Sizzling HoT!!! Seiko DISCUS BLACK (aka Burger)

1 Jan 2008,  Starts with A Fun and Unique Seiko....

Since the day I saw the post of one of our Malaysian Purists wearing this Black Seiko in an event about two months, I was charmed by this unique 'burger'. Yes, the name strangely is  Seiko Disc Burger ! (by a couple of Japanese sites).
And who say reading the posts in this forum does not make you buy watches, my friends...if it has not happened to you..it is "Not Yet, Not Yet."

Searched high and low for information about this Discus-Burger and discovered it belongs to the "Seiko Moving Design Collection" launched in  August 2007.  However the official name is Seiko Discus  and this series has 2 models.  One full black  ( Ref : SCBS007) and the other one is with white dial (Ref : SCBS005), designed by Tomoko Tomita from Design Center of Seiko Watch.

There should be a concept behind this collection.  Highly likely something related to  "GREEN &  Eco-Conservation"... I can't say much as the site (www.seiko-watch.co.jp/moving/) is only in Japanese.  So any of you kind soul who understand Japanese, appreciate you can translate .


Coincidentally, one of my good friend, a Purists too (asked not to be disclosed), was going for a vacation in Japan just before Christmas.  And shamelessly I asked... and voila!!
Thank you my friend!


Here it goes....

The Packaging - Green Packaging, paper card-box. 

The Contents

Aha....alas .... the starring - presenting the Seiko Discus-Black ( in a paperbox...how green!)

A closer look.  Tinted crystal.  Full Black case....very stealth!

Do you like it?  I think this design, either you like or dislike it.... no 2-way about it .

Apologies for those dust particles. This piece is pretty challenging to take, as the surface is highly reflective. It doesn't help much with my Canon P&S.

Some details.... specifications are not provided, so I measured with my caliper.

Case Diameter : 41mm.   If includes crown, will be 44 mm.

Crown Diameter is 5.5mm, thickness is 3 mm.  A bit too thin to hold, making winding difficult for some people.

Crystal: some reported is HARDLEX, Seiko's patented surface hardened mineral crystals.... however, by tapping it and listen to the feedback, it sounds like sapphire crystal and not mineral or acrylic.  The diameter is about 35mm. 

As for the display-window, it is about diameter 14.5mm.  Pretty well-balanced look.





The Time Indicators - 3 Discs

Zoom in - The 3 Discs.  The Outer most disc is the HOUR (with half-hourly markings).  The middle disc is the MINUTE and the last one is for the SECOND.

For example, using the two green triangular-markers reference,  the time displayed is 10:43 and 48 seconds.   The discs rotate clockwise!

Initially will take about 2 to 3 seconds to read the time, after some practise, it will be easy! 




A Short Video-Clip to illustrate the rotating Second-disc

Side View.... observe the crystal is convex.

Observe the discs are stacked on top of each others.

A Closer Look.

The See Through Case-Back

Similar to the front crystal....tinted with a display window.  It looks symmetrical with each other.

A closer look. 
The movement is the Automatic 6R15B 23 Jewels with  6 beats per hour (21,600vph). This is a Seiko's robust movement and used primarily in their Divers range too.
 
Besides the HOUR, MINUTE & SECOND, it  has a date calender (which is not used in this watch-design).  However when you pull the crown, there will be 2 clicks. 

The first click is for quick date set which is redundant.

The second click is for the time setting and hacked the Second-hand.

Can be hand-wound with over-wound protection. Power reserve of 50 hours.

Daily Rate : between -15 sec to +25 sec ... strangely in the instruction manual, this spec is for a period of 1 week.

After wearing for 6 days, it runs at +10 sec/day.  Not that bad...should be able to finetune.

The workmanship is pretty good....observe the 4 caseback locking screws... same colour as the blacken casing...and not a scratch from the screwdriver after tightening.

 

The Balance Assembly

The movement looks close to the 7S26, which our John(ei8htohms) reported before.
If you would like to read John's report, please click here .

Side view of the blacken casework (with different texture/finishing)  and the crown

The Lug

Observe the 3 layers blackened casing. The bezel and the caseback (brush-finished) sandwiching the lustrous body. 
Not sure if it is PVD, however knocked a few times  past  days, still has no visible dings/dents or scratches on the crystal.

Hmm...it does look like a burger from this side view!

The total thickness is about 15mm. The bezel and the case-back each is 4.5mm while the body is 6mm.

Full side view. Observe the straps were pre-formed to flow with the curvatures of the lugs. 
Not a good idea, as it does not embrace thin wrist! 

Another view of the convex crystal.
The straps (supposedly leather, 20 X 18mm) is specially made to follow the arc of the body, leaving no gaps between the body/lugs and straps.







The Deployant Buckle

I like this quick adjust deployant buckle!  Good idea...no more chipped nails!

Well finished deployant, blackened to match the casing.

Buckle signed 'SEIKO' , seemed liked laser-marked.





Some Wrist Shots

Anyone can tell the time?

Observe the Second-disc... rotating upward (clockwise)..

Another interesting thing, at different lighting and angles, you will get to see different views... a fun piece!



The next picture, observe that the "Seiko" logo disappeared!

If the position of the watch-face perpendicular to your eyes, the logo will disappear....arrh....a parallax-error indicator!
That's when you read the time with more accuracy



A Short Clip of The Seiko Logo Disappearing Act







A Wristshot under the sunlight...

Extremely good if wore on right-hand. You can easily 'steal a peek' ....

Very comfortable to wear... the release buttons of the deployant.

On closer look...this is accuracy or even attention to details... the strap head-end meets exactly at the intersection of the bezel and the body and flowing out at the same diving angle of the lugs! 

The Seiko Discus won the Good Design Award... details could be found on the g-mark link (in the picture above).



Conclusions

This way of telling time is not new and it was common during 1970 when Spaceman Watches by Andre Le Marquand was hot. 
However the Seiko Discus is more than a retro revival.  The design is simple, current and minimalist but strangely appealing.

So far it is a head-turners and get many excited and want to have it immediately...not sure why...just something magical to the senses.

A point to note, to have a more accurate time adjustment, try to adjust at half-hour as it has a clear distinct half-hour white mark (on the disc) for alignment. 

It would be nice to have the HOUR disc in 24 hour format and the Display-window shifted to the right-side for left-hand wearer like me so I can easily read the time just by pushing the cuff a bit.  If you are Right-hand wearer, this watch is specially made for YOU!! Lucky people.

Only improvement would be the lugs & strap design, to accomodate thin wrists.

I think the Seiko Discus is a versatile piece, it can be a utility watch and subtle enough to transform for  formal event.

Please tell me if you like this Seiko Discus or not!


Happy New Year !!!

Kong

 

Related links about the same SMASHing piece, click on the links to be 'teleported' :

1) Yes! We Malaysians LOVE Discs Burgers! , please click here

2) A Burger Sequel - Project SEIKO DISCUS (Fun Video) , please click here   

3) A Burger Sequel - SEIKO DISCUS - WHITE , please click here

4) A translation of the Japanese Brochure of the Discus, please click here

5) Another Seiko Discus Sequel : Straps Change, please click here

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Other Owners' posts  :

 

DRMW : home.watchprosite.com

Tempusfugit : home.watchprosite.com

Masterspiece : home.watchprosite.com

Cen@ Jkt : home.watchprosite.com

Jzf : home.watchprosite.com

SteveH : home.watchprosite.com

Bill (Black) : home.watchprosite.com

Bill (White) : home.watchprosite.com

CL : www.watchprosite.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

added to Editor's Pick This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2007-12-31 15:48:52

 

 

This message has been edited by Kong on 2008-01-28 10:35:48
This message has been edited by Kong on 2008-02-01 11:35:22

This message has been edited by Kong on 2008-02-11 12:04:04