01
Aiming to Make an
Accurate Watch
While still young, Hattori started working at a nearby clock shop and saving his money. In 1881, at the tender age of 21, he established “Hattori Tokeiten” in Ginza to sell and repair timepieces. His guiding rule was, “Keep every promise, no matter how difficult.” In 19th century Japan, most clocks and pocket watches were imported from overseas, but Kintaro dreamed of manufacturing high-quality timepieces himself. In 1892, he established his own factory in what is now the Sumida ward of Tokyo, and began producing wall clocks. Kintaro named the factory Seikosha to express his strong commitment to “produce precise, exquisite clocks” and, hence, the name “Seiko-sha” (House of Exquisite and Precision Manufacturing).
He used what we would now call an integrated production system, combining all stages of production from parts design and manufacture to assembly, and soon became Japan’s leading timepiece factory.
Kintaro Hattori, the “King of Timepieces in the East”
Seiko’s founder, Kintaro Hattori (1860 - 1934), was the eldest son of an antiques dealer in Kyobashi, part of Edo (modern-day Tokyo). After seeing how a nearby clock shop worked, he decided to become a clockmaker. From then on, he opened a shop selling and repairing watches and clocks and established his own factory, which became the foundation of Seiko. His lifelong philosophy was “Always one step ahead of the rest.”
In 1895, Kintaro moved his store to a prominent corner in Ginza that belonged to a newspaper company. He remodeled it to create a retail store to serve the public. More than a century later, that street-corner (the Ginza 4-chome intersection) is one of the most famous crossroads in Japan, and the iconic Seiko House Ginza building is still there.
With the dawning of a new century, Kintaro saw that the ubiquitous gentleman’s pocket watch would eventually give way to the lighter, more compact, more convenient wristwatch. Of course, wristwatches were much smaller and required an extremely high level of precision manufacturing, but that challenge didn’t bother Kintaro. He set out to make Japan’s first domestically produced wristwatch, and in 1913 his creation, dubbed the “Laurel,” made its debut.
Sadly, only a decade later Tokyo was struck with tragedy: the Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1st 1923. The earthquake led to extensive fires throughout the city. Kintaro’s factory, as well as the watch store and his own personal residence, were all completely destroyed by fire.
Although discouraged, Kintaro renewed his commitment to the business, which had now become his mission, and began restoring his facilities. On November 20th, less than three months after the earthquake, Kintaro resumes his business. The fire had destroyed roughly 1,500 clocks and watches belonging to customers that customers had entrusted to the company for repair. Keeping true to his motto to never break a promise, no matter how difficult, Kintaro offered every customer who had lost a timepiece in the blaze a full replacement - at no cost. This sincere spirit of generosity and commitment to his customers turned out to be better than any possible marketing campaign for the little company. Soon, word spread that K. Hattori & Co. was a trustworthy shop that put its customers’ needs first and foremost, and his business continued to grow.
The first clock tower
In 1894, Kintaro purchased a building on a prominent corner of Ginza (site of the present-day Seiko House Ginza), and expanded and renovated the building to make a new home for the Hattori Tokeiten. The building’s roof-top clock tower became a familiar sight to people in Ginza.
Pocket watches burned in the Great Kanto Earthquake
The Great Kanto Earthquake spawned huge fires in Tokyo. The conflagration destroyed the factory, and pocket watches were melted into this molten mass.
02
THE FIRST SEIKO
—A World-Class Brand
In 1924, one year after the great catastrophe, K. Hattori & Co. prepared to release a new wristwatch. At first, it was to be named “Glory.” However, after surviving the earthquake and fire, Kintaro wanted a special name to mark a fresh start after the hardship. His factory was called Seikosha, based on the word seiko, meaning precision and exquisite manufacturing, and also another word, pronounced just the same, that means success. The word seiko embodies Seikosha’s commitment when it was established: successfully producing precise timepieces. So the watch released in 1924 was named Seiko, which has become the first product ever to bear the brand name Seiko. The Seiko brand - now internationally famous and a symbol of beautiful design as well as quality manufacturing - actually started with this watch.
Previously, Seikosha had produced wristwatches with a variety of brand names, but beginning in 1924, its products were unified under the SEIKO brand. The factory also upgraded its manufacturing equipment and modernised its production processes, building a strong foundation for future growth and a string of technological breakthroughs.
The design of 2024's limited-edition with an enamel dial to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Seiko brand hearkens back to that first watch that became a major turning point in Seiko's history.
- 1924
First Seiko-branded Watch
A commemorative model branded for the first time with the Seiko name. In fact, 6 prototypes of this watch were completed the day before the Great Kanto Earthquake, and of these, 2 watches miraculously escaped the flames.
- 2024
Seiko Presage Kintaro Hattori Limited Edition
This limited-edition commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first Seiko-branded watch. The original design is captured in every detail, including the Seiko letters and the original Arabic numerals on the dial.
03
From Masterpiece to Masterpiece
—Passing Down Skills & Beauty
As mentioned earlier, Kintaro Hattori was quick to recognize that the era of wristwatches was coming, which led to his shop producing Japan’s first wristwatch, the Laurel, in 1913. Although foreign clock makers had already begun mass-producing wristwatches, this was a huge technical (and financial) challenge for a Japanese manufacturer. However, by boldly meeting this challenge, Seiko elevated its design and microfabrication techniques to the next level and advanced its machine tool development. This drive to innovate, to push the bounds of technology and create exciting new products, became a fundamental part of Seiko’s DNA.
Laurel
The first domestically produced wristwatch made its debut in the early Taisho era (1912-1926), when pocket watches were still commonplace. About one-fifth the size of a standard pocket watch, the Laurel was very difficult to manufacture, and only about 50 pieces could be made in a day.
First Seiko-branded Watch
In 1923, Seiko’s office and factory were destroyed by fires caused by the Great Kanto Earthquake. In the first year of recovery after that disaster, the company released the first SEIKO brand wristwatch. In some sense, it felt as if the company was starting over, just like when Seikosha was first established.
Following the Laurel, a succession of new watches achieved higher and higher performance. Although the pace of innovation slowed during the war years, Seiko was ready to bounce back in the post-war era. The company quickly put in place a new production system, and once again emphasised innovative technological development. The company’s DNA really began to show in the 1950s with the development of several high-precision watches. Watch design also became more sophisticated, and masterpieces such as the Super and Marvel, both with a centre-mounted second hand and modern design, appeared one after another. Before long, Seiko’s craftsmen created the even higher-precision and higher-quality Lord Marvel and Crown models. It was these outstanding watches, which combined elegant design with superb accuracy, that led to the birth of the first Grand Seiko in 1960.
The Dawn of Design
In 1956, Seiko launched a department mainly responsible for designing watch exteriors. Thereafter, Seiko’s watch design continued to progress, and eventually became one of the hallmarks of the brand.
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1950Super
Until this time, all Seiko wristwatches had a small seconds hand located at the 6 o'clock position. This was the first Seiko watch to feature a centre-mounted seconds hand concentric with the minute and hour hands, also known as a three-hand watch. This design still holds a strong and enduring popularity.
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1956Marvel
The first watch with an original Seiko design, it focused on the fundamental principles of wristwatches: it must be accurate, unbreakable, and beautiful. Larger components helped to stabilise functionality and improve accuracy, and soon the Marvel was dominating domestic watch competitions.
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1958Lord Marvel
The successor to the Marvel. The engraved logo and other tweaks dramatically increased the sense of luxury. The movement was equipped with a state-of-the-art smooth balance wheel and a newly developed system to improve shock-resistance.
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1959Crown
Aiming to achieve higher accuracy, the Crown was fitted with an even larger movement than that of the Marvel. It used a large balance wheel, and the mainspring barrel was enlarged for higher torque. The case was designed to be even more elegant than that of the Lord Marvel.
The Dawn of Design
In 1956, Seiko launched a department mainly responsible for designing watch exteriors. Thereafter, Seiko’s watch design continued to progress, and eventually became one of the hallmarks of the brand.
Super
Until this time, all Seiko wristwatches had a small seconds hand located at the 6 o'clock position. This was the first Seiko watch to feature a centre-mounted seconds hand concentric with the minute and hour hands, also known as a three-hand watch. This design still holds a strong and enduring popularity.
Marvel
The first watch with an original Seiko design, it focused on the fundamental principles of wristwatches: it must be accurate, unbreakable, and beautiful. Larger components helped to stabilise functionality and improve accuracy, and soon the Marvel was dominating domestic watch competitions.
Lord Marvel
The successor to the Marvel. The engraved logo and other tweaks dramatically increased the sense of luxury. The movement was equipped with a state-of-the-art smooth balance wheel and a newly developed system to improve shock-resistance.
Crown
Aiming to achieve higher accuracy, the Crown was fitted with an even larger movement than that of the Marvel. It used a large balance wheel, and the mainspring barrel was enlarged for higher torque. The case was designed to be even more elegant than that of the Lord Marvel.
Lord Marvel & Crown,
Two masterpieces combined
to create Grand Seiko!
Aiming for
the Ultimate Seiko MasterpieceThe Stories Behind
the Birth of Three Brands
04
World Class Quality
—Grand Seiko
Seiko had continued to make breakthroughs in the 1950s with wristwatches that combined precision and aesthetics, and gradually aspired to create “a world-class, ultra-high-quality watch with high accuracy.” The result was Grand Seiko, released in 1960, into which the company poured all of its original technology and the highest design and manufacturing skills of the time. The large, highly legible indexes, and hands were inherited from the Lord Marvel, while the elegant, delicate feel was inspired by the Crown. The Calibre 3180 movement was an advanced version of the Calibre 560, the top precision movement in Japan at the time, and included new technologies such as the Diashock shock-resistance system, hacking seconds, and a fine-adjustment regulator.
The first Grand Seiko had high accuracy that met the chronometer standards of the time. This achievement became a source of pride at Seiko, and inspired even greater confidence, which led us to win more awards in numerous international precision competitions over the years.
Only watches that passed rigorous in-house accuracy testing in accordance with the Swiss chronometer standard were ever sold, and Grand Seiko became known for selling watches that came with a certificate of accuracy.
First Grand Seiko
The now-famous first Grand Seiko. Priced at more than JPY 25,000 (about two times the average starting salary of a company employee with a university degree at that time). In addition to the gold-plated case shown in the photo, a very small number of platinum editions were produced, a first for Seiko.
Only watches that passed rigorous in-house accuracy testing in accordance with the Swiss chronometer standard were ever sold, and Grand Seiko became known for selling watches that came with a certificate of accuracy.
The Grand Seiko emblem might not have been a lion
It seems there were multiple candidates for the emblem on the case back of the first Grand Seiko watches. For example, a stylised bell, which symbolises time to the Japanese, was one candidate. Another was the sun (Apollo), which governs the solar system. In the end, the company decided on a lion, the king of beasts, as an indication that Grand Seiko would aim to be nothing less than the king of luxury watches.
Grand Seiko Becomes a Fully Independent Watch Brand
Grand Seiko became independent to scale new heights of watchmaking excellence, with the Grand Seiko or GS logo taking pride of place at the 12 o’clock position on every dial. With a uniquely Japanese sense of beauty, Grand Seiko is dedicated to capturing the essence of wristwatches. The model in the photo is the SLGH005, released in 2021.
05
King Seiko
—Affordable Accuracy
Not long after Grand Seiko's debut, the company launched another watch that reaffirmed Seiko’s commitment to offering high-end products as well as more functional, popular products. In 1961, King Seiko appeared, combining excellent, high-end performance, attractive design, and a reasonable price. It was an instant hit and remained popular for years. At the time, Seiko had two main production bases, one called Suwa Seikosha, and the other, Daini Seikosha. Interestingly, Grand Seiko was produced at the former workshop and King Seiko at the latter. The fact that these two bases competed technologically may be one reason behind King Seiko’s high quality.
The King Seiko brand was retired in 1970, but then relaunched in 2022. The new version retains not only the classic design, but also the brand’s tradition as an affordable, high-end wristwatch.
First King Seiko
The first King Seiko brought high accuracy and high quality at a more affordable price. The second one, released in 1965 and called “KSK,” is quite popular with watch enthusiasts.
A magazine article announcing the launch of King Seiko. The watch was described as being equipped with a reliable mechanical movement and superb precision, displaying a quality that was second only to Grand Seiko.
06
Queen Seiko
In 1962, the company released an elegant, high-end counterpart to King Seiko - the Queen Seiko collection for women. Until then, most women’s watches tended to focus solely on decoration, but the Queen Seiko had a highly legible dial despite its small case (less than 20 mm in diameter), a large crown for ease of winding, and the same reliable accuracy as the men's version. The watches were dressy and attractive, and became quite popular at a time when women were beginning to enter the workforce. Having a “his-and-hers” pair of King Seiko and Queen Seiko watches was something of a status symbol for many couples in this era.
First Queen Seiko
The first-generation model featured high legibility despite its small size and a graceful appearance. Thinly elongated hands and long, trapezoidal indexes gave the watch a dressy appearance.
More Than a Watch!
Seiko Creates Novel Products for Special Needs
Although the brand is now synonymous with high-quality wristwatches, Seiko began in the 19th century as a maker of wall clocks, table clocks, and pocket watches. Even after releasing the first domestically made wristwatch in 1913, Seiko continued to focus on producing pocket watches until the late 1920s. Among the company’s epoch-making products were Japan's first railroad watches and marine chronometers (ultra-precise clocks for use at sea), which were successfully mass-produced domestically for the first time. As watches became increasingly accurate, the development of revolutionary technologies, including the world's first quartz wristwatch, led to a succession of outstanding products, and ultimately, to winning numerous international awards for accuracy and precision.
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07
1929The First Made-in-Japan Railway Watch
For obvious reasons, railroad watches must keep exceptionally accurate time. For many years, the Japan National Railways used foreign pocket watches as a time reference. However, in 1929 the Ministry of Railways designated Seiko’s pocket watch, the Seikosha, as its official railroad watch. This became the first watch of its kind made in Japan.
For obvious reasons, railroad watches must keep exceptionally accurate time. For many years, the Japan National Railways used foreign pocket watches as a time reference.
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However, in 1929 the Ministry of Railways designated Seiko’s pocket watch, the Seikosha, as its official railroad watch. This became the first watch of its kind made in Japan.
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08
1939Pocket Watch for the Visually Impaired
Because of Seiko’s growing reputation for accuracy and dependability, its pocket watches were adopted in many fields. The most famous is perhaps the railroad watch mentioned above, but special-purpose watches such as this one, which was designed for the visually impaired, became classics. The lack of a cover glass on this watch means that users can easily tell the time by touch - simply by touching the dial and feeling the position of the hands.
Because of Seiko’s growing reputation for accuracy and dependability, its pocket watches were adopted in many fields.
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The most famous is perhaps the railroad watch mentioned above, but special-purpose watches such as this one, which was designed for the visually impaired, became classics. The lack of a cover glass on this watch means that users can easily tell the time by touch - simply by touching the dial and feeling the position of the hands.
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09
1942Marine Chronometer
Marine chronometers are high-precision timepieces essential for accurate navigation at sea. Seiko developed its own around 1942, using complex Seiko technologies to accurately determine a ship's longitude.
Seiko also became known for creating elegant accessories, such as fashionable ring watches and pendant watches, and watches designed to meet specific social needs, such as for the visually impaired and nurse watches that support medical care. Seiko has come a long way from its roots in wall clocks and table clocks, but it continues to hone its skills in developing a variety of timepieces other than wristwatches. We already know that more outstanding products will appear in the coming years.
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10
1965Ring Watch
The 1960s saw the rise of avant-garde fashion designers in Europe and the United States, and people began to recognise fashion as a key element of culture. Seiko was one of the first brands to release a watch-on-a-ring design, which became quite popular with fashion-sensitive consumers.
11
1987Pendant Watch
In response to customer demand, Seiko developed a succession of fashionable “accessory watches” to suit a wide range of lifestyles. This is the iconic pendant watch, which takes advantage of Seiko’s advanced micro-manufacturing techniques to shrink an ultra-accurate quartz movement into this thin, compact design.
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12
2014Nurse’s Watch
Seiko has developed several watches for professional use. This nurse's watch was used in countless hospitals and medical facilities. Its main feature was a dial that also included a simple heart rate monitor.
