Seiko is Japan’s premier manufacturer of watches and timepieces. In their long history of creating time-telling marvels and delights, several watches or timepieces have stood out and secured Seiko’s place in the annals of horological history. Read on to know more about these timeless Japan-made time tellers.
The Seiko Quartz Astron
The Seiko Quartz Astron was a watch that rocked the core of the horological world. In 1969, the very same year that Seiko was on its way to releasing an automatic chronograph watch to the market, the Japanese watch manufacturer also revealed the watch that triggered a decade-long, worldwide crisis (the quartz crisis of the ’70s & ’80s). As the world’s first quartz wristwatch, the Quartz Astron represented a groundbreaking technological breakthrough and once threatened to make mechanical watches obsolete. Its quartz oscillator, shaped like a tuning fork, gave its movement, the Caliber 35A, an exceptional accuracy. It was far greater than any mechanical movement during its time.
In addition, the Caliber 35A’s small stepping-motor managed to conserve energy by moving the second hand only once per second, a new wristwatch development. Furthermore, the oscillator ensured one full year of battery life as it worked at a very low voltage and proved to be quite shock-resistant. The 50th anniversary of the Seiko Quartz Astron was celebrated in 2019 with the release of 50 limited edition GPS Solar Quartz Astrons.
The Seiko Prospex
Seiko’s Prospex collection offers watches that strive to survive in our world’s extreme conditions and meet professional specifications. However, the Prospex collection has become a favorite among horology enthusiasts because of its sporty aesthetic while being reliably durable, despite being made suitable for professional use.
The Seiko Samurai comes to mind when thinking of a singular watch model that can suitably represent the Prospex collection. It was first introduced in 2004 and swiftly rose in popularity. Watch fans and aficionados gave the moniker of Samurai to this model due to the strongly pointed watch hands and dial markers, closely resembling a samurai sword or katana. Additionally, the collection comprises a variety of dial colors, like the distinctive orange of the SRPC07 or the unique blue of the SRPC93 “Save the Ocean” model.
The Seiko 5
There is no secret to the level of value that is typically associated with the Seiko 5 collection. The Seiko 5 collection has been a gateway for many watch collectors because of the watch model variety available for those looking to make their first foray into the mechanical watch world. Also, there have been hundreds of Seiko 5 models produced through the years. Enough for all horology enthusiasts of any kind and style mind.
For example, one can think of a Seiko 5 Sports as a rugged watch model that can suit utilitarian aesthetics or outfits. You can pair it with a tweed jacket, an understated olive-green sweater, corduroy trousers, and sturdy boots. In 2019, Seiko released a collection of watches after a long hiatus. It seemed to be a new and improved Seiko 5 Sports. At the time of their release, most watch enthusiasts complained about the lack of screw-down crowns, the prices, and 100m water resistance despite many of the haters not being professional divers. However, past complaints aside, they have proven their value on the market. Seiko 5 Sports are fun watches to add to any watch or timepiece collection with many options to choose from.
