SEIKO
Founded in Tokyo in 1881, when 21-year-old Kintaro Hattori opened his shop for watches and clocks, Seiko has grown into one of the very few fully integrated watch manufactures in the world — making its own movements, cases, dials, hands and even mainsprings. From the Seikosha factory of 1892 to today’s collections, the company has built its reputation on doing difficult things quietly and letting the product speak.
Heritage
In 1913 Seikosha produced the Laurel, the first wristwatch ever made in Japan, and by 1924 the Seiko name — evoking precision and exquisite workmanship in Japanese — had reached the dial. Japan’s first diver’s watch followed in 1965, opening the line that became Prospex, while Presage carries the dress-watch tradition. The revived King Seiko line earned an official nomination at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2026, placing Seiko’s refined watchmaking back on haute horlogerie’s biggest stage.
Innovation
On 25 December 1969, Seiko released the Quartz Astron in Tokyo — the first quartz wristwatch ever sold, and the watch that redrew the entire industry. What is often missed is that Seiko never abandoned mechanical watchmaking: it kept both traditions alive under one roof, which is why a single brand today spans accessible Seiko 5 Sports automatics, professional Prospex divers and the GPHG-nominated King Seiko line, while its sister brand Grand Seiko pursues pure high-end watchmaking. Seiko watches are made by Seiko Watch Corporation, part of the Seiko Group.