The Birth of an Iconic Brand

Let's give you some background information about Seiko. Now, reverse the time lapse to 100 years ago and spin the globe 9,520 kms away. Japan's Meiji period, which began in 1868, was a time of great promise and potential. The nation was shifting from an isolationist feudal system to a modern nation state.Breitling Chronomat Replica This was easy to understand. Japan needed to succeed and it had to learn and adopt the most advanced technology from the West. This meant that Japan had to switch to the Gregorian Calendar and the 24-hour days. This led to an increase in pocket watches and clocks imported from the West.

Young Kintaro Hattori, founder Seiko in 1890.

The main entrance to Seikosha Factory in 1897.

K. Hattori clock tower, 1894; signboard at the top reads Hattori Shoten. (Image: Omega Deville Replica Watches).

Kintaro Hattori, an extremely entrepreneurial man, opened his clock and watch shop in central Tokyo in 1881. In 1890, he established the Seikosha plant, which literally means the "exquisite failure factory". (Aside: I've borrowed this nickname to bless my future wife's womb. The company's first half of the 20th century existence was marred by a series of almost Job-like Old Testament trials and tribulations. It was transformed into a munitions plant,Omega Replica Watches decimated in the Great Kanto earthquake that killed more than 140,000, and all its factories were bombed or evacuated during World War II.

Seiko was able to re-emerge in 1959 and rebuild its two major factories, the Suwa Seikosha in Nagano Prefecture, and the Daini (literally the second) in Kameido. Seiko's genius stroke was to encourage internal competition between the two factories in all dimensions, but especially in chronometric excellence, and technical innovations.

The 1960 Omega Deville Replica Watches ref. 3180 (Image by Omega Deville Replica Watches).

The 1960 Omega Deville Replica Watches ref. 3180 (Image: Omega Deville Replica Watches).

Seikos were reliable utilitarian watches up until 1959. European brands like Rolex or the legendary Patek Philippe occupied the top rungs of the Japanese consumer's imagination.Omega Deville Replica Watches But Seiko had greater ambitions.

It wanted to show that it could design a watch that could compete with the best watches in the world, both in terms of functionality and design. The company launched the Omega Deville Replica Watches line in 1960 to compete with Swiss watches.

This timepiece is an iconic piece. The reference 3180 featured long lugs, a strong bevel and a round case. It also features prominent dauphine hands, faceted markers, and prominent dauphine hands. Although most cases were gold-plated, solid platinum examples exist.