In the spring of 1969 Seiko introduced the 5 Sports Speed Timer to the Japanese domestic market. It was the world’s first self-winding chronograph. The revolutionary 6139A automatic movement featured a vertical clutch system and a column wheel. A few years later, in November 1973, the Seiko Speed Timer also became the first automatic chronograph to travel into space, worn by Colonel William Reid Pogue during the NASA Skylab 4 …
When we talk about Grand Seiko quartz watches, and in particular the current 9F series, we are referring to high quality and precision calibers, assembled by hand by expert craftsmen, and produced entirely in-house (including quartz crystals). The first Grand Seiko-branded quartz watches in history entered the scene in 1988, nearly 20 years after the world’s first quartz wristwatch: the Seiko Quartz-Astron 35SQ. From the development of the first quartz, …
In 2008, the first Grand Seiko diving watches were introduced: the reference SBGA029 (9R65-0AM0) in stainless steel, and the SBGA031 (9R65-0AN0) in titanium, both featuring the Spring Drive caliber 9R65. The creation of these watches find its roots in the long journey Seiko started with the 62MAS in 1965, and in the progressive improvements to get closer and closer to an ideal of perfection. Although Grand Seiko diver’s watches have …
In the mid-1930s, Seiko became for the first time the largest watch manufacturer in the world, surpassing Waltham and the SSIH group (Omega-Tissot). The Yamada Watch Shop, founded in 1872 and still in business today, was part of Seiko’s authorized dealer network. This is the December 1936 issue of a catalog published by Yamada Watch Shop. Most of the wristwatches presented feature Nation and Moeris type movements.
In the Seiko Catalog Supplement of 1969 we see for the first time a variety of Grand Seiko watches presented with stainless steel bracelets. Several King Seiko models were also introduced, and the Presmatic line made its debut. Seiko Catalog Index Men’s watches Grand Seiko King Seiko Chronometer King Seiko Presmatic Lordmatic Fashion Watches Other Automatic Pocket Watches Women’s watches High-end Seiko Bracelet Seiko White Lady Sports Calendar Manual Fancy …
The 61GS family, developed by Suwa Seikosha, has the largest number of models in the vintage Grand Seiko range, with a great variety of designs, and only a few of them following Taro Tanaka’s “Grammar of Design” rules. In terms of accuracy, the 61GS family movements can be divided into three groups: Calibers 6145A and 6146A were regulated within the parameters of the Grand Seiko Standard, which at the time …
The 57GS, developed by Suwa Seikosha, is the first family of Grand Seiko watches, introduced in late 1960 with the Grand Seiko Chronometer, commonly known nowadays as the Grand Seiko First. The Grand Seiko 57GS family consists of the following movements: Caliber 3180, later renamed 5720A, was accurate to within +12 to -3 seconds a day, running at 18,000 bph with 45 hours of power reserve Caliber 430, later renamed …
The Seiko Cocktail Time series was born from a collaboration with one of the best bartenders and mixologists in the world, Ishigaki Shinobu of the Ishinohana Bar in Tokyo. At the launch of the series in 2010, three models were available exclusively for Japan. Among these stands out the Cocktail Time “Cool”, reference SARB065, which over the years has grown in popularity among Seiko enthusiasts all over the world, becoming …
Seiko SARB is a line of watches introduced in 2006 and based on the 6R15 automatic caliber. Although it was mainly aimed at the Japanese market, the SARB line became popular in many countries around the world, especially thanks to the SARB033, SARB035, the Alpinist SARB017 and the Cocktail Time SARB065. The origin of the SARB series The first SARB watches appeared in the second volume of the Seiko 2006 …
In July 1965, the first Japanese diving watch, the Seiko 62MAS, was introduced to the market. Seiko’s interest in water-resistant watches actually began several years earlier, with a number of models that are commonly referred to as pre-divers.The 62MAS, however, is the first true Seiko diver’s watch, capable of guaranteeing water resistance up to 150 meters deep. Index Introduction The Antarctic Research Expedition Technical features of the 62MAS Daini Seikosha …