Results for Seiko Kinetic

Exploring the Seiko Presage Classic Series

Grand Seiko Presents The Limited Edition SBGJ283 Exclusive To Asia Pacific

Seiko Introduces Cherry Blossom Inspired Astron References

Cherry blossoms have long been associated with Japan – and for good reason. These delicate little blossoms contribute an astounding $2.7 billion into the economy with over 63 million people (a number that includes both tourists and those living in Japan) viewing them annually. There’s even a word for this annual custom – hanami, meaning to stroll along, enjoy the blossoms, and nature’s transience. Now, isn’t that beautiful? Though the visual appeal of cherry blossoms might just be one of Japan’s strongest soft-power exports, you have to admit it’s a little overplayed. Yes, I know what I’m saying is a little controversial, but hear me out. After a while, the same old white and pink flowers on a skinny little twig just loses any impact of its natural beauty. You see it so much on towels, keychains, and stationery, one becomes blind to the fact that cherry blossoms are beautiful. It’s a sort of visual desensitization, if you ask me. That’s why I’m quite happy to see the two new models from Seiko being released early next year as Astron GPS Solar 2025 Limited Editions, the SSH171 and SSJ029. Both references are inspired by sakura, but not in the traditional sense. Instead of focusing on spring strolls during the daytime, Seiko has produced two watches that look to the starlight as their guiding principle. In doing so, we have two tonally rich watches that aren’t so clichéd. Like all well-designed Japanese products, the watches in this limited edition s...

In Conversation With: Akio Naito, President, Seiko Watch Corporation

Grand Seiko Honors Asia Pacific With The Stunning SBGJ285 Limited Edition In Fuji-Iro

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph

It’s Cocktail Time Again: Seiko Introduces Two New Limited Editions in their Long Running Series of Cocktail Inspired Watches

There are a handful of constants in the watch world that are truly worth celebrating: the annual crush of people on Geneva each spring for Watches & Wonders, the annual debate over whether a “summer watch” is a thing, and that first comment on any IG post that begs a watch to be a millimeter or two smaller. Like clockwork (pardon the pun) you can count on these things, year in and year out, and there’s comfort in that. Another reliable watch industry trope comes to us on a regular basis from Seiko in the form of the Cocktail Time limited edition, a tradition that began with a watch that is a true enthusiast icon, and now stands as a running series of just plain good dress watches that Seiko is somehow able to keep at a remarkably affordable price point.  The legend of the Cocktail Time really begins in earnest with the SARB065, a Japanese domestic market release that caught on with collectors in an earlier era of watch enthusiasm (the early 2010s) when message boards ruled the day. This particular watch is one that I can remember owning years ago and also being among the chorus of internet commenters recommending it to new enthusiasts when the inevitable question of “what dress watch under $XXX should I buy?” would come up. The new Cocktail Time watches, references SRPK93 and SRE015, are said to be inspired by the city of Tokyo at night, and the “Night-time Tokyo” cocktail created by STAR BAR owner Hisashi Kishi. Kishi is a celebrated creator of craft cockta...

Three New King Seiko models Celebrate The Beauty of Kameido

The Grand Seiko 45GS Returns with the New Hand-Wound Hi-Beat Caliber 9SA4

Introducing the Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series Arita Porcelain

Introducing the Grand Seiko SLGA025 “Atera Blue” Spring Drive

The Seiko 7559-5010: Admiring the Brand’s First Backlit Analog Movement in its Most Unique Form

In this hobby of ours, there constantly exists the urge to dive down new rabbit holes and subgenres of watch collecting, awaiting the next reason for us to open our wallets and find a reason to justify purchasing another piece. While this typically takes the form of a unique color combination or bezel insert, what about a function like backlights? Sure, Timex’s Indiglo has most certainly found mainstay within the watch industry––as has Casio’s Electro Luminesce technology and of course lume––but what others are out there? For those who haven’t had the pleasure, I now have the honor of introducing you to the fairly forgotten Seiko 7559 movement, utilized here in its most unique application: the 5010 model.  A Brief History of the Cal. 7559 and its Applications As is the story with most watches I tend to develop an interest in, little is known about the design process behind this movement or model outside of repair manuals, blog posts, and owner photographs. The information included here is based on my own research, and I invite anyone interested in this model or movement to include any additional material they may know in the comments section below. Though I’ve attempted to collect as much information on the subject as possible, I would be delighted to hear that more pictures or materials of any kind exist elsewhere.  Production of the cal. 7559 began somewhere in the summer months of 1978 and continued until the late 1980s. The quartz movement itself is a...

Introducing the Seiko Prospex SPB473, a Limited Regional Release for the European Market

A thing you discover about watch collecting after being involved in the hobby for a little while is that it’s a truly international endeavor. This manifests itself in a number of ways. The geography of the watchmaking industry is obviously something that’s discussed frequently, with Swiss, German, Japanese, and American styles of the craft all taking slightly different shapes. But even more than that, practical matters like the availability of watches to actually purchase has a lot to do with where you are in the world. Just last week, we told you about a pair of new limited edition Grand Seikos made just for the US market, and today we have a similar story about a Seiko diver for sale exclusively in Europe. Regional releases strike again. The Seiko Prospex SPB473 would have caught our eye regardless, but something about it being vaguely forbidden if you happen to live in America makes it all the more appealing. Now, realistically, this watch won’t be that hard to track down if you really put some effort into it. There are all kinds of ways an American customer can obtain a watch made for a foreign market. Proxy buyers, the pre-owned market, and simply calling up a dealer and asking if they’d consider an international sale are all viable options. But if it really is the thrill of the hunt that makes watch collecting exciting and rewarding, have those few extra hoops to jump through could actually be welcome for some.  The SPB473’s key feature is a beautiful grad...

Editorial: the Seiko SRPG17 Land Tortoise, Outliers, and Collection Coherence

Watch collectors who have been in the hobby for awhile know there’s a certain pleasure in looking in the watch box, or across the flat surfaces in your home where watches are scattered, whatever, and seeing a group of watches that make sense. If you believe a collection is a reflection of your personality and taste, it follows that the watches in the collection will be thematically linked in some way, and just kind of work together. Instead of a watch box that has exactly one watch from each key genre, you see a box of watches that defy easy categorization, but somehow are obviously the product of a core collecting philosophy. I don’t know if I’m quite there yet, but I’m getting closer. But there’s still one watch in my collection that’s a clear outlier, one that will never quite fit. It’s the runt of the litter, the redheaded step-child, and ugly duckling, all wrapped into one. My Seiko SRPG17 “Land Tortoise” just doesn’t belong.  The Land Tortoise, so named because it shares a case shape with the much-loved “Seiko Turtle” divers but is equipped with a compass bezel rather than a typical dive timer, is an outlier even among Seiko sports watches. When we think sporty Seikos, proper dive watches are the ones that inevitably come to mind for most of us, but this is a dive watch in a costume. From the outset, it’s resisting its own nature, rejecting its heritage. It refuses to wear the uniform. I like dive watches and own a few, but they don’t ope...

Seiko Makes a Splash with the New Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s: SPB451, SPB453 & SPB455

The King Seiko KS1969 Channels the Spirit of the 60s

The Seiko 5 SNXS Makes a Revamped Comeback

How Grand Seiko Perfectly Showcases the Growing Prominence of Japanese Watchmaking

A Closer Look: Grand Seiko SLGW002 & SLGW003 “Birch Bark” with the Hand-wound Hi-beat 9SA4

The Case for Quartz Luxury Watches: Featuring F.P. Journe, Grand Seiko and Accutron

When starting out on a watch journey, one of the first questions to consider is the choice between quartz and automatic watches, with the perception that mechanical watches are "better" and more expensive, while quartz watches are entry-level and lower quality. While this may hold some truth, luxury brands also produce high-end quartz pieces that are equally impressive from a technological standpoint. 

Just A Minute With The Seiko Kitchen Timer

“Just a Minute” is a short-form video series designed to present all the facts about our favorite products in under 60 seconds. These are easy to consume and provide quick but meaningful rundowns on everything you need to know. As always, we encourage you to join our rewards program to earn points and save with every purchase. The Windup Watch Shop team is also available to schedule a consultation with you and answer any questions you have. Today’s Just A Minute is dedicated to a clever kitchen timer from Seiko that utilizes both analog and digital time-telling to function as an invaluable tool in the kitchen. It comes in two colors, silver and black, and features handy presets for timers and even snooze-able alarms. To top things off, the QHE190 timers have smooth-sweeping seconds hands to remind you that Seiko is as good at making a kitchen timer as it is any sort of wristwatch. To learn more about these Seiko Kitchen Timers, watch our new video below. “Just a Minute” is a short-form video series designed to present all the facts about our favorite products in under 60 seconds. These are easy to consume and provide quick but meaningful rundowns on everything you need to know. As always, we encourage you to join our rewards program to earn points and save with every purchase. The Windup Watch Shop team is also available to schedule a consultation with you and answer any questions you have. Today’s Just A Minute is dedicated to a clever kitchen timer from Seiko...

Grand Seiko at Watches & Wonders 2024: All the Latest Releases

Just Because – My Lost Watch, an Endless Quest to Find a Perfect Daily Beater and a Personal Tale about the Seiko Sea Horse

We, at MONOCHROME, rarely publish so-called “guest posts” and prefer to use our Collector’s Series as a platform to share our readers’ adventures with a watch. Today, we had to make an exception. The reason is simple. The story was just too good to not be shared. It tells a tale about a watch, something […]

The Roundup: Seiko Watches and Clocks, Sleek Knives, and a Sweet Timex Q

The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, which spotlights special watches worth their price tag, while the Value-Packed Pick celebrates a timepiece that provides great bang for buck. Upgrade Your Kit highlights indispensable everyday carry gadgets. When You Have Too Many Watches is all about accessories and peripherals for your watch collection. Last but not least, the Deal of the Week is a limited time bargain that you will not want to miss. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. The Windup Team is also available to schedule a consultation or demo with you to answer any questions you may have. This week we open with a fan favorite, the Seiko Alpinist, now with a GMT twist. Next up, our value pick of the week is a new G-Show that really glows. Upgrade your kit with the Farley from Giant Mouse, one of the stylish knives around. Finally, inexpensive Seiko alarm clocks and Timex Q reissues wrap up this week’s Roundup. Let’s jump right in!  The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, which spotlights special watches worth their price tag, while the Value-Packed Pick celebrates a timepiece that provides great bang for buck. Upgrade Your Kit highlights i...

The Case for Quartz Luxury Watches: Featuring F.P. Journe, Grand Seiko, and Accutron

When starting out on a watch journey, one of the first questions to consider is the choice between quartz and automatic watches, with the perception that mechanical watches are "better" and more expensive, while quartz watches are entry-level and lower quality. While this may hold some truth, luxury brands also produce high-end quartz pieces that are equally impressive from a technological standpoint.