Seiko

Seiko Group Corporation
Native name
セイコーグループ株式会社
Seikō Gurūpu kabushiki gaisha
Formerly
  • K. Hattori & Co. (1881-1917)
  • K. Hattori & Co., Ltd. (1917-1983)
  • Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd. (1983-1990)
  • Seiko Corporation (1990-2007)
  • Seiko Holdings Corporation (2007-2022)
Company typePublic (Kabushiki gaisha)
TYO: 8050
ISINJP3414700009 Edit this on Wikidata
IndustryElectronics
Watchmaking
Founded1881 (1881) in Chūō, Tokyo, Japan
FounderKintarō Hattori
HeadquartersGinza, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan
Key people
Products
RevenueIncrease ¥239 billion (2020)[3]
Increase ¥5.17 billion (2020)[3]
Increase ¥3.4 billion (2020)[3]
Total assetsIncrease ¥299 billion (2020)[3]
Total equityIncrease ¥103 billion (2020)[3]
OwnerHattori family
Number of employees
11,947 (2020)[3]
Subsidiaries
Websiteseiko.co.jp

Seiko Group Corporation (セイコーグループ株式会社, Seikō Gurūpu kabushiki gaisha), commonly known as Seiko (/ˈsk/ SAY-koh, Japanese: [seːkoː]), is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, semiconductors, jewelry, and optical products. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.[4][5]

Seiko is widely known for its wristwatches.[6] Seiko, Citizen and Rolex are the only three watch companies considered to be vertically integrated.[7] Seiko is able to design and develop all the components of a watch, as well as assemble, adjust, inspect and ship them in-house. Seiko's mechanical watches consist of approximately 200 parts, and the company has the technology and production facilities to design and manufacture all of these parts in-house.[8]

The company was incorporated (K. Hattori & Co., Ltd.) in 1917 and renamed Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd. in 1983 and Seiko Corporation in 1990. After reconstructing and creating its operating subsidiaries (such as Seiko Watch Corporation and Seiko Clock Inc.), it became a holding company in 2001 and was renamed Seiko Holdings Corporation on July 1, 2007. Seiko Holdings Corporation was renamed Seiko Group Corporation as of October 1, 2022.[9]

Seiko watches were originally produced by two different Hattori family companies (not subsidiaries of K. Hattori & Co); one was Daini Seikosha Co. (now known as Seiko Instruments Inc., a subsidiary of Seiko Holdings since 2009) and the other was Suwa Seikosha Co. (now known as Seiko Epson Corporation, an independent publicly traded company). Having two companies both producing the same brand of watch enabled Seiko to improve technology through competition and hedge risk. It also reduced risk of production problems, since one company can increase production in the case of decreased production in the other parties. Seiko remains as one of the world's most recognised watchmaking brands.[10]

At present, quartz and Spring Drive watches are manufactured in Shiojiri, Nagano (Epson), and mechanical watches in Shizukuishi, Iwate (Morioka Seiko Instruments). Some of the watches exported abroad, such as the Seiko 5, are also manufactured in Ninohe, Iwate, by Ninohe Tokei Kogyo (established in 1974 as a parts factory for Seiko).[11]

  1. ^ Notification of change of President, Seiko Holdings Corporation, April 30, 2010.
  2. ^ "SEIKO Top Message". Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Seiko Holdings Corporation Financial Statements" (PDF). Seiko Holdings Corporation. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  4. ^ "The History of Seiko Through 12 Milestone Seiko Watches". EBNER PUBLISHING INTERNATIONAL, INC. January 20, 2021. Archived from the original on November 25, 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference seikow was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Seiko sets its sights on high-quality mechanical market". Financial Times. September 28, 2015. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  7. ^ "Go Behind the Scenes of One of the Most Impressive Watchmaking Operations in the World". Gear Patrol, LLC. February 8, 2018. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  8. ^ "Seiko Quality" (in Japanese). Seiko Group Corporation. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  9. ^ "商号の変更および定款の一部変更に関するお知らせ" [Announcement of Change in Trade Name and Partial Amendment to Articles of Incorporation] (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Seiko Holdings Corporation. Grand 2010-2022 andy low. May 10, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  10. ^ 文字板に込めた、それぞれの製造地への想い (in Japanese). Jewelry Paris Inc. February 12, 2021. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  11. ^ セイコー大人の遠足@雫石 (in Japanese). Web Chronos. October 18, 2017. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2023.

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