the concepts of Grand Seiko that continues the challenge of creating the best practical watch.

1960	●	Released the first Grand Seiko.
1964	●	Participated in the Neuchatel Observatory Competition in Switzerland
		for the first time.
1968	●	Released Japan’s first automatic winding 10-beat model, 61GS.
1968	●	Won the first prize in the mechanical wrist chronometer category of
		the Geneva Observatory Competition in Switzerland.
1978	●	Filed a patent for the Spring Drive mechanism for the first time.
1982	●	Filed a patent for the Spring Drive mechanism (registered). Started
		initial development.
1988	●	Released the first Grand Seiko quartz caliber.
1993	●	Started the second development of the Spring Drive.
	●	Released the Grand Seiko 9F series equipped with world-class
		quartz movement.
1997	●	Started the third development of the Spring Drive.
	●	Released technological announcement of the Spring Drive at the
		Swiss Society of Chronometry (SSC).
1998	●	Exhibited the Spring Drive at BASELWORLD.
	●	Released the Grand Seiko 9S series mechanical caliber combining
		traditional craftsmanship and advanced technology.
1999	●	Released the manual-winding Spring Drive (CAL.7R68) limited
		edition from SEIKO.
2000	●	Started the fourth development of the Spring Drive.
2002	●	Released the manual-winding Spring Drive (CAL.7R88) from CREDOR.
2004	●	Released the Grand Seiko automatic winding Spring Drive (CAL.9R65).

English

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