Seiko Women’s Watches: Always At The Cusp Of Technology
The Seiko Corporation began as K. Hattori & Co., Ltd in 1881; it later became Seikosha clock supply factory and finally Seiko Corporation in 1895. The line of work was always about timepieces, initially with wall clocks, and then pocket watches. Pocket watches which were also known as fob watches, due to the short leather strap which allowed them to be secured to the belt of a waistcoat. In 1923, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake centered under Oshima Island destroyed most of Tokyo, and the ensuing fires took away the Seiko factory and headquarters before Seiko ladies watch had even begun.
In 1913, the new emperor on the throne is a Seikosha company began manufacturing the first wristwatch ever made in Japan, the Laurel. It was not until 1924 that dependable Seiko was used on a wristwatch. This wristwatch was a 10 or 15 jewel movement, likened to the Swiss Moeris caliber. All of the watches from this time period were small, about 28 mm in diameter (approximately 1.1 inches).
The terminology we use in describing watches can be confusing to most people. The term movement, for instance, refers to the moving parts of the watch, with exception of the hands. The most common types of movements are mechanical, quartz, and electronic. Except for the mechanical watches, very few moving parts exist within the movement.
The invention of the digital Seiko chronograph is as interesting as it is an excellent example of how paradigm shifts in business are both difficult and devastating. The original digital watches were made in the 1930s, but were not very accurate. Later, in the 1960s, several makers produced electronic watches which were more accurate, but had limited life spans and were very pricey, selling in the 2,000 dollar range. Nevertheless, these watches inspired the Swiss to re-look the notion of the quartz movement.
In what is now a classic example of how business can blind itself to the future by relying on past success, it was the Swiss that first introduced a quartz movement watch at the International Chronometric Competition in 1967. They had become convinced their mechanical watches, the most accurate in the world, would remain the staple for timepieces for the future. In 1967, they showed their first watch with a quartz movement, which they did not patent since it was considered only a passing fad. But the world was watching, and learned fast.
The advent of the accurate quartz movement allowed for a revolution in the watch-making industry. With size no longer the defining factor in manufacturing, watches could be made in any size and shape, as long as the face remained flat. Digital readout watches became famously popular, especially after they appeared in a blockbuster science fiction movie. Watches for women became more than just a functional accessory, they became fashionable.
Watches have morphed into more than just a mobile accurate timepiece. In addition to fashion flair, they are increasing equipped with additional functions to increase their utility for the wearer. Need to calculate the tip at a restaurant? Use the calculator built into your watch. Changing time zones? Push a button and your watch is current wherever you are. No more trying to calculate from Greenwich Mean Time!
The evolution of the watch has been an amazing journey. Perhaps more so than that of most devices which have been around for a hundred years. Watches are a testimony to persistence. Instead of being replaced by something else, they have continuously changed and developed, keeping pace with the worlds demands for new and better products. The need to have accurate time in an inexpensive mobile format will never go away. Despite the availability of current time on other devices, like mobile computers and phones, the wristwatch has maintained the flair to remain popular. Seiko watch have grown and developed like the rest, and now introduce watches designed using electronic ink technology, sure to keep the watches relevant for another generation.