It wasn’t until the 2000s that Grand Seiko watches became available outside their native country for the first time. The Japanese giant, well known for its analogue quartz and affordable mechanical watches, finally revealed its high-end mechanical watch brand, which was born back in 1960, to the rest of the world. We were introduced to models equipped with the Spring Drive, a high-precision electromechanical movement. However, a close inspection revealed that Grand Seiko was not actually a brand. At 12 o’clock, on the dials of all the watches, the first logo you saw was that of Seiko. The legend “Grand Seiko” appeared underneath, at 6 o’clock, along with the extensive list of additional descriptors that each model required. This has always been somewhat ambiguous: the name “Grand Seiko” incorporates the name of the entire group, suggesting that Seiko itself is actually “Small Seiko” or “Normal Seiko”. In any case, not Grand. And that is why there has always been a temptation to place it at the top of the hierarchy.
Until 2017, that is. Since this year’s Baselworld, Grand Seiko has taken centre stage; it’s in the driving seat, it’s its own boss. Grand Seiko has grown up, and is confidently flying solo. The group has adopted a clearer and more intuitive branding strategy that gives pride of place to those products that are exceptional in quality, while still offering exceptional value for money. In Japan, the Seiko group owns some twelve brands, very few of which have been allowed nominal independence. Astron, Prospex, Galante, Premier and others operate under the banner of the parent company. Top-of-the-range Credor has until now been the only one allowed to use its own name, without any mention of the group. It’s time for these prestigious watches, which are increasingly destined for export, to differentiate themselves from the parent brand. Seiko, in fact, moves in different and generally inferior circles, in terms of price, precision and finishing. It’s not easy for parents to watch their offspring fly the nest. But when they have talent, they deserve the right to forge their own path, even if they retain a version of the family name.
