Kinetic: A powerhouse in technological innovation
Like mechanical and quartz, Kinetic is a platform. Over the past 20 years, SEIKO has created on this platform a suite of Kinetic movements, each bringing unique features to the consumer.
It was at the 1986 Basel Fair that SEIKO unveiled its first Kinetic prototype. Introduced under the trial name of 'AGM', it was the first watch in the world to convert kinetic movement into electrical energy. It was the first step in a development that, 20 years later, has made Kinetic synonymous with environmental friendliness, high performance and long-lasting convenience to a generation of users worldwide. From the launch in 1988 of the first commercially available watch (then under the new name AGS) until today, over eight million Kinetic watches have been sold (as of 2007).
In 1998, Kinetic Auto Relay was released, extending the 'at-rest' operating period of the watch to a remarkable 4 years. 1999 saw the launch of the Ultimate Kinetic Chronograph, a masterpiece which fused the very best of SEIKO's mechanical and electronic watch making skills, and in 2003 another Kinetic Chronograph was launched. At Baselworld 2005, the Kinetic Perpetual made its first appearance, combining Kinetic convenience and longevity with a perpetual calendar, correct to the year 2100. In 2007, SEIKO's emotional technology Kinetic Direct Drive is introduced.
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23 of 26 people found the following review helpful: By Wunt (SF, CA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Seiko Men's SKA381 Kinetic Silver-Tone Watch (Watch) As a (novice) watch enthusiast, I salivated over getting this watch for an extremely long time. I wanted a watch that I wouldn't ever need to change the battery for, and one that had an external rotating bezel marked off in minutes (helpful for avoiding parking tickets in the city). Also, I wanted this to complement my other watch (the seiko SKX031) that was a traditional Seiko diver. When the watch arrived I couldn't wait to try it on. These were my first impressions: The Good: (1) The watch looked like it does in the pictures. No complaints here. (2) The bezel is unidirectional and has a _very_ smooth feel. Much better than my bidirectional SKX031. (3) The watch is rated to 10 bar (unclear from the posting) - which per the Seiko informational guide is good for constant wear while taking baths/showers. All good so far. Then I tried to charge it with a few shakes of the wrist. Now for the next bit: The Bad:...Read more 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: By Derek "Derek" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Seiko Men's SKA381 Kinetic Silver-Tone Watch (Watch) I've had this watch for about two years. It's one of three Seikos I own, and one of two of the Kinetic winders. It's a fabulous watch for keeping excellent time, and also for looking fashionable, appealling, and manly. In terms of the basics which I like, for one it has a good fairly large size to it. It's noticable therefore, and doesn't just totally blend in. A good watch is something to be noticed. People ought to notice it. The band and bezel and case all look good together and the bezel clicks like a revolver does. It has an attractive face and is viewable in varied light. It functions for the power reserve and charging very well. It stays powered up easily too. I think you have to be realistic about the charging. It wont happen in five minutes! It's not supposed to! Read the dammed manual! It's not a wind-up, rubber band, kid's toy airplane!! You have to think in terms of days. Make your own estimations. When I made some calculations along the lines of days I was...Read more 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: By Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Seiko Men's SKA381 Kinetic Silver-Tone Watch (Watch) This watch was my boyfriend's Christmas present in 2008. It's nice looking in this picture, but it's stunning in person. It's moderately sized so that men with smaller wrists can pull it off, but large enough to make quite the masculine statement. My boyfriend gets lots of compliments on this fine looking piece of jewelry. And the price is unbeatable. A real steal.
Being kinetic means it's low maintenance. Just a swing of your arm powers it up. No batteries needed - ever. The one issue my boyfriend has with this watch is that the outer knob used to set the watch juts out a little too far, meaning he will accidentally reset the time during those rare instances when he bends his wrist and the watch gets caught between his bent hand and arm. Have trouble picturing what I just said? Well, this occurrence is that rare and requires a very specific set of circumstances to occur. So don't let that fact deter your decision to purchase this watch. In a nutshell, this...Read more |