JuanjoG
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Contribuidor de RE
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Observatory Chronometer
Before COSC, there was Observatory Chronometer certified by the astronomical observatories such as the Neuchatel, Geneva, Besancon, and Kew Observatory (to be perfect, there was BO Chronometer standard – effort led by Rolex? - between those two). There were also “Observatory Chronometer Competitions” at those observatories every year until 69 or 70 when quartz movements became prevalent.
This Observatory Chronometer testing and certification was far tougher than today's COSC. For example, average daily deviation must be within +/- 0.75 sec, while COSC requirement is -4/+6 sec., thermal variation must be within +/- 0.20 sec. per day while COSC requirement is +/- 0.60 sec., etc.... and the duration of the test was 45 days while COSC's is 15 days.
The standard was so high that the manufacturers typically sent the movements specifically built for that purpose alone to the observatory for testing. It is like F-1 cars in that the car is expected to last only for one race, but not for everyday use. The only manufacturers who sold the actual movements/ watches which passed the observatory chronometer testing are Girard-Perregaux, Waltham (pocket watch), and SEIKO.
1968 –
After Suwa submitted its competition examples, Neuchatel declared the Competition would be suspended (later it was announced that the SEIKO examples dominated the Competition by taking 2nd, and 4th - 8th places). So, both SEIKO teams submitted to Geneva Observatory instead – Best of the submitted examples – 4th (1st to 3rd were quartz movements), in fact from 4th to 10th were all SEIKO, which means that SEIKO movements dominated from the Top to 7th place in the mechanical watch movement division. Total wrist watch division – of course, 1st place.
As you could see, SEIKO team has advanced its technology and skill quite fast to become competitive in the global watch industry. Why Neuchatel stopped the Competition can now only be a speculation, but it continued to issue certificate “Observatoire Astronomique et Chronometrique Bulletin de Marche” to those passed its rigorous test. (Dai-Ni or The Second) SEIKO did continue to improve its movements and also to submit its examples.
1968 – submitted 103 Cal. 4520, 73 passed and certified.
1969 – submitted 30 Cal. 4580, 25 passed and certified.
1970 – submitted 150 Cal. 4580, 128 passed and certified.
(By Dai-Ni SEIKO-sha)
SEIKO could (or should) have stored these examples in its museum, but sold all of them to the public. Those 223 (some record shows 226) 4520/4580 were sold as “Observatory Chronometer” in 18K YG case at about USD1,800 then, which is about USD10K today and astonishingly cheap. Many of those which passed the Neuchatel standard and then were sold to the public had daily deviation of +/- 0.175 sec per day (the standard of the test was +/- 0.75 sec per day)....
Then the specially adjusted same Cal. 4580 were sold as “Grand Seiko 45G VFA (Very Finely Adjusted)” at about USD1,000 then in SS case. Very few were made and sold as VFA process is painful and not for mass production. We seldom see them in the antique market today. If we do, it won't be that cheap any longer (I have seen one Observatory Chronometer at about USD25K). The 45G VFA were sold with guarantee of +/- 2 sec per day and mean monthly accuracy of +/- 60 sec for two years. Incredible accuracy and confidence in the products for general public, even more so by today's standard.
0,175 segundos por día. Para los que dicen que el COSC no está desfasado ...
Juanjo espero que ahora entiendas mejor mis intervenciones y que tus prejuicios negativos sobre la gama alta de Seiko sean menores. Viva la relojería!
No son prejuicios sobre sus calibres. De ellos no discuto su calidad.
Es sobre los relojes. No me gustan. Los veo feos en su mayoría. No encajan en mi gusto. Sin un diseño que me atraiga, ni con la calidad que me gusta.
Por el momento. Nunca se sabe en un futuro.
"Tengo gustos muy simples. Me siento satisfecho con lo mejor".
Oscar Wilde.
