tony p
567
The Seiko Spring Drive, at least, has no batteries or capacitors...
...as far as I can determine.
Energy is stored in a traditional mainspring, released through a traditional gear train, and converted into -
- electric current (to feed the microelectronics and quartz regulator);
- magnetic flux (generated by a pair of coils, and acting on an iron "stator" disc, mounted coaxially with the drive wheel).
The coils themselves would, I imagine, not be too difficult to replicate. The concern here would be the microelectronics. Oh, you say, Seiko are a huge company - they have the resources to guarantee supply of such parts for ever!
Not. As I stated in the thread Bernard alludes to above, Omega no longer stock the microelectronic control unit for their Time Computer, an historically important electronic watch if ever there was one. If Omega can't source one, then I imagine Pulsar (the actual manufacturer of the movement) probably can't either.
Thus it would appear that the world's first LED-display watch is essentially unserviceable as of 2008. I believe original Pulsars change hands for tens of thousands of dollars. Sadly, in the light of the above information I would rate that as a risky investment.
As for the Spring Drive...who knows?
Cheers
Tony P
Concerns about mechanical driven capacitor watches. Seiko, Citizen, Ventura.
Bernard, for a quartz watch to last 10-20 years...
Seiko parts availability: 10 years
