The first thing people think of when presented with Grand Seiko is the association with Seiko watches, carried by any number of department stores for a few hundred dollars.

Seiko are quite good for their price point, even if there is nothing inherently special about them.

The popular brand specializes in manufacturing high quality, inexpensive timepieces that might not be haute horology, but have nevertheless made a lasting impression on the world of watches.

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Seiko’s performance in these trials improved every year they participated, eventually culminating in Seiko being awarded the prize for best mechanical watch in 1968.

The Swiss canceled this competition after 1968, leading many to speculate that they knew the writing on the wall: they could not allow Seiko to continue to outshine their watches.

Due to this, the Swiss rebooted this competition in 2009 with the stipulation only watches with parts made in Europe were allowed to enter in the new competition. Seiko and Grand Seiko seem to have left a mark on the Swiss watchmaking psyche.

Technical Mastery

Using the experience gained in the Chronometer Trials, Grand Seiko was able to refine their manufacturing and technical capabilities in a way that allowed them to step out as a refined and technically proficient watch maker.

One of the first innovations to come from the Chronometer Trials was a movement that operated and amazing beat rate of 10 beats per second; resulting in a plus/minus 2 seconds a day, or one minute a month, accuracy, a feat unheard of at the time for a mass-produced mechanical watch.

In 1969, Seiko created the first quartz watch, the Astron, ushering in the “Quartz Crisis” for the mechanical watch industry.