9. Seiko

Homepage - Contents - S. The History of the Most Important Watch Manufacturers, 9. Seiko

S.9 Seiko

The Japanese word 'Seiko' means precision.
Seiko was the first company to produce and market a complete series of quartz watches, after the company had conducted epoch-making research into the matter. The Seiko-group is dominated by the Hattori family and owns the brandnames Seiko, Alba, Credor, Pulsar and Lassale.

1881	K. Hattori & Co.Ltd founded by Kintaro Hattori. Import of Swiss watches.
1892	Foundation of Sheikosha Co., Ltd, producer of all kinds of wall clocks.
1895	Pocket watch production.
1899	Alarm clock production.
1902	Table clock production.
1913	Wrist watch production.
1937	Daini Seikosha Co.Ltd is founded, one of the two manufacturers of watches and the most important one.
1955	The first automatic Seiko watch.
1958	The first Seiko quartz clock to be used in radio stations is released.
1959	Establishment of Daiwa Kogyo Ltd., later renamed as Suwa Seikosha Co., and today as Seiko Epson Corporation. Transistor wall clock is marketed.
1961	Seiko's '5' is brought on the market.
1962	The first Seiko quartz clock, the 'QC 6TD4' (also known as 'QC-6TV4')
1963	Co-operation with Timex and Elgin starts. The portable quartz chronometer (model 951) is issued.
1966	Seiko introduces a prototype of a quartz pocket watch.
1968	The first electronic wrist watch by Seiko. The 31 A or the 3100 series, a transistorised watch with balance.
1969	In December, the world's first quartz watch is marketed in a limited edition, the SQ 35 or SQ 3500 with hands.
1970	The SQ 36, a quartz watch marketed in limited edition.
1971	Caliber 3823 VFA.
1972	The SQ 38, the first Seiko quartz watch which is produced in considerable quantities. World's first lady's quartz watch, the 03 SQ or the 0300, edited in limited quantities.
1973	The first watch in the world with a LCD screen, fast enough to display the seconds (cal.0614A). Two models 05LC and 06LC, with a case of titanium and an IC of SSS Inc. in the USA (caliber 0124). Micro Display Systems Dallas Texas developed LC displays for Seiko.
1975	The first commercial Seiko lady's quartz watch, the 4100 reaches the market. Seiko releases its first digital quartz chronograph: the 0634. In a very short time one million watches are marketed and sold. 1977 Seiko launches the new brandnames Pulsar and Alba. Seiko introduces the first digital quartz calculator, caliber C 153. First digital quartz world timer. The FC 001. First digital quartz alarm. The A029.
1978	The FJ and FK series. Batteries need to be replaced only once every five years. Seiko buys the American brandname Pulsar from Rhapsody Inc. World's first twin quartz watch, caliber 9256 A. Seiko LC Memorybank calendar watch. Seiko gains holding over Micro Display Systems and Micro Power Systems, USA, and signs a licence agreement with Fairchild, USA. 1979 Ultra thin quartz watch with a 0.95 mm thin movement, caliber 9320A.
1980	In April, Seiko buys the Swiss company 'Jean Lassale SA' in Geneva to obtain a position on the more exclusive watch market.
1981	Introduction of the new brandname Seiko Lassale. Seiko 'Runner' (S 229), the first well-functioning and mass selling pulsemeter. The first and only commercial watch in the world with an electrochromic display: the F 623. The duo display watch H357 was used in a James Bond movie.
1982	The 'Biorhythm' watch Y772 by Pulsar. World's first TV watches are marketed. Giorgo Giugiaro designs the Seiko sports collection.
1983	K. Hattori & Co.,Ltd becomes Hattori Seiko Co.,Ltd, the marketing headquarters. World's first recording or talking digital watch, the M 516, is marketed in August.The Pulsar 'Wizard'. The world's first analogue quartz chronograph: the 7A28. Seiko launches the brandname Lorus.
1984	World's first digital computer watch, the Seiko 'Datagraph' the UC 2000 and the RC 1000. Pulsar quartz solar-cell, cal. W192.
1986	Seiko exhibits for the first time at the Basle Fair in Switzerland as part of a Japanese participation programme. Seiko gains a participation in the French group Matra Holding with the brandnames Jaz, Japy, Yema, Delta, Uti, Hour Lavigne and Cuppillard Rieme. Nearly all the watches produced by the Matra group have been equipped with a Seiko movement.
1988	World's first automatic generating system (AGS) quartz watch, caliber 7M 22. Seiko 'Receptor' is produced in co-operation with AT&E Corporation of Los Angeles, USA.
1993	Seiko 'Kinetic', caliber 5M23, a much improved AGS watch.

Since September 1978 Seiko uses a code system: for instance 7813-8029B

7813	caliber-number
8029	case number
B	case-construction type number

A different code is also used: 730104 means the third month in 1957, 1977 or 1987; 0104 is the number of the series. The letters O, N and D on the second position means October, November or December. .

< Previous page | Top | Next page >

email: doensen@xs4all.nl

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any forms or by any means - graphic, electronic or mechanical, including (but not limited to) photocopying or information storage and retrieval systems - without written permission from the copyright holder.