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The forgotten story of King Seiko

Introduction

T
oday, it is undisputed that the Grand Seiko is one of the most sophisticated and high quality watches on the market. The brand's
prestige also seems to increase in the premium category. Although this has always been high in Seiko's home country, Japan,
perhaps due to Swiss hegemony in many parts of the world and partly due to Seiko's very wide product range, it is not as well
deserved in terms of the quality of their products. In any case, the brand has many fans worldwide; a mass of blogs, newspaper
articles dedicated to the world, history and innovation of the Grand Seiko (GS only). But most Seiko enthusiasts know that the product
line, which started in the 1960s and has been a top of the line for Seiko watches since the beginning, was not alone in the peak of the
company's offerings. Shortly after the birth of the first GS, another line, King Seiko (KS for short), started in this category. The early
King Seiko series today has the same (though not great) appreciation of fans and collectors as the old Grand Seiko watches. However,
since it is less well-known than collectors than the Grand Seiko series, in this article I will present the classic King Seiko and the
milestones leading up to it. (See some of the technical solutions below in this article I will introduce the classic King Seiko and the
milestones leading up to it. (See some of the technical solutions below in this article I will introduce the classic King Seiko and the
milestones leading up to it. (See some of the technical solutions belowI could read in an earlier article . And for a brief introduction to
mechanical watches, see here .) I used a lot of sources and pictures for this article, most of them mostly from auction sites, hopefully I
didn't infringe anyone's copyright too much. The sources (excluding auctions) can be found at the bottom of the article, but I must
specifically mention Fratellowatches magazine and Adventures in Amateur Watch Fettling who have given their kind permission to use
their images.

Early story
To understand why KS was created, we need to go back a little bit in time. Everyone knows that Kintaro Hattori laid the foundations for
modern Japanese watchmaking, and in 1877 he started a watch repair at his home in Ginza, Tokyo. In 1881, at the age of twenty-two,
he founded a business called K. Hattori to repair watches and sell used watches. Your company soon evolved into an important watch
wholesaler. In 1892, he bought an unused factory in Tokyo, which he put into operation, and gave it the name Seikosha. Seikosha in
Japanese means "house of excellence" ("SEIKO" has excellent, accurate or successful meaning, while "SHA" means house). This is where
Kintaro Hattori made his first lessons and begins the story of the Seiko company.
Initially, they started with the production of wall clocks, and gradually began to produce pocket, alarm and watches. In 1895, the
company's first pocket watch, called "Time Keeper", was completed. At that time, not every single component of the clockwork could be
manufactured in Japan, so the parts of the Seikosha watch of that time were still from the United States or Switzerland. Hattori traveled
to America and Europe in 1899 and learned a great deal from his experience abroad. In the XX. At the beginning of the 20th century, it
further modernized its factories and lowered its prices to compete with imported products. However, after the Japanese-Russian war, the
company again found itself in a difficult situation, and then traveled abroad again. On his second journey he wrote:"I learned a lot during
my second trip. In the fight against European and American products, our only hope was to increase production efficiency by mass
production and reduce costs while maintaining high quality. I had plans to expand the factory and We also designed the manufacturing
process with our own designed and manufactured production lines to increase production efficiency, reduce costs and maintain the
quality of our products. Finally, we achieved our desired goals. "
His efforts were therefore crowned with success, and the production of the Seikosha alarm clock and wall clock was booming again. By
the end of the first decade, following historical and technical changes, Hattori thought that wristwatches would soon become extremely
popular, and in 1913 introduced his first wristwatch under the name Laurel. The watchmaking industry needed further development and
by this time more and more parts were being manufactured, and from 1913 the dial was manufactured in Japan. Unfortunately, World
War I stalled development, even though Seikosha was not as badly affected by raw material shortages as other Japanese producers
because they were linked to K. Hattori, a company which imported large quantities of raw materials before the war. By 1915, Seikosha
had already exported watches abroad. In 1917, the former parent company of K. Hattori, K.
In 1923, a major earthquake shook Japan, and Seikosha's factories and warehouses burned down, but Hattori decided to rebuild his
company. After the earthquake, he posted an ad in Japanese newspapers saying he would replace watchmakers with wild boats instead
of 1,500 hours at the factory, which had been lost to a single thread. This has increased Seikosha's reputation and esteem in Japan. A
few months after the earthquake, a new watch face was designed, and in December 1924, the world's first wristwatch, bearing the name
Seiko, appeared on the dial (the structure still contained the inscription Seikosha). While competition was strong, Seikosha soon
accounted for half of Japan's watch production.
As the company started manufacturing other things (such as cameras), it was necessary to reorganize the watchmaking industry. In
1937, watchmaking became a new subsidiary in Tokyo's Kameido , known as Daini Seikosha (Daji is the second in Japanese).
Developments continued during World War II, and in 1940, the factory's first three-stopwatch was published. In May 1942, Daiwa
Kogyo Ltd was founded in Suwa, Nagano , to produce parts for Daini Seikosha. In 1943, Daini Seikosha set up another factory in Suwa
to make Seiko watches with the help of Daiwa Kogyo.
On March 9, 1945, Daini Seikosha was destroyed during a bombing in Tokyo, but a factory in Suwa survived the war. After the war,
efforts were made to restore the factories as soon as possible. First, the intact machines were transferred from Tokyo to Suwa so that
production could begin there as soon as possible (in August 1946, it did). Later, Kameido was rebuilt.
Stalling after the war, production resumed, though. The first watches were still of poor
quality and their style and structure date back to pre-war times. The first and most
significant hour of the new era was the Seiko Super, which left the Suwa factory in 1948,
the company's first mid-second-of-a-kind. (Previous models were either small seconds or
modifications to them, or they did not include seconds.) Super was a great success and
marked the beginning of a new era.
At the end of the 1940s, the company structure also underwent a major transformation,
which was a decisive factor in the formation of the King Seiko-Grand Seiko pair. Daiwa
Kogyo Ltd. and the Suwa plant unit merged and from 1959 onwards, two separate sub-
companies were operated under the auspices of the parent company Seikosha:

Daini Seikosha in Tokyo

a Suwa Seikosha in Suwa

This created a rather unique situation in the watch industry: products from two different
companies appeared under one brand. The Seiko umbrella company has created the two
sub-companies independently of each other: relatively little information has been shared
and a healthy rivalry has been established between them. In addition to motivating
innovation, this split also had the positive effect that if one company had some production
problems, the other was able to meet demand by increasing production until the problem
disappeared.
Seiko Super
From the outset, Suwa Seikosha considered developing the "perfect timekeeper" a
mission. Although they could not compete with well-known Swiss companies on the international market, Seiko quickly excelled in its
quality in Japan. From the mid-50s onwards, it had gained a significant advantage in the precision watch competition of Japanese
watchmakers, which began in 1948 with the aim of improving the quality of Japanese watches. This was badly needed because the first
precision tests conducted by the Japanese Institute of Metrology had a devastating result: 62 out of 180 hours submitted simply stopped
during the test. This forced manufacturers to tighten standards. As a result, the accuracy and reliability of Japanese watches has
increased year by year.

Marvel goes on stage

On June 10, 1956, the company reached a real milestone: the launch of Suwa-developed Seiko Marvel. Marvel was of immense
importance in Seiko's history: it was the first completely in-house, scratch-based Seiko watch that was no longer influenced by Swiss or
other structures. It was also the first truly modern Seiko watch and a huge step for the company both technically and in terms of
manufacturing efficiency. When Marvel was submitted to the Metrology Institute for testing in 1956, it was no longer a competitor on the
domestic market.
The diameter of the Marvel structure (26 mm) was larger than that of the Super and equal to that of the Seiko Automatic. (Seiko
Automatic was released on January 17, 1956 and was Japan's first automatic watch.) Marvel became Seiko's high-end hand-drawn line
in the second half of the 1950s. Its precision, stability, and the vibration absorption system of the new diashock placed it not only ahead
of domestic competition but far ahead of any previous Seiko watch. The first pieces were made in 17, later in 19 and 21 stone versions
and were in production until 1959 (85% of the production was made in the 17 stone version).
Although Marvel and some sources say that diashock was released in 1956, the earliest Marvelek did not see the Diashock label, so it is
likely that Seiko's own vibration absorption system was first introduced in the early hours of 1957. (Other sources mention 1958 for the
appearance of diashock.)

Two very early Marvel structures: the later diashock system has only a predecessor on the rocker bearing. The clockwork was made with
Seikosha inscription.

Diashock 17 and 19 stone Marvel. In the 1950s, the Seiko watch face even had the distinctive letter S as the company emblem. This
letter S disappeared from the dials in the late '50s, as can be seen in the 19-stone Marvel is no longer included. At that time, Seiko used
many more fonts in its classroom, and had to wait a few more years for today's Seiko label.
Marvel was followed in 1959 by Gyro Marvel, Seiko's first self-developed automatic watch. Its structure was based on Marvel, but only
in 17 stone versions. This is where the magic lever technology came into play. The series was rather short lived, replaced by Seikomatic
in 1960.
Daini answered Marvel with the Cronos line in 1958. Although the parent company offered Marvel in the top category, the Cronos 54A
was similarly accurate in design, but thinner than the Marvel, allowing for a thinner watch. Like the high-end mechanical watches, the
rocker was a top-bridged design, and the bearing naturally received a diashock system. The Cronos was produced in 17, 21 and 23 stone
versions until 1964.
 Suwa upgraded Marvel to 1958: it received 23 stone structures, more sophisticated fine tuning and higher quality parts, and appeared
as a new top model under the name Lord Marvel. The earliest models received the S emblem dial in 1958, but this was soon replaced by
the S without the calligraphic character set.
The new Lord Marvel structure was 25.6mm in diameter and 4.4mm in thickness and went with the usual 18,000 swing speed. It was
fairly easy to fine tune, but it had a relatively small 11mm wobbler. This was further developed by Suwa in 1959: the new 560 design
was larger than Marvel's (27.6mm, but also 4.4mm), made it even more accurate and got a 12mm swivel, which also It was running at
18,000. The main spring housing has been enlarged, and the rocker has naturally got the diashock system, and all other bearings have
the newly developed diafix bearing. The new structure is the basis for the new Crown series.

Diafix
Diafix bearings have been used in many high-end Seiko watches since 1959 to mount some gears and the
pinion gears. This on the one hand ensures that the right amount of oil reaches and stays in the bearing and
on the other hand allows the gear shaft end to be adjusted. In the diafix system, the entire stone is clamped
in its housing and does not move during normal use. The cover stone is located above the punctured stone
(but does not touch to allow space for the oil to be positioned around the pin) and is held in place by a
spring. The spring here doesn't really behave like a spring like a diashock (even though it usually looks like a
shape), but is responsible for holding the cover stone in place. You do not need to remove the spring
completely from the socket to remove the stone, just pull it out slightly (as shown in the illustration below).
Diafix-like solutions are also used by some Swiss manufacturers, although service technicians in the
workshop require a fair amount of practice and relaxation (which is gradually eliminated during diafix bearing
cleaning).

The diashock on the left and the diafix on the right

On the left, two diaphragms in the unlocked state of a 1966 Seikomatic 8305 structure, on the right are one
of the most modern Spring Drive 9R01A structures
 Lord Marvel (left) and Crown 560 structure (right)

What's on the dial?

In addition to the standard inscriptions (brand name, type name, number of stones, etc.), there is a tiny emblem on the face of most
Seiko watches from the 60s, 70s and above 6 o'clock. The King Seiko and Grand Seiko series have used them, so let's go over what they
mean before moving on! (These emblems are actually quite tiny on watches. The following list is not exhaustive, only for article-related
watches.) Until about 1965, the emblem referred to the way the dial indexes and indexes were constructed:

Extra Dial (ED) : Normal gold or nickel brass indexes (I've never had such King Seiko's, just for the sake of
completeness)

Applique Dial (AD) : Seiko Gold Plated (SGP) or Rhodium Brass Indexes

Special Dial (SD) : 18 or 14 carat solid (yellow or white) gold indexes

The "AD", "SD" markings often appear on the bottom of the dial at the end of the tiny dial type number that appears at 6 hours. After
1965, when the above logos ceased to be used, they are only visible there. The SD quality dial is only available on some copies of the
first generation King Seiko.
Around 1965, the above logos were replaced by logos referring to the manufacturing sub-company:

The double triangle or lightning sign indicates that the watch was manufactured by Daini Seikosha

The swirl mark indicates that the watch was manufactured by Suwa Seikosha

Siege of the peaks

By 1960, the time had come to make every watch of the highest quality. This was due, among other things, to the fact that
liberalization of the Japanese watch market was imminent (1961), so that high-quality Swiss and American watches could soon appear
on the domestic market. There was a need for the local watch industry to get around. During the negotiations, the two sub-companies
decided that the new flagship model will be produced by the Suwa plant. On December 18, 1960, the Grand Seiko arrived.

© The Grand Seiko Guy

The new hand-drawn, 25-stone 3180 GS structure was largely an improvement on the Crown 560. 18000, hand-assembled and
certified by Seiko's first proprietary chronometer (essentially equivalent to the then Swiss chronometer standard), which allowed a
difference of -3 / + 12 seconds per day (the word "chronometer" marked.). Parts of the structure were manufactured with special care
and selected after 45 hours of running time. The structure is called so-called. the second-stop was mechanical, which meant that the
seconds hand stopped to set the time when the crown was pulled out, allowing for accurate seconds. This was not at all common in
contemporary Japanese lessons. Like neither,
The GS came in gold and platinum cases (later a small number of steel case versions were launched). The case had a snap-on backside
and was not waterproof. The back featured a lion figure. Nowadays it is believed that this lion from the outset was the GS emblem, but
this is a mistake: all Seiko models received it until about 1966, which were certified chronometer, including contemporary King Seiko
Chronometer, Seikomatic Chronometer and Liner Chronometer. Only later did it become the exclusive GS logo. (By the way, there were
originally two ideas for the emblem: a lion to represent the champion of the watches and a bell to indicate the accuracy of the time.
Finally, in 1960 Seiko's decision-makers chose the lion.)
When designing the dial, GS followed in the footsteps of Lord Marvel and Crown, combining the benefits of the two. For the first time,
Seiko used diamond-cut, multi-planed pointers, and the high index went to the minute markers. The indices were on a convex dial and
required more expertise to assemble, but this had been available since the previous two hours. The convex watch glass is made of
plexiglas and is glued in place. The sleeves are also individually polished and then soldered to the sleeve.
 © The Grand Seiko Guy
The label style chosen as a result of negotiations between various Japanese dealerships is still a defining feature of GS. On the first
copies it was engraved on the dial, but later it turned out to be too costly to replace the print and embossed labels. (Indexing has also
been modified in subsequent instances.)
Although very high in the 1960s, the GS was considered to be extraordinary in Japan, with 36,000 made between 1960 and 1964.

King Seiko
Daini Seikosha's response to Grand Seiko came in August 1961 under the guise of King Seiko. (Some sources mistakenly refer to
1963.)

September 1961 issue of Seiko News announcing new top model. The content of the text is generous: although it has previously
featured high-end Grand Seiko, Lord Marvel and Crown Special, it has had time for another luxury model due to the ever-increasing
demand for premium products. The text mentions that King Seiko is based on Cronos's structure and lists some of its features. ( Image
posted by Timekeeper Kodokei.com )
King Seiko did not have a second stop, a date display, nor did they require a chronometer certificate, although the tests applied to KS
were of similar rigor to the chronometer certificate. Unlike the GS, it received a flat dial, which in turn used the style features familiar to
GS: the indexes were shaped and polished in later versions of the GS, the minute and second indexes reached minute markings, and the
indexes provided good readability ( The index 12 consisted of two pieces for each type). The King Seiko inscription, though not as fancy
as the Grand Seiko, was printed from the beginning. The structure received no model number and, overall, placed the new KS under the
GS in terms of quality and accuracy.
In the first version of King Seiko, the various model designations and serial numbers were still inside the snap-on back. This page
shows the inside of the back of an early gold-plated (left) and a steel case (right). Although the case had a rubber seal under the
backside, the first King Seiko wasn't waterproof! All in all, two (plus one) distinguishable types are made, with minor differences in gold
and steel:

J14102E and J14102(July 1961-September 1963): Its

distinctive feature is its slim, straight-line case. Width:
34.8mm (37.3mm with crown), Length: 42.8mm. The dial has
a wide, large index. They are also distinguished by the fact
that they have split notches along the polished edges, except
for the indexes 12, 3, 6 and 9, which were flat. Most of the
specimens found today, and some of them (after December
1962), all have indices. Until mid-1962, the dial was made in
SD quality only with KSJ14S-438-E code. Subsequently, SD
and AD grade specimens (both with the dial code KSJ14S-582-
E-AD) were made in both gilded and steel cases. Beginning in
mid-1962, copies with non-radial dials were also made, but
also got parallel vertical grinding (in both SD and AD grades).
At the end of the model number, the E mark disappeared from multiple copies after the end of 1962, but what exactly this E meant, I
couldn't find out. sub-variations:
gold plated (GF) case: "14K GOLD FILLED" (pictured above) is printed inside the case. By about September 1962, the gold layer
was made with a 100 micron layer thickness, which was larger than the 80 microns of the Grand Seiko of that time. On these
models, the inside of the case also has the inscription "100 MICRONS" opposite the 14K GOLD FILLED inscription. By the end of
1962, the gold layer had been reduced to 80 microns, so the 100 MICRONS inscriptions disappeared.
stainless steel (STAINLESS STEEL) case: King Seiko steel case made since mid-1962
15034 (October 1962-July 1964): Its distinctive feature is the thin, laterally tapered case and the 36 mm case. The dial is also
available in SD (code: KS15S-514-E) and AD (code: KS15S-583-E-AD) quality with parallel vertical and radial grinding. A distinctive
feature of the case is that the indexes were given only the side brushed band, not the notches of the other type. sub-variations:
Gold plated (GF) case: 80 microns thick by the end of 1963. By the time the other model code KS was completed, by 1964, only
the first steel series King Seiko had been produced.
stainless steel (STAINLESS STEEL) case
5440-1990 (1965): The last in a series of 35.5mm diameter, 10.3mm thick gold (AGF) alloy exterior corresponds to model 15034.
It was made with an AD dial for a very short time, as the next generation, the 44KS, was already well advanced, making it one of the
rarest KSs.
 One GF King Seiko from December 1961 with SD dial and one SS King Seiko from August 1963 with AD dial, both with radial sanding
(both hours model number J14102E). The timepiece and clock style exude timeless elegance. The wide pillar of plexiglas that protrudes
from the case line gives the watch a definite character (the almost vertical side-walled glass is also a feature of the first series of King
Seiko). This was Daini Seikosha's high-end line in the early '60s, with flat indexes interrupting a series of notched indices and a solid,
high-quality, polished index.

On the left is a nice and elegant steel case with 15034 radial sanding from June 1964 with AD dial. Observe the tabs on the side and the
smooth indexes. The frame surrounding the bottle is slightly narrower and the dial slightly wider than the other version. On the right is a
close-up of an April 1962 J14102E dial. The JAPAN inscription and the dial code were located below the indexes for all first series King
Seiko. Above index 6 was also in each case a dial quality pictogram and DIASHOCK 25 JEWELS, printed in 25 slightly larger letters.
Unfortunately, the first series KSs have basically a silver dial that tends to turn golden (or possibly brown) over the years, many of the
dials have been replaced, though there are color copies on the used market. Seiko has produced a replacement number plate (pre-
assembled with indexes and corresponding inscriptions) for these KSs already in the 60's, and such factory replacement numbers are
still found on auction sites today.

The back has a shield emblem with a crown in the center (why no shield can be found). To the left is the gold-plated (one J14102E
clock), to the right is the steel (one 15034). On the steel types, the logo is made of the case material, while on the gilded types, a
separate retrofit logo ("pendant") is used. Correspondingly, in many cases the embossing on the steel backsides is hardly visible, and in
the gold plated cases there is often only the cool place of the pendant.
As with the first GS, the case on the gold-plated versions was soldered (unfortunately, it is already quite visible on many copies), while
on the steel versions the case was made from the underside of the case. The crown, which contains larger clots, contained a small
engraved letter S on the first copies, which was replaced in about 1962 with an equally small but already convex letter S. The condition
of the earlobes is quite bad on many of today's specimens: especially the long thin earlobes of the J14102E / J14102 types tended to
bend over the decades (in extreme cases, to break off).
The Daini factory used KS as the basis for its earlier Cronos model. This 25.6mm diameter, 4mm thick 18000s manual pull mechanism
was complemented by a GS-like fine adjuster, modified to 25 stones, and the bearings naturally received diafix and diashock bearings.
The main spring bearings used a hole stone (no such solution was available in the Japanese class except Grand Seiko), which reduces
friction and wear and helps to fully exploit the power of the main spring. The main spring was coated with a special film layer which,
according to the current review, did not require any special lubrication, even during subsequent servicing. Unfortunately, this has not
been possible for decades, and by now most have dried on the spring, causing more harm than good. This structure was then
manufactured in almost unchanged form throughout the life of the first KS, with the only bolt down (and the handle slightly modified)
sometime in early 1963 disappearing. (The 230K structure numbers represented the transition, a smaller one with an old handle and a
larger one with a new handle. The 230K is a mix of both.)
 The first King Seiko came with a leather strap only, with the two types of buckles shown on the right.
The first was produced between 1961 and 1963, the second from 1963 to about 1968 and the KS
second series, and even some very early 45KS.
The first King Seiko appeared in an exclusive wooden box like the GS, with a unique label and logo
(but probably without a unique certificate of accuracy with the GS). The photo below from the
Japanese auction site presumably contains all the original leather straps of the watch (15034). To the
right is a January 1963 J14102 with its original papers. The papers can be folded into a small gap
inside the top of the box (where King Seiko - Precision - Quality - Elegance is printed), although there
is a box without such a latch.

marking System
Until the 1960s, many Seiko structures did not have a model number or only a serial
number on the gear bridge (as with the first KS). At the end of the 50's and early 60's,
several structures were given 3-digit and some 4-digit serial numbers. However, the
finished watches were given a serial number and a model number. Until 1966, every hour
had a 7-digit serial number, then shortened to 6 digits. The last year, when the 7-digit
Seiko watch was released, was 1969, although KS was not affected by that time. But
whether it is a 6 or 7 digit serial number, it is common from the 60's that the first two
digits of a serial number indicate the year and month of manufacture. Here is the inside
of the back panel of a J14102E on the left. Let's see what it means!
There is a small mark in the middle of the top row, and I magnified one in the upper
right corner of the image. This is the so-called "Tsuru sign"; a little crane bird. From
about 1946 to 1964, it appeared in every Seiko watch case. In 1892, Yoshikawa Tsuru, a
prominent engineer in the founding of Seikosha, suggested this after the war: it signaled
the authenticity of a Seikosha watch. The second line indicates the material of the watch
case. The third line is the 7 digit serial number. The first two digits are the date of
manufacture, the rest are unique identifiers (although according to Domestic Watch,
uniqueness cannot be completely trusted because there are different watches with
exactly the same serial number, but it does not mention what types). The time of
manufacture in figures is first year, second month. 1-9, meaning January through September, then:

O or 0: October
 N: November
D: December

If there are N or D at the time of production, the order is reversed, ie the first is the month and the second is the year (thus a
November 1962 production is shown). Otherwise, the first year, the second month. This turmoil was abolished by Seiko sometime
around 1963 and from then on, the month always came in second place. (If an hour has been in production for more than 10 years,
there may be overlaps in manufacturing time, as there are repetitions in the numbering. In this case, different characteristics can be
used to distinguish which period it was manufactured. For King Seiko, would have been manufactured for over a year.)
The next line is the watch type or case code. In the case of the first KSs, this is still consistent with Seiko's old nomenclature: the first
two digits indicate the diameter of the dial in ligne (so not the diameter of the case!). Ligne is the old unit used in watchmaking. Until
the early 1960s, Seiko used this, though not an internationally accepted 1 ligne = 2,2558291 mm, but its own internal standard.
Optionally preceded by numbers, J is the abbreviation for "Just", which indicates that the true diameter is half a ligne larger than the
number. Dimensions used by Seiko:

13 ***: 28.5mm
J13 ***: 29.6mm
14 ***: 30.8 mm
J14 ***: 31.9mm
15 ***: 33.1 mm
J15 ***: 34.2mm

The rest of the code is the unique identifier of the case type. The lower one is KS for the type of watch. This type of denotation of the
type was discontinued around 1964, starting with the next King Seiko family, we find modern type codes.
In the early 1960s, on the one hand, Seiko began standardizing the model number of its structures. Each structure is assigned a 4-digit
number (some supplemented with A or B); This transition took place sometime around 1962-1963. By around 1963, the information on
the back of the watch was also standardized. Previously the inside information on the backside was on the outside of the backside, so it
can be seen without disassembling the watch (this did not affect the first series for King Seiko's, but from the 44KS onwards the KS used
it as well) ). According to Suwa's factory briefing, it looks like this:

Case Material : What material the watch case is made of. This is usually stainless steel (STAINLESS STEEL), but there are many other
types of cases ( a full list here ). King Seiko's are available in the following versions:

GF (Gold Filled) : A thin layer of gold is applied to the case by heat and pressure. They contain more gold than SGP types, making
GF cases more durable. Rarely are wear problems such as abrasion or peeling of the coat, but they can fade. GF watches are
generally more valuable to collectors than SGPs because they remain relatively good quality for decades. Only the very first King
Seiko series used gold filled cases.
AGF (All Gold Filled) : One of the gold plating methods used after GF between 1963 and 1968. Along with the case, as with the GF,
the back also gets gilded.
SS (Stainless Steel) : Stainless steel
HSS : hardened stainless steel
NSA : super hard alloy. The surface hardness is very high and resistant to minor scratches, but this material is slightly brittle, so such
a case does not like to be dropped. HSS and NSA cases at King Seiko existed only in the 56KS series (King Seiko 5626-5030).
SGP (Seiko Gold Plated) : Gold plated case. The gold layer is applied electrochemically to the watch case, which in SGP always
covers the entire case (except for the removable back). The quality and durability of the end result depends on the thickness of the
layer and the amount of gold used. SGP cases are available in all King Seiko series starting at 44KS. Cheaper than an 18 carat gold
case, it is not used with the Grand Seiko. SGP types are generally less sought after by collectors because they tend to lose their light
over the decades, and when carelessly used, the gold plating may easily be stained or peeled over decades, exposing the underlying
metal.
CAP GOLD : Gold plating thicker than GF and SGP, 100-300 microns thick. It is made by shaping solid gold into the shape of a case
and attaching it to it (like a cap - hence the name of the procedure). Only the front of the watch will have this layer, so the back will
show the base metal. Due to the thickness of the layer, the case material underneath the gold plating does not penetrate even in light
scratches. This is the highest quality gold plating used for King Seiko's. In the 4420, the 45KS and 56KS series are cases of this type.
Collectors are sold at a similar value to SGP or steel types, even though they do contain a significant amount of gold. In addition to
CAP GOLD, some early models also have the abbreviation GC or CG.

Model number : divided into two parts: the first part, consisting of two or four digits, contains the structure number. This is followed
by a dash type for the case. The two numbers together represent a given clock. The first two of the four-digit structure number are
usually the structure family number. This is what collectors often call the various King Seiko (and Grand Seiko) families after 63. For
example, models with the 4500 family are called 45KS (45GS).
Water resistance : in the 60's it was labeled WATER PROOF, then replaced by WATER RESIST (ANT) due to ISO and Japanese
standard regulations around 1970. On some waterproof models, the opening method was also included on the back. This is usually seen
with one-piece cases that could be opened by removing the first glass (a number here also indicates the diameter of the glass)
Brand name : clear, with factory reference. Grand Seiko and King Seiko models usually have a pendant or engraving here (we'll see
later).
The above description of modern backs is a general guideline, and slightly different backs have been created. For example, the case
material is not always listed, in which case it has the model number, often followed by an SS. This is an abbreviation of "Second Setting"
and indicates that the watch has a second-stop structure. This was thought to be worth mentioning because it was not at all common
with Seiko watches of that time.

44KS - The second generation

The first generation of King Seiko was on sale until 1964, but by the end of 1963 (along with the new GS family), the second
generation had arrived. The 18,000-pound manual pull mechanism now comes with a model number and a second-stop feature. The
following versions have been added to the new King Seikok:

44A: undated 25 stone structure. Its very early version had a special L-shaped arm for the
second stop. This arm was on top of the structure and was seated in a small gap at the lifting
axle. When the crown was pulled out, the arm moved and the other end stuck a small
toothed wheel that stopped the seconds hand. (This is even for models with a shield with a
pendant backside.) At first glance, this solution looks like a solution to the first-generation KS
structure and doesn't even work, it's easily broken. By the end of 1966, Daini engineers had
finally mastered the second-stop solution, and at the end of 1966, the 44A was added to the
bridge. These 44A structures can be recognized by
4402A : 25 stone date with date. Diameter: 25.6 mm and thickness: 4.4 mm.
4420A : A 27-stone undated chronometer-rated construction with an early 44A second stop.
Diameter: 25.6 mm and thickness: 4 mm.
4419A : Prototype 25-stone structure (pictured right) built by Seiko engineers to develop an
instant date change. It comes in a 4402-8000 type.

A little trick appeared on the 44KS's structures, which was only used here (and later on the
4S79): Seiko engineers glued a small weight to the rocker hair spring to eliminate a kind of
positional error. Although Seiko had included this method in its factory leaflet, most street watchers knew nothing about it and when
they put the watch on it, they thought it was some dirt so they tried to remove it, which, of course, failed. This was probably one of the
reasons why it was later not used on other structures.
To the left is the first 44A with an unmarked and special second stop, and to the right is the improved 44A. Not only did the wheel have
a mirror polishing in the center in a round strip, but the tooth profiles and the screw head were also visibly polished.

To the left is the date 4402A, to the right is King Seiko's first chronometer 4420A
The 44KS also featured the back cover. pendant glued to the center of the back. There is no exact information about the material of
the pendant, but more than likely it is not solid gold. Unfortunately, this pendant came in direct contact with people's arms, and so many
damaged or worn specimens are nowadays. And some of the models sold on eBay have apparently been picked out (maybe it was really
gold and some people thought it was worth more than the watch?). There are relatively many versions of the 44KS, the purest is
probably the first one to consider the pendant types and then the type marks. The pendants are thus:

Early models (circa December 1966) depict the King Seiko shield emblem previously known as King SEIKO
Between December 1966 and March 1968 a simple SEIKO inscription was placed on the emblem (duplicate copies made for the first
version for 1-2 months)
From April 1968, the Daini lightning logo was added to the SEIKO label, and another version of it was known when the later KS font
was visible between SEIKO and the logo. In September 1968 the production of the second generation KS was completed.
the chronometer version featured the SEIKO lion emblem, which, as I wrote above, denoted chronometer-grade watches at the time.

To the left is the back of a February 1965 4420-9990 chronometer with a pendant. The 49999 chronometer got exactly the same back
cover, but the model number was different. To the right is a 4402-8000 from October 1965. By the end of 1966, all 44KS received such
"engraved" engraving on the back. Unfortunately, one disadvantage of this technique is that it is very easily worn (it was probably
expensive to manufacture). As of January 1967, all new 44KS have been engraved without etching, as shown in the following two
pictures.
 More logo types
With the
development of the
4400 structures and
the complication of
the date, the dials
were developed in
parallel. Originally
envisioned by Daini
Seikosha in the
footsteps of first-
generation KS, the
experimental King
Seiko "Self Dater"
dials for the 44KS were made here. It was designed in two types: a silver plated 30
cm diameter with MADE IN JAPAN 44 999 R0 dial code and a slotted 12 index (this
could be designed for 4402-8000) and a gold plated 32 cm diameter MADE IN JAPAN
44 200 RI dial code 44-2000, which was never a dated version). (Images posted by
)

Eventually, Seiko unified the SEIKO logo on the dials on each of its watches, so it
changed into the final type instead of the above dials. After the pendants, let's see
what types of 44KS are made:

442000 (October 1963 - 1964): The earliest versions of the 44KS came in late October 1963 with a snap and shield pendant back
cover (like the first KS series), in an AGF gold plated case, with oblong flaps trimmed like the first KS. The inside of the back also
included crane bird engraving. The case has a width of 36.5 mm (38.5 mm with a crown), a length of 43 mm and a thickness of 11.3
mm.
44-2000 (1965 - mid-1968): The restored version of the 442000 was first numbered, then from the end of 1966 with a 44A
structure. The case remained essentially unchanged, still made exclusively with AGF gilding, but without the crane logo. Interestingly,
this model received a shield with a pendant backside until the end of its life in mid-1968, even when the other 44KS models were
gone.
44999 (Early 1964 - Mid 1965): Early 44KS with no 44A design, screw back and 50 bar water resistance. Only in steel version. The
12-hour index has a characteristic knurled surface.
44-9990 (Mid-1965 - September 1968): In mid-1965 the numbering of 44999 changed, but the type remained essentially the same.
They were made only in steel-clad version (with type-numbered 44A from December 1966), the case did not change compared to the
44999: 11 mm thick, 36.5 mm wide, with 19 mm case lugs and 43.5 mm length.
4402-8000 (August 1965 - August 1968): King Seiko's first date type. It received the 4402A structure, the model number was added
to the structure in March 1966. Made in 35mm steel and gold plated (SGP) cases.
Made of 44KS from the end of 1963 to the end of 1966, the chronometer is available in two versions, with only the 4420A, with a
water resistance of 50 bar (both versions have a typical "arrow-point" second hand). The 4420A has worked so well that after 1966,
with its modified second-stop version, the 4420B, Daini began to produce Grand Seiko, and the 44KS Chronometer was then
discontinued for Grand Seiko.
49999 (December 1963 - January 1965): The first version contained a chronometer with a calligraphic character under the top
SEIKO logo. Only the AD version exists (this is also indicated by the presence of the AD logo at 6 hours). Only available in steel
case.
4420-9990 (January 1965 - November 1966): The second version contained a chronometer with a simple print under the
SEIKO logo. Available in steel and gold plated (GC) cases, the latter is extremely rare.

All 44KS dials have a flat surface, classic-looking silver-white color and radial sanding. Thanks to standardization, the embossed SEIKO
logo became commonplace, and the King SEIKO logo was printed under the index axis.
It is also worth noting that many King Seiko versions that have been released in about 15 years (such as the color of the dials) can
only be approached by browsing through contemporary Seiko catalogs and Japanese manuals, unfortunately for me very few are
available. However, in many cases, even old Seiko researchers do not have old factory documentation, as these have usually been
scrapped over decades. In addition to fan sites, Japanese blogs, and Anglo-Saxon forums, I relied heavily on copy data appearing on
auction sites (particularly Yahoo! Japan) and watchmakers (especially Watch CTI). For writing this article, among other sources, I
browsed through hundreds of ads and about 3,500 photos of the old King Seiko, which (after filtering out the apparently crafted and
remodeled, repainted types) I was able to determine relatively well the production periods, the types released. King Seiko fans are
probably not such a big market that it is worth making fakes to deceive, but there are a good number of converted, crafted types, which
I will write about at the end of this article. Today, decades later, many watches (not just Seiko, but any) have been repainted and the
owner does not always choose the original color for repainting. For most fanatic watchmakers, even repainting the dial is a sacrilege, a
new color, so often, for a type of this type that never existed before, it is an unforgivable sin. However, I can say with certainty that
44KS, as I wrote, have never appeared on a white dial.

So in 1963/64 the new King Seiko series arrived, but in 1964 at Seiko it was not about KS but about the
Tokyo Olympics. The Olympic Games in Tokyo have seen significant improvements. Finished on Tokaido
Sinkanzenline, modernization of Tokyo's transport infrastructure. And the official timekeeper for the
Olympics was Seiko, despite the company having no previous experience in timing sports. Preparation began
as early as 1961 and each of the three Seiko divisions were given a separate task: developing large timing
and display equipment was the responsibility of the Seikosha Clock Factory, and they distributed part of the
task to the subcontractors. The Suwa division has manufactured timepieces for cycling, pentathlon and
equestrian events, and is also responsible for making crystal chronometers. Daini has developed
stopwatches, electronic timers for swimming, and displays for rowing, canoeing, swimming and athletic
events. Given the importance of the Olympics, it was natural for Seiko to issue special watches for the event,
which would make the company's participation in the Games even clearer. In 1964, Seiko's first GMT watch,
the World Timer 6217-7000, and its first chronograph, the one-button Seiko Crown 45899, were released.

In the case of old used watches, the original strap is also indefinable, but in any case, sources suggest that the 44KS was exclusively
sold with a leather strap with a SEIKO label ("1963" in the first series). In addition, each 44KS received a "W / SEIKO" or "S / W" crown,
where W was the waterproof. Except for the two snap-back models, all 44KS screws have a back cover and are waterproof or waterproof
up to 50 meters. It is also difficult to find reliable information on the size of the cases, but it is certain that the second series of King
Seiko's are slightly larger than the first series. So let's see what they looked like!

Of the 49999 series King Seiko's of all time, it is the most valuable to the collector today, and the 4420A is the best hand-held low-
tension device ever made by Seiko (with the advanced 4420B in the GS). Notice the small arrow-point training of the seconds hand!
Seiko has not produced one since then. You can see that the Plexiglas is almost vertical sidewall and rises very high out of the case. The
dial code of 49999 is "MADE IN JAPAN 49 999 RO", which is always above the painted indexes . The dial also has a DIASHOCK 27
JEWELS inscription and an AD logo, with 27 slightly larger characters than the others.
 Like the other chronometer, the 4420-9990 is valuable to the collector (a December 1965 copy). The crown on the 44KS Chronometer
Series retained the larger crown of the first KS crown and was 5.4 mm wide and relatively large. We can observe the great and the
broad rama. Very few copies of the two 44KS Chronometer were made, at that time almost double the normal 44-9990 price. This
second series no longer received the AD logo, and DIASHOCK 27 JEWELS was made in the same size characters. The dial code is JAPAN
4420-9990R AD and, with the exception of some very late November 1966 copies, was above the printed indexes.

A 4420-9990 contemporary certificate

With a December 1965 4420-9990 box, paper, accessories

The evolution of the lion

The lion pendant has also undergone changes in the production of the various Seiko chronometers, of which
there are two on the back of the 44KS chronometer.
 Old Lion (1963-04-1966.02) The New Lion (1966-02-1966.12)

The 49999 models are marketed exclusively with the old model (left). The 4420-9990 also changed most of
its production, but towards the end of production, the logo was changed to the right-hand model. These little
things changed: the SEIKO inscription consisted of less bold letters, the stars on the left were closer to each
other, the tuft of the lion's tail was curved, but most strikingly, the downward-facing front leg is not bent
than the old one. The reason for the change is unknown, perhaps because the old mold has worn out and the
logo has been slightly redesigned during the new one? By the end of 1967, however, the use of the lion
pendant on chronometers had ceased.

A 442000 in May 1964 and a 44999 in June 1965 (slightly yellowish dial). For both types we find the dial number below the indexes,
although I saw many 442000 (and 44-2000) copies that simply did not appear (and probably not due to repainting). In any case, you
will find the number "JAPAN 44 2000R AD" (or 44-2000R for late copies). For the 44-2000, the dial changed in August 1967: DIASHOCK
25 JEWELS was replaced by 25 JEWELS and the Daini emblem was replaced. In the otherwise relatively rare 44999, we can observe the
knife index 12 (or that the painted index has moved beyond the metal indexes), and its dial remains unchanged in a relatively short
production time.

The bottom of a 44-9990 dial from November 1965 was up close (the 44-9990 itself looked the same as the 44999). The dial number
was below the indices: JAPAN 44 999OR AD. This design changed around April 1967, with a December 1967 44-9990 in the middle and
extreme views. The dial number moved above the printed indexes, which was split by index 6, thus: JAPAN 44 | -999OR AD. This is
when the Daini symbol was added to the model and the DIASHOCK label was removed. The knurled index of 12 remained throughout the
production of the model.
 The 4402-8000 sturgeon is more curved, the knurled 12 indexes have disappeared. So the character of the watch was slightly refined.
On the left is a beautiful SGP gilded June 1966, on the right is a steel February 1966 copy.

4402-8000 in its original box and papers

In spite of its frequency, it is very difficult to find unpolished and non-
worn copies of the 4402-8000, but the above two pictures show how
they look in good condition. The oblique part of the rama is much wider
than these types and contains only a very small flat part beside the
glass. According to some sources, the gold plating of SGP 4402-8000 is
much less prone to peeling than the gold plating of SGP cases of later
King Seiko's because they were applied to the steel in a similar manner
to GF. Today, the 4402-8000 is the most commonly found 44KS in the
second-hand market besides the 44-9990, which is not surprising
considering that (at a much lower price than chronometers) these 44KS
were manufactured for the longest time, approximately 3 years. The
barcode was below the indices throughout the life of the series: "JAPAN
4402-8000R AD", By mid-1967, however, DIASHOCK had disappeared
from the dial and the Daini logo had appeared. The structure began to
display the model code 4402A in March 1966.

The lion in the lion's cave

Domestic competition between Seiko and other Japanese manufacturers was settled by 1960 and Seiko became the dominant player in
the domestic market. However, the Suwa factory wanted the perfect watch to be able to compete successfully with Swiss watches, which
are almost world-famous. The European Chronometer Association has also warned Seiko not to use the term "Chronometer" in class
because they are not "officially" tested by an independent body. So Seiko had several reasons to take part in the Swiss chronometer
competition in 1963. (The Independent Japan Chronometer Certification Association only started in 1968, though closed due to the
"quartz crisis" in 1983.)
Since 1945 (according to other sources, 1941), the Observatory Astronomique et Chronometrique de Neuchatel has held a chronometer
competition every year at the Neuchatel Observatory in Switzerland. Until 1967, the exact length of one second was computed
astronomically from the movement of the Earth around the Sun. Accurate timing was important mainly for navigational purposes and the
precision optics of renowned observatories were very suitable for calculating the exact second. Accuracy studies have been conducted by
several observatories around the world. In Switzerland, on the other hand, the observatory also organized the watchmaking competition
mentioned above. During the competition, they went through the strictest precision tests of mechanical watchmaking at the time. The
test period was several days, usually 45 days. Each of these clock movements was run in 5 positions and at two different temperatures
ten times in a 4-5 day series. During the tests, the accuracy of the watches was examined, with an average daily variation of +/- 0.75
seconds (otherwise the competitors scored their own score). The margin of error for the competition was much stricter than other
mechanical clock movements of that time (e.g.COSC ). The hours passed during the tests were certified by the observatory's official
chronometer, and they exceeded the standards and received awards. The watches were usually special, extremely tuned, not usable in
everyday life and worked in a special casing, but soon a watch category appeared, with every manufacturer trying to include a
commercial type (or at least something similar) as the competition was well placed marketing was not the last.
Although the chronometer competition was officially "international", other than Swiss manufacturers rarely entered a watch. As the
rules did not prohibit this, Seiko decided that the Swiss chronometer competition was the perfect time to prove the accuracy of their
timepieces and to get the world to know the Seiko name. In 1963, the Suwa plant, as the first Japanese watchmaker, named the Crystal
Chronometer a desktop quartz watch in the nautical chronometer category. The watch finished in 10th place, which is a remarkable
achievement, as it has never made it to the top 10 outside Switzerland. The following year, Seiko again entered the race, this time in the
wristwatch category, with disappointing results. Suwa finished in 144th place, Daini finished 153rd. This ranking was not even sufficient
to obtain a certificate. It was only a consolation that 14 Seiko desk quartz watches had reached the chronometer level. However, the
poor results did not dissuade the Japanese, but worked harder to solve the problems. For example, here is the first entry in the Daini
plant development log."During the chronometer tests, we have experienced an unexpected phenomenon: the hair spring has become
magnetic and this may have caused unsatisfactory competition results. We do not yet know how to eliminate the phenomenon."
In the following years, Daini solved the antimagnetic encapsulation of the watches, but to further reduce the risks, the watches were
sent to the Swiss race on a special southern route to avoid the strong magnetic fields of the earth. It has also been decided that any
component is made of permalloy, a special non-magnetizable iron-nickel alloy to prevent the effects of strong electromagnetic fields
passing through the aircraft. The boxes in which the watches were shipped to Switzerland were made of such material. In another test,
the watch faces were filled with nitrogen to prevent the watch structures from rusting in the absence of oxygen. This method was then
used for some VFAs (Very Fine Adjusted) later than Grand Seiko.
The efforts are coming to fruition, let's look at the following years:
1965

Daini was ranked 124th (6th in the competition for companies)

Suwa top position: 114.

1966

Daini was ranked 9th (3rd in company competition)

Suwa is ranked 104th (6th in the race for companies)

1967: (This year, athletes entered a total of 1274 watches, 906 of which were awarded chronometer certification and 201 were
awarded)

Daini: 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 13th (2nd place in company competition - Omega first)
Suwa: 12th, 20th, 25th (3rd place in company competition)

In 1968, Daini entered the race with the new 45 structure (to be discussed later) and achieved a much better result than the Swiss
winner the previous year. However, immediately after being tested, the prestigious competition was announced to be abolished. Whether
this had anything to do with the steep upward precision of the Seiko watches is for everyone to decide ... But in the heat of the Seiko, he
entered the similarly running Geneva Observatory Competition, where he took everything from 4th to 10th place, only Three Swiss-
made quartz watches could overtake them. With this, Seiko achieved the best in mechanical watches.
By the way, among the watchmakers competing over the years at the Neuchatel Observatory, there were only two companies that
actually sold the watches they had entered: Girard Perregaux and Seiko. The structures entered in 1968 were certified by the
observatory regardless of the loss of competition. Of these, during 1969, Seiko simply released 73 pieces without any Grand or King
titles as "Astronomical Observatory Chronometer Officially Certified" watches (4520-8020). These watches come in a "pillow" case
similar to the 45GS. Their curiosity is that everything else apart from the structure, that is the case, the back, the indexes, the indexes,
the crown but even the dial is made of gold with a distinctive canvas-like pattern. These watches are among the most valuable pieces of
Seiko's history today. Unfortunately, the structures often appear at the auctions without a case, because the case has been melted down
for decades by barbaric owners for gold.

With the increase in the precision of watches called chronometer races, the advancements made to them have gradually been
incorporated into series watches. As manufacturing technology has advanced, Seiko has increasingly been able to guarantee accuracy,
so it has tightened its precision requirements. Built on the chronometer standard until 1966, the company introduced the stricter GS
certification in 1966, which was roughly equivalent to the COSC certification. However, they did not stop there, with some watches being
rated "SPECIAL", which was even more careful and precise in the series, with VFA (Very Fine Adjusted) being the peak of accuracy. VFA
watches are hand-crafted by only the best watchmakers, picking the best parts possible, and the average monthly variation of VFA hours
by a maximum of 60 seconds is guaranteed by Seiko for two years. VFA Grand Seiko watches first appeared in 1970 and are not closely
related to the subject of this article, but it should be noted that no other manufacturer in the watch industry at the time produced such a
guaranteed accurate mechanical watch. The table below summarizes contemporary qualifications. As the GS rating was changed several
times by Seiko in the 60's, I also listed the year it came into effect (and lasted until the next change). that at that time, no other
manufacturer in the watch industry was producing such a guaranteed accurate mechanical watch. The table below summarizes
contemporary qualifications. As the GS rating was changed several times by Seiko in the 60's, I also listed the year it came into effect
(and lasted until the next change). that at that time, no other manufacturer in the watch industry was producing such a guaranteed
accurate mechanical watch. The table below summarizes contemporary qualifications. As the GS rating was changed several times by
Seiko in the 60's, I also listed the year it came into effect (and lasted until the next change).

1 2 3 4
Astronomical Seiko GS GS GS GS SPECIAL SPECIAL VFA
Chronometer Observatory "AA" "AA" "AAA"
"A" "AA" "AA" "AAA" "AAAA"
Chronometer (1960) (1966) (1968)
(1968) (1961) (1969) (1970)

-3 / -1 / -3 / -3 / -2 /
Average daily gait deviation (sec / day) -3 / +8 -8 / +8 -6 / +9 -2 / +4 -3 / +3
+12 +10 +6 +5 +2

Average change in deviations (sec / day) 2.2 1.22 3.2 2.2 2.2 2.0 1.8 -

Largest deviation change (sec / day) 6.0 2.64 9.0 6.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 -
Biggest deviation between average and
8.0 3.0 ± 18.0 ± 12 ± 10.0 8.0 ± 7.0 -
other values (sec / day)

Difference between gait differences in

± 12 ±8 ±8 ±6 -
vertical and horizontal position (sec / day)

Maintaining discrepancies ±5 ±9 ±5 ±5 ±4 -

Daily difference in 1C ° (sec / day / c °) 0.6 0.2 ±1 ± 0.6 ± 0.6 0.5 0.3 -

Measuring positions 5 5 5 5 5 5 6

Duration of measurement (days) 45 15 15 15 15 15 15 17

1
: Average King Seiko specimens have used this certification since 1968.
2
: The Swiss chronometer rating changed to -1 / + 10 seconds in 1961, so Seiko also modified its GS rating, which has the same
range. Some sources write Seiko values at -3 / + 8 seconds.
3
: Of the new certifications introduced in December 1968, "AA" was modified in 1969 because, from April 1969, the new Japan
Chronometer Certification Association issued chronometer certificates and Seiko wanted to distinguish "just" chronometer watches from
those of the GS rating. .
 4
: The range -2 / + 4 and -3 / + 3 cover the same range, the 1970 change was said to be necessary only because the latter is easier
to remember for marketing purposes.

Lengésszámháború
In order to increase accuracy and to minimize the time to be measured, watch manufacturers have already introduced the 20th
century. At the beginning of the 20th century, they began to produce structures with a higher rate of vibration, at that time mainly for
hand-held stopwatches. In the field of watches, the relatively low oscillations of 18000 and 19800 (frequencies of 2.5 Hz and 2.75 Hz)
were still common in the 50's and 60's. By the end of the 1950s, however, most Swiss manufacturers had developed their own 4 Hz
(28800 oscillation) structure. They first appeared in chronometer races during special hours, but by the 1960s, technology had leaked
into the customer segment and most new mechanics had already become so. Already in the early 1960s, chronometer races had
extremely high-vibration structures because, when executed with sufficient precision, they were able to dramatically increase accuracy.
During this period, when the Swiss were also on the path to higher oscillation frequencies, Seiko made a major breakthrough. They have
made it possible to increase the frequency by up to six times, but they have used 15-20 times the frequency for race hours. The test
hours also achieved a frequency of 50 Hz per second (360,000 oscillations). But they were even custom-made desktop chronometers,
and even the 36,000-oscillation (5 Hz) watches did not exist. Of course, the development did not stop, and in the 60s, Seiko, Zenith,
Buren and others believed they could develop a reliable, commercially available 5Hz structure. At Seikon, this was also motivated by the
experience of chronometer competitions.
In 1966 (according to other sources, in 1965), the world's first 36,000 oscillatory structure was released: the Girard-Perregaux
Gyromatic HF. Seiko did not want to bring the high-vibration and untested series into the high-end KS and GS series, the Lord Marvel
series was selected for this purpose. After all, Lord Marvel remained an existing product line after the launch of GS. So, in 1967, with the
23-stone 5740C, the Lord Marvel 5740-8000 released Seiko's first (and world's second) 36000 watch. (Lord Marvel 5740-8000 was
styled with 36000 copies.)
Seiko has tried Lord Marvel with a lot of vibration in the market, but there are also some very
interesting experimental KS and GS, which were probably made during the development of
higher vibration, but never released, only nowadays, they could leak out of the factories'
experimental plants. One of the first of these was the King Seiko prototype with serial number
28800, manufactured from an 18000-oscillating 4402A structure. But the 4420 precision
chronometer was even more suitable for experimentation, producing an experimental 57600-
King King Seiko prototype, and Watch CTI made a short video a few years agoas well, proving
its existence. But with the 4420B in the Grand Seiko, it even went beyond that, with a special
GS made for the 72000 with 4420B! (On the right, a photo of this.) The data released by the
Watch CTI, based on the serial number of watches, was made between December 1964 and
February 1965.
These watches are even more valuable than the very rare and expensive old Grand Seiko VFA
watches, as they were made in 1-2 pieces in the 60's. They have been discussed several times
in English language forums and the truthfulness of the information published, but it can be
stated with certainty that these were in fact factory trial copies. Based on the images found, the
technical modifications needed for the high swing speed are in the structures, and the video is
also convincing evidence. In addition, this information comes from fairly reliable Japanese sources. Although Seiko has not officially
recognized the existence of the high-vibration 4420, this is not surprising, since these test copies should not have left the factory, and if
something goes wrong today, it is almost impossible to get a repair or replacement part.
In any case, Lord Marvel proved in series production that high-vibration structures can be reliably produced in series, and in 1968, the
Grand Seiko and King Seiko families received their own developed 5Hz high-end structures in the 6100 and 4500 series.

45KS - The King of Hand Drawn Mechanics

As I wrote, in 1966 Daini completed the production of the 44KS Chronometer and began manufacturing Grand Seiko with the 4420B,
an upgrade from the 4420A (the development here included a second stop). Unfortunately, I couldn't find an explanation for why this
step was needed. One source claims this was due to the Neuchatel races, but this explanation is not convincing as the two
subcontractors were separately included in the races anyway. Anyway, the other 44KS were still in production until 1968, as we have
seen.
Otherwise, it was Daini's engineers who were specifically responsible for designing the best possible structures for the Swiss races. This
would also explain why fewer new devices came out at that time than Suwa (not only on the KS-GS line, but in general) and why many
Grand Seiko VFAs were later made at Daini.
In 1968, however, we are still in the midst of chronometer racing, and even if the 16 Hz device was not, Lord Marvel proved that the 5
Hz device can be fitted with a serial watch. The time has come to replace the 44KS and introduce a high rate of vibration into Seiko's
high-end watches!
In 1968, one of the best hand pullers ever made by Seiko: the 4500 family. The 4500 debuted in September 1968 in Grand Seiko and
King Seiko's new 45KS (so no mistake: Daini produced both Grand Seiko and King Seiko at the same time). Subsequently, the 45KS and
45GS were manufactured in parallel at the Daini factory for 6 years, thus Suwa virtually recognized Daini's virtues in rivalry (during
which time they produced the 61GS and 19GS series).
The 4500 Series has been completely redesigned (that is, not modified by any other Seiko structure) with 25 stones, a uniform 36000
oscillation and has already used the experience gained in chronometer racing. It was at this time that Seiko began to use the designation
"Hi-Beat" in its watches, which was used for the 28800 and 36000 oscillations of the era. at). The 4500 Series is also special because it
was the last one made before full automation: it was hand-assembled.
Of the 4500, the following types exist:

4500A : King Seiko

KS without date (September 1968)
KS Chronometer without date
4502A : King Seiko
Dated KS (September 1968)
KS Chronometer Date
KS Superior Chronometer with Date (April 1969)
4520A (September 1968): Grand Seiko certification, undated; as well as the "Astronomical Observatory Chronometer Officially
Certified" class shown above
4522A (September 1968): Grand Seiko Certified, dated
4580A : Grand Seiko VFA certification, undated

450X structures have a diameter of 27 mm and a thickness of 3.5 mm. Date versions have an immediate date change. The GSs were
self-tested by Seiko, but most of the KSs were sent to the Japanese chronometer certification institute for testing. The sources available
are quite confusing, and I have come to the following conclusion based on descriptions and contemporary certificates (which may not be
true, but from the watches, certificates and descriptions I see, it seems logical):

all single KS structures conform to Seiko "A" quality (see table above), tested within the Seiko enclosure
some structures received official chronometer certification, this is indicated by a 6-digit serial number above the JAPAN inscription on
the center bridge of the structure, but not indicated otherwise by the watch
some structures received a chronometer certificate, a middle bridge with a 6-digit serial number and even a "Superior Chronometer
Officially Certified" (from mid-1970 "Chronometer Officially Certified") on the dial. These watches are believed to have come with the
official certification and were accurate to the 1961 GS "AA" standard.

It can be seen that the chronometer KSs and the best copies of the 4500A and 4502A included in them met the older GS standards, so
they were placed under the accuracy of the more modern GS of the time.
The rocker is visibly smaller in diameter compared to earlier, lower oscillating structures. For copies manufactured before April 1969, the
6-digit official chronometer ID is not yet written on the center bridge, as the Japanese chronometer certification institute was only
officially in operation.
The high swing rate of the 45KS resulted in a relatively modest 40-hour walk reserve, though no official factory data is available on this
issue. In fact, this required a particularly strong main spring: the 4500s received a very strong and rigid main spring, which can be felt
when pulled up. Although the structure prevents over-pulling, some forums can read about a broken main spring (which often breaks the
spring housing). However, the fracture was probably caused by a problem other than pulling, which probably occurred in the late 1960s,
because Seiko produced quite a few additional main springs. You can still find original copies of these on auction sites. In any case, 45KS
in good condition can still be fine tuned today, 50 years later, but due to the heavy stress of high vibration, they can only perform well if
they have been regularly serviced by previous owners. Unfortunately, this was not at all common and the wear and tear caused by the
lack of maintenance and regular lubrication will not be apparent from the pictures posted on the auction pages, so buying such a watch
from this point of view is now a sackcloth.

Grammar of design
Before we turn to the list of specific 45KS specimens, it is time to get to know the concept, which at the time was revolutionizing the
way Seiko watches were shaped and fundamentally influenced that 45KS looks so different from any previous King Seiko.
After the Second World War, when Seiko resumed watchmaking, only the designers working on new watch designs developed the
design. At that time, almost all Seiko watches had a round case, with differences in appearance as small as the strap shape. Even in the
early 1950s, staff involved in the production of printed matter for dials were called "designers." Later, for Seiko, the meaning and
importance of design changed radically. The process began in 1956, when the Suwa factory first established a design department, which
was initially responsible only for the design of the dial. Two years later, Daini decided to employ freshly graduated young designers at
the university. In 1959 Taro Tanaka was the first fresh graduate,
Tanaka joined Seiko at a time when no one in the company used the Japanese equivalent of the English word "design", so he often
struggled to explain his role within the company. When Tanaka joined the company, it was definitely felt that although the Seiko
products had a great structure, they were lagging behind in the style of the case and dial. That is why he first started to gain experience
in the design centers, the case and dial manufacturing departments involved in the design. He learned first-hand the raw materials and
manufacturing processes used at that time. In the meantime, he had the opportunity to think carefully about what lesson planning is all
about. Here's how to remember this period:"One day, in 1962, I visited the Wako showroom one day, so many times, and as I looked at
one of the showcases, I saw so many splendidly shiny watches. The glittering watches were Swiss, the more gleaming watches were
Seiko products. " (Wako Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of K. Hattori & Co., Ltd in 1947.)
The contrast was daunting for Tanaka. After a thorough examination, it was found that while the Swiss timepiece cases are flat and
conical in shape, having a perfectly smooth and undistorted surface, the Seiko watch face and sockets exhibit the distortion attributed to
the manufacturing technology. Most of the Seiko watches were made of copper at the time, polished with buffalo leather, and then
chrome or gold plated. Tanaka was convinced that Seiko must produce high-quality products that compete with or outperform their
Swiss counterparts. He developed a "design formula" that eventually became known as "Seiko Design Grammar" within the company. It
consisted of 4 basic principles:

all surfaces and angles of the case, dial, index and indexes must be perfectly flat and geometrically perfect so that light reflection is
also flawless
the frame, sockets, should be a simple two-dimensional curved surface. Three-dimensional arcs cannot be used.
no distortion is acceptable from any angle and all cases and dials must be reflective polished
each case must be unique, no more general circular case

This laid the foundation for Seiko's new style. First, the Grand Seiko 4420-9000, manufactured in 1967 by the Daini factory, was
manufactured according to the new guidelines. Later, the "grammar of design" was passed on to the Suwa factory and finally a new
generation of Grand Seiko's and King Seiko's (starting with 45KS) was built according to the principles of the new style. Tanaka's design
and manufacturing guide set a new standard for Seiko's high-quality, high-precision timepieces, but the technology was fully applied
only to high-quality watches because it was labor-intensive and consequently not viable for low-end products. On the other hand, in the
upper category, the KS and GS Series of the 60s, 70s have been shaped by the Seiko style to this day, with their distinctive and
immediately recognizable form. "Grammar of Design" its rules have been in use for 20 years, but the concept eventually ousted the
growing demand for more diverse styles, forcing designers to look beyond the strict rules of Tanaka's work to new horizons. Although
very few have heard of "design grammar" in today's Seiko, its significance can be compared to milestones such as Seiko's success in
Swiss chronometer competitions or even the presentation of the world's first quartz watch.
Tanaka's design grammar has resulted in fantastic lessons, but it has a feature that makes today's collectors' work quite difficult: its
design features sharp, straight surfaces with strong contrasts. Decades of wristwatches collect many scratches over time, with even
greater care. Therefore, it is a common method nowadays to polish old watch cases to make them new. Well, the character of Tanaka's
"watches" can be completely destroyed afterwards by polishing the fine edges, so that the look of the watches will no longer be as
imagined in the '60s. Even scratching is better than careless polishing. In good condition, however, unpolished specimens are rare.

King Seiko 45-7000

The first incarnations of Tanaka's design grammar were the 1967 models of the 44GS, but the 45KS and 45GS families were designed
from the outset. King Seiko 45-7000 is one of the most characteristic and perhaps the clearest examples of design grammar. The style
of the watch is immediately striking and significantly different from any previous Seiko watch. (Below is a 45-7001, but there is no
significant difference between the two.)
 Let's take a closer look at the features that set the Seiko style. When viewed from above, the blanket rama is minimal, almost a flat
polished circle. However, when viewed from the side, it is immediately apparent how integral the form is. The center of the watch is
actually a cylinder that runs from the top rama to the back of the case. The whole effect is as if the outer part of the case and the
shaped lugs formed from it were fitted to a cylinder.

The cylinder widens slightly upwards to hold a sharply-cut glass on its sides, the ram does not round, but breaks at an angle around
the glass. No rounding anywhere, all sharply cut but at the same time finely crafted and featured with mirror polishing. The bold outer
curve of the case encloses the cylinder enclosed as an amulet. This "frame" runs smoothly from ear to ear in a single flat curve. (The
picture below shows the date 4502-7001.)

The ears terminate in distinctly cut sheets, with only the lateral portion rounded, distinctly defined and characteristic in appearance.
Inside the case, a narrow band continues to reflect the rama, which extends slightly above the lower edge of the rama, emphasizing that
it is tightly framed on both sides. Seen from the side, the frame leans down characteristically and firmly, not following the wrist line
slavishly and smoothly, but retaining its own individuality. The lateral edges are also pronounced and sharp, with the crown slightly
embedded in the case.
 All surfaces in the watch are minimalistic but sharply demarcated. Everything is polished to interact with the light as much as possible.
The dial has a completely flat design with shiny, radial sanding. The character set is tasteful and minimalist, and the mounted KS and
SEIKO labels attract attention. Everything on the dial is based on the principles of design grammar. Thin mounted indexes look like a
simple rectangle at first glance, but it turns out that it has sideways trimmed and mirror polished surfaces that shimmer like jewels from
a certain angle. The indicators are arrow shaped, with a thin black stripe in the middle and also mirror polished. Apparently, the whole
concept focuses on interaction with light and reflections.
Although you can see the metal strap version nowadays, I think this style is specifically suited to the leather strap, but from the more
restrained crocodile leather to the more unique pieces, anything can be done to further enhance your style. In this case, the metal strap
is more likely to be lost from the shape of the watch.
The ubiquitous mirror polishing does not distort, but accurately reflects objects in the environment. Unfortunately, a lot of these 45KS
are destroyed by subsequent polishing. This is what the market is excited about, as auctions can usually sell a shiny copy more than a
scratched one. Unfortunately, with post-polishing, even the remnants of the original mirror polishing disappear, and the edges are
rounded off, reducing the original character of the watches. Sure, it's a matter of taste, and many specimens without polishing are really
irresistibly worn and scratched but I think it's better to have a little scratched original original edges than a shiny but characterless
specimen.

45KS types
Thus, there are basically two types of structures that can be included in the 45KS: the 4500A (undated) and the 4502A (dated).
Undated copies are numbered 45-XXXX, and dated copies are numbered 4502-XXXX. There are essentially four to four different models
with each structure, all of the existing 45KS variations are summarized in the table below. (The speculation I have speculated above
about certificates does not include the statements of Japanese watch pages.) For dates, it is worth distinguishing between manufacturing
and distribution. It is possible that, even in the year following its manufacture, Seiko may have marketed watches not sold the previous
year (or promotional materials made one year in advance, while it ceased production). An example is probably the 4502-8010, which is
known for advertising from 1972, but on the used market I never saw a copy made after 1971 (that doesn't mean it didn't exist, of
course). In this article, I usually give production dates because they can be clearly determined from the watches.

Model No. Case material face Thickness Diameter (without crown) Length certification Production

45-7000, 4502-7000 SS silver 9 mm 36.5 mm 41.5 mm 1968-1969

45-7000, 4502-7000 SGP white 9 mm 36.5 mm 41.5 mm 1968-1969

45-7001, 4502-7001 SS white 9 mm 36.5 mm 41.5 mm 1969-1973

45-7001, 4502-7001 SGP white 9 mm 36.5 mm 41.5 mm 1969-1973

45-7010, 4502-7010 SS canvas 9.7 mm 36.5mm (39.5mm crown) 42 mm SEIKO A 1970-1971

45-8000, 4502-8000 SS canvas 9 mm 39mm (40.1mm crown) 42 mm 1968-1969

45-8000, 4502-8000 SS gray 9 mm 39mm (40.1mm crown) 42 mm 1968-1969

45-8000, 4502-8000 CAP GOLD white 9 mm 39mm (40.1mm crown) 42 mm SEIKO A 1968-1969

45-8010, 4502-8010 SS white 10.5 mm 37 mm 41 mm chronometer 1969-1971

The 45KS series has now received its own King Seiko buckle and crown, although some early c
44KS SEIKO
labeled
battle. There
are two
versions of
the KS
bucket. The
curved
buckle is by
far the most
common
type of leather strap fitted with this buckle and is still available
in unopened factory form. I have only encountered a square
buckle on a single Japanese side for an original 45-8000, so it
is also original but quite rare. The earlier version of the KS
crown has a much smaller "neck" underneath the inscription than the later version introduced from about 1972, and the inscription is
also written in a smaller font.
By December 1969, Daini Seikosha had manufactured the 45000s with a 7000, and was replaced by the 7001, which was
manufactured by the end of 1973. There are slight differences between 7000 and 7001. The pictures below show the 7001 case on the
left and the 7000 case on the right.

For 7001, WATER PROOF has been replaced with WATER RESISTANT, although this is somewhat contradicted by the existence of 7001
cases with WATER PROOF.
 The 7001 was supposed to have a thinner crown, though hard to judge today, as the crown could easily be replaced in decades, and
Seiko used the crown from the stock that was already in the factory, so it can now be used with any type of crown . However, in the
case of the 7001, the thickness of the backside increased, while the thickness of the sidebar decreased slightly. The picture on the right
shows that the 7000 has a thinner backside. This change is likely to improve water resistance.
Below you can see the different 45KS types.

Gold-plated (SGP) versions of 45-7000, 45-7001, 4502-7000 and 4502-7001. Of course, these buckles are gilded. Printed indexes do not
continue for metal indexes. All dial codes 45-7000, 45-7001, 4502-7000 and 4502-7001 are located above the printed indexes as
follows: JAPAN 45 | -7000T AD

4502-7000 and a late WATER RESISTANT back cover. The "King Seiko" inscription disappeared from the dial from 45KS onwards,
replaced by the mounted KS acronym. The design of the pendants is also standardized, as shown in the picture above (only the
chronometer inscriptions differ, see below). The dial codes 4502-7000 and 7001 are also located above the printed indexes: JAPAN 4502
| -7000T AD

With its rounded shape, the 4502-7010 is less an embodiment of the Seiko design language, but with a canvas-like dial. Although the
image does not shine due to the light conditions, it also received the usual center black stripe indicators, the indexes are black and the
index 12 is mid-gloss. The 4502-7010 dial code is JAPAN 4502 | -7020T and 45-7010 is JAPAN 45 | -7020T
 45-8000 in original case and paper. The KS pouch contains a folded sheet with instructions for use in English and Japanese. All 45KS
models are presumably marketed exclusively in leather strap versions. Although there are specimens offered for sale with a metal strap
today, I haven't seen a metal strap version in any of the Seiko catalogs or advertisements of that time. (The sleeves can accommodate
18mm straps on all models.)

There are also gold-plated (CAP GOLD) versions of the 45-8000 and 4502-8000 types, with several types having a canvas effect on the
dial. The dial code for these types was always below the indexes.

It is also available in a gray dial with unique indexes and special indexes made of 45-8000 and 4502-8000 types. The pictures show very
well the original design of the 8000 case types: polished at the top (and below) and brushed on the side bar.

Top 45KS models include "Chronometer Officially Certified" and "Superior Chronometer Officially Certified". 45KS chronometers are also
made with 4500A and 4502A structures. These have already been tested by the Japan Chronometer Certification Association and have
 been officially certified for the watch, although it was not as detailed as what GS customers received. The two types of inscriptions
meant essentially the same thing, with Seiko leaving the word Superior in the 1970s, but the structure and rating did not change. The
dial code is always below the indices: JAPAN 45 -8020T or JAPAN 4502 -8020T. This model is not made with AD grade dial.

The 8010 chronometer pendant was no longer the lion's, but a simple "Superior Chronometer" or "Chronometer" to tell the owner what
it was. The distinctive boat-shaped oval case was not designed specifically for design grammar, but nevertheless it was extremely
attractive. Seiko also made King Seiko variants for special corporate promotion purposes (I saw a 4500-8010 for the Idemitsu oil
company) that had the back side completely blank beside the appropriate pendant and engraved with the customer's corporate
promotion text around the horseshoe.

Mounted indexes on the dial

I stumbled upon an unknown King Seiko on the Japanese auction page while
browsing long-time auctions. The dial refers to a hand-drawn Hi-Beat Daini make,
and then it cannot be more than 45KS, but I have never seen this copy anywhere
else. The case is solid gold, with only an indication on the back, but no horseshoe or
other engraving, not even a pendant. The dial code cannot be removed from the
images without the crown mark. One of the most mysterious KS I've seen, but it
didn't look like a fake, it's still believed to be made in the late '60s. It is a pity that
the seller did not take any pictures of the inside of the case. If it is truly original, it
may have served promotional purposes.
To sum it up, 45KS is one of the best ever hand-drawn structures in the golden age
of mechanical watches and Seiko. While the 4500s were not particularly exciting in
terms of features offered: the date and undated versions were undoubtedly free of
exotic features, the precision, precision competition, Seiko's efforts to compete in the
world of watch industry and the introduction of high-vibration added. Whether the
Suwa Seikosha and Daini Seikosha friendly competition or the appearance of design
grammar. I think you deserve to be swinging.

When the history of time changed

The production of 45KS was completed at the end of 1973, but its life cycle reached
a turning point: in the second half of the 1960s, not many people suspected that the
entire watch industry was burning in the heat of developing quartz structures. Quartz
watches appeared in desk watches already at chronometer races, but there was one
step further: miniaturization of wardrobe-sized watches decades ago to arm-size
watches. In this race, too, Seiko was at the forefront and the golden age of mechanical watches, though few at the time were suspected,
was coming to an end. The turning point came on December 25, 1969: Seiko then sold the world's first quartz watch: the Quartz-Astron.
That was the day, as Seiko's marketing aptly put it, when the story of the time changed. Although quartz watches initially cost more
than the peak Grand Seiko VFAs, quartz watches have become a part of everyday life and a penny for home use after the initial pediatric
illnesses were solved in the 1970s and 1980s, mainly due to dumping from Far Eastern companies. Accuracy ranged from a few seconds
of mechanical watches a day to a few seconds per month or a few seconds, and the very existence of expensive chronometer and VFA
mechanical watches was questioned. The age of mechanical watches is over. Accuracy ranged from a few seconds of mechanical watches
a day to a few seconds per month or a few seconds, and the very existence of expensive chronometer and VFA mechanical watches was
questioned. The age of mechanical watches is over. Accuracy ranged from a few seconds of mechanical watches a day to a few seconds
per month or a few seconds, and the very existence of expensive chronometer and VFA mechanical watches was questioned. The age of
mechanical watches is over.
The 1969 revolution also affected the Seiko's high-end GS and KS models. Although after the 45KS there were two model families, the
52KS and the 56KS (the latter also made Suwa Grand Seiko with its 5600), but the company's entire product range - like the world
watch industry - was radically transformed in the early 1970s . First in the top category; In the world of KS and GS, quartz watches were
slowly appearing in the lower categories. The demand for expensive mechanical watches first came to an end, and after 45KS, the
production of the 56KS in mid-1975 and the 52KS and 56GS stopped in 1976. And the high-end classics of Grand Seiko and King Seiko
have come to an end. But let's not go that far, but let's get to know the last two "classic" King Seiko lines.

56KS - Automatic King Seiko from Suwa Seikosha

We saw that Daini's high-end 4500s found their way to the Grand Seiko, in addition to the King Seiko. Suwa Seikosha has so far only
produced the Grand Seiko family, but one and a half years after the announcement of the Daini 45KS and one year after the
announcement of the Daini 45GS, in mid-1969, it launched its King Seiko series with the newly developed automatic 5620 series. This
became the 56KS.
The 56KS is not only unusual in the fact that Suwa Seikosha has started
making King Seiko, but also in making it the most versatile and
experimental family of King Seiko. Many models of the 56KS line were very
similar to some of the Grand Seiko. In particular, Suwa Seikosha initially
produced a wide variety of 56KS models, but the decline in demand for
quartz watches in the early 1970s eventually led to the production line being
closed around mid-1975. With the 5600s, the Suwa factory also sold a
product called King Seiko Vanac between June 1972 and the end of 1975,
which drew attention mainly to its extravagant, colorful "disco-style", but, as
a non-classic KS, is not covered.
 In the early 1970s, Seiko began to apply a very high level of automation in
production. Although some manual operations remain, most of the 56KS's
production has been automated. There were several mid-range models in
the 5600 family, which were numbered 560X or 561X and operated at 21600
oscillations. We can meet them in the contemporary Seiko Lord Matic
lessons. They are optimized for higher vibration, more precisely tuned
versions with 562X in the 56KS, and even more precise versions with 564X
in the 56GS. At that time, Seiko was more or less successful in standardizing
the system of structural numbers. Of the four-digit notation, the first two
numbers remain the type of structure,
The production of the former high-end 36000-oscillation structures
probably did not seem to be so automated. Perhaps this was one of the
reasons that the 5620 and 5640 families used a lower 28800, although most
KS and GS dials still had Hi-Beat on them. In any case, thanks to mass
production and automation, these structures have been very precise and
reliable, many can still be used today, after 45 years, and can even be
adjusted to the level of a GS in good condition. All 5620s were 25 stone
manual pulling machines and had 47 hours of walking time. In King Seiko
you will find:
A typical KS Vanac. In the picture you can notice
5621A / 5621B (1969-1974): Time display only
the special, multi-planed, so-called. beveled glass.
5625A / 5625B (October 1968-Oct 1975): Time and date display
KS date
KS with Date Chronometer (1970-)
KS Superior Chronometer with Date (April 1969)
5626A / 5626B (October 1968-Oct 1974): Time, date and day of week display. The structure has a diameter of 25.6 mm and a
thickness of 4.5 mm. The day of the week was alternately in Japanese and English on the dial, and depending on the current setting,
the language of the day was displayed. (Below is the top of a 5626B.)
KS with date and seven days
KS Chronometer with Date and Seven Days (April 1969)

Again, the chronometer-accurate structures included the serial number on the bridge. Before mid-1970, as in the case of the 45KS,
the chronometers received the title "Superior" alongside the "Officially Certified" title, which was later removed from the dials at the
56KS.
The 5600s did not contain Seiko's great invention, the "magic arm", but the rotor was able to pull the main spring in both directions.
When designing the structure, they chose the principle of placing the automatic lifting mechanism in the bridge above the landing
gear, thereby reducing the thickness of the structure.
In the late 1960s, the use of a one-piece case to improve waterproofing was widespread in Seiko's berries (Seiko first used a one-
piece case in 1962). It had no removable backside, except for the front panel glass. With these structures, the possibility of external
control, known as A variants, has been introduced. Later, however, Seiko returned to the use of screw backs, so no external
adjustment was needed, these structures became the B mark.

5625A and 5626A. The 5620s were also basically industrial products, though they got quality design and a nice brushed rotor.
 5625B
On the externally controlled watches, a small screw is seen
between the lower case tabs. You can access this location by
removing the strap. The small screw must be completely
unscrewed as it is not the regulator itself. The regulator is located
behind the screw, which can be reached with an even smaller
screwdriver. After adjustment, the small outer screw, which
otherwise fits into a rubber seal, must be screwed back for water
resistance. (Although this gasket is practically worthless at 40
years of age today.) To the right, you can see the adjusting screw
in the structure that drives a small wheel, with a pin inserted into
the fork hairpin wrench and set by its rotation. The pictures above
show that this fine-tuning arrangement in the Type B structure (5625B in the picture) has been
replaced with a more conventional solution.

Without pendant
During the production of the 56KS, the back of the watch also changed several times. After the name "Superior" for chronometers
ceased in 1970, the pendant changed accordingly. And in 1972, in the name of cost reduction, the pendant on every KS disappeared and
only engraving indicated that we were seeing King Seiko. The distinctive horseshoe-shaped marking system was replaced in 1973 by a
simple serial marking on the now-screwed back panels. By this time, the text "CHRONOMETER" was no longer written on the back of the
chronometers. And on some models, the back of the screw, which did not even have the KS inscription, appeared in 1973. The Suwa
Seikosha logo, on the other hand, has survived.

The figure shows the (back) development of the 56KS backs

56KS types
It was King Seiko's largest-selling, one-third of the 56 S King King Seiko's on the second-hand market today. Except for the Vanac
series, it comes with 55 different case code combinations, including gold and steel cases and a variety of dial colors, giving you a total of
91 different 56KS (not counting on the fly without the case code) also changed the back cover, for example). The table below lists them
all, but I will not go over each one in detail, just outlining general guidelines. Unfortunately, it is nowhere near possible to find accurate
and detailed data on each type, especially on dimensions that are completely contradictory. The contemporary Japanese Seiko catalogs
also do not contain size information. Therefore, these data should be considered as general guidelines only. In general, however, it is
certainly true that in the '60s and' 70s, today's 40-45mm or larger case sizes weren't fashionable. King Seiko cases are also 35-39mm in
diameter, but still look acceptable on average or thin wrists.

Case Clock face Diameter

Type 1 Thickness 2 Length Backing emblem Glass Belt certification Production
material

5621- silver water.

silver 11 mm 35 mm 39 mm snap - metal -
5000 striated

silver
5621-
silver pendant. 11 mm 35 mm 39 mm snap - metal -
5010
sample

5621- brown water. 39.5

silver 10 mm 35 mm snap - metal -
5020 striated mm

silver
5621- 39.5
silver pendant. 10 mm 35 mm snap - metal -
5030 mm
sample

5621-
SS white 10.1 mm 35 mm 37 mm screw medal 1970-1971
6000

5621- 35.5mm pendant,

SS white 9.3 mm 41 mm fixed plexi Skin 1969-1972
7000 (37.8mm) engraving

5621- CAP 35.5mm

white 9.3 mm 41 mm fixed medal plexi Skin 1969-1972
7000 GOLD (37.8mm)

5621- 35.5mm pendant,

SS navy blue 9.3 mm 41 mm fixed plexi Skin 1969-1972
7000 (37.8mm) engraving

5621-
SS white 36 mm fixed medal 1971-
7020

5621-
SS white 36 mm screw engraving 1972-
7021
 Case Clock face Diameter
Type 1 Thickness 2 Length Backing emblem Glass Belt certification Production
material

5621-
SS white screw - Skin 1974
7022

5625-
SS white cassette engraving Facet metal
5010

5625-
SS canvas cassette engraving chronometer
5040

5625-
SS white 10 mm 34 mm 36 mm screw medal metal
6000

5625-
SS black 10 mm 34 mm 36 mm screw medal metal
6000

5625- pendant,
SS silver 10 mm 37 mm 42 mm fixed Skin 1968-1972
7000 engraving

5625- pendant,
SGP silver 10 mm 37 mm 42 mm fixed Skin 1968-1972
7000 engraving

5625- silver, spec. pendant,

SS 10 mm 37 mm 42 mm fixed
7000 ind. engraving

5625- silver, spec. metal,

SS 10.5 mm 37.5 mm fixed medal 1968-1969
7010 ind. leather

5625- superior
SS white 38 mm 44 mm fixed medal metal 1969
7030 chronometer

superior
5625- 36mm pendant,
SS white 10.6 mm 42 mm fixed Skin chronometer, 1969-1973
7040 (37.1) engraving
chronometer

5625- 36mm
SS navy blue 10.6 mm 42 mm fixed medal Skin chronometer 1970-
7040 (37.1)

5625- CAP 36mm

white 10.6 mm 42 mm fixed engraving chronometer
7040 GOLD (37.1)

5625-
SS white screw engraving hardlex Skin chronometer 1973-1974
7041

5625-
SS white 9 mm 36.5 mm 41 mm fixed medal Skin chronometer
7060

5625-
SS white 36 mm fixed medal -1 972
7070

5625- CAP
white 36 mm fixed medal -1 972
7070 GOLD

5625-
SS white 10 mm 37 mm 42 mm fixed medal
7080

5625- white +
SS 11 mm 36 mm 42 mm fixed
7110 Omani sign

5625- pendant,
SS white 11 mm 36 mm 42 mm fixed 1971-1972
7110 engraving

5625- navy blue, pendant,

SS 11 mm 36 mm 42 mm fixed metal 1971-1972
7110 spec. ind. engraving

5625- CAP
white 11 mm 36 mm 42 mm fixed medal
7110 GOLD

5625- 36mm
SS white 10 mm 42 mm screw engraving hardlex 1972-1973
7111 (38mm)

5625- 36mm
SS blue 10 mm 42 mm screw engraving hardlex 1972-1973
7111 (38mm)

5625- 36mm
SGP blue 10 mm 42 mm screw engraving hardlex 1972-1973
7111 (38mm)

5625- 36mm metal,

SS white 42 mm screw - hardlex 1974, 1975
7113 (38mm) leather

5625- 36mm
SGP white 42 mm screw - hardlex Skin 1974, 1975
7113 (38mm)

5625- pendant,
SS white canvas 10.5 mm 37.5 mm fixed
7120 engraving

5625- pendant,
SS gray canvas 10.5 mm 37.5 mm fixed
7120 engraving

5625- 37mm
SS white 41 mm screw engraving
7121 (38.1mm)

5625- 37mm
SS black 41 mm screw engraving
7121 (38.1mm)

5625-
SS white screw - Facet
7122

5625- gray canvas,

SS screw engraving Facet chronometer
7170 spec. ind.

5625-
SS white 10 mm 36.5 mm 41 mm screw - 1974-1975
8000

5625-
SGP white 10 mm 36.5 mm 41 mm screw - 1974-1975
8000

5625-
SS white 10 mm 36.5 mm 41 mm screw - 1974-1975
8001

5625-
SGP white 10 mm 36.5 mm 41 mm screw - 1974-1975
8001
 Case Clock face Diameter
Type 1 Thickness 2 Length Backing emblem Glass Belt certification Production
material

5626-
SS white 35 mm 35 mm cassette engraving Facet metal
5010

5626- gray-blue
SS 35 mm 35 mm cassette engraving Facet metal
5010 canvas

5626-
NSA white 11.5 mm 37 mm 40 mm screw medal 1970-1972
5030

5626- 40.5
SS canvas 34.5 mm cassette engraving plexi chronometer
5040 mm

5626-
SS blue cassette engraving
5060

5626-
SS white 10.8 mm 34.6 mm screw medal metal
6000

5626- blue, spec.

SS 10 mm 36 mm 39 mm screw engraving 1972
6020 ind.

5626- white, spec.

SS 10 mm 36 mm 39 mm screw engraving 1972
6020 ind.

5626- pendant,
SS white 10 mm 36 mm 42 mm fixed Skin 1968-1973
7000 engraving

5626- white, spec. pendant,

SS 10 mm 36 mm 42 mm fixed
7000 ind. engraving

5626- pendant,
SGP white 10 mm 36 mm 42 mm fixed Skin 1968-1972
7000 engraving

5626- silver, spec. metal,

SS fixed medal 1968-1969
7010 ind. leather

5626- superior
SS white 11 mm 38 mm 44 mm fixed medal metal 1969
7030 chronometer

5626- pendant,
SS white 10 mm 36 mm fixed Skin chronometer 1969-1974
7040 engraving

5626- pendant,
SS navy blue 10 mm 36 mm fixed Skin chronometer 1969-1975
7040 engraving

5626- CAP
silver 10 mm 36 mm fixed engraving Skin chronometer 1971-
7040 GOLD

5626-
SS white 10 mm 37 mm 42 mm screw engraving hardlex Skin chronometer 1973-1974
7041

5626- pendant,
SS white 36.5 mm 41 mm fixed Skin chronometer
7060 engraving

5626-
SS white 35 mm 40 mm fixed medal -1 972
7070

5626- CAP
white 35 mm 40 mm fixed medal -1 972
7070 GOLD

5626-
SS white 37 mm 42 mm fixed medal
7080

5626- pendant,
SS silver 36 mm 42 mm fixed 1971-1972
7110 engraving

5626- navy blue,

SS 36 mm 42 mm fixed engraving 1972
7110 spec. ind.

5626- CAP
silver 36 mm 42 mm fixed medal 1971-
7110 GOLD

5626-
SS white 36 mm 42 mm screw engraving hardlex 1972-1973
7111

5626- blue, spec.

SS 36 mm 42 mm screw engraving hardlex metal 1972-1973
7111 ind.

5626-
SGP white 36 mm 42 mm screw engraving
7111

5626- CAP
white 36 mm 42 mm screw engraving
7111 GOLD

5626- 36mm metal,

SS white 42 mm screw - hardlex 1973-1975
7113 (38mm) leather

5626- 36mm
SGP white 42 mm screw - hardlex Skin 1973-1975
7113 (38mm)

5626- CAP 36mm

white 42 mm screw - hardlex Skin 1973-1975
7113 GOLD (38mm)

5626- pendant,
SS white canvas 35 mm fixed 1971-1972
7120 engraving

5626- pendant,
SS gray canvas 35 mm fixed 1971-1972
7120 engraving

5626-
SS white 10 mm 36 mm screw engraving 1973
7121

5626- gray canvas,

SS 36 mm screw engraving Facet metal chronometer 1972-1974
7170 spec. ind.

5626- gray canvas,

SS 36 mm 40 mm screw - metal chronometer
7171 spec. ind.

5626- green, spec.

SS 13 mm 37 mm 42 mm screw - Facet Skin 1974-1975
7200 ind.
 Case Clock face Diameter
Type 1 Thickness 2 Length Backing emblem Glass Belt certification Production
material

5626-
SS white 10.2 mm 36.3 mm screw - 1974-1975
8000

5626-
SS white 10.2 mm 36.3 mm screw - 1974-1975
8001

5626-
SGP white 10.2 mm 36.3 mm screw - 1974-1975
8001

white
5626-
SS powder screw - metal 1974-1975
8010
coated

5626- blue powder

SS screw - metal 1974-1975
8010 coated

white
5626-
SS powder 35 mm 41 mm screw - metal 1974-1975
8011
coated

5626- gray powder

SS 35 mm 41 mm screw - metal 1974-1975
8011 coated

1
: spec.ind. : with special indexes
2
: without crown, measured in brackets (if available)
Some of the models, like their predecessors, were based on elements of design grammar, but there were a large number of more
formal members in the family (though most of them appeared in the Vanac series). The most unique King Seiko's are the four
"necklaces": 5621-5000, 5621-5010, 5621-5020, 5621-5030. They were made specifically for fashion, with a crown on the bottom and a
distinctive dial (not waterproof at all). Although they were of type A, the regulator was simply derailed without any certification.

5621-5010 and 5621-5000

The first automatic King Seiko's were the October 1968 5625-7000, 5626-
7000, 5625-7010, 5626-7010 and the 1969 Metal Belt 562 (5/6) -7030
Superior Chronometer. The design of the 562 (5/6) -7000, based on design
grammar, was based on 45KS, with the exception that Seiko used a one-piece
case without a removable back cover; they were opened from the front by
removing the rama and the glass (this instruction was also engraved on the
back: OPEN THRU GLASS, PUSH SET LEVER, PULL STEM). Models with a
removable back cover also used an external adjusting screw. The 562 (5/6)
-7000 seems to have been manufactured for the Japanese market in
considerable quantities between 1968 and 1973 with steel and SGP gold plated
cases. Although some of these can be found in the used market with original
KS metal straps,
The 562 (5/6) -7010 received a completely unique shape and was only
manufactured until 1969. The dial was also unique with its straight-forward
indexes, the 9 o'clock inscriptions, its special array-shaped indexes and its
gray-silver color (although this has already given many copies a yellowish
color). Probably not many are made of them, they are among the rarer types
in the used market. The dial number is JAPAN 5625 | -7010T AD and JAPAN 5626 | -7010T AD.
With similar indexes, though with
slightly thicker (and darker) indicators
and a more traditional dial layout,
5625-7000 and 5626-7000 copies
were also published (5625-7000 on
the right). They have a dial code:
JAPAN 5625 | -7020T and JAPAN 5626
| -7020T. Other KS are not known for
similar dials, some of which are on the
Lower part of 5625-7010 second hand market and which in
other cases contain such dials are
almost certainly refurbished or remanufactured.
The 562 (5/6) -7030 Superior Chronometer also came with a distinctive case,
although it had little to do with design grammar, but rather a variation on the
"pillow mold" seen on many 56KS models. The dial is also different from
previous KS models; it had square indicators with a band of glow in the dark,
longer indexes and dots of glow above the clock indexes (unfortunately I
couldn't figure out exactly what technology this glossy coating works on). It was
one of the first KS to appear with a metal strap, the strap buckle had a KS
inscription on it.
Made in just one year, it
completely replaced the 562 (5/6) -7040 Chronometer manufactured in 1969 in
parallel. Although the Superior version of the 5625-7040 was made in 1969, most of
the copies available on the used market today are without Superior inscriptions.
The 5626-7040 Chronometer has a relatively more conservative case shape, which
also consists of a single piece (with external adjuster) and has a heavier, multi-
planed case. The type is also significant because it was the first KS to receive a
colored dial: some of its copies were made of dark blue, radially brushed dials.
(Although it is quite difficult to determine the exact color from the available photos,
since everything from gray to vivid blue depends on the photo and I haven't even
talked about the supposedly renewed dials.) and they were made in an interesting
asymmetry: the clock was the thickest (with the usual black center bar), the thinner
the minute and the second the slimmest. The 562 (5/6) -7040 Chronometer was
manufactured until about 1973 with the housing modification discussed above,
replacing the 562 (5/6) -7041 using Type B structures. It retained the case shape,
but was made with a screwed back and was manufactured until the end of the 56KS
until 1975. The 562 (5/6) -7040 and 7041 are the most common 56KS
chronometers in the used market.
 Somewhat rarer is the 562 (5/6) -7170 Chronometer, probably manufactured
around 1972, which has completely departed from the rules of design grammar.
With its gray-blue canvas-like dial, unique indexes and beveled glass, it brought a
little Vanac style to the regular KS line. And the 562 (5/6) -7060 Chronometer
comes in a case similar to the 45KS 7010, but with less character, naturally with
indexes and pointers that are narrower according to modern times. The 7080 case
also produced a similar rounded line, but did not include chronometers.

5626-7010 January 1969

5625-7030 Superior Chronometer and associated special KS metal strap

The front of the 5625-7030 Superior Chronometer has a brushed surface, while the lower surfaces have mirror polishing. On the right is
the April 1969 5625-7040 Chronometer with a blue dial. Notice the three different types of metrics used.

5625-7080 Chronometer and a 5626-7170 Chronometer plus beveled glass (5626-7171 Chronometer, circa 1973, already has a KS
unlabeled backside and standard glass)
Undated 5625 structures produced relatively few, but more typical, models, one of which was the "necklace" mentioned above. The
5621-6000 is probably the purest realization of the "pillow shape" and is as far away from design grammar as possible. Such a case was
made with KS 5625 and 5626, but this case was eliminated by Seiko in 1971.
A unique KS is the 5621-7000 with its four dial types. It is the only one in the history of KS that has appeared in Roman numerals
(dark blue and white dials). It has a traditional index version as well as a CAP GOLD case with traditional indexes. They also ceased
production in 1972. With this form, but with a more traditional 56KS dial and 5625-5626 structure, 7070 watches were also made until
1972.
 Original cushion design: 5626-6000 (with original metal strap), and more elegant 5625-7070 CAP GOLD and 5626-7070 steel

Rome has many dark blue and white dials and traditional index black dials 5621-7000. The indicators for these types are also three
different types.
Seiko was already trying to export KS and GS watches in the 1960s, but there was not enough overseas demand for such high-value
Seiko watches, so they stopped doing this experiment completely (it was not until the 21st century that the Seiko brand re-launched ).
Therefore, KS was only available on the Japanese market throughout its life cycle. Whether or not it is an export attempt is unknown,
but in the early 1970s, until about 1973, models were created for the American market under the SUCCESS SERIES marketing text,
which, although in all respects King Seiko's, did not include the KS caption. neither on the dial nor on the reverse (their pendant simply
had SEIKO CHRONOMETER without KS). Of these, the 5626A also received the chronometer certification (also marked on the dial),

Case
Type face Thickness Diameter Length Backing emblem Glass Belt certification Production
material

5626- golden 37 mm (with GS "AA"

CAP GOLD 42 mm fixed medal metal 1970-1972
7090 crepe crown) 1961

5626- white 37 mm (with GS "AA"

SS 42 mm fixed medal metal 1970-1972
7091 crepe crown) 1961

5626- GS "AA"
SS white 10 mm 35 mm 41 mm fixed medal
7100 1961

5626- GS "AA"
CAP GOLD silver 10 mm 35 mm 41 mm fixed medal
7100 1961

5626- beveled GS "AA"

SS white 35 mm 41 mm cassette engraving metal
5020 hardlex 1961

5626- beveled GS "AA"

SS gray-blue 35 mm 41 mm cassette engraving metal
5020 hardlex 1961

5626- GS "AA"
SS blue cassette - hardlex metal
5090 1961

With the 5626-7090 CAP GOLD case and gold plated crepe dial, you can compete with any KS in exclusivity, with the steel version
5626-7091. These types also received indexes that glow in the dark, and they also got a square pointer with glossy paint. Since the
target primary market for these watches was the American continent, they were given Spanish / English daily dials instead of Japanese /
English. And that was probably the reason why they were very similar to the modern C-style Omega Constellation Chronometer ...

5626-7090 CAP GOLD with leather strap and 5626-7091 original metal strap
The 5626-7100 export model, on the other hand, clearly got the Grand Seiko 4520-8000 case and dial style with shiny square
indicators. The GS GOLD was also gold-plated on the exterior of the GS. The 5626-5020, on the other hand, has a completely different
square case. A distinctive feature is the faceted glass of the watch, which Seiko called "prism" cutting in contemporary marketing
materials. A similar form of the case is found among the domestic KSs, one of the characteristics of which is the "cassette" design: the
structure can be removed from the case together with the backside. These models had KS versions for the domestic market, 562 (5/6)
-5010 and 5626-5060. Interestingly, not only the foreign 5020s, but also the 5010s and 5060s intended for the domestic market, did not
receive a KS inscribed crown.
 5626-7100 CAP GOLD and 5626-5020
And if you cross the square shape with the pillow shape, you get the 562 (5/6) -5040 Chronometer, which even has a canvas-like dial
beside the square indicators and thin indexes (but not the KS crown either).

5626-5010 and 5626-5040

There is relatively little information about the bottles used by King Seiko's. It is likely that the first KS's (and
even the 44KS's) used plain plexiglass (they are also called acrylic acutely). (The very first source of the
Grand Seiko series claims to have been made with plexiglass.) Hardlex glass first appeared in the Seiko 5
series in 1968. In the early '70s, commercials for the King Seiko versions of the aforementioned exports
were also hardcover, so it is assumed that the late 60s and 70s had a glass of KS, or at least normal mineral
glass ( so starting with 45KS). There are still many factory hardlex replacement bottles in the used market.
Sapphire glass was first introduced in the Grand Seiko 4522-7010 in the late '60s, but I didn't find any
indication that KS were ever made with sapphire glass at the factory. It is likely that this expensive solution
was used only by the Grand Seiko.
In the early KSs, the Plexiglas simply fitted to the inside edge of the
case and retained the blanket that had to be clamped in place. The
44KS case used a different solution. A small rim ran around the inside
of the top of the case (shown on the right). There was a little
aluminum ring on it and the plexiglass had to be pulled on the
outside. This was self-locking slightly, but from the outside it was all
fixed by the rama, which had to be replaced with a presser. From
about 45KS onwards, the installation of the glasses changed: the
hardlex glass was glued onto a metal ring in the watch case. The ring,
on the one hand, provided a surface for a rubber profile with a
complex profile and, on the other hand, served as a polished inner
ring between the dial and the glass, all of which was held in place by
the rama. This type of solution has been widely used in the Lord
Matic, King Seiko and Grand Seiko series. Although the sides of the jars were beautifully engraved, but
because the jars protruded from the profile of the case, they were easily scratched. Virtually all King Seiko
series used glass that stood out from the case profile. At that time, Seiko began to break up in several
planes. They also were particularly vulnerable to scratches. Replacing such bottles at the factory service was
certainly not a problem as long as a large number of replacement bottles were factory bonded to the ring,
but today, in 2018, 50 years after the introduction of this solution, supplies are largely out of stock. but as
the glass protruded from the profile of the case, it was easily scratched. Virtually all King Seiko series used
glass that stood out from the case profile. At that time, Seiko began to break up in several planes. They also
were particularly vulnerable to scratches. Replacing such bottles at the factory service was certainly not a
problem as long as a large number of replacement bottles were factory bonded to the ring, but today, in
2018, 50 years after the introduction of this solution, supplies are largely out of stock. but as the glass
protruded from the profile of the case, it was easily scratched. Virtually all King Seiko series used glass that
stood out from the case profile. At that time, Seiko began to break up in several planes. They also were
particularly vulnerable to scratches. Replacing such bottles at the factory service was certainly not a problem
as long as a large number of replacement bottles were factory bonded to the ring, but today, in 2018, 50
years after the introduction of this solution, supplies are largely out of stock. they were particularly
vulnerable to scratches. Replacing such bottles at the factory service was certainly not a problem as long as
a large number of replacement bottles were factory bonded to the ring, but today, in 2018, 50 years after
the introduction of this solution, supplies are largely out of stock. they were particularly vulnerable to
scratches. Replacing such bottles at the factory service was certainly not a problem as long as a large
number of replacement bottles were factory bonded to the ring, but today, in 2018, 50 years after the
introduction of this solution, supplies are largely out of stock.
With the removal of readily available replacement parts, many people are trying to take the bottle out of the
frame to replace it with the right one, only the 50-year-old adhesive that was glued to the metal ring still
holds them very well. (The solution on the Watch Fettling blog suggests that multiple hot ultrasonic baths
helped to remove the bottle.) Some King Seiko specimens often used glass of different profiles and
diameters, although glass is still often found in the ring and can then be stuck in its ring - with more or less
success.
 One King Seiko 5626-7000. The structure and dial are in place, usually with a thin ring around the dial and
then a rubber seal.

The glass is glued to its ring and this is sealed in place

The seal, ring and glass are in place and can be secured by snaping the blanket rama into place. The 5626-
7000 original glass, by the way, has a very slightly convex surface, but only slightly so that it does not
appear to the superficial observer.
By the way, here is a summary page about the KS types and their factory replacement glass types in
Japanese .

Then, in 1971, Seiko completely redesigned the "classic" case design, resulting in the 562 (5/6) -7110. For many, this is an AZ
automatic King Seiko. From the top, the case resembled the usual shape, but the ears cut to a sharper point. However, the side profile is
completely different. The white dial got narrower indexes, but in other respects Seiko left it intact, but in 1972 it was made with a dark
blue dial. This version received square indexes and very interesting, curved clock indexes, and the printed indexes were placed on the
inside end of the clock indexes. The 7110s were probably made with (or with) a metal strap.
Interestingly, there is some variation in the width of the side surfaces of some specimens and of the narrow strips on the inside of the
capsules. These do not appear to be modifications made during the renovation, but are presumably factory differences. The 5621
structure is also included in a substantially the same case, only 5621-7020.
 5626-7113 and a blue dial 5626-7110, the latter with original metal strap

5626-7113 and a 5626-7110 blue dial from 1972, showing special-cut indexes
An extremely rare version of the 5625-7110 featuring the Omani coat of arms at 9 o'clock is also available. Such a logo is not only
found on Seiko; can also be found at Rolex, IWC, Tudor and Royal Oak classes. They were made specifically at the request of the Sultan
and were usually given to him by senior guests, though sometimes they were worn by officials or employees. (In fact, some Omani
jewelry stores are said to have sold.)

Close up of the Omani dials 5625-7110 and 5656-7110 with new style thin indexes
After 1971, the 562 (5/6) -7110 and 5621-7020 base case shapes and dials were retained in each of the "standard" 56KS, although
several minor changes were made and each received a new case number. One of the biggest changes (late 1972) was the change from
the 562 (5/6) -7110 to the 562 (5/6) -7111 and in parallel to the 5621-7021 when they returned to the screw backside (and the controls
for version B structures). Otherwise, the casing was practically the same, though viewed from the side, the upper surfaces of the casing
slanted very slightly backwards, and the lateral surfaces were accordingly slightly wider. The 7110 and 7111 cases also come in gold-
plated versions.
The following year,
in 1973, the standard
KS tox number
changed again, this
time to 7113 and, in
the case of 5621, to
7022: KS engraving
on the backside
disappeared. This
model was then in
production until the
56KS ceased to exist
in 1975. This was the culmination of a trend in the 1970s, when decorative shell salts changed to a much simpler, industrial style. The
562 (5/6) -7113 crown is slightly different from the 562 (5/6) -7113, and most 562 (5/6) -7111 seem to contain the 562 (5/6) -7113
crown, though it is relatively difficult to say exactly from photos.The crown design is
believed to have been modified during the manufacture of 562 (5/6) -7111. Of course, it
should be taken into account that this part may have been replaced in the old watches
since production, but even on new ones it may have been different depending on what was
in stock at the factory.
The 562 (5/6) -8000 and 8001 models have a slightly more rounded shape and other
form of ram, but are extremely similar to the 7113 and were manufactured in parallel
between 1974 and 1975. It seems strange that Seiko has announced new models that are
so slightly different from the 7113 while it remains in production (and no difference
between the 8000 and the 8001). These copies also include a back panel that shows that the production of the 562 (5/6) has been
further simplified by a single back panel (shown at left).

Ukiyo-e King Seiko

In the 17th century, wood engraving, which is very popular in Japan, is called ukiyo-e ( ). One of the
best known such engravings is the "Big Wave at Kanagawa" made by Kacusika Hokusai around 1830. This
engraving also inspired the amazing design of the famous Credor Fugaku watch in 2016. However, ukiyo
already appeared in the world of wristwatches during King Seiko. The Seiko Museum has one of the largest
collections of colorful woodcuts, and it is probably for this reason that King Seiko's in the 60s and 70s
featured reproductions of ukiyo-e images. Occasionally such specimens appear on the used market, but their
exact origin is unknown (45KS and 56KS are known from this type). Probably not Seiko,

45-7001 and 4502-7001

5626-7000 and 5626-5010

Perhaps the most conservative 56KS was the 562 (5/6) -7120 and the later screw-backed 5626-7121 and the beveled glass 5625-
7122. They are made with beautifully curved case lids, with a relatively standard, restrained profile but no design grammar with white
and gray canvas dials.

5625-7120 and 5626-7120, none with original straps

Special and probably the rarest type of 56KS is the 5626-5030 on the left. Its
shape is also unique elliptical, but not for that reason. Its specialty is that its case
(or rather the upper part, as shown in the picture below) is made of a special
metal alloy NSA code in the Seiko nomenclature. NSA is actually a tungsten
carbide and cobalt alloy, the hardest material after diamond. Tungsten carbide is
also used for drilling heads and cutting machines. So King Seiko 5626-5030 is the
toughest watch in the world. Accordingly, his glass should be sapphire, but I have
not found any information about it on Japanese pages.Its very rarely-seen
specimens are
still spotless,
with only one
type of
problem: this
material is very
fragile, not
even a simple
drop. This is
probably the
reason why so
few are made
of it and are so rare nowadays.
The 5626-6020 was also a variant of the cushion shape, which was probably
sold only in 1972 with a white and bluish gray dial and, accordingly, an engraved
screw backside only. The 5626-7200 was also a Vanac-inspired model with a green canvas dial, special indexes and beveled glass. It was
only manufactured between 1974 and 1975.
 5626-6020 and 5626-7200
And now we're at the 56KS swan song: In 1974, the last of the four new 56KS, a special powder-coated blue and white dial with a
quartz-inspired case 5626-8010 and 5626-8011, was released. These were only available with metal straps. (Although it is impossible to
tell the difference between the images 8010 and 8011 in this case.)

5626-8010 with gray dial and 5626-8011. Whether these originally contained a KS inscribed crown is now undefined.
This brings us to the end of the large family of 56KS, which after 1974 no longer added new members. However, there is one final
chapter from King Seiko's story.

52KS is the last King Seiko

In response to the Suwa Seikosha 5600 structure, the Daini Seikosha developed the 5200 structure in 1969 as the basis for the new
Daini-made King Seiko, but also appeared in the Vanac and Lord Matic series. Legend has it that Daini believed that with the advent of
the quartz era, this was perhaps their last chance to show what they could do in mechanical watches. And so it was: 52KS became the
last King Seiko series. It was in production from late 1970 to 1976, essentially in parallel with the 56GS and 56KS series, and a little
longer than the 56KS. A somewhat strange situation arose as two sub-companies simultaneously manufactured different watches in the
same market segment.
In any case, the high-end specimens of the 5200 structures were particularly successful. The quality and precision of the Special
Chronometer King Seiko fitted with it may have surpassed that of the Grand Seiko of that time. (A 5256A, by the way, consists of more
parts than the 5646A in the Grand Seiko.) The structure family was so successful that when demand for high-quality mechanical watches
reappeared during quartz dumping in the early 1990s, Seiko based on the development of the new high-end 4S mechanical family.
The 5200 family is made up of reliable, slim automatic but also hand-drawn devices that are seconds-stoppered with quick date setting
and (5206 and 524X) quick date change. The mid-range version, the 5206 and 5216 are available in 23 and 25 stone versions and are
included in the Lord Matic series. Like the 5620s, the 524X and 525X got a nice brushed rotor and were Seiko's second-generation
automatic pulling devices (they didn't use the lower-end magic lever for auto-pulling). The structures included in the 52KS also had an
immediate date change and were made in all 25 stone versions:

5245A (1970-1972): 25.6mm diameter, 3.95mm thick time and date display with external or internal control, making Chronometer
Special KSs
5246A (1971-1973): 25.6mm diameter, 3.95mm thick, with time, date and seven day display with external or internal control
5256A (1975): 25.6mm diameter, 4.2mm thick, with time, date and seven day display with internal control

5245A and 5246A with external regulator

 5246A with internal regulator and 5256A in a King Seiko Vanac
52KS used a method other than 56KS for fine-tuning the exterior. The bolt moved a small lever, which was connected to the regulator
by a cam. In the picture on the left I marked the direction of the movements. The two screws securing the hoist only held it in place but
did not hold it down. The left screw was inserted into an elongated slot on the hoist, moving the screw in and out moved the hoist side
cam back and forth, and the cam on the other side of the hoist fit into the regulator and could rotate it. Unfortunately, the solution
reportedly had a problem; because the system was not as sensitive as it should have been. Occasionally, a person could twist the bolt in
a larger motion without any result, and then suddenly he moved to a small motion, but with that momentum it went beyond the desired
setting and it was possible to start all over from the opposite direction. Of the internal regulator types, this structure simply lagged
behind and received a standard eccentric-screw regulator, as shown in the two pictures above.
52KS types
The 52KS family is made up of far fewer types than the 56KS: 13 different case codes and 22 models. Daini Seikosha worked with a
more cohesive concept and was much less able to proliferate the various tokvariations than Suwa Seikosha. The confusion and lack of
clarity in this latter subcontracting model family has collided not only with the 56KS but also with the 61GS and 56GS families.
In the 52KS family, the Special inscription was used at 6 o'clock during the KS logo to distinguish particularly fine-tuned specimens.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find more information on what this Special meant. Although the GS was never made with the 5200, the 5246-
6000, 5246-6060, 5246-7000 and 5246-6010 were still accurate to the GS AA certification. Although generally speaking, King Seiko's
have always been a bit under the Grand Seiko's precision and sophistication, but of all King Seiko's, the 44KS Chronometer is the one
that is clearly the exception and without debate the age-old Grand Seiko level or above.
The table below lists all 52KS types.

Diameter
Case Case
Type face Thickness (without Length emblem Glass Belt certification Production
material type
crown)

5245- chronometer
SS canvas 9 mm 35 mm 39 mm fixed engraving Skin 1970-1972
6000 special

5245- chronometer
SS black 9 mm 35 mm 39 mm fixed engraving Skin 1970-1972
6000 special

5245- chronometer
SS silver fixed engraving 1971
6010 special

5245- chronometer
SS gray canvas screw engraving Facet 1972
7000 special

5246-
SS silver 9.5 mm 41 mm 35 mm snap - metal
5000

5246-
SS dark gray 9.5 mm 41 mm 35 mm snap - metal
5000

5246-
SGP gold 9.5 mm 41 mm 35 mm snap - metal
5000

black
5246-
SS horizontal 9 mm 35.5 mm snap - metal
5010
striped

gray
5246-
SS horizontal 9 mm 35.5 mm snap - metal
5010
striped

5246-
SGP gold 9 mm 35.5 mm snap - metal
5010
 Diameter
Case Case
Type face Thickness (without Length emblem Glass Belt certification Production
material type
crown)

5246-
SGP two-color gold 9 mm 33 mm snap -
5030

5246- two-color dark

SS 9 mm 33 mm snap -
5030 band

GS "AA" (1969)
5246-
SS canvas 9 mm 35 mm 40 mm fixed engraving Skin (chronometer 1971-1973
6000
special)

GS "AA" (1969)
5246-
SS black 35 mm fixed engraving Skin (chronometer 1971-1972
6000
special)

GS "AA" (1969)
5246-
SS white fixed engraving (chronometer 1971
6010
special)

5246-
SS blue 34 mm fixed -
6020

5246-
SS silver 34 mm fixed -
6020

GS "AA" (1969)
5246-
SS blue 35 mm screw engraving Facet (chronometer 1971-1973
6060
special)

GS "AA" (1969)
5246-
SS gray canvas screw engraving Facet (chronometer 1972
7000
special)

5256-
SS white 10 mm 36 mm 41 mm screw - metal SEIKO A (Special) 1975
8000

5256-
SS white 9.5 mm 36 mm screw - Skin SEIKO A (Special) 1975
8010

5256-
SGP gold canvas 9.5 mm 36 mm screw - Skin SEIKO A (Special) 1975
8010

The 52KS also used one-piece cases, but by 1972 the screw backs were re-released. Daini's one-piece cases differed from Suwa's:

Some models have a completely flat, hand-smooth back surface with an engraved KS logo, while others have a more traditional screw-
type solution without the KS logo. The screw backside first contained the KS logo, and then in 1975 it did not. The 52KS was not made
with a pendant back cover, and the Special inscription never appeared on the back cover.

With the 5245A, only three Chronometer Specials were supposed to be made between 1970 and 1972. In
1972, the 5245-6000 and 5245-6010 replaced the one-piece case with the 5245-7000 screw-back. The
6000 has a beautiful canvas-looking dial, while the 7000 has been complemented by Vanac-style beveled
glass and gray dial color. On the right, you can see a 5245-6000 paper label made in November 1972 about
the watch's color, a strap like that probably came with every 56KS and 52KS Seiko. There are many
comparisons of contemporary watch prices in various sources, mainly Japanese, but it is now relatively
difficult to determine exactly what value these watches represented when they came out. That's why I didn't
include prices in the historical overview, but in general,
The following image shows a 5245-6000, presumably in its original box and accompanying paper bag and
folded instruction manual. The watch strap is probably no longer original, but the buckle is.
5245-6000 from side and front. The upper part of the case is brushed here and mirror polished from the side. A crown with an elongated
KS inscription typical of early copies of 52KS can also be observed. The third picture shows a (re-polished) 5245-7000 beveled glass and
a gray canvas dial. It has not been revealed to me whether the bluish color of the SEIKO, KS and the indicators is original or a repainting
or a victim of the light conditions. Yes, on the back of the 5245-7000 screw, but the back of the former 5245-6000 has no Chronometer
on the back. The 5245 chronometers also received thin indexes and a thin but arrow-shaped hour and minute hand.

5245-6010. The chronometer did not appear on the case either, but of course the KS engraving still does. The dial has already got a
denser index scale here.
With the 5246A, five Chronometer Specials were probably made between 1971 and 1973, the most successful being the 5246-6000. In
spite of its iconic status, this design did not receive a case corresponding to the grammar of the design, but the form of the 5245-6000,
but it also came with a black dial beside the white canvas. The 5246-6010 also received the 5245-6010 case and denser index scale.

An August 1972 black and a January 1971 white dial 5246-6000 with a nice mirror polish.
The interesting 5246-6060 and 5246-7000 models had beveled glass and blue and gray dials, these style features (as with the 5245-
7000) brought a little "Vanac life" to their otherwise purely design grammar-like form. Despite the different case numbers, the only clear
difference between them is that the 5246-6060 had a blue-green dial while the 5246-7000 had a dark gray dial. They have a traditional
"horseshoe" engraving on the back and, of course, KS and Chronometer inscriptions.
 5246-6060 from February 1973 and a 5246-7000

The two pictures above clearly show the difference between the 6060 and
6010 cases. The 5246-6060 beveled glass is original, and the 5246-6010 is
presumably replaced because its side is rounded rather than oblique. You
can see the angularity of the 6060 capsules, while the 6010 is rounded, and
it is worth noting the unique curved tip between the 6060 capsules. The
frame surrounding the bottle is also much more pronounced than the 6010.
The 6060 already has a screw back cover, while the 6010 still has a small
screw on the outer regulator opening. This is usually between 5 and 6
hours on the 56KS and between 6 and 7 hours on the 52KS.
The 52KS series, like the other King Seiko's, used fashionable relatively
small cases at 35-36mm in diameter, only the 5246-5000 cushion-shaped
copies (with a gray dial on the right) differed from their 41mm cases (they
did not receive KS labeled crown). In the 52KS series, apart from the
square cases, this is the only relatively more form-fitting one - not
including the Vanac types, from which the 52KS also received some.
The two pictures below also show the 5246-5000 with an allegedly original metal strap - nothing on the backside of the snap indicates
that this is King Seiko.

The 52KS comes in two square case shapes: a rounded one and a striking dial.
5246-5010 September 1972 with gray ribbed dial and SGP sleeve 5246-5030. Both models received square pointers and a KS unmarked
crown and backside.
Like 56KS, it was made from 52KS for export without KS inscription. Below is a contemporary American ad from around 1972. The
56KS export types mentioned above and the 52KS export types made from 5246-5000 and 5246-5030 are shown below.

Case Diameter Case

Type face Thickness Length emblem Glass Belt certification Production
material (without crown) type

5246-
SS bright blue 40 mm 34 mm snap - metal
5009

5246- bright green

SS snap - metal
5039 band

5246- two-color
SGP snap - metal
5039 gold band

Returning to the domestic 52KS, we are slowly coming to the end of the family: the standard 52KS with the blue and silver dial 5246-
6020 has a one-piece case that resembles a conical shape of a screwed back.
 And the latest King Seiko was probably the 5256-8000 Special and 5256-8010 Special, which were released in 1975 and were only sold
for a short time; from April to December. They featured a 5256A structure, with an 8000 metal strap and an 8010 leather strap. The
5256-8000 comes with a unique case-free case designed specifically for metal belts. For these last two types, the hard glass is already
coated with anti-reflection coating.

5256-8000 Special with original metal strap

The design of the 5256-8010 seems to have deliberately returned to its 5245A-5246A chronometers a few years ago. Although like KS
"Special", but not a chronometer. On the other hand, in the structure number, 5 indicates greater precision than 4 in the chronometer
number, but I could not find out the reason for the difference and why this apparent contradiction exists.

5256-8010 Special SGP with canvas effect dial

One of the special features of the 8010 case is that the lower part of the side profile has a vertically brushed surface and the upper part
is mirror polished. Other KS of the same shape, on the other hand, are polished on all top and side surfaces. In the photo below, the side
profile of the watch shows that the glass protrudes much less from the case than the similar 5626-7113. Unlike the 5626-7113, the glass
of the 5256-8010 is glued to the rama, and the contemporary replacement glasses were made like this. Because the 5200's drawings are
quite stiff, the large crown on the model didn't come by accident.

5256-8010 Special SGP and SS

The 1975 catalogs show that 5626-7113 was 28000 yen and 5256-8010 Special was 30000. At that time the basic 56GS was 47000
yen, the peak Grand Seiko VFAs were 110000 yen, the 5626-7041 Chronometer and 33,000. Interestingly, in 1975, the truly expensive
Seiko's were new high-end quartz watches, many sold for hundreds of thousands of yen in gold cases with a design that nowadays looks
old-fashioned and junk. Mechanical KSs and GSs have been downgraded to half price in catalogs, but these watches are still wearable
and retain their value.

Comparison
The 56KS and 52KS series may look similar, but their structure is fundamentally different. In the differences described below, I will
usually refer to a particular structure, but the properties described apply, mutatis mutandis, to all three members of a given family.
We have seen that the proper models of both series allow you to set the day and the day of the week. You can do this in the first
position of the crown, and in the second position they have a second stop. However, while on the 5626, turning the crown backwards
(clockwise) causes the sun to move forward and clockwise to rotate, the 5256 works in exactly the opposite direction: clockwise rotating
the crown moves the clock in the opposite direction. and the sun. Also, the 5256, unlike the 5626, also pulls the main spring when
setting the day.
The basic difference between the structures is immediately apparent from pictures. The difference between the external regulator has
already been mentioned and of course the different rotor is also noticeable, but the 5626 has a larger diameter but a thinner rig fixed on
the left side of the bridge, while the 5256 has a smaller diameter but thicker rig on the right existing bridge anchors. However, these are
not variations on the same theme, but are fundamentally different structures that are as different as they can be given that they all have
exactly the same complications and were trying to achieve the same performance in the same type of watch. In the following two
pictures, I placed the structures already seen above.
 The chassis of the two families is organized in a completely different way: while the 5200's (and the older 4500's) are so-called. they
are indirect central seconds, the 5600 family is direct central seconds. The indirect central seconds type structures, although the seconds
hand is centered, are more conventionally arranged, a concept dating back to the 17th century. Here the minute wheel which moves the
minute hand is in the center of the structure and is driven directly by the spring housing. Compared to the old hours, where the second
hand was on a separate dial (usually at 6 o'clock) and was driven by the second wheel, there is a difference here that the second hand is
centered and driven by an auxiliary gear from the gear that used to be the second wheel.
On 4500 structures, the main spring drives a separate minute wheel located in the center of the structure ( Figure 1 ). This drives the
large cog through an intermediate wheel. This intermediate wheel, together with the center wheel in the middle, is under a bridge (
Figure 2 ; the barrier wheel is already visible).

Picture 1 Picture 2

The large gear ( large wheel driving ) then transfers the energy to the third wheel ( third wheel ), which is the fourth wheel ( fourth
wheel quite located), it is important to the edge of the structure ( Photo 3 ). The fourth wheel is connected to the impeller wheel, which
then transmits energy through the anchor to the rocker but also drives the center second wheel ( Figure 4 ).

Picture 3 Picture 4

In a direct mid-second structure such as the 5600 family, the chassis was completely rebuilt; the center second wheel was removed
from the center of the structure (henceforth not the center wheel). Instead, this is where the fourth wheel is in the middle and it drives
the second hand directly. In this arrangement, the minute hand is driven indirectly through an intermediate wheel ( Figure 5 ). The
56KS, by the way, are notorious for their day / date adjusting wheel, which is made of plastic and very easily broken, especially if the
owner tried to set the date between 9 and 3 o'clock. Nowadays, used copies do not always contain plastic. It is assumed that in some
cases it was replaced with metal at the workshop when it was broken. In picture 6it can be seen that the 5600 has three plastic
components. The infamous breaking date adjusting wheel is shown at # 3.
 Picture 5 (5621) Picture 6 (5626)

The difference between 56KS and 52KS can also be observed in the operation of the seconds hand. Although direct mid-second type
structures are generally considered to be preferable because their second hand index is less prone to uneven walking, we will hardly
experience uneven walking on a 52KS. However, some 56KS owners report that it is more difficult to set the minute hand so that it
always points exactly to the minute index when the second hand reaches 12. It is as if, after setting the exact time, there is a slight
delay for a few minutes until the minute hand finally settles. In the case of the indirect central seconds type 52KS, however, if you set
the minute hand to exactly the minute index, it will continue to be added every minute.

Take Kig Seiko!

After all this, one might think that King Seiko should be bought. These can still be worn today as everyday items if one accepts their
slightly smaller size, though this may not be a problem on a smaller wrist. A rare or exceptionally good or possibly novel copy may be a
valued piece of collections. A well maintained and regularly maintained King Seiko can be tuned to the same accuracy as most modern
mechanical watches.
There are quite a number of them in the used market, but the price is huge, it is difficult to navigate. It is advisable for those who are
thinking of buying such old watches to look carefully at the selected copy before buying. Indeed, there was a version of that type from
that manufacturer at that time. It is also worth checking out original copies to avoid over-polished and over-painted copies (unless that's
the goal, of course). There are so many to find. Of course, there are hopelessly worn and scratched copies with a fair number, but many
prefer a modified copy that hardly resembles the original rather than one that looks more age-old but in every way original. Traces of
subsequent polishing are indicated by rounded edges and traces of deeper scratches smoothed by polishing. Post-polishing often also
damages the original factory mirror polishing, which can be noticed when the seller photographs the watch on a patterned surface. (The
exception is gold plated, especially SGP cases, which cannot be polished afterwards. If worn or peeled, it will remain so.)

45-7001 4502-7001

The image on the left shows an excessively polished copy. The lugs are almost completely rounded, the rama also got a little rounding,
the reflection is bright but distorted. Presumably the side profile looks like this, though the lower case ears received less polishing. In
addition, the indicators are not original. The image on the right is a bit more worn but in its original state.
It is certainly worth mentioning that there are some professional workshops
where you can really get a scratched copy in good condition while keeping
the original look. But very few of them exist, and most polished watches do
not.
It's also good to see if a particular case type existed at all with that particular dial. Here, on the right, is an instance where the 562
(5/6) -7070 has the 562 (5/6) -7010 dial and the dial shows the 7010. Although the dial numbering does not necessarily match the
case, such a watch is definitely a duplicate, which is better to avoid. Most of the dials received either fabric or radial polish originally
(except for the first series of KS), if radial polishing is missing from a smooth dial, it may also indicate repainting.Unfortunately, in old
catalogs and on the web, it is not always possible to see what kind of dial the original model received, so I couldn't collect accurate
information about them, but what seems to be certain is in the tables and text above. The printing of the text on the dials is always very
definite, with a sharp contour on the original dials, and if you do not see such a copy, it is certainly repainted. The picture on the left
shows a 45-7000 dial. In addition to the strong suspicion of the parallel, or non-radial, pattern, note that while the inscriptions are solid,
the 4502-7000T AD lacks a hyphen (-). Seiko placed a dash on each of its 45KS dials to the right of index 6, in front of the dial number.
It is clearly missing here, probably forgotten during repainting.
However, there is a difference between repainted and refurbished. From a collector's point of view, it's not worth thinking about a
repainted KS with a dial that never existed at the factory. However, even if it looks factory-made, you may not be able to determine
from an hourly picture whether your dial is remanufactured or genuine. Not only are there poor imitations, Japan has a very serious
culture of renovations. The following two pictures show a front series King Seiko dial: left side in "original" condition and right side after
refurbishment. Of course, these are just low-resolution photos, but here you can see some slight differences from the original, but the
master even took care to polish the dial vertically .
 The pendant is also worth taking care of. There are many replicas, and these are
often used to replace original but slightly defective pendants on remanufactured
watches. Most of the replica pendants wear very quickly to the base metal (to which
gold plating is applied), and although the original pendants tend to wear out, in other
words, the replica pendant remains intact, only the gold plating is worn so its color
changes to gray. The original pendant, on the other hand, has pieces that are peeled
off, as shown on the left of a 1971 4502-7001 back panel. The border of the pendant
may be traced by the border of the pendant and the case - the original pendants have
a narrow, flat edge that is slightly lower than the corner of the recess of the case and
no gap is visible between the two. A striking sign if the pendant is turned away from
the case and even more striking, if it does not match the clock: for example, a watch
that identifies itself as "Chronometer Officially Certified" on the dial is not a
chronometer (or not Superior if the clock is). In this case, the pendant and the watch
are sure not to fit. But I've also seen one with the Daini emblem on the pendant and
the Suwa on the dial, plus a 45KS that Suwa never produced. Such watches are
obviously an aftermarket type that are even better off to avoid (although a donor may
be good if we need a broken main spring, for example). where the pendant featured a
Daini logo and Suwa on the dial, plus a 45KS that Suwa had never manufactured. Such
watches are obviously an aftermarket type that are even better off to avoid (although
a donor may be good if we need a broken main spring, for example). where the pendant featured a Daini logo and Suwa on the dial, plus
a 45KS that Suwa had never manufactured. Such watches are obviously an aftermarket type that are even better off to avoid (although
a donor may be good if we need a broken main spring, for example).
But one thing is definitely not to be judged on the pictures: how much the watch has been in use for decades and whether they have
been regularly maintained (probably not). Wear is even more critical than the 45KS 36000's, not only does it require maintenance, but
more often than its smaller counterparts. If that's not the case, then don't expect too much accuracy. A cleaned structure may look new,
but you will only know about wear and tear if it is tested in a workshop or worn for everyday use. Therefore, even though I wrote a good
condition copy that can be fine-tuned, you should not expect very high accuracy from such 45-55 year old watches. A difference of less
than 30 seconds a day is already good. And in most cases, after the purchase, of course, you will need to service them, which can be
added to the purchase price. Unless the seller claims that the selected copy was serviced recently - and we believe it.

Cue
After 52KS, nothing happened: mechanical watch development stopped in 1973 and the King Seiko and Grand Seiko lines ceased in
1976. An era is over. There was no longer a demand for expensive mechanical watches, quartz watches were becoming cheaper and
soon replaced their mechanical counterparts. Seiko continued to sell quartz models in the high end, and in 1975 the King Quartz and
Grand Quartz series were introduced. However, legendary names have proven to be few. The early revolutionary period of quartz
watches, when people were willing to afford the price of a car for a quartz watch, was slowly coming to an end. Although GQ and KQ
were cheaper than early quartz watches, there was no demand for it. As a result, by 1981, both series had run out.

The 5245A is resurrected

By 1988, however, something was beginning to change in the market and Seiko felt that there would be a demand in Japan for high-
precision premium quartz watches again. No one had ever thought of reviving old mechanical premium watches, but the Grand Seiko
brand was revived with quartz types. These were even taken that year to Baselworld, Switzerland's most important watchmaking
exhibition. The watch was accompanied by a young engineer, Jun Tanaka, who was quite surprised to see how many Swiss
manufacturers still consider mechanical watchmaking as a high-profile item. He was convinced that mechanical watches had a future.
(Seiko also produced mechanical watches in the lower category in the 80s and 90s, with the 7000 series developed in the early 70s.)
After two years, In 1991, Seiko wanted to announce something special to mark the 110th anniversary of its existence. Jun was already
struggling within the company to have Seiko's new premium mechanical wristwatch, so he got the chance to propose a high-end
mechanical suit watch for the anniversary. The proposal was accepted by the decision makers. The anniversary timepiece used the
remaining lying sets of the ultra-thin 6810 manufactured between 1973 and 1978. 110 of the watch was made and found a good market
reception. to create a high-end mechanical suit watch for the anniversary. The proposal was accepted by the decision makers. The
anniversary timepiece used the remaining lying sets of the ultra-thin 6810 manufactured between 1973 and 1978. 110 of the watch was
made and found a good market reception. to create a high-end mechanical suit watch for the anniversary. The proposal was accepted by
the decision makers. The anniversary timepiece used the remaining lying sets of the ultra-thin 6810 manufactured between 1973 and
1978. 110 of the watch was made and found a good market reception.
Thanks to its success, Seiko re-created a mechanical watch project. There was only one small problem: no engineer with experience in
designing new mechanical structures. That's why they bought one of the best mechanical automatics of the 70's, the 5245, updated with
state-of-the-art manufacturing technology, and in 1992 the new high-end Seiko was ready: the 4S35. Smaller versions of the 25-stone
automatic, but also hand-drawn, date-bearing structure have been assigned the identities 4S15 and 4S25. The cost of producing a new
structure is very high, so for economic reasons 200,000 copies of the 4S versions were made up to 1997, though it later turned out to
be too much for today's market demands.
The first watch with a 4S design was released at the end of 1992, SCVK001 (4S35-8000). Although slightly modified, the 5245A was
reborn at least between 1992 and 1997.
Mechanical watches have again become the focus of media interest and the time has come for the resurgence of the mechanical Grand
Seiko: in 1996, the new mechanical Grand Seiko project began. Tanaka wanted the new Grand Seiko to design a new high-end
structure, but the decision makers didn't want to go into it because there was too much of the 4S. Initially, therefore, they tried to
further refine the 4S, but failed to achieve the precision required by the GS, opening the way to the design of an entirely new structure.
Retired experts and engineers were recalled, and on November 28, 1998, the first new Grand Seiko was released with a brand new
mechanical machine, the 9S.

A late descendant
So Grand Seiko was resurrected, but that was not the case with King
Seiko. Seiko probably did not want to re-manufacture two competing
product lines. Many of the remaining 4S structures were eventually put
into various high-end watches over the years. And while I wrote in the
52KS chapter that the last King Seiko was the 5256-8000 and the
5256-8010, that is not entirely the case. In 2000, Seiko felt it was time
to pay homage to the great legends of the past, and therefore released
a collection of 7 different pieces called the Seiko Historical Collection of
the Year 2000. Not a single Grand Seiko was included, as the revitalized
GS brand was just 2 years old in 2000, but in addition new editions of
real legends were represented:

Laurel (1913)
Railway Watch (1929)
Pocket Watch (1939)
King Seiko (1961)
300m Diver's (1965)
Quartz Astron (1969)
600m Diver's (1975)

These watches were published in an almost identical design to the

modern interior but exterior, and those who bought them all (not a
cheap thing in 2000) also received a gift box for their storage. And yes,
we can see that there was a King Seiko among them! This was indeed
the last KS: SCVN001.
Although the brochure page on the right mentions the year of birth of
the KS, 1961, the new type released did not return to the original KS,
but rather the 5625s, or more precisely the design grammars 5625-
7110 of 1971 and based on polishing. The
new KS is SCVN001 and code is 4S15-7040.
Like all other Year 2000 copies, King Seiko
has stayed true to its original size and has
received a 36.5mm case. It comes with a
crocodile leather strap and, of course, a KS
inscribed buckle. The case has faithfully
followed the old design grammar principles,
the side and the case ears are also completely
mirror polished, as is the case with the old 56KS. A great feature of the
new release is that, with a slight change, the pendant on the screw backside is reproduced (and here it no longer sinks, but slightly
protrudes from the backside). Although the screw backside no longer had a
pendant on the 56KS, the one-piece backside did not seem to be reproduced
by Seiko (the waterproof also became 10 bar).
The watch was made in 2000 copies, each copy was given a unique serial
number, and even today, novel pieces can be found in the used market.
The design of the case, by the way, follows the design of the 56KS: the
rama and the ring below it are made of a single piece, the rest of the case is
made of one piece (except for the screwed back, of course). The crown, of
course, received the glossy KS inscription with a relatively deep and
unpolished burr.

The dial is also faithful to the old KS: it has radial sanding, mounted KS and SEIKO inscriptions and printed AUTOMATIC and HI-BEAT
inscriptions. Unfortunately, the old Suwa / Daini logo is no longer on the dial. Of course, the identifier at the 6-hour index shows the new
number and token code (JAPAN 4S15 | -7050 T 2). For each index, polished thin bars are used with a black center bar, except for the 12
hours where there are double bars. The ring surrounding the dial is also mirror polished, as on the old KSs. The indicators also retained
their original form; they are very high quality and mirror polished, with a black center band (not a second, of course). In the case of
glass, Seiko did not stick to the old KS, but in that case it might not matter: the last KS received a sapphire glass with an anti-reflection
coating,
 With case and all accessories
So the last KS got the 5245 descendant automatic but also manual 25S
4S15 structure. It has a modern heat compensated rocker and hair spring,
with 28800 oscillations left. The running reserve is 40 hours, the factory
accuracy limit is + 25 / -15 seconds per day (the 4S35 otherwise deviates
to precision, where the Seiko gives + 15 / -10 seconds, for 4S25 the
accuracy is the same as for 4S15). As shown in the figure on the left,
similarly to the 52 structures, it received a brushed nickel-plated rotor.
Because the 4S15 has been equipped with the 52 Series Bridge's
integrated lifting mechanism, it is relatively thin, 4.17mm thick and 26mm
in diameter. Of course, the screw back panel did not require an external
regulator. Of course, it might have been better if Seiko had fitted the
SCVN001 with the 4S35, but that device had disappeared from the watch
in the second half of the 1990s.
Daini and Suwa
King Seiko's 2000 tribute edition was thus the last reincarnation of one of
the great legends of the heroic era. And what about Daini and Suwa
Seikosha? Well, the two Seiko companies still exist today: Daini Seikosha
has been operating under the name Seiko Instruments since 1983, and
they carry out most of the Seiko Group's modern mechanical watch
activities. Daini's high-end watchmaking tradition was revived at Shizuku-
ishi Watch Studio in 2004, producing Credor, Grand Seiko and other high
end products. This factory is located in the northern industrial area of
Morioka .
In 1985, Suwa Seikosha merged with Epson Electronics Company under the name Seiko Epson Corporation . (See the wholesale and
marketing activities within the group to another Branch Seiko, the Seiko Watch Corporation in. This K. Hattori & Co., Ltd. is a direct
descendant.) Seiko Epson partly independent companies in Shiojiri , there is the Spring Drive and including Orient watches and mass-
produced Seiko quartz watches. Since 2000, there has been high-end watchmaking in the Micro Artist Studio. There I made an Eichi II, a
Sonnerie of the same high-end Credor Spring Drive, introduced in my previous article , but it also produces Astron GPS Solar. So the
long-standing friendly rivalry between factories is still alive today.

Translation, Writing and Editing: Róbert Sipos (2018)

Updated: October 2018 (first generation KS plus information)

Updated: December 2018 (Marking system chapter updates; first generation KS production date update)

Sources used for compiling:

A Journey in time. The remarkable story of Seiko (2003)

Hungarian magazines Seiko

Seiko branding dictionary

Adventures in Amateur Fettling Watch

Neuchâtel Observatory,

The Grand Seiko Story

The Seiko Museum

Antique Watch Bar

timezone.com

SCWF Diashock and Diafix

Seiko Butique Blog

SeiyaJapan.com

Seiko Movement Numbers History

The Grand Seiko Guy

Plus9Time

Why the King Seiko 44-9990 (44KS) rules them all

vintage watch

Fratellowatches

Pawn Shop Kyotoya

Interview with the watchmaking "Father" of the modern mechanical Grand Seiko

user named Kohei Comments on Time Zone Forum

The Seikoholics Forums

Instagram pictures

Vigges_66_Watchblog
 Vintage Watch Movement

Difference and Which is Best

Seiko 5 Story

Seikomatic Archive

The watch spot

BQ-watch.jp

Watch CTI

Watch Guy

in the history of the classic automatic King Seiko (original)

A History Of The Classic Automatic King Seiko

Vol.5 The Legendary Mechanical Movement Is Re-invented

A Way To Rebirth Of Seiko's Mechanical

Watches

Seiko

en

Vintage Time Australia

kodokei.com

Domestic Watch - Seiko Crown, Cronos, Marvel (Dragonfly Publishing, 2014)

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