[MicroBeta]

Why is it so dang hard to find any info on these movements?

I have tech guides that go back to the '60s with nothing on the 830, 8305, or the 8306.

Is there something different about these movements? Was their production run so short that they fell to the way side?

Anyone got any info or theories? ;D

Mike

 

[ADB]

Hi Mike,
I have a couple of these:

(more pics tomorrow in daylight)

As far as I know, the 8306 is a 30-jewels mid-high end automatic movement with day and date complications (I suppose the 8305 is a date only version), that hand winds but at least on my functional 8306, does not hack. It was used in the Seikomatic-R line. I don't see any special advantage with this movement when compared to a 5606 or 5206, which seem to be just as thin or thinner and have the added advantage of hacking, and as far as I can tell a smoother hand winding. The 8306 was manufactured between 1965 and 1969 and I guess the 5606 (which began manufacturing in 1968) took over its role as the main mid-high end automatic movement.
Your best bet for more information is Martin's watchblog here: http://seikoandcitizen.blogspot.com
Cheers,

 

[ADB]

As promised, a wrist shot and a couple of shots of the movement (of my donor non-running 8306, which I was told when I bought was running... oh well...):

Cheers,

 

[MicroBeta]

I've got an M77 Sealion. I've got running pretty well. I really like it. It's nice a big.

What I'm wondering is why there is very little info out there on these movements. They seem to have fallen into an information black hole.

Mike