A prototype for the first watch featuring a Kinetic movement was made by Seiko back in 1986. And in most aspects, it was identical to an automatic match. Both use movement to power themselves.
The wearer’s movements gyrate the oscillating weight within the watch, rotating the gears to power the generator and eventually the capacitor.
The key difference between automatic and kinetic watches happens to be that kinetic watches use a capacitor while the former uses a spring.
Plus, both watches need to be worn regularly to maintain their charge; however, many Seiko models come with a power reserve to keep the battery running. At some point, you will need to replace your Seiko capacitor, but that’s not a hassle.
But the question is: why should you choose a kinetic watch when you can get an automatic one?
One reason is that Kinetic watches can store their charge for many months, while automatic watches tend to lose theirs within a few days and need to be rewound.
Suffice it to say, kinetic watches are a much better option if you have a busy lifestyle and can’t stop to wind your watch every few weeks.
So if you’re looking to invest in a Seiko Kinetic watch, here’s our review of the best the brand has to offer:
