The History of Seiko
The history of Seiko began in 1881, when a young 21-year-old entrepreneur, Kintaro Hattori, opened a watch and clock sales and repair shop in Ginza, Tokyo. Today, after more than 130 years of innovation, Kintaro Hattori's company is still dedicated to the perfection that the founder always sought to achieve. In the following pages, you can explore Seiko's long history and see many of our most iconic watches.
1881-1959
Kintaro Hattori opens a watch and clock sales and repair shop in Ginza, Tokyo. The history of Seiko began in 1881, when a young entrepreneur of 21 years, Kintaro Hattori, opened a watch and clock sales and repair shop in the center of Tokyo. Only eleven years later, in 1892, he founded the factory 'Seikosha'.
1881
Seikosha founded; production of wall clocks begins. In 1892, Kintaro Hattori purchased a disused factory in Tokyo and founded Seikosha (in Japanese, "Seiko" means "exquisite," "minute," or "success," and "sha" means home). It was here that Kintaro Hattori produced his first watches, marking the beginning of a company that would become one of the world's leading manufacturers of chronometers.
1892
Seikosha builds the first pocket watch. During the 1890s, the success of Seikosha's wall clock business increased and Kintaro decided to expand the scope of his business. In 1895, he created a pocket watch, the Timekeeper. This was a milestone, without which Seiko's future would have been very different, as it paved the way for the first wristwatch ever made in Japan.
1895
The Laurel, the first wristwatch made in Japan, makes its debut. In the early Taisho era, pocket watches were still very popular and there were only a few imported wristwatches in Japan. However, Kintaro was determined to be "ahead of the curve" and took on the daunting task of creating the first wristwatch ever made in Japan. In 1913, he succeeded and the Laurel was born. In the early days, the company could only produce 30-50 watches a day, but for the first time, Kintaro found himself ahead of the others.
1913
The first Seiko branded watch is produced.
1924
A Seiko pocket watch is named the official "railway watch" of the Japanese National Railways. In 1929, as its rail network expanded, the Japanese National Railways named Seiko its official supplier. Train drivers often made wooden notches on their consoles where the approved pocket watch would be placed in plain sight as they operated their trains.
1929
Construction of Wako Clock Tower, the familiar face of Ginza. The current clock tower was built in 1932. The building adopts a style called Neo-Renaissance.
1932
Beginning of use of "Diashock", a shock resistance device.
1956
Marvel Gyro
1960-1979
Seiko's signature piece, the Grand Seiko, is launched for the first time. In 1960, the first Grand Seiko model was produced. High in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture, central Japan. A small team of Seiko's most experienced and skilled watchmakers were tasked with making the finest watch they could. The Grand Seiko was to represent the pinnacle of Seiko's excellence in mechanical watchmaking and offer greater precision, readability and durability than any other watch.
1960
Seiko serves as the Official Timer of the 18th Olympiad, Tokyo, and supplies 1,278 timing devices.
1964
Introducing the first Japanese wristwatch equipped with a stopwatch. The first Japanese wristwatch equipped with a stopwatch, introduced in 1964, the year of the Tokyo Olympic Games. Its smooth operation and durability were ensured by a column wheel system.
1964
Japan's first diving watch produced Japan's first diving watch, water resistant to a depth of 150 meters. The winding crown is designed with a double gasket structure to withstand water pressure. Designated for use in the 8th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition.
1965
Neuchatel Observatory Competition and Geneva Observatory Competition
1967
Introduction of cal. 6139, the world's first automatic chronograph watch with both a vertical clutch and a column wheel. As the world's first automatic chronograph with a "magic lever", a column wheel and a vertical clutch, it may have been the world's first stopwatch. It was a pivotal moment in Seiko's path to preeminence in chronograph technology.
1969
Introducing the world's first quartz watch, "Seiko Quartz Astron". The world's first quartz watch, the Seiko Quartz Astron, was introduced in Tokyo on December 25, 1969. It offered unbeatable performance. It was accurate to within 5 seconds per month, 100 times more accurate than any other watch, and it ran continuously for a year, or 250 times longer than most mechanical watches. The quartz revolution had begun.
1969
Introduction of the world's first six-digit LCD quartz watch cal. 0614.
1973
Introducing the world's first multifunctional digital watch cal. 0634. In 1975, Seiko launched the world's first quartz digital chronograph watch, the 0634. It could record time to 1/10th of a second and had a lap time function. It also incorporated an internal light, so it could be seen clearly in the dark. It became a great success and created the market for highly functional digital watches.
1975
Introducing the world's first titanium cased diving watch: the Professional Diver's 600m.
In 1968, Seiko engineers received a letter from a professional diver from Hiroshima Prefecture. The letter made a profound impression on them with its vivid description of the stresses a watch is subjected to when diving to a depth of 350 meters. Seiko accepted the challenge. After seven years of research, the Professional Diver's 600m was born, the first diver's watch with a titanium case. Featuring a helium-resistant seal, perfect visibility at great depths, and an innovative titanium case, it set a new standard for diving watches.
1980-1989
Introducing the world's first TV watch.
The first watch with a tuner and headphone jack to watch TV anywhere, anytime. It also had an FM radio, in addition to the standard watch functions such as alarm, stopwatch and calendar.
1982
The world's first watch with voice recording: "Voice Note".
1983
Introduction of the first analog quartz chronograph watch.
Mastering quartz technology and mechanical watchmaking, Seiko created the world's first quartz analog chronograph. It measured elapsed time to 5/100ths of a second, offered a split-time function, and featured a tachymeter. The design was by renowned Italian automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro.
1983
Introduction of the first watch with computer functions: UC-2000.
After introducing the world's first TV watch, Seiko developed a wrist computer that could store data. It was the first of its kind, with a memory of up to 2,000 characters, allowing it to store phone numbers, addresses, and a month's worth of diary entries. This marked the beginning of the era of portable information devices.
1984
The first 1000m diving watch with a ceramic outer case.
The Diver's 1000m was the first watch to use ceramic as the outer case material. Its lightweight, corrosion-resistant monobloc titanium construction allowed it to withstand dives to depths of up to 1000 meters.
1986
Seiko was the official timekeeper of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Rome, Italy.
1987
Introduction of the world's first watch with "AGS" technology caliber 7M22 (later renamed "Kinetic").
1990-1999
Introduction of the first diving watch with computer functions: "Scubamaster" cal. M726 with dive table and depth gauge.
Seiko's expertise in producing electronic and diving watches led to the creation of the Scubamaster, which was equipped with a water and depth sensor. It displayed the dive time and depth, essential information for divers.
1990
Seiko was the official timekeeper of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
1991
Seiko was the official timekeeper at the Games of the XXV Olympiad in Barcelona, Spain.
Seiko was first chosen to time the Olympics in Europe. A team of over 300 engineers and timekeeping specialists served the event.
1992
Seiko was the official timekeeper of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
1998
A new generation of Grand Seiko mechanical watches.
After twenty years, Seiko introduced a new mechanical caliber for Grand Seiko, setting new standards with cutting-edge manufacturing technologies.
1999
Introducing the Spring Drive, a luxury mechanical watch with quartz precision.
Spring Drive is a unique technology from Seiko. It replaces the traditional escapement with an innovative regulator that allows the hands to move smoothly and continuously, ensuring accuracy of one second per day.
1999
Introduction of the Ultimate Kinetic Chronograph cal. 9T82.
Seiko improved its Kinetic watch by adding a chronograph function with an innovative design. It was equipped with a heart-shaped cam reset function and a special construction that prevented dust accumulation.
2000-2009
Introduction of the first Grand Seiko Spring Drive automatic movement with extended 72-hour power reserve.
After its debut in 1998, the Spring Drive movement was further refined and adopted in the Grand Seiko. Caliber 9R65 offered a 72-hour power reserve, as well as an automatic winding mechanism.
2005
Introduction of the first analog solar watch with three-band radio control (Japan, Germany, USA).
Seiko marketed the first radio-controlled solar watch capable of receiving standard time signals from three countries (Japan, USA and Germany), a pioneering device of its kind.
2005
Introducing the Kinetic Perpetual.
Powered by the movement of the wrist, this watch was the first to generate and store its own electricity. When not worn, it would go into sleep mode, and when placed back on the wrist, the hands would automatically return to the correct time. The perpetual calendar remained accurate until February 28, 2100.
2005
Introduction of the world's first watch with E-Ink display.
For the first time in a watch, electronic ink technology was used to display the time and other information on a large display, ensuring perfect readability from any angle. The display also allowed the choice of different graphics for displaying the time, including an innovatively designed "day and night" mode. This watch won the Grand Prix de Genève.
2006
Introducing the Credor Spring Drive Sonnerie.
The Spring Drive, thanks to its smooth and silent mechanism, allowed time to be marked with the long and harmonious tolling of a Japanese Orin bell, without the typical "ticking".
2006
Introduction of the Spring Drive chronograph.
Thanks to the fluid movement of its hands, the Spring Drive chronograph was the first to measure time precisely, without approximations to tenths or hundredths of a second. It redefined the precision of mechanical chronographs, offering an accuracy of one second per day.
2007
Introduction of the first new Grand Seiko hi-beat caliber in 41 years.
2010-
Introduction of the Seiko Spring Drive Spacewalk commemorative edition.
This watch was designed specifically for spacewalks. Tested both inside and outside the International Space Station, it performed flawlessly in space. It won the award for best sports watch at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.
2010
The world's first watch with EPD display and active matrix system.
This new display system retained all the readability advantages of the first Seiko E-Ink watch, but allowed images and data to be displayed in greater detail. With 80,000 pixels, each with four different shades, it offered a resolution of 300 dpi.
2010
Introducing the Creder Spring Drive Minute Repeater.
The crystal clear sound of the chime was achieved by using a special steel, forged by the famous Japanese blacksmith Munemichi Myochin. The purity of the sound was guaranteed by the completely silent Spring Drive mechanism.
2011
Introducing the world’s first GPS solar watch: Seiko Astron GPS Solar.
Finally, the quest for absolute precision in every corner of the globe came to an end. By developing a low-power GPS receiver, Seiko succeeded in creating a watch that could receive GPS signals and automatically identify the time zone, time, and date based on the global satellite network. The Astron recognized all 39 time zones in the world, marking a revolutionary era in watchmaking technology.
2012
100th anniversary of Seiko watch production.
In 1913, Seiko produced its first wristwatch, called the "Laurel." Not only was it the first for Seiko, but also the first made in Japan. This event marked the beginning of a long tradition of innovation, inspired by Kintaro Hattori's vision of always being "one step ahead."
2013
Seiko Astron GPS Solar 8X Series Chronograph launched.
2014
Seiko wins the “Petite Aiguille” award at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.
2014
Seiko's first tourbillon watch: the FUGAKU from the Credor line.
Caliber 6830 is the first tourbillon movement produced by Seiko. Created with extraordinary engineering skill, its base was only 1.98 mm thick, while the entire movement measured just 3.98 mm in depth and 25.6 mm in diameter, making it the world's smallest tourbillon by volume.
2016
Introduction of the Grand Seiko Spring Drive 9R01 movement with extended 8-day power reserve.
Caliber 9R01 featured an impressive 192-hour (8-day) power reserve, achieved by a linked series of three barrels, while conventional mechanical movements use only one. The three barrels were arranged vertically to optimize space, and the watch's design minimized friction, maximizing energy efficiency.
2016
REVOLUTIONARY MODELS
Grand Seiko “The Black Ceramic”: Expansion of the sports range.
Practicality and durability are essential qualities in the best sports watches and have always been core values of Grand Seiko. In 2016, the brand expanded its design into the sports watch segment, introducing models in black ceramic.
2016
Grand Seiko becomes an independent brand from Seiko.
Grand Seiko has always had a distinct design, character and presentation compared to the rest of the Seiko lineup. To further strengthen its prestige and reach a wider audience, it was decided to transform it into a completely independent brand.