# What's wrong with Pulsar?



## Wowbagger (Oct 21, 2018)

Looking around the forum, I see there is no Pulsar members' board. Is this because owners are too ashamed to admit to it? 

More seriously, the only example of a Pulsar with which I am familiar is the one on my wife's wrist, where it has kept pretty reasonable time for well over 30 years and has been very niggardly with its battery consumption. Nothing wrong with it at all!

I'm seriously considering a kinetic watch as my next horological acquisition. I'm aware that Pulsar are a subsidiary of Seiko, and I've read some of the Seiko owners' stuff, of various types. I'm also aware that Pulsar tend to be a fair bit cheaper than Seiko. Is that merely down to the name, or is there some material difference?

Over to the panel - and thanks in advance!


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Had one of these for years, perfectly good watch.


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## mrzee (Jun 22, 2012)

A gift from my wife for Christmas 1999


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## niveketak (Jun 11, 2016)

Had this one for a couple of years nice bracelet, nice watch keeps good time, I guess people just don't have more than one


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## Wowbagger (Oct 21, 2018)

niveketak said:


> Had this one for a couple of years nice bracelet, nice watch keeps good time, I guess people just don't have more than one


 Is that a kinetic movement? My internet searches have suggested that there are very few kinetic Pulsars.


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## Perlative Cernometer (Jan 1, 2018)

Nothing wrong with a bit of Pulsar. Couple of mine:

















Got quite the specialist following for their military issue stuff too.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

This looks OK for just over £30.










PULSAR MENS CLASSIC WATCH PS9251X1


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## Cassie-O (Apr 25, 2017)

I've got two Pulsar watches, and I certainly think they are a good brand. :king:


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## it'salivejim (Jan 19, 2013)

Got one of these incoming …










It'll be about my 5th


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## RTM Boy (Jun 1, 2011)

WRENCH said:


> Had one of these for years, perfectly good watch.


 +1 I've got one too and it's my favourite. Keeps time within a few seconds a year. Seiko innards as far as I know. I think it's been discounted though. Would certainly recommend Pulsar.


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## Perlative Cernometer (Jan 1, 2018)

Perlative Cernometer said:


> Got quite the specialist following for their military issue stuff too.





it'salivejim said:


> Got one of these incoming …
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Yup, that sort of thing. (civvy version)


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## jsud2002 (Nov 7, 2015)

Received as a gift a few years back I really like it


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## RTM Boy (Jun 1, 2011)

I absolutely :wub: it. Wish it was still available.


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## sabailand (May 28, 2010)

Well there you have it wowbagger, plenty of praise for an affordable and popular brand, does the job and does it well.


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## Wowbagger (Oct 21, 2018)

Yes, thanks all. It seems to me that there are very few Pulsar kinetics.

This one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulsar-PAR167X1-Wristwatch-Stainless-Steel-x/dp/B003UUBUXS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1542066999&sr=8-6&keywords=pulsar

And this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulsar-Clock-Silver/dp/B0047HYNNM/ref=sr_1_30?ie=UTF8&qid=1542067138&sr=8-30&keywords=pulsar

And this solar, which I rather like: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulsar-Accelerator-Stainless-Chronograph-PZ6003X1/dp/B01HZM8RCI/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1542067073&sr=8-20&keywords=pulsar

Time to have a think and take stock, I feel.


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## niveketak (Jun 11, 2016)

Wowbagger said:


> Is that a kinetic movement? My internet searches have suggested that there are very few kinetic Pulsars.


 No just a quartz


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## richy176 (Aug 7, 2013)

Wowbagger said:


> I see there is no Pulsar members' board. Is this because owners are too ashamed to admit to it?


 Probably just that no one has started a thread - if you start one then others will post.


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## Perlative Cernometer (Jan 1, 2018)

Wowbagger said:


> Yes, thanks all. It seems to me that there are very few Pulsar kinetics.
> 
> This one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulsar-PAR167X1-Wristwatch-Stainless-Steel-x/dp/B003UUBUXS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1542066999&sr=8-6&keywords=pulsar
> 
> ...


 Personally I'd go the solar route rather than Kinetic. Had a Kinetic Seiko and they take an awful lot of charging. If you're wearing it every day or at least a few times a week it's fine and it'll stay topped off. If you leave it long enough to go flat it takes an awful lot of jiggling about to get it going again. Solar doesn't rely on you wearing it all the time. Just, you know, if you're on here you tend to finish up rotating quite a few watches and Kinetics don't work so well in that scenario.


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## RTM Boy (Jun 1, 2011)

Perlative Cernometer said:


> Personally I'd go the solar route rather than Kinetic. Had a Kinetic Seiko and they take an awful lot of charging. If you're wearing it every day or at least a few times a week it's fine and it'll stay topped off. If you leave it long enough to go flat it takes an awful lot of jiggling about to get it going again. Solar doesn't rely on you wearing it all the time. Just, you know, if you're on here you tend to finish up rotating quite a few watches and Kinetics don't work so well in that scenario.


 In my experience, once it's fully charged a kinetic can keep going literally for months without needing to be worn or shaken and then you can just pick up a go without needing to make adjustments, so I can't agree that they are any different to a solar model.


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## richy176 (Aug 7, 2013)

Perlative Cernometer said:


> Personally I'd go the solar route rather than Kinetic. Had a Kinetic Seiko and they take an awful lot of charging. If you're wearing it every day or at least a few times a week it's fine and it'll stay topped off. If you leave it long enough to go flat it takes an awful lot of jiggling about to get it going again. Solar doesn't rely on you wearing it all the time. Just, you know, if you're on here you tend to finish up rotating quite a few watches and Kinetics don't work so well in that scenario.


 Could always get a candle charger (Phillips do a good one). Then you can keep 3 Seiko kinetics on charge at once.


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## Perlative Cernometer (Jan 1, 2018)

RTM Boy said:


> In my experience, once it's fully charged a kinetic can keep going literally for months without needing to be worn or shaken and then you can just pick up a go without needing to make adjustments, so I can't agree that they are any different to a solar model.


 Key to that being "once it's fully charged". If you are wearing it regularly as I said it's fine as you keep it topped up. If, as I was, you only wear it for the odd day here and there the charge it gets in a days use doesn't keep up. In the entire time I owned mine it was never fully charged, and if I left it to wear alone it never got past the "10 second tick" mark. Either it needs to be worn frequently for a decent period before you put it away or you can go the charger route, but a solar will charge whether you wear it or not (unless you keep it shut in a drawer/box etc obviously) Partly just my problem as I have so many watches any one doesn't get a lot of wear - but worth considering for the sort of person that comes on here.


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## RTM Boy (Jun 1, 2011)

Perlative Cernometer said:


> Key to that being "once it's fully charged". If you are wearing it regularly as I said it's fine as you keep it topped up. If, as I was, you only wear it for the odd day here and there the charge it gets in a days use doesn't keep up. In the entire time I owned mine it was never fully charged, and if I left it to wear alone it never got past the "10 second tick" mark. Either it needs to be worn frequently for a decent period before you put it away or you can go the charger route, but a solar will charge whether you wear it or not (unless you keep it shut in a drawer/box etc obviously) Partly just my problem as I have so many watches any one doesn't get a lot of wear - but worth considering for the sort of person that comes on here.


 Fair enough :thumbsup: . I checked the instructions for the YT57 caliber and it says "300 swings" or walking 500 metres = 24 hours of charge. It also says that if stopped the watch will start "with only a few swings". Lots of other factors too I suppose; could be different calibers, different capacitors, or even sub-par capacitors, different efficiencies in different movements, how much you move your arms, your walking stride, etc, etc.


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## Redwolf (Jun 15, 2010)

Wowbagger said:


> Looking around the forum, I see there is no Pulsar members' board. Is this because owners are too ashamed to admit to it?
> 
> More seriously, the only example of a Pulsar with which I am familiar is the one on my wife's wrist, where it has kept pretty reasonable time for well over 30 years and has been very niggardly with its battery consumption. Nothing wrong with it at all!
> 
> ...


 Pulsar are well respected brand.

I think you should start the members club sub forum with your new Pulsar


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## Wowbagger (Oct 21, 2018)

Redwolf said:


> Pulsar are well respected brand.
> 
> I think you should start the members club sub forum with your new Pulsar


 If I buy one I will!

I suppose I could start on pretending my wife's watch is mine.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I`ve owned this for nearly ten years & am very pleased with it...

*PULSAR PJN299-X1 cal.V675-X063.*









:thumbs_up:


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## sewingman (Nov 7, 2015)

Nothing wrong with Pulsar, have a few all very good, had this from mid eighties .......Bob.


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## Perlative Cernometer (Jan 1, 2018)

Ah, just remembered this one too: Always been spot on.












JonnyOldBoy said:


> Some kinetics have capacitor issues if left unworn for ages ... Solars don't have this problem. Personally I would avoid kinetics unless the watch(es) is to be worn often. Seiko is running down its Kinetics offerings as I understand and is massively investing in the next generation of Solar...


 And when you buy one now with a lot being older stock, what are the chances it's been kept charged up in the shop? I suspect mine was probably never 100% but when I bought it it was drained and it took a lot to get it going from flat, and even more to banish the 2 second low charge indicator tick. As I say, for an every day watch it's a decent idea, just doesn't work as a special occasion watch or part of a large collection where the charge doesn't keep pace with the drain.


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## Perlative Cernometer (Jan 1, 2018)

OK so just to clear up part of the original post:

http://xflive.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/122713-pulsar-club/&do=embed

...and just to further add to Pulsar's serious watch credentials, you can even get Pulsar Homages :teethsmile:


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## Wowbagger (Oct 21, 2018)

https://www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/d/6183298/pulsar+men's+solar+chronograph+blue+dial+bracelet+watch/

I have just ordered one of these from my local H. Samuel. They offered another £20 off if I got them to order it, so I thought I couldn't resist that. I know it's solar rather than kinetic, but I've been fancying a chronometer style watch so this ticks two boxes, and it's cheap.

Frustratingly, the two kinetics I was looking at earlier are now out of stock, but if this solar does the job, then I'll be happy... until the next time that itch needs scratching.


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

Wowbagger said:


> Looking around the forum, I see there is no Pulsar members' board. Is this because owners are too ashamed to admit to it?


Please meet our mutual good friend, The Search Box. If you'll kindly give the Search Box a minute of your time, you'll find many past posts from members showing off their Pulsars. If there's no "owners club" thread in the appropriate subsection, feel free to start one. 









Oops, Perlative beat you to it.









Pulsar club.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_fid=33783&share_tid=122713&url=https://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/122713-Pulsar-club%2E&share_type=t

https://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/122713-Pulsar-club


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## Wowbagger (Oct 21, 2018)

That's fine by me! I'm not a Pulsar owner, I'm just a gleam in a Pulsar owner's eye...


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## Andy999 (Aug 7, 2021)

Brought a pulsar approx 14 years ago for very little money (£40).

This watch has been through the wars, used daily on my wrist for work, the building industry and has seen all winds and weathers.

It has taken bangs, knocks and scrapes, and apart from the odd new battery has never needed any attention and keeps excellent time.

Its like an old friend to me and can not fault it's build quality or reliability.

Would certainly recommend a pulsar watch.

Andy


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## Jet Jetski (Feb 10, 2019)

Wowbagger said:


> Looking around the forum, I see there is no Pulsar members' board. Is this because owners are too ashamed to admit to it?
> 
> More seriously, the only example of a Pulsar with which I am familiar is the one on my wife's wrist, where it has kept pretty reasonable time for well over 30 years and has been very niggardly with its battery consumption. Nothing wrong with it at all!
> 
> ...


 I like them - I don't wear them much, but they are in an illuminated box above my desk and I keep them all charged using a toothbrush induction charger (except the blue one that was quite early and has a very low capacity - that one runs down now and again). So when I need a quick grab and go, this is where I come:


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## Daveyboyz (Mar 9, 2016)

I sold lots of these... the Seiko line-up was Lorus, Pulsar and Seiko with the Pulsars priced between the other two. I don't remember any complaints or returns.

My only advice is to avoid gold plated watches at this price as it will have a tendency to wear off.


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## JayDeep (Dec 31, 2016)

So much necromancy as of late, it seems.

On the topic, I have zero love for Pulsar. Alba, on the other hand, used to make some pretty cool watches at amazingly reasonable prices. The Alba Manta was a real treat about 20 years ago, and the talk of the town on other forums back then. Now it's just another junk fashion brand.


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## RTM Boy (Jun 1, 2011)

I still have huge love for my Pulsar kinetic PAR087X1. A real cheapy about 12/13 years old, still an incredible timekeeper. A faithful old companion :biggrin: :yes:


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## Jet Jetski (Feb 10, 2019)

Perlative Cernometer said:


> Ah, just remembered this one too: Always been spot on.


 I think a few people on here may have one of these, in fact I think it would make the top ten of 'most popular watches on the forum, by ownership'.


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## Perlative Cernometer (Jan 1, 2018)

Jet Jetski said:


> That is what toothbrush induction chargers were invented for.


 Now then... something not quite right there. Toothbrush chargers invented for charging.... watches?

So many dead links  Every photo I ever posted for about my first year on the forum was on Lensdump, then bizarrely the whole account just disappeared. I only ever used it for this so pretty sure there wasn't anything inappropriate on there.

This would have been the Pulsar homage I referred to earlier in the thread:










Can't remember what the rest were.


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## Lou61 (Aug 9, 2015)

My only Pulsar. TBF it's never missed a beat in the few years I've owned it and it's really comfortable to wear. Might get some wrist time soon. Or maybe some time on the classifieds.


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