Hi Beat v Spring Drive

Grand Seiko create some of the best watches in the world often powered by their two most prolific movements – the Hi-Beat and Spring Drive. But what’s the difference between their two highly accurate calibre lines and how do they stack up against each other? From accuracy to accessibility, we put them head-to-head and explain how each one works.

Leave your thoughts in the comments below and don’t forget to also like and subscribe for more watch news and reviews. Turn on the notification bell for updates on when we next upload.

Stay up to date and follow our social media:

[ddp]

that smoothness of the spring drive. I can look at it for hours and it is so relaxing

[panydavid]

Spring Drive is the true trademark for GS movements, it's a real innovation and a breakthroughh in bringing the best of Quartz and mechanical movements together. I think it is also attached to the brand forever in terms of perception, in the sense that no other brand will produce a movement that's comparable. I visited the GS boutique here in Paris a few days ago, and servicing a Spring drive watch is in fact cheaper than for an Omega Speedmaster. They send them to the Netherlands. Spring Drive all day!

[prstito]

small note about the description of the Spring Drive. When you began discussing the Tri-synchro regulator, you did so when the graphic was showing the magic lever winding system. The regulator component is actually the illuminated circuit at the end of the graphic. I'm sure it is a simple oversight, but given the precision and intentionality of grand seiko timepieces, that clarification is needed as to not confuse anyone on the brilliance of the movement.

[just]

I have the hi-beat, spring drive and quartz. I am now suffering from poverty.

[darylwardsnyder]

I own one of each. My Spring Drive 5 Day Power Reserve gains on average about two seconds a month. It’s extraordinarily accurate. Mind blowing really.

[Unlucky]

Man all Grand Seiko movements are so BEAUTIFUL

[HouseNuova]

Having the chrono/GMT SpringDrive since 2020 (it was the last watch that my father, a watch lover, has bought before his death), I really love it. It’s accuracy, the precision level of all the finitions of the watch make it really perfect for me. At a point that I’m thinking when possible to buy another SpringDrive, the famous SnowFlake.

[klching]

Spring drive is the only movement with true sweeping unlike other watches which use high frequency to simulate the sweep. This means that you can take a video at any fps and it still sweep.

[randallhill]

I like both spring drive and hi-beat. I went for the GS quartz watch.

[googleuser]

I've just bought the new Hotaka mountains green and white GMT spring drive. And love it. But I'm aiming to get a Hi-Beat as well.

[pwr]

I prefer the spring drive simply because the second hand moves ever so slightly smoother

[garyboyle]

The accuracy is the stated tolerances but both are consistently much more accurate than stated.

[stretchmarklol]

I have the Seiko LX Landmaster Spring Drive, and it dominates my wrist time as my daily driver. I know it ain’t supposed to be in a Seiko but it is!

[jacc]

Spring Drive as a preference but admire the GS hi-beat movement enormously.

[marcuslieberman]

I am "jonesing" for a SpringDrive, for all the reasons you mentioned.

[RoganBryan]

Staggeringly beautiful graphics and animation.

[whodeycinbengals]

I’ve always been team high beat as I always prefer full mechanical to hybrids or quartz

[phillippugh]

All grand Seiko watches can be serviced righr here in the states in new Jersey

[drbobsnightmare]

GS HiBeat and a Spring Drive Seiko Tuna would be my pick.

[jimblack]

My spring drive doesn’t miss lose or gain time