The history of Seiko clocks goes all the way back to early clock making in Japan, which was based on the lunar calendar as opposed to the solar calendar of the West. Lunar-based clocks were far more complex than solar-based clocks. Time measurement was divided into day and night and then again into six different components for each. Time was coordinated with the position of the sun but the daytime and night-time segments did not coordinate with each other. Early Japanese clock makers, the ancestors of those who today make seiko clocks, had to be masters at crafting sophisticated and complex pieces to accurately measure time with this complicated timekeeping system.
It is widely believed that missionaries first introduced mechanical clocks to Japan in the sixteenth century. As Japan became more open to western influence, the solar calendar was adopted for time measuring devices and paved the way for the Japanese clock industry which included the Hattori family, the makers of Seiko clocks.
In 1881, clockmaker, Kintaro Hattori established one of the first clock and watch making companies, K. Hattori & Co. Ltd. This was later to become The Seiko Corporation, the maker of Seiko clocks.
The Seiko Company quickly became known for being at the forefront of new technologies. In 1969 it developed the first quartz watch and continued its groundbreaking innovations with the first LCD six digit display watch as well as the first multi-functional digital watch.
Perhaps one of the greatest breakthroughs though, was in 1992 with Seiko's development of the "Kinetic Design". This is, basically, a type of quartz driven watch that goes into a suspended animation-type state when not worn for a period of three days. When again put on the wrist, the wearer simply shakes his or her hand and the watch automatically resets itself to the correct time.
As well as being among the most technologically sophisticated timepieces on the market, Seiko clocks display innovative design and varieties of style, giving them great aesthetic appeal.
For example, Seiko wall clocks are able to replicate the grand antique clocks of old while utilising modern quartz and even radio-controlled atomic technology for even greater accuracy.
Seiko's range of wall clocks extends to melodies in motion clocks that play music while displaying animated movement, Seiko musical clocks, even Seiko Beatles clocks, which delight their owners by playing Beatles tunes on the hour.
Seiko anniversary clocks are popular as wedding gifts. The anniversary clock is so called because when it was developed back in 1900, it only needed to be wound once a year. As a wedding gift, winding the clock becomes a sentimental way of celebrating each wedding anniversary. Nowadays, however, most are battery-operated and so don't need to be wound at all.
Atomic clock technology can be seen throughout the Seiko range. Seiko alarm clocks, wall clocks, even chiming pendulum clocks set themselves to the atomic clock via radio frequencies.
As testament to Seiko's excellence and precision, the company was selected as the official Olympic Timekeeper at five Olympic Games; Tokyo , Sapporo , Barcelona , Lillihammer and Nagano .
Today, Seiko clocks and watches can be seen anywhere from the home to the boardroom and everywhere in between. It's been a swift journey to success and one that will no doubt continue to provide newer and even more eye-opening technologies in the future.
