Seiko: The 140-Year Journey From Repair Shop to Icon

The 70-Year Journey

From a small shop in Tokyo to the world's largest watch manufacturer — Seiko's story is one of relentless innovation and accessibility.

The Beginnings (1881-1960)

Kintaro Hattori founded Seiko in 1881 as a watch repair shop in Tokyo. By 1924, the brand "Seiko" (meaning "exquisite" or "success") was established. The breakthrough came in 1960 with the first Grand Seiko — designed to be the best affordable luxury watch in the world.

The Quartz Revolution (1969)

Seiko's Astron 35SQ launched on Christmas Day 1969 — the world's first quartz wristwatch. It kept time to seconds per month. Within a decade, it reshaped the entire watch industry. The Quartz Crisis is covered in our quartz crisis guide.

The Modding Platform

Seiko's manufacturing efficiency created interchangeable parts across hundreds of models — accidentally building the world's most popular modding platform. Our modding culture guide covers this phenomenon.

Today

Seiko operates at every price point: from the $50 Seiko 5 to the $500,000 Grand Seiko. The NH35 and NH34 movements that power most of our watches descend directly from this 140-year lineage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Seiko still Japanese-made?
Most Seiko watches are assembled in Japan or their Asian facilities. Grand Seiko is entirely Japanese-made.

Why are Seiko movements everywhere?
Because they are reliable, affordable and well-documented — the industry standard for accessible watchmaking.

Where do our watches fit?
Built on Seiko's NH35/NH34 platform — the same reliable calibers powering thousands of watches worldwide.