Everything You Need to Know About the Miyota 90S5 Movement

In our previous article, we talked about the Miyota 9015 and how it’s potentially about to set the new trend in the watch modding scene. Well modfam, it’s not the only Miyota movement we’re bringing in this month; we are also going to offer the 90S5 and we want to talk a little bit about it in this article.

One of Miyota’s most recent caliber offerings that is generating buzz is the Miyota 90S5 automatic movement. Building upon their popular 9015 workhorse caliber, this new generation movement aims to deliver the same value and reliability through key upgrades. Let's dive into the details of this emerging movement option.

The Miyota 90S5 Specs

Miyota introduced the 90S5 in 2020 as an advanced iteration of their stalwart 9015 automatic caliber that had gained widespread popularity years before. By refining and modernizing their proven base design, Miyota created a next-generation movement primed for the new decade to accommodate the watch scene's more refined requirements.

The 90S5 gives watchmakers an affordable and competitive automatic movement option to install into their modern creations. Smaller brands have embraced the upgrade as an opportunity to elevate their offerings.

So what enhancements does the 90S5 offer over the venerable 9015?  Shock resistance improves from 4000G to 5000G for better durability. The pallet fork, balance wheel, and escape wheel also underwent redesigns to optimize performance. Speaking of balance wheel, the 90S5 sports an "open-heart" design which, coupled with the intricately decorated gilt front plate, makes it a good choice for Skeleton or no-dial builds.

Shared Features with the 9015

Of course, the key features that made the workhorse 9015 so popular remain intact. The 90S5 retains bidirectional winding, hacking seconds, a handy date complication and a generous 41+ hour power reserve off a single wind. At 28,800 vibrations per hour, the beat rate matches that of the 9015's resulting in the same smooth sweep seconds hand. It also keeps the same 3.9mm thickness (or should we say, thinness) that's truly remarkable for a movement of this level, and at this price range. These proven attributes now come in a more refined package.

Affordability and creativity remain central advantages, just like the 9015. Miyota aims to keep their movements budget-friendly, bringing automatic calibers within reach of smaller brands. This fosters greater diversity and innovation in the industry. And with a decade of experience behind the 9015, the 90S5 retains that proven reliability.

The 90S5 vs. Other Movements

There isn't a direct competitor in Seiko's line, except perhaps the NH70 and NH71, which are also open-heart movements that are designed to be in full view when looking at the watch. The similarity stops there though, as the Miyota 90S5 is just better in terms of accuracy and sizing. Miyota is superior with its 28,800 bph vs 21,600 bph on the NH. The NH70 and NH71 are by no means thick at 5.32mm, but they do seem like a brick when compared to the 90S5's 3.9mm thickness.

This humble little movement also gets its fair share of comparison with Swiss movements, namely with the ETA 2824-2 and the Sellita SW200-1. These two are well known for their reliability and have applaudable proportions, and they respectively have 1 and 2 more jewels than the Japanese movement which may translate to better durability. If power reserve, dimensions, and value for money are more important to you though, the Miyota is still the clear winner.

Microbrand Adoption

At this point, it’s clear that the Miyota 90S5 is not something to scoff at. It’s an impressive caliber that does a lot of things right for a reasonable price, so where are all the microbrands using it? There’s only a short list of 90S5-powered microbrand watches today. Part of the reason might be its low availability in the market, as Citizen prioritizes the release of their Miyota movements for the use of their own watch models unlike Seiko who has opted to release a ‘generic’ version of their movements (aka the NH movement family) specifically for other watchmakers.

Is this changing soon? Now that we are releasing aftermarket parts that would fit the Miyota 90S5 and 9015, perhaps the modfam will have an easier time bringing their premium build ideas to reality, and give birth to a couple more microbrands, starting a chain reaction. Time will tell!

Wrap Up

The Miyota 90S5 shows impressive capability as an affordable automatic movement. By refining their proven 9015 design with thoughtful upgrades, Miyota created a next-gen caliber primed for success. Its blend of proven reliability, creativity, and added polish makes the 90S5 an intriguing option for watchmakers and modders alike.

With namokiMODS now offering aftermarket parts fitting the 90S5 and 9015, exciting new custom creation possibilities open up. We can’t wait to see what unique watches our talented modding community will dream up powered by these capable Japanese calibers!

We’re not setting the NH movements to the side though, and expect new compatible releases to keep coming out every month. For now, you can check out our hundreds of available parts that fit the NH35 and NH36; from cases to crystals and crowns, we have a wide variety for your modding needs.

Happy modding!