Spring Drive at twenty, with a lion’s mane for a dial.

Every other watch here is either mechanical, with a balance wheel swinging back and forth, or quartz, with a crystal vibrating and a stepper motor ticking the hand forward. Spring Drive is neither. A mainspring turns the gear train, as in a mechanical watch; but instead of an escapement, a small wheel spins continuously, generating a trickle of current that runs a quartz reference, which brakes the wheel electromagnetically to keep it exact. The seconds hand does not tick; it sweeps, truly, with no steps at all.

Seiko first sold it in 1999. The 9R96 in this watch is the chronograph version with a GMT hand, and it holds to about half a second a day, which is better than any chronometer standard.

This is a regular Amazon listing from an independent dealer, Luxor Watches on the day we read it, with Amazon’s 30-day return window; it is not a Luxury Stores pre-owned unit. The rows we read do not state the condition, so ask the seller whether it is new with Grand Seiko’s warranty or a dealer-serviced piece, and ask for the box and papers a numbered limited edition should have.

Limited Grand Seikos have resold close to what people paid for them, sometimes more, sometimes less; that is a pattern, not a promise, and nothing here is investment advice.