September 20, 2024- As 2024 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Seiko Brand, Seiko Watch of America has announced a Limited Edition Collection, featuring four of Seiko’s most prestigious Limited Edition models, one from each of the four global brands: Prospex, Presage, King Seiko, and Astron. A Seiko Watch of America Limited Collection of 15, this extraordinary set celebrates the legacy of Seiko’s founder, Kintaro Hattori, and his continuous dedication to precision timekeeping.
The story of Seiko began in 1881, when a 21-year-old entrepreneur, Kintaro Hattori, opened a shop selling and repairing watches and clocks in central Tokyo. His guiding rule was, “Keep every promise, no matter how difficult.” With the dawning of a new century, Kintaro saw that the ubiquitous gentleman’s pocket watch would eventually give way to the lighter, more compact, and a more convenient wristwatch. Of course, wristwatches were much smaller and required an extremely high level of precision manufacturing, but that challenge didn’t hinder Kintaro. He set out to make Japan’s first domestically produced wristwatch, and in 1913 his creation, dubbed the “Laurel,” made its debut.
Sadly, in September 1923, Tokyo was struck by the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake, one that destroyed Kintaro’s factory in subsequent fires and roughly 1,500 clocks and watches belonging to customers who had entrusted the company to repair them. Keeping true to his promise, Kintaro offered every customer who had lost a timepiece a full replacement – at no cost. In 1924, one year after the earthquake, Kintaro Hattori released a new wristwatch bearing the name “Seiko”, meaning precision and exquisite manufacturing, marking a fresh start after the great tragedy.
Through 100 years of innovation, Seiko has continued the legacy of its founder through landmark achievements and pioneering designs. Each timepiece included in the 2024 Seiko Legacy Collection represents Kintaro Hattori’s unwavering commitment to precision timekeeping.
The Presage Seiko Brand 100th Anniversary Kintaro Hattori Limited Edition recreates the original 1924 first Seiko branded wristwatch. Combining the finest in Japanese mechanical watchmaking with a uniquely Japanese sense of beauty, this extraordinary Limited Edition, available only in a controlled-production run of 1,000, features the serial number engraved on each screwdown caseback. The elegant white enamel dial, crafted by master artisan Mr. Yokosawa, recreates the original, including the initial Seiko logo, 24-hour subdial, stylized numerals and retro-styled curved blue hands.
The Prospex 1965 Diver’s Recreation Limited Edition, SJE093, re-creates Seiko’s – and Japan’s — 1965 first diver’s watch, an automatic timepiece with a then exceptional water resistance of 150 meters. Available only in a controlled-production run of 1,965, with the serial number engraved on each caseback, this extraordinary Limited Edition is inspired by the design of the original landmark model that propelled Seiko into the forefront of dive watch design. Updated and streamlined for today, SJE093 features a 38mm diameter case made possible by the thinner, caliber 6L37 movement and a higher quality box-shaped antireflective sapphire crystal.
In the same year, 1965, a new King Seiko design that would go on to define the collection’s character was born. The high-performance King Seiko KSK had a case marked by prominent lugs with sharp angles. The 140th Anniversary King Seiko Limited Edition, SJE083, revives this elegant dress/sport watch for today, with a slightly larger screwback case as well as an upgraded thin automatic movement and box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. Limited to 3,000 pieces worldwide, with the serial number engraved on each King Seiko emblem caseback, this landmark version of one of Seiko’s first luxury watches reflects the majestic lines of the original.
To complete the collection, the Seiko Brand 100th Anniversary Astron GPS Solar Kintaro Hattori Limited Edition honors the 100th Anniversary of Seiko Brand and the achievements of Kintaro Hattori. Limited to 1,000 pieces worldwide, this stunning timepiece features an all-black case and bracelet with sunraypatterned dial and gold-tone accents to evoke the view of earth at night from an orbiting satellite, an image that perfectly conveys the groundbreaking technology behind Astron. Originating in 1969 as the world’s first quartz watch, Astron was later revived in 2012 as the world’s first GPS Solar watch. This exceptional Limited Edition combines extraordinary design with the highest degree of accuracy possible in a wristwatch. The 5X83 caliber offers high-speed GPS dual time and time zone adjustment to 39 time zones and is equipped with a chronograph that measures elapsed time in 1/20th second increments. The movement also features an AM/PM indicator, daylight saving time function, power save function, perpetual day/date calendar correct to the year 2100, and a time transfer function that allows the user to switch the main time and dual time indications with the push of a button, all powered by light energy with no battery change required.
Together, the Limited Edition models are presented in a watch winder which housesthe four watches, with the capability of rotating each timepiece at a set interval in order to allow the high-precision movements to stay on-time. Included in each astounding set is an individual certificate with serial number, signed by Mr. Shinji Hattori, Director, Chairman of the Board of Seiko Watch Corporation, and a special Prospex pen dedicated to this Limited Edition set.
The 2024 Seiko Legacy Collection will be available for limited purchase in September 2024, with a suggested retail price of $17,500.
