Harrison's follower’s tradition was "cheap quartz" A bit of history
John Harrison (1693-1776) is now part of the history of modern measurement time (which actually largely begins with him) - but for those who do not already know these details - he is the character who managed to win 'prize to measure longitude 'which was established in 1714 by the British government for a solution sufficiently simple and accurate to measure longitude of a ship with an accuracy of better than half a degree - which in technical terms is relatively simple to obtain having a method to determine the time to an accuracy of better than two minutes. During the 18th century the precision of mechanical time was noticeably lagging behind the accuracy of astronomy (where for example it was possible to even measure of long intervals with a precision better than one second) - and watches portable were extremely imprecise and practical lower solar watches invented thousands of years ago (but probably fickle British weather with vast British maritime interests are the main reasons why progress in this area came from that specific part of the world :))
The most accurate method of measuring mechanical time at that time were large pendulum clocks - and not at all a coincidence that Harrison had major achievements in first in this area, including forms of termocompensare based rods alternative bronze and steel that with the use of mechanical joints based on rolling (which do not require the same level of lubrication and joints based on slip / friction) enabled a level of precision almost unimaginable for the time more than one second per month or 12 second year !!! And before too much longer story (but for details you can visit http://www.nmm.ac.uk/harrison where there is a PDF with more information about the subject) - after a long and difficult effort de- over the years, the fourth timer Harrison - which today we call H4 - was completed in 1759 and then " ... William, son of Harrison, started by West Indies aboard Deptford with H4 on 18 November 1761. They arrived in Jamaica on 19 January 1762, when the clock showed only a deviation of only 5.1 seconds behind! " - That a precision timer for mobile approximately 30 seconds per year somewhere in the middle of the 18th century !!! Harrison, however, had enough difficulties for his accomplishments to be recognized (being finally the intervention of royal) and the story is much longer and interesting, but the final part of the challenge was to repeat those results so stunning - something that has been proven possible with the first "official copy" of H4 performed in 1769 by Larcum Kendall - known today as the timer K1 (who also had a fascinating history traveling around the world with the famous captain Cook).
Nowadays
So what has all this fascinating story clocks in common today? Not much, just that even some models very expensive watches with quartz 21st century today have an accuracy guaranteed only 15 seconds per month, and 'timers' mechanical (some of them called 'superlative' but only for marketing and without any particular technical merit) are secured only about 5 seconds per day - the same error five seconds that H4 submitted in 1761-1762 over two months.
It is therefore possible that no progress has not been made in more than 250 years? Of course not - but 'marketing machine' was so incredibly effective in marginalizing any practical progress and replace it with statements that do not require real tests (nor great technical achievements fact) that most consumers know far too little about the true champions of accuracy today, and unfortunately even on somewhat more affordable models - but this minievaluation may will improve it - is exactly two of these models. And it's no accident that the only watches more than 1000 US $ as guaranteed accuracy better than H4 models are relatively more advanced coming from Japan - apparently a country where sufficiently many consumers still appreciate the progress of engineering and technical results measurable more than marketing and advertising swollen (but even there things are getting change).
A little bit of history (recent) of quartz watches
The two models are the 'real test' in this mini-benchmarking are EBJ74-1742 Exceed Citizen and Seiko Spirit SBQJ015 - but generally will be about Citizen caliber E510 and Seiko 8F.
Personally, I first bought Exceed site and only a little later model Seiko, but historically it seems that the first was calibers 8F from Seiko (around 1998) and Seiko has sold worldwide ( although some models skeleton bracelets were only for Japan) while the caliber Citizen E510 appeared later and seems to be (like caliber Citizen A660) model only Japan that has never been sold in the rest world and as a result fewer details are known about him.
Both gauges have a display entirely analog (index classical) and yet are perpetual calendars (ie both know the current month and how many years have passed since the last leap year and therefore can update the date displayed accordingly) - the term perpetual calendar was originally used in mechanical watches hundreds of years ago and at that time a clock that could
calculate the time right for a century must have seemed to have no need for any correction practice ever, but calendars perpetual 'normal' are not so 'forever' but need a correction of the date on apx. 100 years since the system calendar currently in use is a correction on the first level says that the years 'centenarians' (eg, 1900, 2100, 2200 and 2300) are NOT leap years while a second level of correction every 400 years 2000 and 2400, however, say that ARE leap years - I can only hope I'll be able to correct manually on March 1, 2100 all my clocks with perpetual calendars worse :)
Today perpetual calendars are a lot of quartz watches on the market - digital display version was first published in the 70s (most likely beginning with the Synchronar 2100) and it seems that series models with analog display fully emerged for the first time around in 1989 with caliber 6700 Citizen Avalon 'Supercalendar' , then Seiko 6M13 sold in 1991 is actually a complication of calendar millennial who 'knows' about the years such as 2100 or 2400, and also simpler caliber Swiss ETA 252.411 projected through 1991, first sold in 1992 (eg Longines as the caliber L234) - but the main reason I chose caliber Citizen E510 and Seiko 8F56 is really related to 'obsession' Harrison - the precision of time - recent history in this field and starts a little earlier - about the late 60s fierce competition to achieve the first quartz wristwatch - between Seiko and that a group of Swiss companies organized around CEH (Centre Electronique horlogerie) - competition materialized initially 100 copies of Seiko Astron SQ sold on Christmas day 1969 (at a price of 450,000 yen - at that time Toyota Corolla E10 was a bit cheaper at about 430,000 yen) and then in 1970 by launching a number of Swiss-based models Beta21 caliber.
But although clocks quartz exceeded immediately with an order of magnitude (10 times) the accuracy of the most accurate (and expensive) watches mechanical (and a little less than twice the precision watches tuning fork style Accutron) however accuracy original was better a second / day but closer to 15 seconds / month - and this is even today the accuracy of standard models of normal quartz - which is not just accidental because the value is in fact quite close to the industry standard "5 parts per million "(5 ppm). And though this was clearly a sensible step forward it was still about 3 minutes / year - which was not so impressive when compared to the 12 seconds / year of a pendulum or the equivalent of 30 seconds / year for the first H4 trip. But the race was just getting started accuracy and for several years was a very interesting competition - even if it was actually a very elite race with models closest to the price of a car. Have been developed all sorts of ingenious ways ( many described in this very interesting discussion forum HEQ the WUS ) to overcome the technological limits of quartz in general and of that era especially (another very good article on this subject can be read here or here ) and somehow the most interesting part of the race took place in the mid 70s when Megaquartz line Omega launched in 2400 (the 1974 caliber 1511 2.4 MHz clock maritime better accuracy of +/12 seconds / year) and then next year Citizen (who later joined the race for precision) launched Crystron Mega (4 MHz +/- 3 seconds / year - which still holds the record for the most stringent
specification for a wristwatch - only 3000 pieces were produced at approx. 4.5 million yen each - already well in the price of a luxury car).
Increased frequency (from approx. 8 kHz the first models with quartz 32 kHz - which remained standard and today - and into range MHz) was a big advantage for precision (in the same way that a clock range from apx . 300 Hz was clearly more accurate than those approx. 5 Hz from clocks 36,000 beats / hour which in turn were more accurate than the clocks of approx. 2-3 Hz with 18,000 beats / hour) but unfortunately the frequency range to MHz have a much higher energy consumption and additionally models 'cutting' of crystals required were very difficult and costly to produce and calibrated and therefore probably less than the range 1000020000 MHz of these mechanisms were produced in total - and this also explains why Seiko instead chose to focus more on the '70s of the medium frequency with a lower cost - which finally brought the first relatively affordable models with their models "Twin quartz "(approx. from 1978 to the early 80s) - calibers in which two quartz crystals of different frequencies (one 32 kHz and the second frequency higher, often 196 kHz, both a thermal coefficient very similar) are used to compensate for differences in the frequency caused by temperature changes resulting in an accuracy of the 20 sec / year up even from 5 seconds / year - finally now to models with a price decent !
Yet even Twin Quartz models were more expensive than normal models with a single crystal and it seems that in the '80s economic pressure removed from normal consumers more accurate models - with the result that while Seiko abandoned most those models - with few exceptions - and they finally bring us back to 8F sizes (launched apx. 1998) - who are advanced models designed perpetual calendar and single-crystal quartz apx. 196 kHz somewhat insensitive to temperature changes - perhaps the last still in production models quartz with a frequency greater than 32 kHz (also used in calibers perpetual calendar 4F ladies in any two adjacent without perpetual calendars used in the models Pulsar what no longer in production). The family 8F we 8F32 (once), 8F33 (time and day of the week), 8F35 (time, strength and stamina increased) and 8F56 (time GMT) - all use a battery huge (CR2412) with the result of a lifetime really convenient 10 years (8 years 8F35 is used in diving models designed more solid and consuming a little larger).
And that finally brings us (historical) in the first of two clocks which are the subject of this mini-benchmarking - Seiko Spirit SBQJ015 (caliber 8F56) is a model GMT exclusive product for Japan of a titanium alloy with high quality a surface treatment that Seiko calls Diashield - and the "opposite corner" of this assessment is practical Citizen Exceed EBJ74-1742, another model produced exclusively for Japan titanium high quality surface treatment that we Citizen Duratect called - but generally much less information can be found about the history caliber used in this
model E510 (and released approx. 1999-2000) - my guess is that he (along with ladies caliber E410) is a kind of hybrid between models Citizen solar and that the famous caliber Citizen A660 (termocompensat and perpetual calendar, launched in 1995 and still in production today) however some practical tests (see this discussion ) suggest that making compensation of E510 may be modern and at the same time designing internal is clearly different without ruby but instead with elections very interesting engine step-by-step - it is not impossible that the project was just a test where buyers table as it was again interested in competing for precision at a cost decent - but this did not happen and the size E510 was released (temporarily) in the collections Citizen middle class-to-house Exceed and Attesa, set the record for most accurate model of the solar wristwatch of all time and then eventually was withdrawn from production (by about 2004) most likely it was a serious competition for the profits made by the luxury line Chronomaster (the Citizen).
And now let's move on direct comparisons between Seiko Spirit - which I dubbed 'Travelzilla' ( 'giant travel'?) For reasons that quickly become obvious - "against" Citizen Exceed - we may not have a nickname final but 'Shinyella' ( 'glow') could be quite suitable.
Pricing and Availability
Both watches are roughly in the same price range - about $ 450 for Seiko and a little more (and constantly growing) for Citizen no longer in production and is increasingly difficult to find (the main source eBay, dial EBJ74-1741 EBJ74-1742 white and black dial, but I could find none of the models Attesa). Seiko SBQJ015 is still in current production in Japan (but perhaps not for long), and other alternative dial colors are available; Japan exclusive models can be ordered from Japanese sellers with a good name on the Internet (Higuchi, Seiya, Ujiie). Other useful information for potential buyers is that for Seiko cheaper models stainless steel are still available in production oldest, also a solid diving WR200 and sometimes appear on eBay models unused / sealed under $ 100 - so that Seiko has benefit and cost and availability.
First impression
The first time you see 'really' looks very impressive both models convey an image of very high quality and somewhat 'serious tool' (to some extent because both have relatively simple and clear black dials).
dimensions
Size begin to see a serious difference - Model Citizen is elegant and looks classic - it was an average size-to-large now for several decades but today most people (including even some female) l -ar consider a rather small clock at apx. 36 mm diameter Cross (without Replace); I personally pretty big port and smoothly watches Orange Monster (OM) or Yellow Kinetzilla (YK) Exceed but my opinion has a perfect size by about 30 mm dial - but as warn you - it's a matter of taste!
On the other hand Seiko Spirit by about 38-39 mm diameter Cross (without Replace) would be a great watch but trust me - the first thing that crossed my mind when I got hold of this watch was 'thing might be greater than the Orange Monster' - of course that is not the case (Monster has 42-43 mm) but with apx. 33 mm dial Seiko Spirit clearly exceeds 29 mm Orange Monster (OM) or Yellow Kinetzilla (YK) - the difference seems small in number but in reality it actually means apx. 30% more than the surface, so it certainly looks larger than the clock of engineering. Its size would still be in my range 'perfect' but the crown is also bigger and due to the fact that I like to wear watches a little more 'wide / loose' are moments when I would have liked remontorul be with 1-1.5 mm smaller or positioned at '4am' like Orange Monster. All this being said - it is however perfectly possible that other people consider this watch 'not big enough' because today I saw 'fashionable' enough clocks 47 mm or more ... again a matter of taste.
Materials
Both watches case and bracelet titanium alloy high quality but as a personal touch (with no actual measurements) density to Exceed seems bigger than the Spirit (which suggests a higher content in Vanadium and lower in Aluminium - I had a similar sensation when I compared my first EcoDrive titanium and that my old Citizen , and generally test of time has shown clearly that the model has withstood much better, but now if Seiko is much like that Citizen and the new Exceed if somewhat dense). However bracelet itself looks more solid (visual) Seiko Spirit probably because it is a model with 3 rows and large segments while the Citizen is a model with smaller items on 5 occasions but elegant and comfortable - however both have very solid elements pin connection of excellent quality, with perhaps a slight advantage in the final segment to Exceed stronger. Scratch resistance of both surface and anyway bracelets looks similar to the titanium much above the normal - except for the two very bright lines that give a picture to Exceed extremely attractive but actually appear to be more easily scratched. Housing material gives an impression even more solid and absolutely no scratch can not see him until
now. Closing mechanism to bracelets are different, Seiko is a relatively standard with folding three blades that attach a 'mushroom' when Citizen model is more elegant style 'butterfly hidden' grip on four small hooks (also used by Citizen the buckles automatic bracelets luxury leather) - the model still has elements smaller (but hard steel) and I did not experience how it behaves on the very long (to model with 'mushroom' is ultra-solid) - only time will give an answer ...
Both watches are very comfortable to wear even in the heat / humidity / rain (like many of watches titanium) - perhaps with a small advantage of the model is still lower Citizen.
Both models have holes for quick access to telescopes grip of bracelets (benefit not just extremely rare watches-instrument with metal bracelet in this price range) and both shows also very good with a bracelet black alternative skin or fiber carbon - but while the Exceed size of the loops is 18 mm to 22 mm Spirit is a giant.
Both watches have sapphire crystal (rare and extremely expensive at a time when these models were launched, but more common at a decent price today) - flat and uncoated antireflexii (but showing huge) Seiko SBQJ015 very little antireflexii curved bed inside the Citizen EBJ74-1742 - both will likely have a long life and totally devoid of scratches :)
The main improvement in this area for Citizen Exceed would have to give up two rows polished very shiny bracelet - something just to attract attention and in addition total impractical - and people buying their watches just to impress anyway will buy other models. And also it would have been very good as Seiko Spirit to be obtained WR200 with a screwed crown located at 4 - remontorul is anyway totally unused in the basic position so why not a watch even more resistant?
Dials and gauges
Both watches are designed from the image of the clock simple, utilitarian, black-and only bar applied for hours' (and seconds painted) - actual results are, however, different, special and unique - to Exceed defining element is the presence of solar cells structure quadrant having some circular grooves so small that they can not normally viewed with the naked eye but which give oo reflection radial specifies a result overall very 'bright' (including the languages plus
marks hours) - so obvious antireflexii presence layer becomes difficult to see less attentive observer and generally nickname 'Shinyella' ( 'glow') could be quite suitable. Visibility is still very good in bright light and low light perfectly acceptable, but because there is no luminescent material on the dial indicator and no clock can not be read in total darkness.
For 'Travelzilla' ( 'giant travel') size is the essential element - and as a result the visibility is perfect and the amount of substance luminescent, even if not at the level of the Orange Monster (Monster Orange) is still perfectly useable even in total darkness . There is a volume luminescence even on the (shorter but red) 24 hours (GMT), but not the secondary (very long), which in turn has an area very interesting color varies depending on the angle which is seen between a brighter silver and dark gray.
Neither of the two dials is not very busy / complicated (Seiko Spirit there is also indicated for 24 hours but the size at that hour is so generous that it gets too crowded), and both models there applied a number of names brilliant in relief (Exceed up and Citizen down in the first, Seiko up for the second) and also some information you just typed (without metal embossed) EcoDrive Perpetual Calendar first, Perpetual Calendar GMT to the second - information that might as well be missing but probably was added to avoid a dial too empty downtown.
Possible improvements in this area as the indicator of 24 hours is the longest tongue Seiko (or even have a drawing harder to lose as other indicators), and adding substance luminescent languages and markings hours Citizen (perhaps a less shiny dial) - but none of these problems are not really considering the specific style pursued by every hour.
mechanisms
Well I told enough about how these models show but now it's time to talk about how well these beauties go - and have said from the start that both amounts to the (high) expectations from such instruments!
Seiko 8F is clearly an older, more traditional project - a 'quartz analogue indicators' (language) completely classic mechanical indicator having all 4 'linked' together and set in motion by a single motor step-by- step and also connected in the traditional way to Replace when it is extracted in second position - as the only innovation the engine is ultrasonic
bidirectional used to change the date (the first of its kind in a wristwatch when it was introduced in 1998 the caliber 8F). Even indicator GMT (language 24 hours) is a classic - but the operation is described by many as 'true GMT' and is widely seen as the best method for implementing analogue mechanically - with remontorul pulled first position the entire mechanism (including secondary) operate normally and just schedule normal (12 hours) 'salt' forward or backward rotation wreath (in the style of watchmaking traditional = mechanical and not electronic) in steps of precisely one hour without disturbing language 24 hours, minutes or seconds hand - the result of very slight adjustments (and without loss of precision setting time) to travel over normal hourly (60 minutes) or crossings between summer and winter time. Changing the date is connected (this time more electronic) language 12 hours (and not the 24) so that the jet lag crossing the zero hour time change in the right direction with ease.
There are several ways in which language 24 hours (GMT) can be used - a very simple way for those who travel a lot over time zones is to set both schedule 12 hours and at 24 hours in the same hour 'of home 'and when traveling in another time zone simply extract the crown to the first position and change the language for 12 hours during' local '(which determine whether it is AM or PM glancing out) leaving indicator 24 hours during home (where it is harder peeked out from thousands of kilometers away :)) This method has one weakness to the change in time for summer / winter time (Daylight Saving time = SDR) should be adjusted when both language 12 hours and the 24 (the need to set time again after an external precision). A second possibility (the one I use) is to set the language 24 hours UTC / Zulu (who does not have time for summer or winter, so it needs changes) and normal language 12 hours the current time in which we find ourselves (with small changes to crossing timezones) - and for calculating the time in other time zones using indicator UTC (plus the time difference + SDR = eg. summer Romania is UTC + 3 rather than two). There is also the alternative to travel more rare but when there is a different time zone special (business contacts, family, interests, sports or any other) - and in this case you can set the language 24 hours on the time zone - but again this requires adjustments to the time change summer / winter (SDR) - can separate for not switching all over the world that is the same day!
The parties 'advanced' calendar perpetual read with a 'trick' simple - remontorul extracted at the first position and then quickly pushed back (in less than one second) - after that the secondary will advance with 5 seconds per year It passed since the last leap year (and then stay there for the number of seconds that advanced rapidly so that the seconds are not upset) and then in the box date will be displayed for 5 seconds the current month (and then of course it will return to normal time).
Everything goes in a way that you can trust and can say that the kind of operation successfully passed the test of time (maybe except for ultrasonic micro-motor that practical experience is just so long as the size history 8F).
There are still some disadvantages to design so traditional - and for me the most important is precisely the direct link between all 4 languages and motor step-by-step that has power only for very short time in which the secondary advancing - result that even the slightest imperfection in the way the teeth come together toothed wheels can result in a lack of perfect alignment between secondary and markings on the dial seconds - seconds on my watch aligns perfectly about 70-80% of the time during an hour but sometimes with the minute hand in certain positions defined alignment is lost pretty bad - very disappointing especially considering that another Seiko quartz much older in my collection - size 7223 1980 - is perfectly aligned about 95% of time and has only slight differences when going on day and date change (which probably stand out a little extra voltage).
A second drawback is the slight inaccuracy change date - to my copy shift occurs at 11:35 p.m. instead of 00:00 - it would be much easier to correct than perfect alignment of secondary but apparently either not that simple either Seiko quality control is not quite the same as it once was ...
A final disadvantage (which clearly is the result of time when models original was designed in the days that ICs with ultra low as complex and expensive to design and product) is that there is no simple method of setting month and the leap year - charging the battery or the whole procedure must be started with a battery that still has a little power and must be completed in less than 1 minute, or if not perpetual calendar must be programmed by electrical impulses applied directly behind the scheme - but of course that would be a problem only once every 10 years, and apx. 2 weeks there is a clear indication that the battery ends (secondary moves in steps 2 seconds) may not ever become a real problem for a normal user.
Turning now to Exceed we can see one of the most advanced (at least for its time) styles mechanisms quartz display entirely analog - a project "fly by wire" with a command entirely electronic in which the crown is not linked mechanically any language but instead sends electrical impulses to a sensor (which has a 'click' for the user to feel what) which in turn sends impulses to the integrated circuit at last command three engines step-by -Step (two large and fully bidirectional languages that once and for secondary special one-way only) - much the same well-tested system to gauge A660. Signs have even a method of calibration by resetting procedure overall and a button buried enables a range of additional orders - of which the
simplest is the corrective steps an hour (without loss of time setting precise - very useful to jet lag or switching to summer / winter). Data is advancing precisely 00:00 (takes about 1 seconds) and go in the right direction to changing time zones around midnight. Remontorului timing is checked by extracting the first place - it is a little different for secondary looks so month (hour 1 = January, 2 = February time, etc.) and the situation leap year (the number of seconds after the hour mark number years since the last leap year) - with the advantages that it is faster, visible / stable for any time the user wants, probably consumes less and especially can be set directly by the user!
A little 'trick' design makes the caliber E510 longer hold another little record - that of the analog module rechargeable longest battery life - secondary (but only him, otherwise all other indicators and time advancing absolutely normal) is It will stop in the dark (you can not be seen anyway) and apparently only this optimization can reduce consumption to a level where fully charged battery can keep the clock running for four years! Part and funnier this 'trick' is that when caliber E510 is brought to light (ie. After being 'hidden' under the cuff and then brought to light and when lit the light in a room very dark ) secondary 'restart' and fast-advancing quickly to the proper seconds! And of course being a sundial does not really have to worry about changing batteries or the need to be worn every day to keep him busy - need more than to be left somewhere in light (but not direct sunlight from the window because can heat up too much). The battery Panasonic MT920 also seems to be quality checked and will probably take a while very long - but still is widely available at a decent price (for it seems that at present more than 90% of batteries used in watches are MT920 times be CTL1616).
The only downside that I can see myself now in the design of the mechanism is the position very close between the first and second position remontorului - if somehow you want to look at the calendar but extract the crown to the second position the seconds will reset and lose the entire test precision by then :)
But there is a huge advantage caliber E510 which was described by most owners and that is really important to me - signs are perfectly aligned all the time - this was obtained for hourly and minute hand in that they move in very small steps of 4 times per minute and at that level any gravitational effect is practically invisible to the naked eye; the really interesting is but the secondary - for this I can only assume is either a special configuration engine step-by-step (with more magnets or anything that eliminates any game) or something that automatically recalibrates the seconds per revolution - does not really matter how it is implemented but the fact is that it is the most accurate alignment of the secondary that I've ever seen a watch that 'salt' in steps of one second and it seems that all copies of E510 they have !!!
And a brief introduction about methods for engineering completely different use of these two projects to achieve their accuracy Advanced (references to additional information are a few paragraphs above) - calibers 8F are very conservative and rather analogue in this direction accuracy is based a quartz crystal which has no major variations in frequency depending on temperatures that are present in models of common (32 kHz cut in the form of a tuning fork) but the temperature dependence can be quite variable from one batch of crystals to another and temperature influence is still present however a little to the average frequency; even calibrations subsequent off-are a very unusual implies an operation non-reversible cutting a 'segment' on the back of the mechanism. On the other hand the caliber E510 has a completely different approach - crystal (probably) is not very special but instead there is a table digital numerical value used for an integrated circuit with more complex to compensate for differences in frequency at different temperatures dropping or 'inhibit' a number of oscillations - the 'inhibition' only occurs at longer intervals, and ranges longest inhibition (up to 512 seconds or approx. 8 minutes) and lead the tightest temperature (tables compensation biggest) having potentially the best accuracy (but maybe with some exceptions when the clock is subject of rapid changes of temperature). it is also possible that both types of crystals to be "pre-aging" - as in all quartz crystals industry there is a phenomenon of slight change in the frequency over time (that is improperly called aging), but which is already almost completely unnoticeable after 6 months of operation.
Accuracy
Finally I reached Chapter accuracy in measuring time - the thing that really differentiates these models from other 99.99% models with quartz - description really consistent accuracy in high-end models as they do about 12 months of average use (after remove any correction annual astronomical seconds) so for now we can not talk only of a preliminary estimate - at the time of writing this mini-review model had only apx E510. 3 months I lost the first one almost full when I accidentally pulled crown to the second position instead of the first, but overall the last two months 'Shinyella' ( 'glow') gained approximately one second (given that not much was worn as much as the first month) - this suggests a very decent six seconds / year remains to be verified at the end of a 12-month cycle but it seems that we are within the specification of less than Citizen 10 seconds / year!
Seiko 8F calibers for all original specification is given only to the condition that the clock wore apx. 12:00 every day - relatively normal when it is the only time a person but many owners
were not in this situation and as a result there is the Internet several reports results less bright or even outside the area of 20 seconds / year I must admit that I had expected more modest but for very pleasant my surprise my model after little more than a month is delayed by less than a second - but that given that was worn very long, we will see in the coming months if these results are maintained and while the other watches will spend time at my hand :) (but it seems lately 8F56 models exclusive to Japan are much better calibrated at least in terms of hobbyists with watches).
alternative models
Unfortunately, there are really very few alternatives in the same price area and having all the advantages of the models described (particularly titanium + precision). If the budget for a single clock is about 5 times larger solution even better might be Citizen Chronomaster ( 'the Citizen' caliber A660 which can be found in a model Campanola is no longer in production) or various designs Grand Seiko (which is not perpetual calendar; the older models were sizes 8J who owned facility very useful corrective steps an hour but the newest models have gauges 9F without one but instead a construction and finish very impressive). If you are obsessed with accuracy indication time but not too you are interested in how to obtain the precision and if you live in an area well covered by radio signal to the clocks 'atomic' might get similar results with a clock-radio (not very accurately called 'atomic') - but be warned that there are enough limitations and this technology!
Photos and other information on the Internet
There is another assessment but only in English and Seiko located here (and has enough good pictures). A small movie by the same author can be found on YouTube and there you can see how your schedule and the way the 'salt' schedule. Also pictures of both mechanisms and many-many others can be found in this discussion (and general forum High-End Quartz (HEQ) from Watchuseek (WUS) is the place on the net with the most passionate clocks precision). Other pictures internal one of calibers 8F and information about battery replacement can be found here ( and generally Poor Man's Watch Forum (PMWF) is one of the friendliest places to discuss watches with affordable price).
and of course the best place on the Internet for discussions in Romanian about the watches is Ceasornicar.ro (and if start here you can find a lot of articles in Romanian very interesting). another site very interesting domain in Romanian is Watches for Romania - and the page it can find a lot of other links to interesting pages in Romanian about the watches.
Conclusion
Both clocks seem to prove the accuracy expected of them and are therefore my first advanced models with quartz that I can expect during the year to present an error guaranteed less than that suggested by the fourth timer Harrison in his first trip in 1761-1762 :)
From aesthetically Citizen Exceed touched me a chord from the first moment I saw the image of a simple clock-tool and the most precise clock mini my collection is certainly a model that I will Store (or that if I would not have and I were offered the chance to buy in similar circumstances I would do it immediately). Seiko Spirit was not the same kind of 'love at first sight' - in fact the time that I nicknamed 'Travelzilla' ( 'giant travel') for image unexpected - but surprisingly as we started to appreciate the true value (especially after the first journey with him on other time zones) and per-total turns out to be the most interesting watch-the-handinstrument-ultra-precise-good-for-all-occasions - and if you should choose to have one watch well below $ 1,000 have to say that 'Travelzilla' would perhaps first on the list - but fortunately a choice of this kind is not required and therefore I will keep them both: )