Most people buy a watch for the dial. The color, the design, the way it looks under light. That's understandable — the dial is what you see. But if you want to understand why a watch keeps being worth wearing five years from now, you need to look underneath it.
Inside many of PINDU's most popular skeleton and statement pieces sits a movement that the watch industry has quietly relied on for decades. It's called the NH35A. And if you've never heard of it, you're about to understand why it matters.
What Is the NH35A?
The NH35A is an automatic mechanical movement manufactured by TMI — a subsidiary of Seiko, one of the most respected watchmakers in the world. It's been in continuous production and refinement for years, and today it powers watches sold by independent brands across the globe.
Here's what it does, in plain terms:
- Self-winding — the rotor spins with your wrist movement and winds the mainspring automatically. No batteries. No charging.
- 24 jewels — synthetic ruby bearings reduce friction at key contact points, extending the lifespan of the movement.
- ~41-hour power reserve — fully wound, it keeps running for nearly two days without being worn.
- Hackable — pull the crown and the seconds hand stops dead. This lets you set the time to the exact second, then release the crown to start it running in sync.
- Beats at 21,600 vph — smooth, steady timekeeping you can feel in the sweep of the seconds hand.
That's a serious specification sheet for a movement that comes standard in watches under $400.
Why Independent Brands Trust It
The NH35A became the backbone of the independent watch market for one simple reason: it's proven. Seiko's manufacturing quality control means you get a consistent, repairable, serviceable movement every time. If something ever needs attention, watchmakers everywhere know how to work on it. Parts are available. The architecture is documented.
Compare this to a cheap proprietary movement found in fashion watches — those are often sealed units that can't be serviced at all. When they stop working, the watch is finished. An NH35A-powered watch can be serviced, regulated, and worn for decades.
How PINDU Uses It
What makes PINDU's approach interesting is where they put this movement. Rather than hiding it beneath a solid dial, they frequently frame it as part of the visual design itself.
On the PINDU P6652 Horse Racing Series, the skeleton open-dial design lets you see the rotor and gear train working as you move your wrist. The watch is also a roulette-style game dial — and the NH35A is the engine making both the timekeeping and the spectacle work simultaneously.
On the PINDU P6628 Casino Tourbillon Roulette, the NH35A powers a 46mm statement piece that combines a spinning roulette mechanism with a tourbillon-style display window. The movement isn't hidden — it's celebrated.
On the PINDU P6655 Godfather Classic Series, the open skeleton dial frames the NH35A's architecture as the centrepiece of the design. Music-inspired motifs surround a working tourbillon display, and you can trace the movement of every component through the sapphire crystal.
The Price Reality
Swiss watch brands regularly charge $1,500–$5,000 for NH35A-powered timepieces. The movement cost is a fraction of that price — the rest is margin, heritage marketing, and distribution markups.
PINDU puts the same movement inside bold, original designs and sells them for $99–$400. You're not paying for a logo. You're paying for the watch.
More Than Telling Time
Owning a mechanical watch changes your relationship with timekeeping. You become aware that the watch is working — that a series of tiny mechanical interactions is happening 21,600 times per hour just to move that seconds hand. That a wound spring is slowly releasing energy through a chain of precisely calibrated components. That when you wind it or feel it wind itself on your wrist, you're part of the machine.
That experience doesn't require a five-figure budget. It requires the right movement. And PINDU builds it into every mechanical piece they make.