Model: King Seiko Special 5246-6000 Chronometer
"The epitome of King Seikos"
Movement Specifications:
Daini 5246 Special, 25 Jewels, 28000 bph, Hi-Beat
Chronometer Standard of (+/-) 4 seconds
Hand-Winding & Hacking
Quickset Day/Date Feature
Day/Date change rapidly at midnight
Watch Specifications:
Case Diameter: 35mm (excluding crown)
Lug Width: 18mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Crystal Material: Hardlex
Case: Sold Case, open through crystal
Crown: Signed "KS," non screw-in
Buckle: Signed "KS"
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Introduction of the 52 King Seiko:
This text is borrowed from Seiya (if this in any way is a problem, please email me at
curpier@curpiercompany.com, and I will promptly remove)
Text from:
http://www32.ocn.ne.jp/~kseiya/gs/ I strongly believe that 52 King Seiko special chronometer quality exceeded Grand Seikos.
The brand name "King Seiko" was the symbol of Daini-Seikosha.
In the '70 era, the quartz watch sale became very rampant. At that stage, Daini Seikosha thought that the 52 caliber was the last chance to produce for mechanical watches, and thus, they felt that they should produce a superior caliber to remain part of the watch history.
- Durability
- Thin caliber
- The function with day and date change quickly at 24:00
- One piece case for perfect water proof
(Honestly speaking the water proof ability was a weakness. Almost people take a bath and swim with the watch. So it is hard to find no stain dial on the 52 King Seiko special.)
The 8 bps movement was more durable than the 10 bps movement. This could be due to that 10 bps 45 caliber needed more frequent maintanence..
Thus, Daini-Seikosha produced the new caliber based on the experience. 52 caliber!!
Based on selection of only high precision parts, 52 King Seiko Special chronometer was born!!
This caliber design was so great that it was modified to become the famous 4S caliber after about 20 years.
Because of this superb caliber, Daini-Seikosha named it "Special " (as to more superior) than normal King Seiko .
Lastly, I think 52 King Seiko quality exceeded those of the Grand Seikos.
Seiya
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Review:
Dial/Bezel:
The dial of this King Seiko has a "silver patterned/brushed" look to it. It has polished silver-colered raised markers and the "Seiko" and "KS" logos are in raised lettering. The words " Automatic, Chronometer, Officially Certified" appear underneath the word Seiko. The words "Special" and "Hi-Beat" (indicating 28,000 bph) appear under the KS logo. The Day/Date window has a polished silver box surrounding it. In small print, at the bottom of the dial, Japan 5246-6000B appear. The bezel has a high-polish finish to it.
Hands:
The hands of this particular King Seiko have a bit of discoloration/oxidation. I believe they are original, if not, they are the correct for this model. The hands are non-luminous and pointer shaped.
Case:
The edges have a smooth continuation to the back of the case giving it a unique look. The finish is tremendous, giving it that luxurious feel. The lug tops have a brushed finish, the sides a high-polished look. One of the unique features of this King Seiko, is the monocoque case. It's a one piece case that must be opened for service, etc through the crystal. On the front side of the watch (in between lugs) is a small screw allowing one to regulate the watch easily. Please see this link for more detailed information:
http://seikoholics.yuku.com/topic/39/KING-SEIKO---got--hole----lugs---happy-Camper-
Crown:
The crown is signed "KS" and tucks nicely into the side of the case. It is still very easy to pull to set day/date and time.
Crystal:
The crystal is made of Hardlex (Seiko's proprietary type of hardened mineral crystal). It is raised above the bezel, but not domed.
Case back:
As mentioned above, the case monocoque, so the case back is one piece. It has the KS logo, model, and serial.
Buckle:
The buckle is signed "KS", and is polished on the sides and edges. It has small "lines" that run parallel to the strap. Actually, one of the nicest buckles that I have ever seen.
Size Comparison to a Grand Seiko 6146-8000 and King Seiko 4502-7001:
Overall Opinion:
The finish of the watch is superb, on par with more expensive Grand Seikos. The time keeping has been (+/-) 2 seconds a day, my most accurate automatic watch. This particular watch is in excellent condition, considering the age. The size is a bit on the small size for my large wrist, but it does not look out of place. All in all, a timeless classic with an excellent movement. A welcome addition to my growing King Seiko collection.
