Seiko Two-tone Titanium Black Dial Men's Watch SGG735

Seiko - History of the Brand

1881
Kintaro Hattori opens a shop selling and repairing watches and clocks in central Tokyo.
The story of Seiko began in 1881, when a 22 year old entrepreneur, Kintaro Hattori, opened a shop selling and repairing watches and clocks in central Tokyo. Just eleven years later, in 1892, he established the 'Seikosha' factory.
1895
Seikosha builds its first pocket watch.
Throughout the 1890's, the success of Seikosha's wall clock business increased, and Kintaro looked to broaden the range of his business. In 1895, he created a pocket watch, the Timekeeper. It was a vital step forward, without which the future of Seiko would have been very different as it paved the way for Japan's first ever wrist watch.
1913
The Laurel, the first wristwatch made in Japan, makes its debut.
In the beginning of the Taisho Era, pocket watches were still very popular and there were only a few wristwatches imported to Japan. Kintaro, however, was determined to be 'one step ahead' and embarked on the arduous task of creating Japan's first ever wristwatch. In 1913, he succeeded and the Laurel was produced. In the early days, the company was able to produce only 30 to 50 watches a day, but, for the first time, Kintaro had established a lead on the rest.
1929
Seiko pocket watch is appointed as Japan National Railway's official "Railway Watch".
As its railway network expanded, Japan National Railways appointed Seiko as its official supplier. Train drivers often made wooden cut-outs on their consoles where the approved pocket watch would sit in line of sight as they drove their trains.
1953
Seiko produces Japan's first TV commercial.
On August 28, 1953, Japan entered the age of commercial television and aired its first TV advertisement. At precisely 7 pm, immediately following the hourly signal, Seiko became the very first TV advertiser. The station was Nihon TV, or NTV as it is now known, and the commercial promoted a Seiko alarm clock.
In fact the brand was Seiko-sha, the company's original name. It means 'The house of precision'.
1960
Seiko's signature piece, the Grand Seiko is first launched.
In 1960, the first Grand Seiko model was produced. High in the mountains in Nagano prefecture in central Japan. A small team of Seiko's most experienced and skilled watchmakers were entrusted with the task of making the very best watch of which they were capable. Grand Seiko was to represent the pinnacle of SEIKO's excellence in mechanical watchmaking and to deliver more accuracy, legibility and durability than any other watch.
1964
Seiko serves as Official Timer of the 18th Olympiad, Tokyo, and provides 1,278 stopwatches.
The day the Tokyo Olympic games opened, Seiko was ready with 1,278 timing devices, all-purpose built for the task. The stopwatches created for athletics were tested by Mr. Paulen, later President of the IAAF. After an hour of testing, two stopwatches registered less than 1/10 second of difference. Thanks to a new heart-shaped cam on the balance, a new level of accuracy had been achieved. Seiko had passed the test with flying colors.
1969
Introduction of cal. 6139, the world's first automatic chronograph watch equipped with both vertical clutch and column wheel.
As the world's first automatic chronograph with a 'magic lever', column wheel and vertical clutch, this may have been the world's first such timepiece, and it was a milestone in Seiko's journey toward pre-eminence in chronograph technology.
Introduction of the world's first quartz watch, "Seiko Quartz Astron" cal. 3500.
The world's first quartz watch, the Seiko Quartz Astron was introduced in Tokyo on December 25, 1969. It delivered unmatched performance. It was accurate to within 5 seconds per month, 100 times more accurate than any other watch, and it ran continuously for a year, or 250 times longer than most mechanical watches. The quartz revolution had begun.
1973
Introduction of the world's first six-digit LCD quartz watch cal. 0614.
This fully-electronic watch used the world's first six-digit liquid-crystal display to indicate the time. Capable of continuously displaying the hour, minutes and seconds on a field-effect liquid crystal display, this groundbreaking digital watch attracted wide attention when it was first marketed in October 1973. The internally developed LCD was long-lived (50,000 hours) and had good contrast. A lamp provided enough illumination to make the numbers on the display easy to read even in the dark.
1975
Introduction of the world's first multi-function digital watch cal. 0634.
In 1975 Seiko launched the world's first digital quartz watch with a chronograph, the 0634. It could record time to 1/10 of a second and had a lap time function. It also incorporated an internal light, so that it could be seen clearly in the dark. It became a huge hit and created the market for high-function digital watches.
Introduction of the world's first diver's watch with titanium case, the Professional Diver's 600m.
One day in 1968, Seiko's engineers received a letter from a professional diver from Hiroshima Prefecture. The letter shocked Seiko's engineers with its vivid description of the stresses and strains put on a watch by professional saturation divers who dive to depths of 350 meters. Seiko took up the challenge. After seven years of research, the Professional Diver's 600m, the world's first diver's watch with titanium case, was created. A gasket impervious to helium, legible at great depths and with a titanium case. It set a new standard for diver's watches.
1983
Introduction of the world's first analog quartz alarm chronograph
Seiko's mastery of quartz technology and of mechanical chronograph watchmaking came together in the creation of the world's first analog quartz chronograph. It measured elapsed time to 5/100 second and offered split time capability and a tachymeter. It was designed by the celebrated Italian car designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro.
1984
Introduction of the world's first watch with computer functions UC-2000.
After introducing the world's first TV watch, Seiko introduced a wrist computer that stored data. It was the first of its kind. It had memory of up to 2,000 characters and could store telephone numbers and addresses as well as a diary or schedule for up to one month. The Seiko wrist computer marked the beginning of the age of portable information devices.
1987
Seiko serves as Official Timer at the 2nd IAAF World Athletic Championships in Rome, Italy.

1988
Introduction of the world's first "A.G.S." watch cal. 7M42 (later renamed as "Kinetic.")
From the moment that the quartz watch was born, Seiko strove to create 'no battery change' technologies. In 1977, Seiko introduced the solar powered watch and, in 1986, a quartz watch with hand winding generating system. In 1988 came the big breakthrough; Seiko Kinetic, a watch with an oscillating weight that converted the wearer's motion into electricity and thus powered the quartz movement.
1990
Introduction of the world's first computerized diver's watch "Scubamaster" cal. M726 with dive table and depth meter functions.
Seiko's mastery of electronic watchmaking and long experience in diving watches allowed the creation of the SCUBA MASTER, that was equipped with a water sensor and depth sensor and that displayed diving time and depth, vital information for divers.
1992
Seiko serves as the Official Timer at the Games of the 25th Olympiad in Barcelona, Spain.
Seiko was selected to time the Olympic Games in Europe for the first time. A team of over 300 engineers and timing specialists served the event.1993
Seiko serves as the Official Timer at the 4th IAAF World Athletic Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
1998
Introduction of the perpetual calendar watch driven by the world's smallest ultrasonic micro motor cal. 8F32.
After creating the 'no battery change' technologies of Solar and Kinetic, Seiko's development focused on watches that deliver the ultimate in user-friendly operation. The Perpetual Calendar watch has accuracy of 20 seconds per year, battery life of as long as 10 years, and a perpetual calendar correct up to February 28th, 2100. Its ultra-sonic motor delivered precise and immediate date change.
Introduction of the world's first thermo-electric watch, Seiko Thermic cal. 6C12.
In 1998, Seiko introduced Thermic that generates power using the difference of the temperature between the wrist and the atmosphere. It has power reserve of 10 months after full charge.
1999
Introduction of Spring Drive, a spring-driven luxury mechanical watch with quartz accuracy.
Spring Drive is a technology unique to Seiko. The traditional escapement is replaced by a totally new regulator that delivers silent and smooth glide motion hands and accuracy of one second a day.
Introduction of the Ultimate Kinetic Chronograph cal. 9T82.
Seiko's successful Kinetic watch was equipped with stopwatch function in a very unique design. It is equipped with zero resetting function using heart shaped cam and special movement construction that avoids dusts.
2001
SEIKO serves as official timer at the 8th IAAF World Championships held in Edmonton, Canada.
2003
SEIKO serves as official timer at the 9th IAAF World Championships held in Paris, France.
2004
Seiko reçoit le Milestone Award, recompense decernee par l'IEEE pour le developpement de la Quartz Astron SEIKO.
2005
Introduction of Spring Drive automatic winding movement. Power reserve extended 72 hours.
Introduction of the world's first three-band (Japan, Germany, US) Radio Wave analog Solar watch.

Introduction of the Kinetic Perpetual
Powered by the motion of your body, it is the first watch to generate and save its own electricity. It goes to sleep when not worn and the hands return automatically to the correct time when put on again. The perpetual calendar will be correct until February 28, 2100.

Seiko serves as official timer at the 10th IAAF World Championships held in Helsinki, Finland.

2006
Introduction of world's first E-Ink watch.
Using, for the first time in a watch, electronic ink technology, time or any other data is presented on a wide display area, with perfect legibility at any angle. Furthermore, the display allows the wearer to choose from many presentation graphics for the time, including a "day and night" background that shows, in a dazzlingly simple graphic style, AM and PM. This watch won the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve.
Introduction of Credor Spring Drive Sonnerie
Only Spring Drive presents the true natural and continuous flow of time, with no 'tick' as the hands move in perfect glide-motion. Only Spring Drive is so silent that time can be marked by the long, lingering chime of the Japanese Orin bell.2007
Introduction of the Spring Drive Chronograph.
Thanks to its glide motion hands, only the Spring Drive Chronograph can measure elapsed time exactly, and not to the nearest fraction of a second. It redefines the accuracy of the spring-driven chronograph by offering one-second-a-day precision.
2009
Seiko serves as official timer at the 12th IAAF World Championships held in Berlin, Germany.
2010
Introduction of Seiko Spring Drive Spacewalk commemorative edition.
This watch was designed specifically for a spacewalk. Both inside and outside the International Space Station, it performed flawlessly in space. It won the sports watch award of Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve.
Introduction of the world's first EPD watch with an active matrix system.
This new display system retains all the legibility benefits of Seiko's first E-Ink watch, but allows for a much richer range of imagery and data to be displayed on the watch dial with 80,000 pixels, each capable of four different shades, delivering 300 dpi of display.
2011
Introduction of Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater
The beautiful lingering sound of the chime is created by the use of a special steel forged by a celebrated Japanese steelmaker, Munemichi Myochin. The purity of the sound is ensured by the magic of Seiko's totally silent Spring Drive mechanism.

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