Grand Seiko Watches

History of Grand Seiko Watches

It was the ongoing determination to excel that brought about the creation of this luxury brand. Grand Seiko is a Japanese brand in an industry dominated by Swiss and German competitors. Compared to other brands, it’s considered “young,” having started in 1960. While being developed, and ever since that time, the main idea that encouraged designers and engineers alike was that the Grand Seiko should be the “perfect” watch featuring durability, and standards of precision and beauty that would take over the world.

Throughout the 1960s, the brand expanded their suite of watches, introducing new collections and calibers at a fairly fast pace—not to mention, winning many awards along the way. In 1968, their movement was awarded the overall prize for best mechanical watches in the Geneva observatory competition. Then in 1988, the first Grand Seiko quartz watch was launched, exceeding performance standards of the time. Interestingly, all of their quartz crystals were grown in their own facilities, giving them the power to choose only the pieces that could pass a test against extreme temperatures, humidity, and shock. By the mid-1990s, Grand Seiko was working tirelessly to enhance their mechanical watches with a new generation of models featuring the 9S movement. Meanwhile, the brand’s much-anticipated Spring Drive movement debuted in 1999 after nearly 20 years and 600 prototypes—a testament to the brand’s determination and commitment to their goal of producing the “ideal” watch.

Explore Quartz & Spring Drive Movements

Known for their extreme precision and continuous innovation, Grand Seiko delivers high performance and durability in all of their timepieces. Particularly, their quartz and Spring Drive movements are unparalleled and highly-sought after by collectors and enthusiasts alike.

• Quartz Calibers

  The first Grand Seiko quartz watch was the 95GS, a very popular and precise watch boasting incredible accuracy of +/- 10 seconds per year. Then in 1989, they released the 8NGS, the brand’s first water-resistant quartz watch. As the quartz movement evolved, so did the need to incorporate additional innovations. For example, the caliber 9F83 featured a Backlash Auto-Adjust Mechanism, Twin Pulse Control System, Instant Date Change Mechanism, and a protective shield construction which gave a new meaning to the term “quartz watch.” Soon afterward, Grand Seiko became famous for their 9F caliber series that houses three groundbreaking movements—the 9F86, 9F82, and 9F62. Learn more about Quartz by exploring our pre-owned collection of models.

• Spring Drive Watches

  Combining the best of Mechanical Watches and quartz movements, the revolutionary Spring Drive movement was born. Each watch in this family of models is assembled by hand and features in-house calibers that are rigorously examined before hitting the market. The two most important components of this innovative function include the mechanical mainspring and the tri-synchro regulator, an exclusive speed control system crafted specifically for the Spring Drive suite. Explore more about this fascinating horological feat by perusing our collection of Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches. Or, discover the infamous Grand Seiko Snowflake model—perhaps the most iconic Spring Drive timepiece available.