KISS drummer Eric Singer talks about Ball watches to Jeff Hess before Tampa, FL concert. Unprompted, he lectures Old Northeast Jewelers
owner Mr. Jeffrey P. Hess (offscreen, and himself a highly sought after watch lecturer) about the entire history of the BALL
watch company!
Press Release:
Master Craftswoman Chitose Masuda Offers Rare Glimpse of the Inner Workings of The Revolutionary Seiko Spring Drive Watch
(August 28, 2008 - Mahwah, NJ) Seiko Corporation of America welcomes award-winning Master Craftswoman, Chitose Masuda to the U.S. Ms Masuda is one of only a handful of people in the world capable of assembling the technological marvel known as Seiko Spring Drive.
Ms. Masuda will be making select appearances at some of the country's top jewelers from September 29, 2008 to October 3, 2008.
A triumphant combination of mechanical beauty and quartz accuracy, Spring Drive represents the very pinnacle of micromechanics and expert watchmaking, and this event offers an unheard of look at the inner workings of the watch.
Ms Chitose will be disassembling and assembling the 416 individual parts of the Seiko Spring Drive watch on-site, providing a rare glimpse at the Spring Drive technology that took Seiko 28 years to develop and perfect. Every Spring Drive watch is entirely hand-assembled and requires the skill of a master craftsman with decades of experience.
"The Spring Drive Exhibition is a great way for Seiko to demonstrate and communicate its expertise and dedication in Fine Watch making. These particular five Jewelers have had their clients inquire about learning more; they have taken special interest in securing limited edition introductions. While we have many other very valuable Spring Drive accounts, we are only able to visit five stores during this trip," said Les Perry, Executive Vice President, Seiko Corporation of America.
"Our true watch collectors love their Seiko Spring Drive timepieces. The design and accuracy are unparalleled. Being one of only 50 or so dealers to carry the Spring Drive we are deeply honored to have one of the watchmakers for this design in our store,” said Jeffrey Hess, owner, Old Northeast Jewelers. "This visit will no doubt be one we remember for years to come, and we can't wait!!"
For 2008, the collection is expanded with new interpretations of the most celebrated Spring Drive calibres, the Chronograph and the Moon Phase. Both of these calibers take the very best advantage of the platform of Spring Drive; thanks to the revolutionary and unique glide motion of the hands, the chronograph stops at precisely the moment that the button is depressed, not at the nearest fraction. In the Moon Phase calibre, the continuous and unerringly precise motion of the planets is perfectly mirrored in the glide motion of the hands and the moon phase dial. Both new Spring Drive watches will be debuted at the traveling exhibition.
Spring Drive G.M.T.
Calibre 5R86 boasts a 416-part, 50-jewel movement that promises +/- 1-second-per-day accuracy, fifteen times better than the average mechanical watch.
A Seiko exclusive, just 300 pieces will be made with just 65 available in the states.
Spring Drive Moon Phase
Calibre 5R67 which elegantly captures the perpetual motion of the moon crafted to the highest horological standards in the world. This rare collection is limited to just 200 worldwide, with just 65 pieces available in the U.S.
The Seiko exhibition is also one of only FIVE stateside appearances of the Revolutionary Spring Drive Space Walk watch, specifically designed to withstand the rigors of free space without losing accuracy, including resistance to temperatures from minus 20 degrees Celsius to plus 70.
Get a close look at this remarkable watch before it heads out on its 2009 Space Mission.
The Seiko Spring Drive U.S. Traveling Exhibition will be appearing the following prestigious jeweler:
Old Northeast Jewelers
1131 4th Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Master Craftswoman Chitose Masuda
Dr. Owen Garriott, made two space flights, aboard Skylab in 1973 and aboard STS-9/Spacelab-1 in 1983. In 1973 he gave the SEIKO watch he wore on Skylab 3 to his young son Richard, who grew up to be a second-generation astronaut . In total, Owen spent 70 days in space and he carried SEIKO watches on both of these flights. He wore one continuously during his Spacelab mission.
