Seiko Kenitic

clv101

clv101

clv101

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Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
10,959
Location
Bristol
I've been in half a mind to buy a new watch for the last two years since the battery ran out in my old Casio - yeah it wasn't top of my to do list! After looking in a shop the other day I really like the Seiko Titanium ones that are quite flat with very flexible bracelets, not the really chunky ones that are more than 10mm thick with quite rigid bracelets.

Something like this (SNA221) ~£200:
Seiko_SNA221.jpg


or this (SGEB11) ~£100:
Seiko_SGEB11.jpg


It seems that when looking at the Seiko Titanium range, very roughly, chronograph functionality adds around £100 and Kinetic power adds around £100. (Battery titanium chronograph =£200, battery titanium non-chronograph =£100, kinetic titanium non-chronograph =£200, kinetic titanium chronograph =£lots)

My question is... how important is Kinetic? I know what it is, how it works etc although I also hear that the battery or capacitor (different mechanism use either?) don't last forever and need Seiko servicing to change after 5+ years. How long to batteries last with regular use, alarm a few times a week etc? Does the chronograph suck the batteries dry quickly? How much of a hassle is it to change the batteries on a 10bar titanium Seiko? Still waterproof? I've never owned a chronograph - are they actually any good for timing the Sunday roast or are they more for show than function?

Lots of questions... thanks for any opinions!
 
How water resistant is water resistant?

The following usage recommendations are suggested by the Seiko Corporation of America.

* Water-resistant to 30 meters (100 feet). Will withstand splashes of water or rain but should not be worn while swimming or diving.
* Water-tested to 50 meters (165 feet). Suitable for showering or swimming in shallow water.
* Water-tested to 100 meters (330 feet). Suitable for swimming and snorkelling.
* Water-tested to 150 meters (500 feet). Suitable for snorkelling.
* Water-tested to 200 meters (660 feet). Suitable for skin diving.
* Diver's 150 meters (500 feet). Meets ISO standards and is suitable for scuba diving.
* Diver's 200 meters (660 feet). Meets ISO standards and is suitable for scuba diving.
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Not a big fan of the chronos, so I have just bought one of these.

seiko.jpg


Lovely weighty feel, and a good size. I have big wrists ;)
 
I'm not a big fan of busy faces full stop, and both the first and last posted so far would count. 2nd one is much more my thing.

Which reminds me, I better start wearing mine - it's getting a little low on charge.
 
I have always liked the Seiko watches. Not particularly chronographs, but I do prefer ones with day/date function. That is the type I plan on getting, else I will get a Citizen Eco-Drive of some sort, with day/date on it.

I don't intend to buy a cheapy watch though - my cheapy watch from a catalogue shop has got a corroded bracelet, case, and case back now! So I will definitely be looking for a 100% Stainless Steel job now!
 
My Seiko kinetic needed a service after about 4 years - it pretty much died, and even when showing as fully charged would run down after an houur. Cost about 90 quid for a service which fixed it.

Still, for a 350 quid watch, a 90 quid service every 4 years isnt bad i suppose....
 
Got a Seiko Kinetic for a birthday a few years ago. Nice watch but due the job I have, wearing an expensive watch is not a good idea. I only wore it when going out every now and then. It didn't get a chance to charge much which meant I had to set the time on it everytime I wanted to wear it which was a pain in the a$$.
So don't bother with it now.......shame.
 
can definitely recommend titanium seiko kinetics. This one is mine shipped from the US for half the high street cost (£180 vs £350) even after customs duty. Very light, quite thin and simple looking. luvverly. Had it 18 months now and virtually scrtch free and still water proof (and so it should be for the money)


ka016r.jpg
 
Visage said:
My Seiko kinetic needed a service after about 4 years - it pretty much died, and even when showing as fully charged would run down after an houur. Cost about 90 quid for a service which fixed it.

Still, for a 350 quid watch, a 90 quid service every 4 years isnt bad i suppose....
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Feek said:
Funnily enough there are reports of a lot of Seiko Kinetics needing a replacement capacitor after 7 or 8 years and that's quite an expensive job to do.

K.
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That is what's put me off spending an extra £100 on kinetic - I'm thinking I might as well just get a regular battery. How often to batteries last in this kind of watches though?
 
clv101 said:
That is what's put me off spending an extra £100 on kinetic - I'm thinking I might as well just get a regular battery. How often to batteries last in this kind of watches though?
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As far as I know, if you get a standard analogue watch from a high street shop, you'll probably not need to buy a battery replacement (costs between £1-£4 depending on where you go) for at least 3 years, well that's my experience. I don't know how a chronograph or a digital display affects that though.

As for a Seiko Kinetic I wouldn't personally know - although I suspect you can get about 4 -5 years out of it before problems start happening. I think that has been mentioned before on this thread.
 
Gamefreak501 said:
As far as I know, if you get a standard analogue watch from a high street shop, you'll probably not need to buy a battery replacement (costs between £1-£4 depending on where you go) for at least 3 years, well that's my experience. I don't know how a chronograph or a digital display affects that though.

.
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If its a waterprrof watch you will need it resealed and tested too at a cost of about £15
 
Rotty said:
If its a waterprrof watch you will need it resealed and tested too at a cost of about £15
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Forgot that one :o

I have never really looked after my watches...because they were cheapy jobs - like from catalogue shops...but I would bother for a watch that costed me at least £70, not for a £15 job though.
 
I've had a regular non-kinetic Seiko for 16 years :eek: - still working perfectly, and I've only had to have the battery replaced twice in that time.

Given this fact, and the potential unreliability of the kinetic mechanisms I know which one I'd go for if buying another.
 
I am 2 years into owning my Seiko kinetic watch. I had to take it back within a week as it would not keep time! got it back 2 weeks later and its worked perfectly every since.
 
Selekt0r said:
I've had a regular non-kinetic Seiko for 16 years :eek: - still working perfectly, and I've only had to have the battery replaced twice in that time.

Given this fact, and the potential unreliability of the kinetic mechanisms I know which one I'd go for if buying another.
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I think I'm going to get a regular non-kinetic titanium one - like the one's pictured above. I guess the only question is whether to get the chronograph version or not. I've never had a chronograph watch before, are they just a gimmick, there for fashion reasons or are they actually practical and easy to use to time things?
 
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