Grail Watch

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Seiko is the largest producer of watches in the world. Based in Japan, Seiko Group produces a wide range of products, including low-end quartz movements and watches, kinetic and Spring Drive, and mechanical watches under many brand names.

More information:

  • Seiko Official Site
  • Seiko on Watch Wiki

Why Have No Smartwatches Won at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève?

November 23, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

It sounds like a rhetorical question, but the answer isn’t as simple as “because the industry hates them!” Why has the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève never awarded a prize to a smartwatch? After all, smartwatches have officially been eligible for prizes since 2017, over a dozen models have been entered, and the group added a Smartwatch category in 2020. So why was that prize unclaimed? Is it that smartwatches are undeserving of recognition or is there a more prosaic explanation?

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Alpina, Apple, Apple Watch, Frederique Constant, GPHG, Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, Helvetica Smart, Hublot, MMT, Mondaine, Montblanc, Seiko, Seiko Electronic Ink Watch, smart watch, Smartwatches

What Was the World’s First Quartz Watch?

August 2, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

On Christmas Day, 1969, the Seiko Astron was launched; this was world’s first quartz wristwatch. Or at least that’s how the story goes. But the truth is much, much more complicated, as I have been researching and writing about for months. Only a few examples of that Cal. 35 SQ Astron were produced, and it was so expensive that not many were ever actually sold. And a raft of other watches (the CEH Beta 1, Longines Ultra-Quartz, various Beta 21 models, and even the Bulova Accuquartz) could make a credible claim. So what was the first?

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Armin Frei, Beta 1, Beta 21, Bulova, Bulova Accuquartz, CEH, Longines, Longines Ultra-Quartz, Rolex, Seiko, Seiko Astron

Audemars Piguet Dominates the “Watch Oscars”, with Strong Showings Across the Board

November 8, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

The 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève features a grail for every price tag, from the affordable Ming 17.06, Tudor Black Bay P01, Seiko Prospex LX and Kudoke 2 to the insane Urwerk AMC with its atomic clock “docking station”. It also heaps praise on the long-running Audemars Piguet Royal Oak line and Chanel’s fantastic J12. Truly something for everyone!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Audemars Piguet, Audemars Piguet Code 11.59, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Chanel, Chanel J12, Genus, GPHG, Kudoke, Ming, Seiko, Seiko Prospex, Urwerk, Voutilainen

Seiko Galante History Part 2: Open Your Heart to Tokyo

August 13, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Seiko launched a mechanical Galante line in 2010 as a cheaper alternative to the Spring Drive watches the brand was known for. This SBLL line featured an “open heart” highlighting the ticking balance and the design focused on the city of Tokyo.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: 8L38, Galante, SBLL, Seiko

Seiko Galante History Part 1: Selling Sex in Japan

August 10, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Among Japanese watchmaking giant Seiko Group’s vast array of watch lines, perhaps none is as odd as Galante. A high-end brand with a modern, avant garde look that expresses a different face of Japan, Galante features novel construction and high-end finishing. The initial Galante models, from 2005 through 2009, all used Seiko’s Spring Drive movement and were sold with a combination of sex and celebrity.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: 5R65, 5R66, 5R86, Galante, Seiko, Spring Drive

Surveying the 2018 Seiko x Giugiaro “Speed Master” LCD Reissue Series (SBJG)

January 18, 2019 By Stephen 5 Comments

Seiko has been collaborating with Giugiaro Design since the 1980s. The most famous fruit of this collaboration was the “Aliens” watch line, which have been reissued in recent years. In late 2018, Seiko introduced another reissue: The SBJG multi-function digital models we will discuss today.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: A825, A828, Giugiaro, LCD, quartz, SBJG, Seiko, Seiko Giugiaro, Speed Master, SSBA

Seiko Returns With Another Giugiaro SCED Series

January 17, 2019 By Stephen 3 Comments

When Seiko reissued the 1980s-style “Aliens” Giugiaro watches between 2013 and 2015, collectors were thrilled. But after thoroughly exhausting color combinations on the “Ripley” and “Bishop” watches, where would Seiko go next? They turned to the less well-known 7A28-7A00 SBBJ “Speed Master” series, with angled faces inside a round case.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: 7A28, 7T12, Giugiaro, SBBJ, SCED, Seiko, Seiko Giugiaro

The Curious Case of the Seiko SARA and 4L25

December 21, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Despite an amazing history of producing excellent watches and watch movements, Seiko never seems to get the respect it deserves. But perhaps the most curious attempt by Seiko to challenge the Swiss came in the form of the SARA watch and the 4L25 movement inside.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: 4L25, Brightz, SARA005, Seiko

Seiko 5: My First Mechanical Watch

April 22, 2018 By Stephen 2 Comments

I wore this watch for a few years before getting more into watches and investing in a more serious Swiss daily-wear watch. Although it’s really nothing special, this Seiko 5 was an important door into the world of watches, and I strongly recommend models like this to friends. They’re durable, interesting, and well-made. Even watch snobs love a good Seiko!

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 7S26, affordable watches, Magic Lever, Seiko, Seiko 5

Seiko Giugiaro SCED035: Daughter of Ripley

April 21, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

The other day I wore the Seiko SCED017 “Bishop” Reissue for “Watch A Day”, so today I am turning to the SCED035 “Ripley” reissue. I like this one better than the Bishop in many ways, though the boxy styling is definitely polarizing.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 7T12, Aliens, Chronograph, Ellen Ripley, Limited Editions, Ripley, Seiko, Seiko Giugiaro, Seiko Spirit, Watches

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How My Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Went Bad, and What It Took To Get It Back

Why Have No Smartwatches Won at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève?

My Take on the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2020 Headlines

Two Movements, One Case: Alexander Shorokhoff Levels and Los Craneos

What Was the World’s First Quartz Watch?

CEH and the Beta 21: The History of the First Swiss Quartz Watch

The History of the IWC Da Vinci via Europa Star

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