Seiko Background
1. INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND OF SEIKO
The company started in 1881, when Kintaro Hattori opened a watch and jewellery shop called ‘ K.Hattori’ in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan. Eleven years later, in 1892, he began to produce clocks under the name Seikosha, meaning roughly ‘House of Exquisite Workmanship.’ According to Seiko’s official company history, titled’ A Journey In Time: The Remarkable Story of Seiko’ (2003), Seiko is a Japanese word meaning success.
The first watches produced under the Seiko brand appeared in 1924. In 1969, Seiko introduced the Astron, the world’s first production quartz watch when it was produced; it cost the same as a medium-sized car. In 1985, Orient Watches and Seiko established a joint factory. The company was incorporated (K.Hattori & Co.Ltd.)in 1917 and was 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 as if July 1, 2007.
Seiko’s mechanical watches are highly prized by collectors-from the Seiko ‘5’ series(the 5 reflects the five essential features if the watch, namely shock resistant, water resistant, automatic, and the day display), which is the most common, the Seiko automatic Chronometer series; the ‘Bell-Matic ,’with a mechanical alarm; to the highly prized luxury ‘ Credor’, ‘King Seiko,’ and ‘Grand Seiko’lines. On 7 October 2005, Seiko announced the launch of the Seiko Spring Drive, a new movement that provides 72 hours of power compared 40 hours for mechanical and 3 years for battery powered quartz watches.
Seiko’s 2004 marketing campaign emphasized that a watch, as opposed to other traits, tells the most about a person Various Seiko watches were worn by cinematic James Bond 007 in four films starring Roger Moore form 1997 to 1985. Today the music division, a part of Seiko Life Sports, produces
1.0 BACKGROUND OF SEIKO
The company started in 1881, when Kintaro Hattori opened a watch and jewellery shop called ‘ K.Hattori’ in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan. Eleven years later, in 1892, he began to produce clocks under the name Seikosha, meaning roughly ‘House of Exquisite Workmanship.’ According to Seiko’s official company history, titled’ A Journey In Time: The Remarkable Story of Seiko’ (2003), Seiko is a Japanese word meaning success.
The first watches produced under the Seiko brand appeared in 1924. In 1969, Seiko introduced the Astron, the world’s first production quartz watch when it was produced; it cost the same as a medium-sized car. In 1985, Orient Watches and Seiko established a joint factory. The company was incorporated (K.Hattori & Co.Ltd.)in 1917 and was 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 as if July 1, 2007.
Seiko’s mechanical watches are highly prized by collectors-from the Seiko ‘5’ series(the 5 reflects the five essential features if the watch, namely shock resistant, water resistant, automatic, and the day display), which is the most common, the Seiko automatic Chronometer series; the ‘Bell-Matic ,’with a mechanical alarm; to the highly prized luxury ‘ Credor’, ‘King Seiko,’ and ‘Grand Seiko’lines. On 7 October 2005, Seiko announced the launch of the Seiko Spring Drive, a new movement that provides 72 hours of power compared 40 hours for mechanical and 3 years for battery powered quartz watches.
Seiko’s 2004 marketing campaign emphasized that a watch, as opposed to other traits, tells the most about a person Various Seiko watches were worn by cinematic James Bond 007 in four films starring Roger Moore form 1997 to 1985. Today the music division, a part of Seiko Life Sports, produces
References: 1. Kinicki, A., & Williams, B.K. (2006). Management: A practical introduction. (2 nd ed.) 2. Jones, G.R., & George, J.M. (2003). Contemporary management. New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin. 3. Robbins, S.P., & De Crenzo, D. (2005). Fundamentals of management. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 6. Sean O’Rourke (2008). Seiko – Becoming the New Name in Hip Watches. EzineArticles.com 7 8. What’s New (August 2010). Seiko Sponsors 29er & 49er Class. Seikocan.com 9 10. Seiko Corporation (2006). Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2006. 17. “The new SEIKO Sportura FC Barcelona Chronograph meets its inspiration”. Seiko Watch Corporation. (October 2011) 18 19. “The 2010 Velatura Collection. Built for the oceans, and built to race.” (March 18, 2010) Seikowatches.com 20 21. “Seiko Kinetic Watch Mechanism (October 13, 2009). Watch Freeks – A Watch Forum for All Sizes. Watchfreeks.com 22 23. “Seiko Luxury Watches.” (October 21, 2009). Ablogtoread.com 24