Seiko

About Seiko

Seiko is fully integrated — it makes everything from its own hairsprings to its own quartz crystals. In 1969 the Astron became the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch, upending the entire industry. Today Seiko spans $100 field watches to the high-end Prospex and Presage lines.

Signature models

The references that define the house — and the ones you are most likely to meet.

• SKX / 5 Sports divers
• Prospex 'Turtle' & 'Samurai'
• Presage cocktail-time
• Alpinist
• Astron GPS Solar

What to look for

Details worth checking before you trust a dial. None of them certify authenticity on their own.

• A caseback engraved with a model number in the format like '7S26-0020'
• The applied Seiko logo — clean, not printed, on higher lines
• Day/date wheels that switch crisply and align in the window
• Hardlex or sapphire crystal depending on the tier

Facts

• Seiko's 1969 Astron cost about the same as a Toyota Corolla at launch.
• The affordable 'SKX007' became a cult diver and a favorite base for modding.