SJX
[Purist]
8540
Baselworld 2010: The new SEIKO Quartz Astron: best quartz movement ever?
For the 40th anniversary of the quartz watch Seiko has unveiled the Astron, a ultra high-tech and high-end quartz watch.
- SJX
The new SEIKO Quartz Astron:
A demonstration of SEIKO’s four decades of dedication to the perfection of the quartz watch.
The SEIKO Quartz Astron 40th Anniversary Commemorative Edition
The 40th Anniversary of Quartz
In December 2009, SEIKO started a year of celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the launch of the world’s first quartz watch, the SEIKO Quartz Astron. The celebration of this important anniversary started with an exhibition last December in Tokyo of 40 new designs, all inspired by the original Quartz Astron. Today, at Baselworld 2010, the celebrations reach their zenith with the launch of a totally new Quartz Astron, a watch that is both true to the heritage of the original but which, in its innovation and refinement, sets a new standard for the whole technology of quartz timekeeping.
In 1969, the original Quartz Astron was the first watch in the world to use quartz technology, and it changed the way the world told time. Today, four decades later, the new Quartz Astron redefines the precision, power and durability of the quartz watch with 10-second-a-year accuracy, instantaneous date change, a high-torque stepping motor, and super-precise alignment of the second hand. The new Quartz Astron is the latest expression of SEIKO’s dedication to perfection.
Is Calibre 9F the best quartz movement ever built?
The new Quartz Astron houses the SEIKO quartz calibre, 9F62, which may well be the most advanced quartz calibre ever built. It uses entirely new technologies to control accuracy, to allow the use of heavier and longer hands, and to increase the watch’s longevity.
The new Quartz Astron is accurate to a remarkable 10 seconds a year.
This is achieved by the use of specially selected quartz crystals whose precision at different temperatures is individually monitored over several weeks. The performance characteristics of each crystal are then fed into the watch’s IC, which then compensates for any variation throughout the life of the watch, thereby ensuring the extreme accuracy of the movement.
The new Quartz Astron is more reliable than any other quartz watch.
In the design stages, important steps were taken to ensure that accuracy is maintained at this high level throughout the long life of the watch. The movement is enclosed in a super-sealed cover so that no dust enters the mechanism to ensure long-term reliability.
The new Quartz Astron looks like a mechanical watch.
At first glance, any watch expert would think that the new Quartz Astron is a mechanical watch as the hands are larger and therefore heavier than on any conventional quartz watch. In fact, the use of larger hands is made possible by the use of a unique IC that delivers two pulses per second, rather than the one on most of the quartz movements.
The new Quartz Astron’s display of time is as precise as its timekeeping.
To do justice to the high accuracy of the movement, every aspect of the watch’s display of time is at a new level of precision. At precisely midnight, the date changes instantly. In fact, thanks to a special lever, the date change is completed in 1/2,000 of a second, a speed at which its change eludes the human eye! Similarly, the second hand aligns itself exactly to each second marker, a feature that is not possible in a conventional quartz watch.
The power of synergy
The new Quartz Astron could only be built by SEIKO. To create the 9F62 calibre required complete mastery of both electronic and mechanical timekeeping. Indeed, it is the synergy of these two areas of expertise that has made possible the advances in accuracy and reliability. For example, to make the second hand align exactly to the markers required the addition of a “backlash auto adjustment system” based on a balance spring. It is perhaps ironic that it was SEIKO’s skills in high-grade mechanical watchmaking that have allowed advances in a quartz watch. Such is the power of synergy.
A design that respects the legend
The design of the new Quartz Astron pays elegant homage to the original. Not only is the case shape reminiscent of that of its 1969 predecessor, but a careful study of the dial will reveal that the quartz symbol that graced the original dial is duplicated throughout the dial pattern, and the original SEIKO “S” symbol is embossed on the crown. The case back carries the legend: “SEIKO Quartz Astron The Commemorative Edition” and its own unique serial number, demonstrating that each is part of the limited edition of just 200 pieces.
Specifications:
SEIKO Quartz Astron The Commemorative Edition
Ref. S23617J1
Calibre 9F62
Hour, minute and second hands
Date calendar
Instant calendar change mechanism
Backlash auto adjustment system
Battery life indicator
Dimensions: 26.75 mm (12 - 6 o’clock) x 26.0 mm (3 – 9 o’clock)
Depth: 3.1 mm (without battery)
Number of jewels: 9
Accuracy: +/- 10 seconds per year
Battery life: 3 years
Case: High-intensity titanium
Band: Silicone with stainless steel buckle
Extra band: Crocodile with black hard-coated stainless steel three-fold clasp with push button release
Glass: Curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Water resistance: 10bar
Magnetic resistance: 4,800 A/m (60 gauss)
Approximate recommended retail price in Europe: Euro 4,300
Limited edition of 200
