Seiko Classic SUP433P1 Solar Ladies Watch

Seiko occupies a prominent position in the world of watches. As part of the Seiko Watch Corporation, which also includes the luxury brands Grand Seiko and Credor, Seiko covers a broad spectrum of watches - from affordable models to high-priced masterpieces. This diversity and the ability to produce watches for every taste and budget make Seiko a unique brand. If you ask people what they associate with the Seiko brand, the most common answer is: quartz watches. This is not surprising, as Seiko is regarded as a pioneer of quartz watches and these make up a large proportion of its sales. However, Seiko should not be reduced to quartz watches, as the brand also offers an impressive range of high-quality mechanical watches with a rich history. Seiko has existed for more than a century and from the very beginning has pursued a strategy of differentiating itself from the Swiss watch industry through innovation. Unlike many Swiss brands, which mainly offer expensive luxury watches, Seiko offers high-quality mechanical watches in all price ranges. From affordable models to exclusive watches under the Grand Seiko and Credor brands, Seiko serves every customer group. 

The history of Seiko began in 1882, when Kintarō Hattori opened a watch shop in Tokyo's Ginza district. In 1924, the first wristwatch appeared under the Seiko name and laid the foundation for a great legacy. Over the years, Seiko has developed many important watches. One example is the Seiko Marvel from 1956, which was equipped with the brand's first in-house movement. It was replaced in 1959 by the Seiko Gyro Marvel, which introduced the "Magic Lever" winding mechanism that significantly improved winding efficiency. In 1960, Seiko launched the first "Grand Seiko" watch. Today, Grand Seiko is a luxury brand in its own right that stands for the highest precision and quality.

In 1964, Seiko presented the first Japanese chronograph, which will be reissued in 2019 to mark its 55th anniversary. 1965 saw the launch of the first Seiko diver's watch, which will also be reissued in 2017. In 1969, Seiko presented two world firsts: the world's first automatic chronograph, the Seiko 5 Sports Speed Timer, and the world's first quartz wristwatch, the Seiko Quartz Astron. The latter revolutionised the watch industry with its unparalleled accuracy and triggered the quartz crisis. In the decades that followed, Seiko continued to innovate. In 1988, the company introduced the Kinetic movement, followed in 1999 by the first Spring Drive movement, which is used in many Seiko and Grand Seiko watches. The latest major innovation, the Astron GPS Solar, was introduced in 2012 and uses GPS signals to automatically adjust the time to the respective location.