Collection: Seiko

Seiko is a Japanese watchmaker founded in 1881 by Kintaro Hattori, who opened a small watch and clock shop in Tokyo before building his own manufacturing operation. Seiko has been responsible for some of the most important innovations in modern watchmaking, including Japan's first wristwatch, the Laurel, in 1913, and the world's first quartz wristwatch, the Quartz Astron, in 1969 — a breakthrough that reshaped the entire watch industry. Along with Rolex, Seiko is one of only two major watch companies considered fully vertically integrated, designing and manufacturing nearly every component of its watches in-house. King Jewelers is proud to carry Seiko for customers seeking genuine Japanese craftsmanship, technical innovation, and reliable precision across every price point.

Seiko's story began in 1881, when 21-year-old Kintaro Hattori opened a shop in Tokyo selling and repairing watches and clocks. In 1892, he established his own manufacturing operation, Seikosha, meaning "House of Exquisite Workmanship," where he began producing clocks and later pocket watches. In 1913, Hattori's company introduced the Laurel, Japan's first wristwatch, reflecting his stated ambition to always stay "one step ahead" of the competition. The devastating 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake destroyed the company's factory, but Hattori rebuilt, and in 1924 the company released the first watch to actually carry the "Seiko" name on its dial. In 1960, Seiko launched Grand Seiko, created to be the ultimate expression of Japanese mechanical watchmaking, with an uncompromising focus on accuracy, legibility, and finishing. Seiko's most transformative moment came on December 25, 1969, with the launch of the Quartz Astron — the world's first commercially available quartz wristwatch, accurate to within five seconds a month. The Astron's success triggered what became known as the "Quartz Crisis," a seismic shift that upended the traditional Swiss watch industry and established Seiko as a global technology leader. Today, Seiko remains one of the only fully vertically integrated watch manufacturers in the world, designing and building nearly every component of its watches in-house, continuing the standard of precision and innovation that Kintaro Hattori set in motion more than 140 years ago.