WE SELL VINTAGE SEIKO
Toronto Vintage Watches Is the Place to Buy Vintage Seiko Online
Vintage Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Special 6156-8040
Seiko watches provide reliability, value, and beautiful timeless designs. But many people think they don't have the knowledge or the budget to get wonderful vintage Seikos. That's where Toronto Vintage Watches comes in! We offer vintage and modern Seikos of all shapes, sizes, and prices so you can find the right fit for your needs – including Grand Seiko and King Seiko.
Vintage Grand Seiko
Vintage Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 'Cross Dial' 6145-8000
In 1960, Seiko released their first Grand Seiko, what would eventually become one of their most successful sub-brands, and in 2017 its own stand-alone brand. The Grand Seiko was made in several iterations, including the first Grand Seiko (from the Suwa Seikosha factory), the 44GS, the 45GS, the 62GS, the 61GS, and the 56GS. The 44 and 62GS were released in 1967, while the 61 and 45GS were released the following year. The 62GS was the first that to have the calendar function with the date window at 3 o'clock and an increased water resistance of 50 meters.
Meanwhile, the 45GS is renowned for its 36,000 bph manual winding movement - made by Daini Seikosha. Both the 45GS and 61GS were made in VFA or 'Very Fine Adjusted' version, with the 61Gs also being made in a 'Special' version. Finally, the 56GS was released in 1970, it stood out as it was the first vintage Grand Seiko made mostly in the factory, and also had a bph rate of 28,000. It was made to be an everyday watch and was the last Grand Seiko to be released before Grand Seiko's hiatus between 1975 and 1988 – when they brand was relaunched for the modern era.
Vintage King Seiko
Vintage King Seiko Hi-Beat 5621-7000
The first King Seiko was released in 1961, the year after the first Grand Seiko. The first King Seikos were manual winding, with 25-jewel movements, that were not internally tested chronometers. This was followed by the release of the 44KS in 1964. The 44KS was a remake of the 44GS with a manual winding movement - 18,000 bph, and a screwdown case back.
In 1968, the 45KS was introduced, a hi-beat movement meant to compete with the 45GS but generally less accurate and with less finishing. The Grand Seiko was also chronometer grade, in general King Seiko was always slightly under King Seiko in terms of accuracy and finishing - made in the Daini factory. And while the first two were produced by Daini, one of the most impressive King Seikos, the 56KS, was actually made by Suwa! The 56KS, the one on sale (5626 movement), was introduced in 1968 and featured an automatic, 28,800 bph movement with 25 jewels and a 47-hour power reserve. It was also used in the Grand Seiko, Lord Matic, and Seiko chronometers. The 56KS watches were all marked ‘Hi-Beat’ on the dial despite being only 28,800 bph (instead of 36,000). The 56KS was made until 1975...
Vintage Seiko Chronographs
Vintage Seiko 'Speedmaster' Quartz Chronograph Sports 100 7A28-7049
Seiko was founded as a watch store in 1881 by Kintaro Hattori in Tokyo. By the 1890s it was producing both clocks and pocket watches as Seikosha. And in 1913 Seiko produced Japan's first wristwatch, the Seiko Laurel. Seiko had beat out several other Japanese companies, including other Tokyo clock companies like Tokyo Clock Co. and Japan Pocket Watch Manufacturing Co. By the mid-20th century Seiko produced some of its most important wristwatches that set the stage for its future. In the early 1950s Seiko produced the Seiko Super which then became the Marvel. And in 1960 Seiko released the first Grand Seiko. This marked the beginning of not only the Grand Seiko but also the King Seiko and Lord Matic lines to follow.
Then, in 1969, Seiko released the Seiko Astron, the watch that would upend the Swiss watchmaking industry. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s Seiko continues to produced extraordinary quartz watches, along with many legendary vintage Seiko dive watches. A few of the notable vintage Seiko chronographs are the 6139, 6138, 7A28, 7018, and the Seiko 6S movements.
Shop Vintage Seiko Chronographs
Vintage Seiko Lord Matic
Vintage Seiko Lord Matic 5606-7000
The Seiko Lord Matic line was released in the late 1960s and produced well into the 1970s. It sat right under the Grand Seiko and King Seiko in the mechanical Seiko hierarchy, mirroring the position of the Seiko Lord Quartz in terms of Seiko quartz watches. The Seiko Lord Matic came in the 56xx (5605/5606) movement and also had the hi-beat (at 28,800 bph) Daini cousin, the Seiko Lord Matic Special 5206 and later the Seiko Cal. 5216 – both related to the King Seiko '52KS'. Ultimately a solid timepiece from Seiko, not quite as luxurious as the King Seiko or Grand Seiko but still far above the build of the typical Seiko 5 of the day. And yes, it is related to the other Lords, the Seiko Lord Marvel 5740 Hi-Beat 36000.
Shop Vintage Seiko Lord Matics
Vintage Seiko Quartz
Seiko King Twin Quartz 9923-7000
In 1969, Seiko released the Astron, the watch that would upend the Swiss watchmaking industry. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s Seiko continues to produced extraordinary quartz watches, along with many legendary vintage Seiko dive watches.
One of the coolest vintage Seiko Quartz models was the Seiko King Quartz. The Seiko King Quartz first appeared in the Seiko JDM catalogue in 1975 with the calibers 48KQ and 08KQ, the 08KQ that was derived from the previous Seiko QT Quartz line. The King Quartz was positioned right under the Grand Quartz as a high-end, luxury Seiko offering at the time.