Seiko is often known as a manufacturer of low-priced quartz watches or the high-end Japanese-made Grand Seiko watches. However, not many people know that the company's watchmaking history dates back to the 19th century and that it has achieved many world firsts. Here we introduce some of the highlights.
Text by Mark Bernardo
Edited by Tsuyoshi Hasegawa
Article published in January 2020
1. The Timekeeper (1895)
Seiko's founder, Kintaro Hattori, opened the Hattori Watch Shop in Kyobashi at the age of just 21, and began manufacturing and repairing pocket watches and wall clocks. In 1892, he welcomed craftsman Tsuruhiko Yoshikawa and established the Seikosha factory at the tender age of 31. This was the predecessor to modern-day Seiko. After producing high-quality grandfather clocks for several years, in 1895 he released a pocket watch simply called the "Timekeeper." The 54.9mm silver case was made in Japan, but the 22-ligne movement was imported from Switzerland. The English name "Timekeeper" was born from Hattori's keen business sense, and the name was chosen with future export expansion in mind.
2. Laurel (1913)
Hattori recognized the global demand for wristwatches early on and predicted that demand for wristwatches would soon surpass that for pocket watches. Eleven years after producing his first in-house grandfather clock, he launched Japan's first domestically produced wristwatch, the "Laurel," in 1913. The "Laurel" featured a 29.6 mm silver case with an enameled ceramic dial and a 12-ligne movement. Relying on imported components, production volume was low, at only 30 to 50 units per day. However, by 1910, Seikosha had established the technology to produce its own balance springs, and by 1913, it had grown to the point where it could also produce its own enamel dials.
3. Seiko (1924)
The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 severely damaged Seikosha's factory, forcing it to halt watch production. Despite the enormous costs of restarting operations, Hattori quickly resolved to rebuild. A year later, he released the first watch bearing the name "SEIKO" on the dial (the name "Seiko" is a contraction of "Seikosha," roughly translated as "a workshop possessing ultimate craftsmanship"). The non-English name demonstrates Hattori's confidence in his products, even at a time when imported goods were generally believed to be superior in quality. The first model featured a 24.2mm nickel case and a 9-ligne, seven-jewel movement. The small seconds display remained the standard until 1950, when the Seiko Superstar, Japan's first center-seconds model, was released.
4. Marvel (1956)
Seiko regards the Marvel as an epoch-making model in its history. This is because its movement was developed "completely in-house, down to the smallest imperfections," and was not influenced by any movements made in Switzerland or elsewhere. The Marvel's 26mm movement was larger than that of the Seiko Super (the perfect size for the Seiko Automatic, Japan's first automatic watch, which debuted the same year). It also featured Seiko's newly developed Diashock shock absorption system. It achieved specifications in terms of precision and stability unparalleled by previous models, surpassing even Japanese-made watches of the time. The Marvel, which brought Seiko's technology to the forefront, continued in production until 1959, when the Seiko GyroMarvel, a new automatic movement featuring the "Magic Lever" mechanism for improved winding efficiency, was developed.
5. Grand Seiko (1960)
The Grand Seiko was the model that Seiko created with the goal of becoming "world leader" in precision and accuracy. Its mechanical movement, caliber 3180, had a 12-ligne movement, 25 jewels, and a vibration frequency of 18,000 vph. It featured a gold-plated case measuring 34.9 mm in diameter and 10 mm thick, and each watch was rigorously inspected according to Seiko's own precision standards (the current GS standards are stricter than the COSC tests that issue chronometer certifications). It also established design codes that are still used today, such as clean dials, long hands, and applied indices.
6. Crown Chronograph (1964)
Seiko's Crown Chronograph was inspired by the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Given their track record, it's no surprise that Seiko created Japan's first chronograph during this time. The story of the Crown Chronograph begins with the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, for which Seiko served as the official timekeeper. Seiko provided over 1,200 stopwatches of various variations to the Olympic Games, and the monopusher chronograph released to commemorate the event was a quiet sensation. The Seiko Crown Chronograph features a stainless steel case with a diameter of 38.2 mm, a thickness of 11.2 mm, and water resistance to 30 meters. It is powered by the 12-ligne, 21-jewel caliber 5719 movement.
