Between Spring Drive and Hi-Beat 36000

[Rolexavidfan]

Which of the two will you buy first and why?

Trying to understand the rationale of the purchase. No right or wrong answer. Please chime in.

Thank you in advance!


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[PJ S]

Spring Drive.
Arguably, the Hi-Beat will need serviced more frequently, all things considered.
You also don’t get the silence as a result of no traditional escapement, which in turn, provides for the supreme gliding seconds hand movement – only the 8Hz and 10Hz of the Chopard LUC and Breguet, respectively, would trick the eye into the motion being as continuous, and devoid of the typical stuttering seen on lower bear central seconds.
18k vph (3Hz) for sub-dial seconds is more than quick enough to fool the eye, as well as extend PR.

[Rolexavidfan]

Originally Posted by PJ S

Spring Drive.
Arguably, the Hi-Beat will need serviced more frequently, all things considered.
You also don’t get the silence as a result of no traditional escapement, which in turn, provides for the supreme gliding seconds hand movement – only the 8Hz and 10Hz of the Chopard LUC and Breguet, respectively, would trick the eye into the motion being as continuous, and devoid of the typical stuttering seen on lower bear central seconds.
18k vph (3Hz) for sub-dial seconds is more than quick enough to fool the eye, as well as extend PR.

True!


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[MILGAUSS88]

Spring drive for me.
I personally don't understand why GS made a hi beat.
It's seems to me that the spring drive serves the same purpose, only with superior capabilities.

[jw0n]

I am not well versed with the technicalities of both the Hi Beat and Spring Drive, but I had the opportunity to place two watches side by side; one Hi Beat and the other Spring Drive, and I preferred the sweep of the SD over the HB.

[Rolexavidfan]

Originally Posted by jw0n

I am not well versed with the technicalities of both the Hi Beat and Spring Drive, but I had the opportunity to place two watches side by side; one Hi Beat and the other Spring Drive, and I preferred the sweep of the SD over the HB.

Yes, the gliding second hand with cleaner sweep motion won me over the Hi-Beat 36000. It’s mesmerizing to see and top it with a snowflake dial, seems to tick a number of yes for me.


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[Fredrik]

I would choose the Hi-Beat, it can always be serviced by any competent watchmaker. The Spring Drive has a circuit board with electronics in it, not trivial to service in the far future.

[kunlun]

Originally Posted by Fredrik

I would choose the Hi-Beat, it can always be serviced by any competent watchmaker. The Spring Drive has a circuit board with electronics in it, not trivial to service in the far future.

This is a concern of mine as well.

I'm sure Seiko will stand by their product as well

[Rolexavidfan]

Originally Posted by Fredrik

I would choose the Hi-Beat, it can always be serviced by any competent watchmaker. The Spring Drive has a circuit board with electronics in it, not trivial to service in the far future.

Thanks for your input!

Are there reported issues on the Spring Drive? I felt the Hi-Beat 36000 also stands a higher chance of service complexity due to “greater wear and tear” from the movement. Is this a correct assumption?


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[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by Rolexavidfan

Thanks for your input!

Are there reported issues on the Spring Drive? I felt the Hi-Beat 36000 also stands a higher chance of service complexity due to “greater wear and tear” from the movement. Is this a correct assumption?


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I have heard nothing about problems with the Spring Drive. My concern is in the far future, say 25 years from now. Electronics will get obsolete and eventually you probably have to replace it with something else, if available, if it stops working.

[CRM114]

My first have been Hi-Beats but I will get SDs too, they're awesome. It could have easily gone the other way. You can't go wrong with either as a first.

[Rolexavidfan]

Originally Posted by CRM114

My first have been Hi-Beats but I will get SDs too, they're awesome. It could have easily gone the other way. You can't go wrong with either as a first.

Thank you for your inputs!


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[incontrol]

Originally Posted by Fredrik

I have heard nothing about problems with the Spring Drive. My concern is in the far future, say 25 years from now. Electronics will get obsolete and eventually you probably have to replace it with something else, if available, if it stops working.

There are no “electronics” in a Spring Drive movement. There is a Seiko grown and manufactured quartz crystal used for timing, but that is it. Everything else is mechanical. There are no circuit boards or other electronic components.


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[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by incontrol

There are no “electronics” in a Spring Drive movement. There is a Seiko grown and manufactured quartz crystal used for timing, but that is it. Everything else is mechanical. There are no circuit boards or other electronic components.

Of course there is! How else is it supposed to work? A quartz crystal does not work by itself. here is a link to a Seiko page explaining how it works with pictures of the circuit board with the quartz crystal and the proprietary IC(integrated circuit) used that gets it's timing from the quartz crystal and applies the electromagnetic break accordingly.

https://grand-seiko.us.com/about/movement/springdrive/

Oh, and here is the image from that article.

[rolehex]

Well if I had my choice between Hi-Beat and SD I would go Hi-Beat. I just prefer an all automatic movement however my favorite GS watch is the Snowflake which is SD.

[Old Expat Beast]

SD for me, as I find the technology intriguing and unique, and because there is a Seiko service centre close by, and I already have two Seiko 36k watches -- though from the 1970s, and not GS.

[ap1]

I’d pick aesthetics over movt

[Lol-x]

Hi-beat is a pure mechanical device.
Spring-Drive is a fusion of mechanics and electronics, its kind of a hybrid, but it is a very accurate watch.
These are both very high end watches and the servicing costs are possibly very similar.
Assuming the aesthetics of the watches were the same, I would go with the high-beat because I don't need quartz like accuracy and a pure mechanical device is my preference.

[Rolexavidfan]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Hi-beat is a pure mechanical device.
Spring-Drive is a fusion of mechanics and electronics, its kind of a hybrid, but it is a very accurate watch.
These are both very high end watches and the servicing costs are possibly very similar.
Assuming the aesthetics of the watches were the same, I would go with the high-beat because I remember don't need quartz like accuracy and a pure mechanical device is my preference.

Interesting point of view...


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[GB-man]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Hi-beat is a pure mechanical device.
Spring-Drive is a fusion of mechanics and electronics, its kind of a hybrid, but it is a very accurate watch.
These are both very high end watches and the servicing costs are possibly very similar.
Assuming the aesthetics of the watches were the same, I would go with the high-beat because I don't need quartz like accuracy and a pure mechanical device is my preference.

That just about sums up my thoughts as well steve

[Rolexavidfan]

Thanks for all of your inputs and point of view.

Initially I have pondered on a Hi Beat 36000 watch to add to my collection. But as pointed out here, there are other brands that offer Hi Beat so I will probably revisit the said movement in the future.

For now, I have decided to get a Spring Drive both for the movement and also for the snowflake dial. It’s really a very interesting watch and would complete my own GS trilogy.


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[tyler1980]

hi beat, but the GS i am considering is a SD so to me its not necessarily a deal breaker either way.

[Locust]

Spring drive

[Rolexavidfan]

Thanks guys!

I’ll post pics here once it arrives.

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[daveathall]

I bought a High Beat and a Quartz on the same day, I lust after a spring drive, If I had gone the other way and got a SD first, I would now lust after a HB. They are wonderful watches and I have no regrets.

I know that it is heresy for some, but I also love and marvel at my quartz GS.

[cop414]

Nothing wrong with that at all Dave.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by daveathall

. . . I also love and marvel at my quartz GS.

Same here

[lucevan le stelle]

I know that it is heresy for some, but I also love and marvel at my quartz GS.[/QUOTE]

Think they may be the best watch buy out there in their price category. Certainly would pick one over an automatic at the same price point. GS quartz is on a different level.

[incontrol]

Originally Posted by daveathall

I bought a High Beat and a Quartz on the same day, I lust after a spring drive, If I had gone the other way and got a SD first, I would now lust after a HB. They are wonderful watches and I have no regrets.

I know that it is heresy for some, but I also love and marvel at my quartz GS.

I agree 100%, I have a SD that I really love, but I do think about adding a HB too. This is most likely due to these are the best movements made by GS and they are marvelous timepieces.


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[jason042779]

SD for me. Unique in the watch world and that beautiful sweep!