Vintage SEIKO High Accuracy Quartz (HAQ) Test

[Snilsson]

Impressive! Can't believe the newer watch still hasn't gained or lost any time.
I know it's ridiculous but I just can't get over the hacking second hands on quartz watch, if they had the nice sweeping motion as the mechanical ones I'd buy one tomorrow.

[SteveHH]

Discovered and read this entire thread in two minutes. Amazing info, thanks. I have my eye on a 1998 9F, no date. This is making it harder to resist..

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by SteveHH

Discovered and read this entire thread in two minutes. Amazing info, thanks. I have my eye on a 1998 9F, no date. This is making it harder to resist..

Go for it. The older 9Fs can be great bargains, and if Seiko's estimates are correct a 1998 model won't need servicing til 2048

[Old Expat Beast]

It's August 1, five months have passed, and here are the latest results.

In July, the 1976 Snowflake gained six seconds, as it did in June and May. Amazingly consistent for a 45-year-old quartz watch.

The 1978 Superior gained another four seconds, as it has every month so far.

The 2017 Grand Seiko is still exact.

So after five months . . .

[Old Expat Beast]

Ok, here's the six-month update.


In August, the 1976 Snowflake gained another six seconds, as it did in May, June and July.

The 1978 Superior gained another four seconds, as it has every month so far.

The 2017 Grand Seiko is still exact.

The Snowflake's battery alert is now functioning, with the seconds hands advancing every two seconds instead of one, telling me it's time for a battery change, so this is probably a good time as any to draw this timing project to a close. Thanks for following, and I hope some found it interesting

[Old Expat Beast]

[fmc000]

Thanks for the update. i find it VERY interesting, as a few years ago i ran a very similar test with a GS 8J, a Breitling B1, a Seiko King Quartz and a Seiko Grand Quartz. Results were:

* GS +8sec/year
* Breitling +2.8sec/year
* King and Grand Quartz: I don't remember the exact numbers, sorry, but both were under 25sec/year.

[Pius XIII]

This is such a great thread! Thank you for keeping up with it.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by fmc000

Thanks for the update. i find it VERY interesting, as a few years ago i ran a very similar test with a GS 8J, a Breitling B1, a Seiko King Quartz and a Seiko Grand Quartz. Results were:

* GS +8sec/year
* Breitling +2.8sec/year
* King and Grand Quartz: I don't remember the exact numbers, sorry, but both were under 25sec/year.

Interesting, thanks Fabio

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Pius XIII

This is such a great thread! Thank you for keeping up with it.

Thanks, glad you like it

[ink3027]

I also enjoyed it, thank you for the experiment.

Regarding the SBGT235, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears that reference is still in production in Japan but is not available in the USA? If so, do you know if most Japanese retailers would be willing to ship to the USA?

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by ink3027

I also enjoyed it, thank you for the experiment.

Regarding the SBGT235, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears that reference is still in production in Japan but is not available in the USA? If so, do you know if most Japanese retailers would be willing to ship to the USA?

Hi, yes it's a JDM (Japan Domestic Market) model, and only available there (quartz GS are really popular in Japan and there are many more models available there than overseas). You should be able to find a dealer willing to ship, or they sometimes show up on eBay. I bought mine in Japan.

[ink3027]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Hi, yes it's a JDM (Japan Domestic Market) model, and only available there (quartz GS are really popular in Japan and there are many more models available there than overseas). You should be able to find a dealer willing to ship, or they sometimes show up on eBay. I bought mine in Japan.

That’s perfect, thank you for the response. My father recently retired and I’m considering getting him that one for a gift. He’s not a watch guy and would appreciate the “grab and go”, always accurate aspect of that one. Your pictures also make it very tempting, ha.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by ink3027

That’s perfect, thank you for the response. My father recently retired and I’m considering getting him that one for a gift. He’s not a watch guy and would appreciate the “grab and go”, always accurate aspect of that one. Your pictures also make it very tempting, ha.

You're welcome. It's one of the few GS quartz day-date models and I find it really useful. It's one of the few watches I wouldn't ever sell. Good luck with the search.

[ink3027]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

You're welcome. It's one of the few GS quartz day-date models and I find it really useful. It's one of the few watches I wouldn't ever sell. Good luck with the search.

Thanks very much. Will report back if I happen to snag one.

[Oyster Perp]

Very informative and of great interest. Great ad for the brand too !

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Oyster Perp

Very informative and of great interest. Great ad for the brand too !

Thanks

[ink3027]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Hi, yes it's a JDM (Japan Domestic Market) model, and only available there (quartz GS are really popular in Japan and there are many more models available there than overseas). You should be able to find a dealer willing to ship, or they sometimes show up on eBay. I bought mine in Japan.

Something I forgot -- the comment about quartz GS being popular in Japan -- that's interesting, I've never heard that. Any guesses as to why?

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by ink3027

Something I forgot -- the comment about quartz GS being popular in Japan -- that's interesting, I've never heard that. Any guesses as to why?

Well although the Japanese didn't invent quartz watch/clock technology, Seiko perfected it and brought the first quartz watch, the Astron, to market in 1969. Mass production followed in the next few years, and the Japanese consumer adopted it with enthusiasm, as they did all homegrown modern tech.

The Grand Seiko and King Seiko mechanical watches, which started in the early 1960s, had by the mid 1970s become Grand Quartz and King Quartz, and their industry-leading, Swiss-beating mechanical movements were discontinued. Grand Seiko returned in 1988 but only with quartz movements till 1998.

Quartz watches were really expensive through the 1970s (the Superior in this test was the most expensive Seiko of the decade, Grand Seikos included) and quite the status symbol, even when mass produced.

Now we're at a stage where in Japan most everyone's parents and even grandparents likely had a quartz watch, and probably a good one - possibly still running and keeping great time like the pieces in this test - and so there's a huge traditional market for them over there. (Seiko made the first quartz recreational and professional dive watches in the 70s-80s too, and James Bond [Roger Moore] wore several quartz Seikos, including the first quartz Golden Tuna diver in '81. People still collect and wear those.)

GS nowadays offers more quartz watches than any other type from what I've seen in catalogues and stores. They keep perfect time, likely never need a service, have some of the best finishing on the market, and are pretty affordable, so add in the nostalgia and tradition, and it makes sense.

[ink3027]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Well although the Japanese didn't invent quartz watch/clock technology, Seiko perfected it and brought the first quartz watch, the Astron, to market in 1969. Mass production followed in the next few years, and the Japanese consumer adopted it with enthusiasm, as they did all homegrown modern tech.

The Grand Seiko and King Seiko mechanical watches, which started in the early 1960s, had by the mid 1970s become Grand Quartz and King Quartz, and their industry-leading, Swiss-beating mechanical movements were discontinued. Grand Seiko returned in 1988 but only with quartz movements till 1998.

Quartz watches were really expensive through the 1970s (the Superior in this test was the most expensive Seiko of the decade, Grand Seikos included) and quite the status symbol, even when mass produced.

Now we're at a stage where in Japan most everyone's parents and even grandparents likely had a quartz watch, and probably a good one - possibly still running and keeping great time like the pieces in this test - and so there's a huge traditional market for them over there. (Seiko made the first quartz recreational and professional dive watches in the 70s-80s too, and James Bond [Roger Moore] wore several quartz Seikos, including the first quartz Golden Tuna diver in '81. People still collect and wear those.)

GS nowadays offers more quartz watches than any other type from what I've seen in catalogues and stores. They keep perfect time, likely never need a service, have some of the best finishing on the market, and are pretty affordable, so add in the nostalgia and tradition, and it makes sense.

Wow, thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful reply -- I enjoyed the heck out of that. GS needs to hire you as a brand ambassador and historian, ha. Very interesting and I would have never thought about the impact of having so many grandparents and parents with quartz watches.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by ink3027

Wow, thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful reply -- I enjoyed the heck out of that. GS needs to hire you as a brand ambassador and historian, ha. Very interesting and I would have never thought about the impact of having so many grandparents and parents with quartz watches.

Thanks

[ratty]

I’ve just found this thread and I’ve enjoyed reading it.

Forty odd years ago my mam bought me a Seiko digital quartz watch as a birthday present and I’ve still got it. I always wear it in August my birth month. I’ve noticed this year that it is gaining more than I remember it doing in the past, but I still really love the watch. When I started working in 1979 the first thing I bought with my own money was a dual time Seiko. It has an analogue display above a digital display on the watch’s face and it still works too, although part of the digital now ‘bleeds’ into other parts and Seiko UK does not work on digital watches now so I keep it but without a battery in as a momento now.

I found your thread very interesting, thanks again.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by ratty

I’ve just found this thread and I’ve enjoyed reading it.

Forty odd years ago my mam bought me a Seiko digital quartz watch as a birthday present and I’ve still got it. I always wear it in August my birth month. I’ve noticed this year that it is gaining more than I remember it doing in the past, but I still really love the watch. When I started working in 1979 the first thing I bought with my own money was a dual time Seiko. It has an analogue display above a digital display on the watch’s face and it still works too, although part of the digital now ‘bleeds’ into other parts and Seiko UK does not work on digital watches now so I keep it but without a battery in as a momento now.

I found your thread very interesting, thanks again.

Thank you Graham. I wonder if yours was anything like what Roger Moore wore in For Your Eyes Only. That was one of a few Bond movies that had a good Seiko selection. https://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com/p...40-duo-display

[ratty]

Hi Adam

No, mine is an H127-5000.

The model my mam bought me was a A128-5010 which still works fine apart from gaining a bit!

These watches were expensive in the 1970s and I never really understood what a financial stretch this must have been for my mam! I'm sure it was about £80 which was a lot of money for her in 1977. I'm so pleased that I still have it.

Its a pity you can't get bits for them in the UK now. The screw off battery 'door' in the H127 has been better days now and the digital display in the A128 is 'bleeding'.

I think the model you mention above came out after my H127, but I might be wrong about this.

Every now and again I enjoy wearing my old digital watch. I wish I could get one of the old digital Omega Speedmaster professionals but I've never seen one in the UK!

Anyway, thanks again for this interesting thread. I must look at this Seiko part of the forum more.

[Old Expat Beast]

Thanks Graham, I'm glad you found it interesting. I still remember my first digital watch, which my dad bought for me in 1978 at RAF Brize Norton. It was 25 quid, and would have been my most expensive present ever in those days. Wish I still had it!

[sleddog]

Interesting comparison/experiment Adam.
Especially the GS being spot on over this length of time!

[Old Expat Beast]

Cheers Rob. It's still dead on!

[ratty]

Adam do all current Grand Seikos tend to be this accurate as the one tested or is this exceptional?

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by ratty

Adam do all current Grand Seikos tend to be this accurate as the one tested or is this exceptional?

All the current GS quartz models promise -/+ 10 secs a year, or 5 secs for some special editions. From what I've read, most owners seem to get about 5 secs anyway.

The 9F movement can also be regulated at home if you're really keen. I took mine to the Seiko Centre for its three-yearly battery change last year (I would have done it at home, but it's not far from me, they also do a pressure test, and its free of charge if you have the warranty card), and I think they fine tuned it then, as it was a few seconds fast per year before that.

This is what they look like inside...

[ratty]

Thanks for this info.