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You are here: Home / Families / Seiko 4S Family

Seiko 4S Family

Last Update: February 2, 2020

BRANDS: Credor, Daini Seikosha, Seiko

Production: 1992 – 2015
1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
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The 4S series was a high-end automatic watch movements from Seiko introduced in 1992. It was used by a variety of Seiko brands, including Credor, until 2015. During that time it was used in high-end luxury, military, exploration, and dive watches and made notable appearances in historical reissues. The 4S series was largely replaced by the 8L and 9S movement family.

The first member of the family was perhaps the most important. Seiko’s revival as a maker of high-end watches began in 1992 with the release of Cal. 4S35, which powered a new high-end Seiko Automatic series. It was based on the 52 stream of movements, the last great design from Daini Seikosha in the classic period of Seiko mechanical watches. Much of the design and development work was performed by Daini workers who returned from retirement to contribute to the new movement series.

A more simply-decorated version, Cal. 4S15, was released in 1995 in the revived Alpinist and new Titanium Diver watches, and this would also be used the following year in the famous SUS Military watches. These would disappear for a few years until the 6R15 was released. 1996 also saw the complicated Cal. 4S77 Credor retrograde GMT, presaging the future of the line.

In the 2000s, the 4S series was limited to Brightz and Credor models. The last 4S movement was Cal. 4S79 in the Credor Node GCAY, which was removed from the catalog in 2015.

Unlike many other contemporary Seiko movements, the 4R series uses a conventional reverser gear for the automatic winding system rather than Seiko’s Magic Lever system. This is derived directly from the 52 stream, which also used this winding system.

Although there are a large number of 4S movement numbers, the list of variants is somewhat smaller:

  • Simple time and date movements: 4S15, 4S25, 4S35, 4S12 (with fixed 24 hour hand), 4S71 (no date)
  • Hand-winding time-only movements: 4S24 (center seconds), 4S28 (small seconds)
  • Hand-winding with power reserve at 9: 4S29, 4S79
  • Complicated automatic with retrograde day, date by pointer, independent GMT hand, and retrograde power reserve: 4S36, 4S76
  • Complicated automatic with retrograde day, date by pointer, and sub-dial GMT: 4S27, 4S77

Most movements in the series have a 40 hours of power reserve, though the 4S27/4S77 and 4S36/4S76 have 50 hours. Accuracy for all of the 4S1x and 4S2x movements is -15/+25 seconds per day, while the 4S3x and 4S7x movements are accurate to -10/+15 seconds.

There were quite a few complications available in this range:

  • Small seconds at 6:00 – 4S28, 4S29/4S79
  • Date pointer at 6:00 – 4S27/4S77, 4S36/4S76
  • Retrograde day pointer at 2:30 – 4S27/4S77, 4S36/4S76
  • Retrograde power reserve indicator at 9:30 – 4S29/4S79, 4S36/4S76

Additionally, there were three variations on a 24 hour “GMT” hand:

  • Central non-independent 24 hour hand – 4S12
  • Central independent 24 hour hand – 4S36/4S76
  • Subdial independent 24 hour hand – 4S27/4S77

Early Seiko 4S Movements

From the 1992 introduction of the Seiko 4S family through the early 2000s, Seiko used the 4S line as a high-end movement for diverse watches, including the SUS military, Alpinist, and Titanium diver. Most of these models were retired shortly after introduction, and the series of simple 4S movements was phased out by 2003.

ProductionWatchWindingJewelsNotes
4S121997-1998SCFFAutomatic25Date
Fixed 24 hour hand
4S151995-2001
2006
LHAM
SCFF
SCVF
SCVN
Automatic25Date
4S241990sLJAL
SCVG
Manual21
4S251993-1998SCVH
SCVJ
Automatic25Date
4S281994-2000LJAK
SCVG
SCVM
Manual24Small seconds at 6:00
4S351992-2000SCVKAutomatic25Date
4S711995-2003GCBBAutomatic25

Complicated Seiko 4S Movements

After 2000, Seiko had more diverse mechanical movements to choose from. The 4S family was moved upmarket as a base for modules to use in complicated upscale watches. The last 4S movement was retired in 2015.

ProductionWatchWindingJewelsNotes
4S272003-2007SAGNAutomatic28Retrograde day at 2:00
Date pointer at 6:00
GMT subdial at 9:00
4S292003-2007SAGNManual29Small seconds at 6:00
Retrograde power at 9:00
4S362007-2013SAEN
SARN
Automatic31Independent 24 hour hand
Retrograde day at 2:00
Date pointer at 6:00
Retrograde power at 9:00
4S762004-2010GBBT
GCBT
Automatic31Independent 24 hour hand
Retrograde day at 2:00
Date pointer at 6:00
Retrograde power at 9:00
4S771996?
2000-2005
GCBGAutomatic28Retrograde day at 2:00
Date pointer at 6:00
GMT subdial at 9:00
4S791998-2015GBAY
GCAY
Manual31Small seconds at 6:00
Retrograde power at 9:00
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Calibre Start Year End Year Jewels Diameter (mm) Height (mm) Complications
Seiko 4S12 1997 1998 25 24 Hour Hand, Date, GMT Hand, Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Quick Date Correction
Seiko 4S15 1995 2006 25 25.60 4.17 Date, Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Quick Date Correction
Seiko 4S24 21 25.60 Hacking Seconds
Seiko 4S25 1993 1998 25 25.60 4.17 Date, Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Quick Date Correction
Seiko 4S27 2003 2007 28 25.60 5.38 24 Hour Hand, Date, Date by Pointer, Day, GMT Hand, Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand, Modular, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Retrograde Day
Seiko 4S28 1994 2000 24 25.60 Hacking Seconds
Seiko 4S29 2003 2007 29 25.60 Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Power Reserve Indicator
Seiko 4S35 1992 2000 25 25.60 4.00 Date, Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Quick Date Correction
Seiko 4S36 2007 2013 31 25.60 24 Hour Hand, Date, Date by Pointer, Day, GMT Hand, Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Retrograde Day
Seiko 4S71 1995 2003 25 25.60 Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding
Seiko 4S76 2004 2010 31 26.50 24 Hour Hand, Date, Date by Pointer, Day, GMT Hand, Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Retrograde Day
Seiko 4S77 1996 2005 28 24 Hour Hand, Date, Date by Pointer, Day, GMT Hand, Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Independently-Adjustable 12 Hour Hand, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Retrograde Day
Seiko 4S79 1998 2015 31 Hacking Seconds, Hand Winding, Power Reserve Indicator

Seiko 4S12

Seiko 4S15

Seiko 4S24

Seiko 4S25

Seiko 4S27

Seiko 4S28

Seiko 4S29

Seiko 4S35

Seiko 4S36

Seiko 4S71

Seiko 4S76

Seiko 4S77

Seiko 4S79

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