Here’s everything you need to know before buying a Seiko watch.
Ranking first in pricing score and customer service, bulletproof build quality, timeless design, and bold aesthetics are a few of the features that all the iconic Seiko siblings boast of. Have a look at these inexpensive luxuries.
No matter you are a greenhorn or a guru, just gear up for some hidden facts about Swiss watchmaking’s biggest rival in Asia and everything you need to know before buying a Seiko watch that best satisfies your sense and style.
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Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a Seiko Watch
From super-accurate quartz watches to apex-standard and pocket-friendly automatic timepieces to kinetic and solar-powered time tellers, Seiko manufactures everything and each in a great variety.
The Seiko fans will feel the pride to discover that their beloved watchmaker has developed over 36 timing models and nearly 1300 instruments.
Aren’t you familiar with Seiko 5 and its luxury-edge siblings, like Credor and Prospex? I guess you are. Seiko family also includes Presage, Premier, Coutura, Velatura, and the Grand series.
Top 11 Firsts Glued to Seiko’s Name – Seiko’s Steep Trajectory in Brief:
One of the top 10 watch brands worldwide, Seiko is also celebrated for several firsts glued to its name. Here is a brief timeline of Seiko’s landmark innovations to the world of watches:
- World’s first hour-minute-second LCD watch (1973)
- First LCD TV watch (1982)
- World’s first voice recording watch – Voice Note (1983)
- Japan’s first wristwatch (1913)
- World’s first quartz timepiece – Astron (1969)
- First automatic chronograph watch (1969)
- World’s first touch-pad timer for swimming
- First electronic paper watch – Spectrum (2006)
- World’s first E-ink watch (2006)
- World’s first GPS solar watch – Astron GPS (2012)
- Word’s smallest tourbillion watch – Caliber 6830 (2016)
From a humble beginning in the late 19th century, Seiko’s fame skyrocketed in 1964 when it became the Official Timekeeper for Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Today no cell-/smartphone can beat the exceptional elegance and rich history of a wristwatch, like Seiko. Now a Seiko can compete with Rolex for being the statement of power and prestige.
Seiko’s Fierce Competitors:
- Titan – a staunch rival of Seiko in terms of product quality and straightforward minimalism
- Rolex – dedicated to quality, ultra-expensive watches, guaranteed to last a lifetime
- Citizen – a masterpiece of engineering coupled with extreme affordability
- Omega – the first watch to be worn on the moon, with a true creativity and artistry
- Patek Philippe – apex-end wristwatches with innovative, future-facing design and durability
- Audemars Piquet – a watch brand with a sense of exclusivity and refreshing originality
- Montblanc – timepieces with immaculate design and superb craftsmanship
30+ FAQs about Seiko Watches
What does Seiko mean in English?
The original brand name for the modern Seiko watches was Seikosha that is a compound noun comprising of “Seiko” and “sha”. Here the word “Seiko” literally means “success” or “exquisite”, whereas the dictionary meaning of “sha” is “house” or “abode”. So, your prestigious timepiece comes from the house of success and exquisiteness.
Is Seiko watch worth it?
Honestly speaking, a genuine Seiko watch of Japanese origin is worth more than every single penny you spend on it. The most powerful argument regarding the worth of Seiko watches is that despite being unbelievably low-priced they can offer staunch competition and rivalry to time-tested Swiss brands like Rolex.
Is Seiko watch expensive?
One might assume Seiko to be an expensive watch brand, but when you put Seiko’s price against its leading-edge tech standards, inexpensiveness stands unrivaled. Could anyone ever imagine that a negligibly priced Seiko would ever beat its mind-blowingly high-priced counterpart (Rolex) on several fronts?
In fact, Seikos are one of the most loved, least expensive wristwatches on the world arena.
Are Seiko watches as good as Rolex?
There are several logical arguments to prove that Seiko watches are not just good but better than their Rolex counterparts.
Comparing a Seiko with a Rolex is just like putting $200 against $20,000! That makes a huge difference in price but a little gap when it comes to specs and craftsmanship.
Rolex reigns supreme in terms of its brand awareness. On the other hand, Seiko wins the hearts of its fans for being so decent and reliable.
Some Seiko users even value it as more innovative, capable, and finished than a Rolex. Similarly, the modern Seikos are hailed for their higher beat rates and superior power reserves.
Overall, when you consider the collective appeal of their affordability, creativity, craftsmanship, and coolness, the Seiko watches emerge as much superior to their Rolex competitors.
Nevertheless, affordability always remains the strongest factor when it comes to competition between the brands.
Is Seiko better than Tissot?
Tissot is ranked lower than Rolex. When a Seiko can beat a Rolex, would it be just to say that a Seiko is inferior to a Tissot? In addition to affordability, the build quality, movement standard, reliability, and novelty all attest to the great worth and authority of Seiko.
Nevertheless, there is fierce between the Japanese prestigious watch brand (Seiko) and its Swiss counterpart (Tissot).
While Seiko deserves a win on several fronts, when it comes to the reserve power, a Tissot (Seastar) beats its rival (the Seiko Prospex). Overall, the Japanese brand is better than its Swiss counterpart.
What is Seiko known for?
While Seiko’s products include watches, wall clocks, jewelry sets, lenses, printers, electronic gadgets, and semi-conductors, it is primarily known for the production of wristwatches.
And Seiko wristwatches enjoy several distinctions.
In the first place, Seiko watches are known for being several times more inexpensive than their Swiss or western equals. The historically cheap Seiko watches are unjustifiably undervalued in the West.
Secondly, a Seiko can compete with the world’s most celebrated brands like Rolex. Seiko ranks superior to Rolex in terms of pricing score and customer service.
What makes Seiko special?
Below are the top 5 reasons that make Seiko watches so special:
- Unmatched affordability without least compromise on quality
- A prestigious historical background and contemporary standing
- Several firsts glued to Seiko’s name, e.g., voice recording, LCD TV, wrist, GPS solar, and automatic watches, etc.
- A tremendous collection of top-notch quartz, mechanical and automatic watches available at Seiko’s pool
- Continuous tech and design innovation
Why are Seiko watches so cheap?
Before you get the answer to “Why are Seiko watches so cheap?”, you must note that Seiko watches are unbelievably inexpensive without the least compromise on quality and reliability.
The credit for Seiko watches being so cheap goes to the Japanese watchmaker’s efficiency. Firstly, lots of toolings and parts are older and paid off. Secondly, the construction of the movement – including the celebrated 7S26 – is mostly mechanized.
Such factors make a significant contribution to making the Seiko watches so affordable.
Can you shower with a Seiko?
Yes, you can confidently have a shower with a Seiko. There are lots of Seiko watches that are less than $100 and offer enough water resistance to swim and snorkel.
Just have a look at this stainless-steel solar watch with 330 feet water resistance for around $100!
Are Seikos reliable?
Their international stature, user reviews, ratings, sales volume, and huge public appeal all suggest that Seiko watches are not only reliable but also a symbol of grace and prestige. You will come across lots of moderately priced Seiko watches that rightly boast of bulletproof build quality, high precision, long (up to or over 3 days) life, and lifelong sustainability.
How long will a Seiko automatic watch last?
While the robustness of a Seiko automatic watch remains unquestionable, it can keep telling you time for 10 to 20 years without service!
However, if such a timepiece is serviced regularly and correctly, it will last (almost) forever. And Seiko automatic watches don’t even require a power source as they are fueled by green energy, i.e., the natural movement of your arm.
Is Seiko a luxury brand?
A Seiko is not just a luxury brand, but a popular and affordable luxury brand. Here you enjoy the richness of specs, the splendor of design, outstanding freshness, a bold lifestyle, unprecedented, and a hassle-free time-telling experience without trespassing your economic bounds.
Is Seiko a cheap brand?
Yes, Seiko is a cheap watch brand, but this “cheap” does not have a negative connotation here. Here cheapness means inexpensiveness or low costliness. Otherwise, the specification standards are comparable to those of the exuberantly costlier Swiss brands.
Check out the celebrated Seiko watches offered against incredibly low prices.
Is Seiko a good watch brand?
Seiko is not just a good but also a much better watch brand than many of its fierce rivals. Seiko watches let you enjoy huge benefits ranging from unprecedented affordability to excellent functioning, undated novelty, internal strength, and outward grace.
Is Seiko Japanese?
Yes, Seiko is a worldwide reputed Japanese watchmaker, known for its rich heritage, lots of outstanding contributions (innovations) to the world of timekeeping, and economical pricing that attracts and surprises all and sundry.
It is unjustifiably undervalued in the Western world where people attack its inexpensiveness to inferior specs. Seiko is able to compete with and defeat some of the world’s costliest watch brands.
Is Seiko Swiss made?
No, Seiko is not Swiss made. But it has been offering tough competition to Swiss watchmakers for more than a century.
What is the Seiko most expensive watch?
Seiko Astronomical Observatory Chronometer watch – emerged in 1968 – is grouped among the rarest and the most expensive Seiko wristwatches. Also, note that the company built only 73 pieces of the timepiece.
What are the top 5 most expensive Seiko watches?
Seiko Grand is a high-end, independently operated brand of Seiko. Timepieces belonging to this series are the most expensive ones, sometimes costing even higher than the Rolexes. Surprisingly, some Grand Seiko watches may touch or even cross the mark of $100,000!
The top 5 most expensive Seiko watches include:
- Grand Seiko (model SBGD205) – Seiko’s spring drive masterpiece with an 18k gold dial with diamond dust
- Grand Seiko (model SBGZ001) – 14k white gold watch with 84 hours of power reserve
- Grand Seiko (model SBGA211) – an iconic Seiko with a super-accurate circuit control system
- Seiko Prospex (model LX SNR029J1) – a spring drive Seiko with a titanium case
- Grand Seiko Elegance (model SB GW260) – a customizable Seiko with a luxurious look
What is the most expensive Seiko divers’ watch?
Seiko divers’ watches with a handsome water-resistance of 200 meters aren’t that must costly. They are usually available in the price range of $200 to $500. An example is that of the Seiko Solar Chronograph Diver’s watch with 200M water resistance.
What are the best Seiko watches for men?
The best Seiko watches for men start from as low as less than $100. And they are equipped with such fantastic technologies as automatic movement, high precision quartz movement, solar power, high water resistance, luminous hands, and numbers, etc.
What are the best Seiko watches for women?
Seiko offers a huge diversity and a wide price range for women’s watches. The best Seiko watches for women may range in price from less than a hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Here it is worth noticing that often there are huge discounts on the best watches for women from the house of Seiko.
What is the Seiko watches price?
The ordinary Seiko watches (including the bestsellers) cost as low as a few dollars. With the addition of more sophisticated specs, their prices keep going up but rarely touch the mark of $1,000. However, when it comes to the apex-end Seiko watches – like Grand Seiko – the price may range from a few thousand dollars to over a hundred thousand dollars.
What is the Seiko watches price in Pakistan?
If you want to get it through an online purchase, the Seiko watches price in Pakistan would be the same as in the international market. As the prices on online platforms are in dollars, you need to convert them to rupees. So, in Pakistan, the Seiko watches price may range from a few hundred to several lac rupees.
What are the Seiko watches Amazon?
You will come across all the variety and diversity of Seiko watches with varying price ranges over Amazon, the world’s largest online shopping platform. The price tags may read as low as a few dollars to several thousand dollars. Often there are huge discounts on various items, which last for a limited time.
Which is the top-quality Seiko metal watch?
You can get the finest quality Seiko metal watch for a few hundred dollars. You might like to check out Seiko’s gunmetal stainless steel solar watch with a pack of leading-edge technologies.
How many Seiko watches are made a year?
Though there is not an exact figure regarding how many Seiko watches are made a year, hundreds of thousands of Seiko watches are produced annually. And the company earns several billion dollars a year from the sale of its products.
Does Seiko make their own movement?
Yes, Seiko does make their own movements that are known for their innovativeness, workability, output, and efficiency. It was Seiko that unveiled the Astron – the world’s first-ever quartz watch – in 1969.
Other movement types that Seiko deserves applause for include automatic movement, spring drive movement, 10 beat movement (hi-beat caliber), and tourbillion movement.
How can I tell if my Seiko watch is real?
One of the ways to ascertain the genuineness of Seiko watches is to look for a 6-digit code engraved on the back of the watch. If the serial number consists of eight or thirteen digits, your watch might be a fake one.
However, the best way to get a real Seiko watch is to buy a Seiko watch from a reliable and celebrated seller.
What is the Seiko automatic watches price?
Seiko automatic watches are one of the least expensive in the world. The price of the top-rated Seiko automatic watches starts from as low as less than $100. You can easily get a handsome 21-jewel Seiko 5 automatic watch for around $100!
What are the rare Seiko automatic watches?
Some of the rarest Seiko automatic watches include:
- Grand Seiko SBGA211 with power reserve display (up to 72 hours)
- Grand Seiko SLGA001 with water resistance of 600 meters
- Seiko Prospex Padi SRPA21 with hand and automatic winding capabilities
Are Seiko automatic watches good?
There are several logical reasons which make Seiko automatic watch not just good but the best choice.
A Seiko 5 automatic watch is not only one of the cheapest on the international market but also uses one of the most reliable movements, i.e., Seiko’s in-house movement, the 7S26.
Secondly, an automatic watch from the house of Seiko can accompany you for your lifetime.
Thirdly, it does not require frequent servicing. It can keep running for up to 20 years without a service!
Fourthly, the apex-end build quality of the Grand Seiko exceeds several high-end luxury watches of Swiss origin. Even it can successfully compete with the ultra-expensive on several fronts.
What does automatic mean on a Seiko watch?
The most precise answer to “What does automatic mean on a Seiko watch?” is that it runs on green energy. That is, it does not ever require any source of energy other than the naturally inspired movement of your arm.
As you move your arm, a rotating weight inside the timepiece is wound up, which turns the axle. The axle then winds up the mainspring to power the watch.
And if you are curious to know how long it will work in idle mode, a Seiko automatic watch can keep track of time for 40+ hours after you place it on your side table.
How many years will a Seiko 5 automatic last?
If serviced regularly and properly, a Seiko 5 automatic watch will last (almost) forever. In other words, a good Seiko watch can be your lifetime companion. In case, you don’t service, it will be from five to ten years. Isn’t that enough for an automatic watch that falls light on your pocket and so graceful on your wrist?