Grand Seiko

Founded
1960
Based in
Tokyo, Japan (made in Shizukuishi and Shiojiri)
In our catalog
11 watches from $2,900 to $370,000

Grand Seiko started as Seiko's attempt to make the best watch possible, and over the last decade it has become one of the most admired watch brands in the world. Its watches are known for extremely sharp, mirror-polished cases, dials inspired by Japanese nature, and three different movement technologies: mechanical, quartz and Spring Drive.

History

The first Grand Seiko was launched in 1960 to show that Japan could make watches as accurate and well made as the Swiss. In 1967 designer Taro Tanaka created the "Grammar of Design" for the 44GS, with flat, polished surfaces and sharp edges that are still the brand's visual signature. The same year the 62GS became the first automatic Grand Seiko, and in 1968 came high-beat movements running at 36,000 vibrations per hour.

Grand Seiko was mainly sold in Japan until the 2010s. In 1999 Seiko introduced Spring Drive, a hybrid movement that combines a mainspring with an electronic regulator. In 2017 Grand Seiko became a separate brand, dropping the Seiko name from its dials. Its mechanical watches are made at the Shizukuishi studio in northern Japan, and its Spring Drive and quartz watches in Shiojiri.

Signature models

What it's known for

Grand Seiko uses a polishing technique called Zaratsu that gives distortion-free mirror surfaces. Its dials, with patterns based on snow, bark, water, rice fields and the seasons, are some of the most beautiful made. Spring Drive movements have a smooth, gliding seconds hand unlike any other watch.

Price and positioning

Grand Seiko watches cost from about $3,000 for quartz models to $5,000 to $12,000 for most mechanical and Spring Drive watches, with complications much higher. It competes directly with Omega, Rolex and IWC, and many collectors see it as better value.

Grand Seiko watches in our library

Vintage Grand Seiko watches

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