NH35 VS. NH36 What's The Difference?
Have you asked yourself what’s the difference between the NH35 and the NH36 movements? Or maybe, you’d like to know the difference between other Seiko NH movements like the NH38 or NH70? This is a common question we have when we begin modding, so let’s take a deeper dive into the movements to see what sets them apart from each other. Read on to learn more!
NH35 to NH70 MOVEMENT LINE
There are currently ten calibers in the NH “Basic Mechanical Series” movement line. Now, we are going to focus on the NH35’s primary five variations.
The 4R3x movement is the base caliber used in the NH35 (Seiko 4R35), NH36 (Seiko 4R36), NH38 (Seiko 4R38), NH39 (4R39), and NH70 (Seiko 4R70).
The NH mechanical movements, or NH movements, were introduced by Seiko Instruments, Inc. Due to its long-lasting functionality and superior quality in contrast to other solutions within the same market sector, this soon established a strong place in the industry.
This renowned Seiko Caliber is available mostly in middle-tier product lines, but it can be used at a variety of price points. The affordability of this movement has made it the biggest base movement for modding parts.
In general, the Seiko NH series of mechanical movements operates at the same frequency of 21600 VPH(Vibrations per hour), which is critical for achieving the optimal quartet of precision, durability, maintenance ease, and energy efficiency. A large percentage of Seiko’s other mechanical movements also use this frequency. When it comes to accuracy and reliability all of the NH movements are identical. The only real differences are the complications that come with each variation.
The main differences between the NH movements:
WHEN IT COMES TO QUALITY...
A perfect automatic watch movement would have manual winding and a hacking capabilities, which are features that the five Seiko Calibers stated above have. These two qualities, when utilized on a regular basis, increase its functionality for anyone who does not feel the need to wear a watch all of the time.
The 7S26 movement, a classic workhorse movement, provides a solid foundation for the NH movement framework. This guarantees that the NH movements are indeed long-lasting and efficient.
These Seiko movements serve as a benchmark for Seiko’s more sophisticated Seiko 6R movements, which are based on the 7S movements as well.
Workhorse Movements are movements with sleek aesthetic and fundamental features that allow them to work at maximum efficiency while meeting all five of the following parameters: long-term sturdiness, precision, stability, ease of maintenance and repair, and low cost of services.
The Best Selling - NH35 Movement
The NH35 is the most common and most bought movement out of the NH series available to the public. A piece featuring 24 jewels; a three-hand self-winding movement with date, hacking seconds, and manual winding. The NH35 movement is the date only version of the NH series.
Cost-effective and comprehensive, the NH35 is easily fit into timepieces costing less than $200. The 4R35 movement, which is essentially the same as the NH35 but with the Seiko branding instead of SII, is widely used in mid-range models such as the Seiko Cocktail Time.
The NH35 is utilized in both Seiko watches and third-party timepieces. The Seiko model (4R35) has 24 jewels as well and is virtually identical. The Swiss 2824-2 and SW200 movements are more expensive than the NH35A, making the NH35 a better pick for Seiko Mods.
NH36 Movement
The configuration of the NH36 movement is similar to that of the NH35, with hours, minutes, seconds, date, manual winding, automatic winding, a hacking second, a power reserve of approximately 41 hours, and 24 jewels. The only real difference between the NH35 Vs. NH36 is that the NH36 movement has a day wheel in addition to the date wheel.
The Seiko 4R36 movement can also be found on the vast majority of Seiko automatic watches, as well as other versions from other well-known manufacturers around the world. Like the 4R35, the 4R36 is virtually identical to the NH36 with the addition of the Seiko brand logo.
NH38 Movement
An addition to this NH movement line is the NH38 movement, which has not yet garnered as much popularity as the other movements, but it is a piece that will appeal to those who want to go back to the basics.
The NH38 is the simplest of the NH movement, with just three hands and the normal 4R3x capabilities. The NH38 is featured in basic dial watches. You can also find the Seiko variant 4R38 in a few more dressier watch designs by Seiko.
As more and more open heart dials come to the modding scene, you will see more NH38 Seiko mods popping up.
NH70 and NH71/NH72
The Seiko NH70 movement and NH71 are recent additions to the NH series. These movements have become very popular in the modding scene especially recently with all the new NH70 dials coming out.
The skeletonized automatic calibers based on the NH3x (NH35A) framework inherited the key identifying feature of a 3-hand, 24-jewel watch with functions including the use of hand-winding, hacking second hand, and automatic winding, it also comes with the standard power reserve of 41 hours.
The NH70 has a per-day accuracy range of -20 to +40 seconds (tested in daily hands-on conditions). In contrast, several other documents showed that perhaps the accuracy is in the lower range. Whenever the air temperature is stable, this inaccuracy is likely to be reduced.
The structural and technological aspects of the NH71 movement are identical to those of the NH70 movement. The most noticeable distinction between the 2 Seiko movements is their appearance. The NH70 is nickel-plated, whereas the NH71 and NH72 are remarkably similar to the NH70 except for the color. NH71 is gold-plated gilded, while NH72 is a black gun metal color.
Conclusion
This blog will highlight the most important models in Seiko’s NH series, spanning from the classic NH35 to the current NH70 and others. We believe Seiko has the highest quality automatic movements on the market compared to price! In the world of watchmaking and modding, the Seiko NH movements are a powerhouse to reckon with.
We provide some of the top Seiko mod parts on the market here at Watch-Modz. Our SKX007 compatible components are designed to meet and perhaps surpass the quality of Seiko replacement parts while also providing some outstanding styling options at an affordable price.
Browse our inventory of Seiko movements and shop for other watch spare components. There’s so much Watch-Modz has to offer, so check us out today!
About The Author
Pamela Tabago is an Information Specialist at Watch-Modz LLC. She is passionate about everything related to watches, from the best automatics to modding a Seiko.
She brings her data-driven experience in informative writing and her love for watches to the blog. She also provides watch-related content for other modding enthusiasts like herself.