Think that a watch movement is either mechanical or quartz? Well, you’re sort of right. 

Several other movement types have been developed over the past few decades, among which is Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive. Spring Drive movements are a hybrid between conventional mechanical and quartz movements that use a traditional mainspring in concert with a quartz crystal and an integrated circuit that provides an electromagnetic brake. A watch powered by this system blows past chronometer accuracy of -4 to 6 seconds per day, promising /- 0.5 seconds per day.

However, though it’s most often seen on higher-end Grand Seiko watches, Spring Drive is also available on releases from Seiko itself. The Prospex LX SNR029, for example, is a serious diver that employs the technology to good effect, making for an almost stupidly accurate tool watch that can survive down to 300m below the waves.

This particular SNR029 is housed in a 44.8mm titanium case with 'holey lugs', a sapphire crystal, and a unidirectional rotating dive timing bezel with a luminous black ceramic insert. It features a matte black dial with applied luminous indices, a matching handset, an outer minute track, a date window at 3:00, and a power reserve indicator at 7:30. Powered by the Spring Drive Caliber 5R65 with 72 hours of power reserve, it comes paired to a matching titanium multi-link bracelet with a push-button clasp.

Dating to the 2020s and accompanied by its factory goodies, the SNR029 is a watch for the type of person for whom utility and accuracy are of primary importance. If that’s you, then we want to hear from you!