• A technician assembles parts of mechanical movements of a Grand Seiko brand watch manufactured by Seiko Watch at the Morioka Seiko Instruments factory. All photos by Kiyoshi Ota / Bloomberg
    A technician assembles parts of mechanical movements of a Grand Seiko brand watch manufactured by Seiko Watch at the Morioka Seiko Instruments factory. All photos by Kiyoshi Ota / Bloomberg
  • Date indicators of a Grand Seiko watch.
    Date indicators of a Grand Seiko watch.
  • A watchmaker assembles a mechanical movement of a Grand Seiko.
    A watchmaker assembles a mechanical movement of a Grand Seiko.
  • Components of a Grand Seiko.
    Components of a Grand Seiko.
  • A watchmaker uses an eyepiece to assemble a mechanical movement of a Grand Seiko.
    A watchmaker uses an eyepiece to assemble a mechanical movement of a Grand Seiko.
  • A watchmaker inspects a Grand Seiko.
    A watchmaker inspects a Grand Seiko.
  • A droplet of water sits on the face of a A Grand Seiko.
    A droplet of water sits on the face of a A Grand Seiko.
  • A base plate of a Grand Seiko.
    A base plate of a Grand Seiko.
  • A watchmaker assembles Grand Seiko.
    A watchmaker assembles Grand Seiko.
  • Drill bits sit in the parts production area at the Morioka Seiko Instruments factory.
    Drill bits sit in the parts production area at the Morioka Seiko Instruments factory.
  • Machinery mills the base plate of a Grand Seiko.
    Machinery mills the base plate of a Grand Seiko.

Business

Japanese watchmaker's Grand Seiko - in pictures

Japanese firms such as Seiko and Citizen are challenging traditional makers of high-end timepieces in Switzerland

The National

March 21, 2018

  • English
  • Arabic

Once they’ve been checked through microscopes for precision and packed in satin-lined boxes, luxury timepieces by Seiko, Citizen and others are shipped off to Rodeo Drive or Knightsbridge boutiques, where they’ll sell for thousands of dollars. Models such as the Grand Seiko commands a price of $58,000.

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