Seiko Watchs vs Seiko Movements
I have always been a Seiko fanboy. But since I first discovered buying watches on Aliexpress a few years ago I am less a Seiko watch fanboy and more just a Seiko movement fanboy.
When you look at what your money can get you actual Seiko watches just don't do it for me anymore.
If you get on Amazon and lookup Seiko watches that have 4R35 movements you are going to pay $300-$600 for these watches.
4R35 is the same thing as NH35. You can buy watches with same movement off of Aliexpress for as cheap as $40-100 and they are better looking watches than the Seiko watches.
If you are into homage watches you can easily build a Rolex homage collection that has this movement or a NH34 if it is GMT.
You almost always get Sapphire crystal on these cheap watches too. Seiko is still putting mineral crystal on most of their watches.
It is really sad that actual Seiko watches are sub-par to most of these cheap watches. They could do a lot better.
I would still wager Seiko's quality and design are > that of most $40-100 Ali-homages. Yes they may not have as high specs on paper, but they are probably better finished and better designed. Just my option.
Agreed
Funny, I'm the opposite - big fan of Seiko designs, love their divers in particular.
But for the money their movements are lacking - look at their accuracy and precision compared to the Swiss at the same price point.
For well under £1k Swiss chronometer rated watches are available, yet all my 6r powered Seiko's are sold with very generous tolerance from the factory..
When I sent my Willard for a service & repair I requested it be regulated.
I received an email back saying that they didn't offer regulation !!!
For me the value of Seiko is in their gorgeous designs, most definitely NOT their movements.
Seiko made a huge mistake selling their movements wholesale as the microbrands are killing them with their own product. On the flip side the patent on the NH35 probably ran out so it's all good. If the Chinese ever serviced their new movements properly they would kill it in the budget market. They sell a "NH35" for under 30 bucks CDN retail now.
Speaking of most microbrands. They are the same charging super high prices and putting this $30 movement in it. I don’t like that either. I guess most people buy for appearance. I usually have to like the appearance only if i like the movement.
It's the Seiko designs that are worth the money not the movements or specs, having said that if you look in the right places you can get older Seiko's with great designs and specs.
I love old Seiko's...not too keen on what they offer recently though. Their recent models are just kinda bland to me. I have found some of the most intersting watches on Aliexpress lately and they look more expensive than most of the Seiko like up until you get to the Prospex collection.
I'll admin there are worse brands like Invicta, Even most of their Automatics have NH35's in them. But at least they look cheap and are usually cheaper than Seiko.