The caliber Seiko NH35 movement (also known as the NH35A) is one of the most popular affordable, automatic movements currently on the market.
The NH35 has hacking and hand-winding, 24 jewels, a 41-hour power reserve, 21,600 bph, and a rated accuracy of -20 to +40 seconds per day.
The NH35 is equivalent to a non-branded Seiko 4R35 movement.
The NH35 is a popular choice amongst microbrands and watch modders for its affordability, reliability, and compatibility with a wide variety of watch cases.
| Manufacturer | Seiko |
| Caliber | NH35A / NH35 |
| Movement Type | Automatic |
| Accuracy | -20 to +40 seconds per day |
| Diameter | 27.40mm |
| Height | 5.32mm |
| Jewels | 24 |
| Hacking | Yes |
| Hand-winding | Yes |
| Vibrations per hour | 21,600 bph |
| Shock system | Diashock |
| Power Reserve | ~ 41 Hours |
| Winding Direction | Clockwise |
| Country of Manufacture | Japan or Malaysia |
| Known Watch Brands | Seiko, Invicta, Vostok, Lum-Tek, Spinnaker, Avi-8, etc. (see below for more) |
| Check Price | Amazon |
NH35 Accuracy
The NH35 has a rated accuracy between -20 to +40 seconds per day under normal conditions. However, most NH35 owners find their movements to run much more accurately, often between -/+ 1 second to -/+ 10 seconds per day.
NH35 Lifespan
The NH35 is based heavily on the workhorse Seiko 7S26 movement which is known to last upward of 5-25 years without ever needing a service. This is due to the inclusion of plastic parts which reduce the need for frequent lubrication for maintenance.
NH35 Problems
The NH35 movement is a reliable, workhorse movement that is not known to have any recurring issues. Its reliability, for such an affordable movement, is one of the reasons it is so highly regarded.
Manufacturing Variations: Japan and Malaysia
The NH35a has two variations, manufactured in either Japan or Malaysia. From the factory, they can be easily distinguished by checking the engraving on the automatic rotor.
The rotor will have inscribed ‘Japan’ or ‘Malaysia’ depending on its country of manufacture.
NH35 Service Costs & Frequency
Because the NH35 is such an affordable movement, often found for around $50 (check price), it is impractical to have it serviced by a watchmaker.
A service where a watchmaker disassembles, cleans, and regulates the movement can cost upwards of $100 or more, therefore it is more economical to replace the NH35 instead.
View the video below to learn how an NH35a is dissasembled before a service.
Winding the Mainspring
Winding the mainspring, and charging the power reserve of the NH35 is simple.
- Ensure that the crown is in position 0 (pushed in toward the case).
- Rotate the crown clockwise (forward, if the watch dial is facing you).
- Rotate the crown for 55+ full rotations to fully charge the 41-hour power reserve.
Because the NH35 has an automatic mechanism, it is not possible to overwind, and exceeding the suggestion of 55+ rotations will not damage the watch.
Further, the rotor in the automatic mechanism will continue to wind the mainspring, and power the watch, while it’s on the wearer’s wrist. The rotor will constantly rotate, winding the mainspring with each rotation.
Setting the Time
In order to set the time:
- Ensure that the crown is in position 2, pulled all the way, two clicks away from the case.
- Rotate the crown freely, clockwise or counter-clockwise, until the hour and minute hands are in the correct place.
- Push the crown back down to position 0, toward the case.
Setting the Date
In order to set the date:
- Ensure the crown is in position 1, pulled just one click away from the watch case.
- Rotate the crown counter-clockwise, toward you, until the proper date is set.
- Push the crown in, toward the case.
NH35a vs NH36a
The NH35A and NH36A are both based on the Seiko 4R family of movements. The only difference is the NH35a only has a date complication, while the NH36a has day and date.
NH35a vs 7S26
The NH35 is essentially an unbranded upgrade of the Seiko 7S26 movement. The NH35, like the Seiko branded equivalent, the 4R35, has hacking and hand-winding, while the 7S26 does not.
NH35a vs Seiko 4R35
The NH35a is essentially an unbranded Seiko 4R35 movement. Along with the 4R36 movement, the 4R35 is the primary modern movement Seiko uses in their entry-level Seiko 5 Sports models.
The NH35a and 4R35 are essentially the same build, with the same accuracy, specifications, and etc.
NH35 vs Miyota 8215
The NH35 and Miyota 8215 movements are two of the most popular affordable Japanese automatic movements. The NH35 is slightly more expensive, but is said to be a bit more reliable than the Miyota 8215, and has a few extra features in its hacking and hand-winding.
The Miyota 8215 is known as a great entry-level workhorse movement that is reliable but suffers from faults such as an excessively loud rotor. Both are widely used in many microbrands and entry-level watch mods.
NH35a vs Miyota 9015
The Seiko Nh35a and Miyota 9015 are two of the most popular Japanese automatic movements. One of the main differences between the two is their beat rate. The Nh35 has a slightly lower, 21,600 bph, while the Miyota 9015 has 28,800 bph, leading to a slightly smoother second-hand sweep.
The Miyota 9015 is specified to a slightly higher degree of accuracy than the NH35, coming in at -10 to +30 seconds per day, while the NH35 comes in at -20 to +40. Finally, the Miyota 9015 is a bit more expensive than the NH35, as it can most frequently be bought for ~$100 – $135, while the NH35 is more often found for around ~$60 – $80.
NH35 vs NH36
The NH35 and NH36 are almost identical movements, with one exception. The NH35 movement has just a date function, while the NH36 has both a day and date complication.
Brands that Use the NH35
Given the reliability, affordability, and availability of the Seiko NH35, many brands use the NH35 in some of their watches, including:
- Seiko
- Invicta
- Vostok
- Lum-tek
- Spinnaker
- Minus-8 Layer
- Advisor Astro Helm
- Advisor Ascent
- BOLDR
- Helm
- Unimatic
- Orion
- Geckota
- Benarus
- AVI-8
- Orthos
- MWW
- Scurfa
- Air Blue
- Dan Henry
- Armida
- Binger
- G. Gerlach
- Burei
Conclusion
The Seiko NH35a movement is one of the most popular non-swiss automatic movements on the market, and for good reason.
Its affordability, reliability, and availability make it an excellent choice for a microbrand, or watch modder. What the NH35 lacks in complications, it makes up for in its durability, and reasonable accuracy, once regulated.
this was so informative thank-u so much
No problem Raymond, glad it was helpful. Let me now if you have any questions.
Thank you Anthony for information. I am buying a lot of watches with NH35 movement and was wondering about longevity of movement. As I wear any given watch only once in 15 days, I am hoping my watches will work long time without service.
No problem. Seiko’s movements are quite reliable. Of course, it largely varies from movement to movement, and the particular conditions you put your watch through, but you can expect, on average, to service your NH35 every 4-7 years.
Even better, since the NH35s are so affordable, you can likely replace the entire movement if needed.
What would be the estimated total expenditure for an Nh35 replacement at a standard watchmaker if I buy the movement on ebay for example?
Around ~$50 is the average rate
I bought a Marc and Sons watch with NH35A movement which does not work handwinding (50-60 turns) but works perfectly by shake and wear. What might the problem be?
Is it possible they mislabeled the movement for one that does not handwind? If not, sounds like the handwinding mechanism isn’t working for whatever reason, and if this is a new watch, I would contact their support.
I recently purchased a Marc and Sons professional with NH35A movement. It does not start the watch by handwinding with 50 turns or so but it works perfectly with shake and wear. Is this a malfunction with the winding mechanism?
It sounds like it may be mislabeled. The watch could have a Seiko 7S26 movement (or its unbranded equivalent) which does not have hand winding or hacking. If the second hand does not stop when you pull out the crown (hacking) then it is probably a 7S26 movement.
That is what I’m thinking. Either mislabeled on the product page, or maybe they did a weird rotor swap with a NH35 labeled rotor. Either way, a bit bizarre.
Hi! I noticed some of your images of the NH35a does not have an engraving of Japan or Malaysia. Could these be possible counterfeits? Or does Seiko produce NH35a movements with no engravings of the country origin?
A brand can replace a rotor with their own, as is the case with Invicta and their signature yellow rotor, which doesn’t have an engraved country of origin. They are not counterfeit.
Thanks! It does hack, stopping when pulling the crown out. I am thinking its the mainspring and I should just get the whole NH35 movement replaced but it has been working great the last 4-5 months by shaking then wearing and will stay running for at least 30 hours after taking it off.
I had an Invicta with a nh35a movement and the crown stem snapped off. (broke apart in two )Invicta 8926 to be exact. Quite the disappointment. Is this common to this movement? I have seen several others listed on eBay with the same issue. My watch was about 9 months old.
Not completely expected for a watch that new, but also not unheard of. Who knows how it was handled before it even got to you. Depending on where you purchased it from, you might be under warranty. Contact the seller, and see if they can offer a replacement, or front the cost for repairs.
A fantastic summary of everything needed to know about this movement, so thankyou VERY much. No opinion, no complications, just the facts!
Thank you very much Marcus. I’m glad the article was helpful.
What about NH35A movements with no Japan or Malaysia engraving on rotor?
I have an Invicta with such movement.
Since Invicta uses its own engraved rotor it can be hard to determine where it is manufactured.
I have 2 Invicta Pro Divers, at different price points, with NH35 movement. The back of the case is labeled “JAPANESE MOVEMENT ASSEMBLED IN MALAYSIA” on both.
That’s a new one to me! Thanks for sharing.
Is the rotor bi-directional winding on the NH35 movement in my Invicta Pro-diver. I need to know because I made my own watch winder. I see that it has a double direction arrow on the rotor so I assume it is bi-directional. Thanks for any information you may provide.
Yes, the rotor is bi-directional.
I just bought an Invicta Diver. Nice watch but a little heavy.
I knew a bit about the movement prior to reading this article, but I know a whole lot more after reading it.
Thanks for sharing so much data, it really was informative and well presented.
Glad to hear it was helpful! And enjoy your new Invicta Diver. It’s quite a cool piece; one that I’ve gotten much enjoyment out of over the years.
Hi Anthony. I think the NH35 or NH36 are both (at the end they are practically the same) great movements, But I expect you now, about the SII or TMI sign on the rotor. While the first (SII) is based on China, the second (TMI) it is in Hong Kong. Both obviously are Factories of SEIKO. But these movements ain´t produced in Japan/Malaysia at all. I noted you didn´t mentioned this matter above. Just try to clarify the origin of the production of these great movement. Thanks & I hope you be well !!
Fantastic info Marcelo, thank you!
What exactly is the difference between the NH35 and NH35a movements? I’m wondering what the a signifies? Thank you in advance.
a just denotes the first version of the particular movement, in this case, there is no difference
I have Seiko diver with the nh35 movement but without the screw down crown. Is this possible?
If it’s a genuine Seiko watch it will have a 4R35 movement. Seiko doesn’t use the NH movements in their own watches, they just sell the movement to other companies.
But yes, it is definitely possible to have an 4R35 or NH35 movement without a screw down crown. I.E. SRPE51.
What watch is it?
Thanks for the information that one cannot over wind this movement. I was getting concerned when “topping off” my new Invictas between wearings. Makes sense that there’s a safety feature for that, since it’s an automatic. Thanks again!
-Eric
No problem, it was a concern for me at first as well. Enjoy your Invicta! I’ve gotten lots out of mine.
I have an Invicta Pro Diver and it’s gaining only 1 second a day. A friend that I play golf with had a Rolex that looks like my Invicta but it looses 15 seconds a day. Is his watch defective?
Assuming your friend has a Rolex Submariner, I believe that is outside of its accuracy specifications. Could just be time for him to have it serviced.