VISIT TO SEIKO PART 3: Mechanical Watch Movements
Thanks for reading Part 2 of this report. I suppose it is time to get to the heart of things for most PuristS (please don't give up here though). Mechanical movements are assembled in the Shizukuishi Watch Studio at Morioka Seiko Instruments, Inc. As you ...
Love to see Shizukuishi factory any time...
... think they are all "machine"? No! They are all for precision and they do adjust, assembling, and finishing everything by hand. That is "craftsmanship" Japanese way! Thanks, Mike! Ken
Not so sure that they do
Seiko Epson does make some industrial robots that they pointed out to me, but I also saw some from Fanuc Robotic. I'm not conversant with the manufacturers of CNC but I'm sure some of the larger machines were the same ones my friend operates here in SoCal...
Being the curious sort, I . . .
. . . 'blew up' this photo . . . . . . to see the timing results. If I ever get another new GS, I hope it has the movement connected to the timing machine on the right. :-) ...
Did you see the note pad in front of her?
Fear not - you wouldn't expect them to track the timing results with pencil on a pad would you? This is the first preliminary test, when the watches first come to life. If I remember correctly, they run for a week or 10 days, then go to be adjusted and fo...
craftsmanship at the Shizukuishi studio
Nic pics cazalea. Great to see the fine craftsmanship at the Seiko Shizukuishi studio. Regards, ED-209
Am I correct, is this only place they make their high end watches
And how many do just a dozen or so of those people turn out each year? Cheers Steve
no, they make them in several places
Grand Seiko and Credor mechanical movement watches are made in Shizukuishi. The very high end Credor watches (minute repeater, sonnerie, Eichi, etc) plus Grand Seiko Spring Drive and Quartz models are made in the Seiko Epson studio in Shiojiri. I am guess...
This has been my favorite part so far...
There's a precision here that's different than the Swiss precision and yet it rivals that Swiss precision. There's also something even more scientific feeling about this factory than the ones that I've seen in CHF. For one thing, the equipment here is new...
Hi Patrick, you are right
I've been to 10-12 other watch companies and these studios seemed more precise, cleaner, more clinical. They are large compared to many Swiss facilities, excepting JLC, I suppose. Thanks for reading. Mike
