Seiko

SEIKO PROFILE SERIES: AUTOMATIC COLUMN WHEEL CHRONOGRAPH

 

The bezel is retained by two brackets that are fastened by screws into the side of the case.

The front, domed crystal has anti-glare coating.

The chrono pushers operate normally with the threaded collars turned in (above) and lock when the collars are (unscrewed) to the outer position.

When I press on the start/stop pusher, the lever is lifted out of the castellations on the column wheel. 

And here's a look through the case back.

NOTE: This is the basis upon which TAG Heuer developed their 1887 movement. President Jean-Christophe Babin explains, “The intellectual property was from Seiko Instruments (SII), which is the engineering company under the Seiko umbrella. Their prime client in watches is Seiko and in 1997, they developed a patent for a new chronograph. When we decided to launch our own chronograph programme, we looked at all the chronographs on the market and the one from SII was the one that fit our needs the best, especially because it featured an oscillating pinion, an invention by Edouard Heuer in 1887. It was also a perfect match for our existing range of chronographs... Rather than [trying to get] around the patent, as other companies might have done, we contacted SII, said you have a great patent, which hasn’t been used very much, so we acquired the intellectual property and elaborated on it. We had the broad freedom to develop our own caliber. Caliber 1887 is our caliber, based on that intellectual property, we have industrialized it, which is the toughest part – being capable of producing the high quality standard at reasonable cost, which is really a tough challenge. We redesigned the movement, following the patent, leading to a movement with different dimensions; the plate is bigger, we have reduced the thickness, and we may add some modules for complications in the future."

That's history, so let's go back to the front of the watch. I love its complicated but business-like look. I'm not sure why; I have pondered this a number of times.

The watch came on a bracelet, but since I didn't have a bracelet tool at work when it arrived, I put on this strap "temporarily." Ten years later and the watch is still on the same strap (Thanks Timefactors). I dug out the bracelet for this post. Here's what the watch was intended to look like.

The links are nicely brushed, with an interesting pattern of shapes.

The buckle is nothing too special but it is brushed on the top surfaces and polished on the sides.

Someday I might put it on.

The supporting materials and packaging get the job done with no nonsense or luxury.

And here's an action shot to finish this profile.

Does anyone out there have one of this family of chronographs? This message has been edited by cazalea on 2014-03-18 14:33:24