Seiko is one of the most significant vertically integrated watch manufactures on the planet, but back in the 1960s, the company did things a bit differently. 

For roughly ten years, Seiko operated two different factories: the Suwa factory, and the Daini factory. Neither parts nor knowledge were shared between the two facilities, which the brand did on purpose in order to promote internal competition. Suwa is where the Grand Seiko line — and subsequently, the Grand Seiko company — was born, while Daini is where King Seiko came to life.

King Seiko, however, was not to survive. It, along with Grand Seiko, were shut down in the 1970s to make way for quartz timepieces. But while Grand Seiko was revived back in 1988, King Seiko remained dormant for decades.

Until now, that is. In 2020, just in time for Seiko’s 140th birthday in 2021, the brand revived the King Seiko name with a special run of 3,000 watches — a modern take on the KSK from 1965. Dubbed the SJE083, this new watch celebrates the KS legacy by retaining legendary designer Taro Tanaka’s ‘grammar of design’ principles, enlarging the case slightly but retaining the original proportions. A fantastic example of Japanese industrial design, it’s a relatively straightforward timepiece whose appeal is completely in the small details.

This particular SJE083 is housed in a 38.1mm stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal, a signed crown, and a polished bezel. Angular, multi-faceted, and Zaratsu-polished, it’s this case that makes the watch stand out in a sea of similarly styled dress watches from other brands — even those from Seiko itself. Outfitted with a sunburst silver dial with applied indices, a matching ‘dauphine’ handset, and a handy date window at 3:00, it’s powered by Seiko’s slim, automatic Calibre 6L35 movement with 45 hours of power reserve, and comes paired to a signed, black crocodile strap with a signed steel pin buckle. 

Truly, there have been few recent dress watches that pique the interest of vintage watch enthusiasts more than the SJE083. 

Once you try it on, we’re sure that you’ll agree!