Quote:
Originally Posted by jag32
I’ve been collecting for years, I have multiple Pateks, AP, Vacheron, etc. and whether justified or not, I always just lumped Seiko in with the others like Casio and Timex. But over the years I kept hearing well respected collectors refer to Seiko and I just never really understood it. Can someone on here please explain to me the allure of Seiko to someone who is a WIS. What makes Seiko special? Why do people with Pateks etc. also collect Seiko? Please explain to me what I’ve been missing in my collecting all these years. What are the most popular Seiko pieces?
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What makes Seiko special? Performance, innovation and quality.
Pick up a Credor, any of the favorites you mention plus a loupe, then compare. You'll quickly discover that's unfair, so step down to a Grand Seiko and repeat. After detecting equivalent or even superior dial and hands work on the Grand Seiko models, examine movements. Bridge and plate edges & polish, screw countersinks, screws themselves, perlage and striping. Then look at prices.
If the respective movements were disassembled and examined under even microscopes, the Grand Seiko movements fare quite well. The biggest difference will be the absence of gold rotors for Seikos.
Turn to movement accuracy, reliability and durability; all Seiko movements match or often outperform their competitors in each price range. Inexpensive Seiko automatics (a $100 watch or less) will run reliably and accurately every day for 10-15 years with no service. The higher up the food chain, the better the features and durability.
Only two manufacturers make 5 beat automatics anymore, Seiko and Zenith (
the movement Rolex used in Daytonas for a long time, but SLOWED DOWN beats)
Seiko's Spring Drive is the most accurate mainspring driven movement in the world by a BIG margin.
Rolex are admired
- correctly
- for making strong & durable watches. Under equivalent use, impacts will be resisted even better by a Grand Seiko, any two equivalent models (meaning size and complications).
Moving down the range to mid level Seikos, 8-10 of them can be bought for the price of 1 (one) Rolex for example, yet approach the quality, accuracy, reliability and durability of many watches which cost 5 to 7 times as much.
Find a GS dealer, go look. Doubt every word I've just written.