The Seiko Zimbe are a series of limited editions, exclusive to Thailand, which have been a great success among enthusiasts and collectors from all over the world. Introduced in 2016 with the first reference SRPA19 (Gray Turtle), the Zimbe series takes its name from the Japanese pronunciation of whale shark (Jinbei Zame). Due to the high interest from collectors, and the low production numbers, the watches of the Zimbe series …
Seiko is one of the biggest names in the watch industry, and its watches are available in virtually every corner of the world. Today, with their overseas expansion in the luxury sector, even Grand Seiko watches are increasingly available everywhere. Despite this, there are many watches that continue to be almost unfindable outside the Japanese market. We speak in particular of vintage models, but also of some limited or JDM editions. …
Introduced in 2007, the Sumo is one of Seiko’s youngest diving watches, and also one of the most loved by enthusiasts. Three models were presented at launch: SBDC001 (black), SBDC003 (blue, also known as “Blumo”) and SBDC005 (orange). These were the first divers to house the 6R15 automatic caliber, produced entirely in-house, as usual for Seiko. The name “Sumo”, chosen by enthusiasts and later adopted by Seiko itself, is due …
The diver’s watch we know today as the “Turtle” was first introduced by Seiko between 1976 and 1977, and continued to be produced until the late 1980s. Nearly three decades after the first models left the scene, in 2016 Seiko announced the reintroduction of the much loved turtle shell case diver as part of the Prospex line. Greeted with great enthusiasm by fans, the new Seiko Turtle immediately became a …
The history of Grand Seiko begins in 1960 with the introduction of the Grand Seiko Chronometer, better known today as Grand Seiko First. Between 1960 and the first half of the 1970s, numerous models were produced, which can be divided into seven different families, based on the movements. There are seven families, and not eight as we often hear, because the caliber 3180 (renamed 5720) and the 430 (renamed 5722) …
The SBDC007 automatic diver’s watch, nicknamed Shogun by enthusiasts, first appeared in Seiko catalogs in 2008, along with its orange variant SBDC009. The 44mm case, very light since it’s made of titanium, housed the caliber 6R15, a robust and reliable Seiko classic that we find in several watches of this range, with a power reserve of 50 hours, hacking and manual winding functions. In the second generation, introduced in 2020, …
At the beginning of 2004, Seiko introduced a new diver’s watch model, with a titanium case and water resistance up to 200 meters, available in three colors: black (SBDA001), blue (SBDA003) and orange (SBDA005). The shape of the hands, which for some enthusiasts resembled swords, earned it the nickname of Samurai, which is still maintained today despite the fact that the new models have completely different hands, “borrowed” from the …
Seiko has launched a new Seiko 5 Sports collection designed in collaboration with Capcom: six limited edition models inspired by the most famous Streer Fighter’s characters. Character Ref. Japan Ref. International Price (Japan) Release date Ryu SBSA079 SRPF19K1 51.700 yen September 26, 2020 Chun-li SBSA077 SRPF17K1 51.700 yen September 26, 2020 Ken SBSA080 SRPF20K1 51.700 yen September 26, 2020 Guile SBSA081 SRPF21K1 51.700 yen September 26, 2020 Blanka SBSA083 SRPF23K1 …
On Christmas Day of 1969, a shocking event for the entire world of watchmaking took place in Japan: the first quartz watch made his appearance in Tokyo stores, triggering the longest and dreadful crisis for the Swiss. The Seiko Quartz-Astron debuted in Tokyo stores on December 25, 1969 as the world’s first commercial quartz wristwatch, with a luxurious 18-karat solid gold case, hand carved by skilled craftsmen. It was priced …
The Seiko Quartz-Astron 35SQ can be considered the most important timepiece of modern horological history. So it’s no surprise to see a lot of articles and books discussing it and its impressive legacy. When you read about the Quartz-Astron, one of the first things you’ll probably learn is that only a limited edition of 100 or, depending on the source, around 200 pieces were produced. Let’s start with two of …
Read moreHow many Quartz-Astron watches were really produced?