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Seiko watches actually began as Seikosha watches in 1881. Kintaro Hattori opened a clock shop in Tokyo's Ginza District, and the rest is history. Applauded for its accuracy and craftsmanship, the Seiko watch became a resounding success and by 1938, demand for the timepieces pushed yearly production to well over one million watches. Dedicated to technology advancement and precise manufacture, the Seiko Company has repeatedly staked its reputation on performance, acting as the Official Timer of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Sapporo, Barcelona, Lillihammer and Nagano.
In 1968, Seiko watches earned the honor of introducing the world's first quartz wall clock. Seiko’s many design innovations include the world's first quartz watch, the world's first LCD quartz watch with six digit display, and the world's first intelligent analog quartz watch with alarm and timer function. Hattori continued his watch legacy by producing pocket watches in 1895, followed by alarm clocks in 1899, and table and musical clocks in 1902. The Seiko Kinetic collection is a line of quartz watches that are electrically charged by movement. By 1914, mass production was introduced to keep up with the supply and demand of Seikosha watches, and by 1924, Seikosha became Seiko. Seiko produced its first watches under the Seiko brand in 1924 and it produced the world’s first quartz watch, called the ‘Astron’, in 1969. Today, the Seiko Corporation is the parent company of Seiko of America. As the years passed, the popularity of Seiko watches continued to rise. It became known for its superb craftsmanship and style. Today, Seiko continues to offer beautiful watches with style, class, and high performance, as well as unsurpassed technology. Seiko watches are recognized for their accuracy and have been used as the official timekeepers in the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. It is one of the few wristwatch manufacturers that produce all their movements and watches in-house. Even minor items like lubricating oils and luminous compounds are made in-house. The Seiko Perpetual Calendar Series automatically resets its date settings for the next 100 years. The Chronograph collection features dual stopwatches. The Le Grand Sport Series offers a combination of European styling and functionality. The ladies jewelry collection offers versatility with style. Seiko produces watches that range in price from $50 to several thousand dollars. Many Seiko mechanical watches like the automatic Chronometer series, Bell-Matic, Credor, King Seiko and the Grand Seiko are prized by collectors. Seiko launched the Seiko Spring Drive globally in 2005. It provides 72 hours of power, as compared to 40 hours provided by automatic mechanical watches. Seiko watches and clocks, along with Pulsar brand watches are distributed in the US, by Seiko Corporation of America. Of the full range of models that are produced in Japan, not all are available in the US. Many Seiko watches are meant for specific regions, like Asia. Collectors can obtain models through online retailers, who send watches overseas. Seiko’s 2004 marketing campaign brings out the spirit of Seiko. According to this campaign, a watch says more about a person than anything else, like a car. This is one reason why people who prize their individuality prefer Seiko watches.
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