Seiko Kinetic - Please educate me

As a former owner I think they are nice watches if you plan to wear it often enough to keep it at a decent charge. Not so great if you own a bunch of watches and will only wear it every couple weeks.

Those watches are fairly robust, but the rotor is noisy compared to most automatics. The small battery lasts about 15 years, after which it needs to be replaced. The parts were about $35 the last time I checked.

However, the rotor needs to be removed, as well as a small bridge and an insulating membrane. This part will feel more like watchmaking than a battery change. Getting the membrane into place is also "interesting". The screws are small, so you need to take this seriously. Slip with screwdriver into a coil, and it's game over.

These watches work nicely if worn as a daily watch. If you have a large collection of watches, I would probably prefer solar watches.

That could be a problem but I could make it a work watch if I pull the trigger. Not a deal breaker, thanks for the info 👍

The one I’m looking at says the capacitors have been changed. What does that mean? 🤯

I like the vintage (2014 😂) aspect over Solar but as @foghorn also mentioned about the need to wear it regularly it is something I clearly need to consider 👍

That's exactly how I used mine-as a work watch. Fully charged every day, but then I retired.

That very early versions of the Seiko Kinetics had capacitors and not rechargeable batteries. (That didn't work out all that well.) But the name stuck to some degree.

What we are referring to are these components. Yes, I bought mine in the early 2000s, and a 2014 would be very similar.

Also, Seiko is licensing this movement, and I know that a German brand (Ruhla) is using the movement for some of its watches today. I'm quite sure there are others.

Change the capacitor and the case back seal when you get one. Wear it a few times a week or do the Seiko shuffle with the watch a couple of times a week, for a few minutes each time and all’s good! Enjoy the watch!

Edit: My capacitor was swapped out to the newer Lithium Ion one as in the link sharedby hbein2022 in the earlier post. It now lasts much longer than the original capacitor even when the previous capacitor was new.

Bonus: A pic of my 20 year old Seiko Kinetic. 🤣

Thank you 🙏

I’m very tempted. This one says capacitors and back seal have been changed. I’m waiting for the seller to tell me how big the bracelet is, I’m pretty sure that could be a deal breaker if it’s not big enough as it’s integrated 😑

A new capacitor and seal is about $40 already!

Hope the bracelet is big enough!

Share a pic of the model you plan to get! 😄

Looks very 90s/00s futuristic! Very nice!

I’m definitely drawn to it, I think I can pull it off. It’s on two sites so I’ve put a low offer in on one and we’ll see how it plays. Still need to know it’ll fit my wrist. Hopefully the seller isn’t a Cruncher reading this 😂

@foghorn @hbein2022 @MultiX The deed is done, my first Kinetic is on its way. Thanks for your info, I scored it for £140 but it’s going to be touch and go with the bracelet fit. I’ll post a few pics when it arrives, it’s an SNL001 👍

I really hadn't seen that one before. But I would certainly be an interesting watch to own.

I've got one that I really like but keep it on my desk so I can shake it like a fidget spinner to keep it going, I've heard it can be bad news if they go completely flat - not sure if true or not. Great watch, nice technology.

@foghorn @hbein2022 @weng_c Arrived today, I’m over the moon with this 👍

Excellent! Enjoy the watch!

That’s a nice one 👀 it looks good on the Bond strap too 👍

Think the capacitor will be damaged if the watch is completely flat for too long. The saving grace is that the capacitor can be easily and relatively inexpensively replaced.

Congratulations, the watch has a lot of character.

Thank you. . . I think 🤔

It’s definitely ‘of it’s era’. I’m thinking it’s more 2004 than 2014 but having difficulty researching it properly 👍