Spring Drive's innovation is to bring electronic quartz accuracy to mainspring-driven watch. Here are the highlights of Seiko's Caliber 5R mechatronic movement, taken from technical information supplied by seiko.
Magic-Level System.
Like a traditional automatic mechanical watch, Spring Drive uses a mainspring wound by a rotor to power the watch. As the wearer moves, Spring Drive's oscillating weight (rotor) ratchets and winds the mainspring. Spring Drive, however, allows for more efficient transmission of the rotor's power to the mainspring due to an improvement in Seiko's Magic Lever winding system that fits the lever directly to the shaft of the rotor.
Locating the axis of the lever at the center of the oscillating weight ensures that slight movements provide consistent winding. The system is 30% more efficient than traditional winding systems and makes for faster winding.
Mainspring.
As the mainspring unwinds, it provides the power to drive the hands of the watch. Seiko equipped Spring Drive with a stronger mainspring made from a new highly elastic alloy called Spron 510. The mainspring delivers more power, more smoothly, for a longer period. Its high elasticity gives the watch a longer power reserve: 72 hours versus 40 hours in a traditional mechanical watch. The gear train transmits the power of the mainspring to the Tri-synchro regulator and the hands.
To be continue in Part II.
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