Tag: Watch movements

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Seiko Replica

HANDS-ON with replica Seiko’s rareIzul

Sometimes it feels as though the world of high-end Seikos is a niche ‘connoisseurs’ club where the assumption is that, by and large, the average replica watch enthusiast (let alone the average punter) has no idea of the existence of these replica watches. The fact that some of them (especially the Grand Seikos) are quite unassuming adds to this almost clubby feeling. Their scarcity in many worldwide markets (not to mention the ‘Japan only’ models that are difficult to find out about, let alone obtain) adds another layer to their aura.

One of these Seiko lines, about which I’ve written before, is the Spring Drive. Within the Spring Drive line there was, for a brief two years between 2007 and 2009, a series of models called Izul, the only known Spring Drives that used the automatic Calibre 5R85 (49 jewels) sans GMT function, with a power reserve of 72 hours.

Izul was Seiko’s fourth ‘premium brand’, the others being Grand Seiko, Credor and Galante. Its 2007 launch coincided with the market debut of the Spring Drive chronograph. Seiko’s intent was that Izul be an exclusive line of innovative high end Spring Drive chronographs, but they did not prove to be popular with the Japanese market design wise, size wise, and price point wise. Basically, it was doomed. By 2008 it was clear that the Izul brand was not going to take off, especially in light of the new Ananta line, so it was terminated in 2009, making the models rare collectibles and not very well-known ones at that.

The cases were a retro bullhead type design, playing homage to the stopwatches that Seiko developed for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. They are big, but as with many bullheads, they don’t actually feel that large on the wrist, and the use of titanium also helps in terms of wearability.

The Izul collection was composed of two models:

1. Those with a rotating case (SDAA001 or SDAA007) (white or black dial)
2. Those without a rotating case (SDAA003 or SDAA005) (white or black dial)

The SDAA001/ SDAA07 are 51.0mm in diameter with a thickness of 14.2mm and the SDAA003/ SDAA005 are a smaller 47.2mm with a thickness of 14.4mm

The Izul in this post is the SDAA001 with the funky rotating case. To me, this is the distinctive appeal of the Izuls, and the more interesting version for that.

The case can be turned the full 360 degrees. Yes, that means that the chrono can be upside down or the time keeping mode upside down, whichever way you choose to look at it (no pun intended). You can see a quick demonstration of the rotation and chrono in this video :

Here are some of the instructions that came with the replica watch. Click on each image to enlarge.

For the owner, the one niggling thing about the Izul has been the rather pedestrian strap, but that is easily fixed. Other than that, this is a retro-cool replica watch with, almost counterintuitively, a groundbreaking movement. Despite its size, it is actually very wearable and sits comfortably on the wrist. Large it may be, it still manages to be fairly unassuming for such a scarce and collectable replica watch. To look at it, you’d not know what it is, or why it’s so special, but there’s something about it that demands to be worn and used.

They were available, to my knowledge, only in Japan and the Seiko Centre in Paris, so they were not only scarce, but difficult to obtain, during their production years. What was their retail price? Well the SDAA03 and SDAA005 went for 735,000 Yen and the SDAA001 and SDAA007 for 892,500 Yen. This one was approx AUD $10k, although they were not for sale in Australia.

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Swiss Replica

A truly iconic calibre – the 13ZN Replica Longines

As mentioned in the ‘who are we?‘ post, there are many types of stylish replica watch enthusiasts. A lot of them get quite excited by movements, and a subset of these are driven to find examples of iconic or important movements. One of these movements is the 13ZN, and one of these movement geeks has shared a recent acquisition with Horologium.

The Longines caliber 13ZN is one of the most sought after chronograph movements, as its development was genuinely a milestone in modern horology. With its patent first filed in 1936, the 13ZN was the first flyback chronograph, developed for flight use. If you weren’t aware, Longines has been long associated with aviation, and I have already written about the groundbreaking Weems Second Setting Replica Watch and Longines Lindbergh.

To many minds the 13ZN remains one of the most beautiful movements ever made, largely because of its column wheel design. As well as the column wheel, the manual wind 13ZN calibre has 17 jewels, bimetallic spring detent escapement with Breguet hairspring, and BPH of 18,000.

This one dates from the late 1940s and has the original hands, dial and movement, but an aftermarket 35mm case (with great looking lugs). The dial has red and black numerals with two subsdiary dials, chapter ring with minute track, telemetre (a telemetre determines the distance of an object from the observer by measuring how long it takes sound to travel that distance) and is signed “ANTI-MAGNETIQUE”. The dial is not pristine but has the great patina of a replica watch of this age, and the dark blued hands are still looking bright.

With a scarce and highly sought after movement, it’s a shame that it has to be hidden, but with its classic aesthetics of 1940s choronos and blued the hands, it’s nonetheless a very attractive replica watch externally as well.

As this is an Olympics year, it’s worth noting that Longines provided timers used at the first modern day Olympics in 1892.

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Seiko Replica

A look at a Galante SpringDrive

Seiko has many replica watch lines at all price points, many of which don’t make it to Australia, and some which do, but only in a very limited form. Launched in 2009, the Galante line/ sub-brand is, like their Spring Drive series, one of the brand’s upmarket lines and, in fact, uses Spring Drive movements as well as mechanical ones. Only sold at a limited number of retailers and Seiko boutiques, there is, in fact, a retailer in Sydney (Sydney Vintage Replica Watches, in the Strand Arcade).

You can read more about the Spring Drive movement here but this movement, introduced in 2005 was viewed by Seiko as their technically most significant development since the quartz Astron.

The Galante replica watches are immediately recognisable from their very distinctive case design. There are four large mounting screws which connect the round case to a tonneau open case back; out of the ordinary, unexpected, and whether it works or not (especially the use of two shapes) is a very subjective assessment. Does it work for me? I don’t mind the quirkiness, and can admire the thought and skill that went into this, but I don’t know whether the novelty value would wear off quickly.

This is the Galante Spring Drive SBLA037J. It has a large case, quite thick and heavy, and it is not a replica watch that can be worn by everyone. For many, it is liable to become a ding magnet as they become accustomed to the unusual case design.

With regards to the dial, the finishing is at an incredibly high standard, as it is with the Spring Drive range. Of particular note is the purple curved seconds hand, which is a feature of a number of the Galante models and particularly attractive to luxury replica watch in light of the Spring Drive movement creating such a smooth movement in this hand.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Functions : Hour, minute and second hands with calendar
Case : Stainless Steel. See through case back with sapphire crystal
Calibre : Spring Drive 5R65
Glass : Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Water resistance : 20 Bar
Power reserve : 72 hours
Jewels : 30
Strap : SBLA037J – Cordovan Strap. SBLA035J – Rubber Strap

Some of the Galante range can be quite elaborate, in terms of their dial designs (and even engraved cases), and definitely not to everyone’s tastes. There was even a limited edition (150) Japan only Astro Boy themed one in 2010.

If you’ve not ever taken a look at Galante, Spring Drive or any of the other higher end ranges from Seiko, they’re worth having a play with if you get the chance.

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Seiko Replica

Three years on : Replica Seiko’s Limited Edition Spring Drive MoonPhase

Sometimes I like to look back on a stylish replica watch a few years after its release, especially if, at the time, it was much heralded for technical and aesthetic reasons, and an award winner to boot, to see how it’s faring, and to assess whether my feelings about it have changed. This is one of those replica watches.

Having been launched in 2005, Seiko’s Spring Drive is no longer considered a novelty, and far more widely known and accessible than it was at its birth, when its availability was fairly restricted.

If you don’t know of the Spring Drive range and why it is so special, technically speaking, here’s an introductory video.

You can read more about the Quartz Astron that is mentioned at the beginning of the video, here.

In 2006, the first Spring Drive Moon Phase was released, and it proved to be the most popular design in the collection. In 2008, Seiko released a new limited edition (200) Spring Drive Moon Phase, the SNR017.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Spring Drive Moon Phase SNR017 (limited edition of 200)

CalibrE : 5R67
Case : Stainless Steel, 42.3mm
Diameter : 30mm
Thickness : 6mm
Parts : 288
Jewels : 30
Accuracy : Equivalent to +/- 1sec/ day
Power Reserve : 72 hours
Strap : Crocodile
Crystal : Sapphire with anti-reflective coating.
Water resistance : 10 Bar
Caseback : Sapphire crystal

Despite being quite an elegant timepiece, it is also a fairly robust one. The case and crystal cannot be called delicate, and it sits quite largely for a 42mm replica watch because of its thickness.

To my mind, this is arguably the most beautiful Spring Drive (limited or otherwise) produced by Seiko to date (though I am also partial to the Spacewalk). As is the brand’s habit for dress replica watches, the dial is very clean, the moon an example of a pure and pared-back design that is very modern, but not dated.

When it was released in 2008, the LE Spring Drive Moon Phase it won German replica watch magazine Uhren-Magazin’s “Golden Balance Wheel Award” in the “up to 5000 Euros” category.

A Spring Drive’s gliding hands are something that has to be seen in the flesh, if you have not seen it before. I was drawn to the look of the replica watch when I first saw it, and three years have not diminished its beauty for me.

It has proven to be a versatile replica watch, worn equally well with shirt and jeans as a suit. Functionally, it has been gliding along happily for its owner, with no problems. It has not been a safe queen. Semi-regular use has not resulted in it looking a lot the worse for wear, and the sturdy strap is still in very good condition. All up, the Moon Phase has proven to be a replica watch that has given a lot of pleasure, has not dated, and is a ‘keeper’.

Categories
Swiss Replica

Made in China : High Quality Replica Sea-Gull Watch

Founded in January 1955 by the PRC government, Tianjin Sea-Gull Corporation (天津海鸥) was originally called the Tianjin Sea-Gull Replica Watch Factory, with only four replica watchmakers at its inception. By 2005, Sea-Gull were making more than 25% of the world’s mechanical movements. Today, they are the second largest producer of mechanical movements in the world, coming only after ETA.

It wasn’t until 1992 that the company became the Tianjin Sea-Gull Corporation. That same year, a decision was made to discontinue the production of mechanical replica watches in favour of quartz replica watches, but five years later, the company reversed its decision.

As a consequence of the Chinese replica watch industry becoming overcrowded with basic mechanical replica watches, in 2003 Sea-Gull decided to introduce chronographs into their range, bringing in the ST19 movement, which has been used both for their own and other brands.

Since then, Sea-Gull has focused on mechanical replica watches, and become known for their price-accessible (insofar as tourbillons are ‘accessible’) and solid quality tourbillons. Sea-Gull currently have seventeen calibre families, including their version of the ETA 2824 (ST21) and 2892 (ST18).

Sea-Gull’s first tourbillon movement, the ST80, was released in 2005. The next year, the brand released their first Double Tourbillon, the ST8080, featuring one carrousel and one common axis tourbillon from their new calibre ST82 (a ‘flying’ tourbillon) geared together. It is available in a skeletonised version, as is the ST80. They also created a luxury version, the ST8080G, in 18k rose gold. Sea-Gull’s ST84 is currently China’s smallest tourbillon movement, intended for women’s replica watches.

This model is an ‘earlier’ tourbillon from Sea-Gull, circa 2006, with the ST82 movement.

Quite a simple conservative design, even down to its blued ‘Breguet style’ hands, with a nice aesthetically balanced dial and, at 38mm, a comfortably flexible size. Their current tourbillons come in either 38mm or 40mm.

Sea-Gull also introduced both a quarter-repeater (ST90) and minute-repeater (ST91), and a minute repeater that also has a perpetual calendar (ST9150). In 2011 Sea-Gull prototyped China’s first microrotor automatic.

Their current range – tourbillons start from 3,865 € | 3,050 £ | 29,000 DKK for a 40mm time only tourbillon, going up to a 38.5mm 18k rose gold one with power reserve and 24-hour day/ night indicator for 10,950 € | 8,650 £ | 82,000 DKK.

Yes, many people will no doubt be commenting on how they wouldn’t spend that amount of replica watch on a “Made in China” replica watch, but Sea-Gull have gained recognition for their tourbillons, and this is a brand with history and credibility that is gaining more non-Chinese and non-watchnerd traction. They have  expanded to the U.S., Europe, and have even opened brand boutiques in Hong Kong and Singapore in recent years.

Oh and for those of you who still need some convincing, don’t forget that the Sea-Gull ST19 manual wind column wheel chronograph movement was developed from the Venus 175. In 1961 “Project 304” was initiated by the PRC government to develop chronographs for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force based on the cal.175, the tooling of which had been sold off by the Swiss brand. Venus had wanted to offload the cal.175 tooling to raise capital for development of their calibre 188. The USSR were not interested, but the Chinese were. The ST19 now has seven variants.