Many novices assume that a movement that “ticks” more than once per second is a trait of high-end watches, but it’s actually nothing special. Nearly all mechanical watches, from Chinese and Japanese value lines to Haute Horology, tick at least 5 times per second! The smooth 8-beat seconds hand now associated with fancy Rolex watches isn’t the pinnacle of technology. Seiko and Zenith popularized 10-beat movements in the late 1960’s, and some exotic pieces tick even faster!
The First Grand Seiko
In 1960, Seiko created their enduring entry in the luxury watch market, Grand Seiko. Produced by Suwa Seikosha, the simply-named Grand Seiko offered the sort of fit and finish usually reserved for fine Swiss watches, with a simple hand-winding in-house movement to match.