Tag: seiko astron

Other Watchy Bits, Time

The Quartz Crisis: How a Tiny Crystal Reshaped an Entire Industry

by Brent Robillard In the late 1960s, a tiny, humming sliver of quartz crystal sent a seismic shockwave through the world of traditional watchmaking. It didn’t tick with the confident mechanical rhythm of a Swiss lever escapement, nor did it need winding or maintenance in the same way. But it kept time—more accurately, cheaply, and reliably than most mechanical watches could ever dream of. This … Continue reading The Quartz Crisis: How a Tiny Crystal Reshaped an Entire Industry

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Other Watchy Bits

Other Watchy Bits: A Brief History of Seiko

Seiko is one of the most prolific brands in horology and has an extensive history dating back over 130 years. The brand started in 1881 when a 21-year-old entrepreneur, Kintaro Hattori, opened a shop in central Tokyo–Ginza to be specific–that specialized in repairing watches and clocks. Eleven years later, in 1892, Kintaro opened up his manufacturing facility, Seikosha, which primarily focused on producing wall clocks. Fun fact: Seikosha combines the word seiko (成功,) meaning “exquisite” or “success,” and sha, meaning “house” in Japanese. The translation of Seikosha is “exquisite or success house.” Continue reading Other Watchy Bits: A Brief History of Seiko

HorologyObsessed8 Comments