# Seiko Sub-brand Meanings



## Isthmus (Sep 29, 2005)

*I've updated and organized the list from a thread from the SCF:*

to include your most recent submissions, corrections and information. There is still a fair bit of work left to do, so please contribute so we can create a reference for all to use. Thanks.

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Here is a growing reference list of the general features and attributes that make up Seiko's different families of watches, both vintage and current. This does not include separate brand names that are not primarily labeled as Seiko.

If any sub brands are missing from the list, please point it out so they can be added. Please contribute any information you have and feel free to expand and/or correct anything already posted. Thank you.

*- Advan:*

*- Angelfish:* According to Mr. Tokunaga, the Angelfish case-back mark is an emblem that represents water-resistant ladies watches of the time (mainly the 1960's).

*- Bell-Matic:* A family of automatic watches characterized by having a mechanical alarm that can be set by an internal rotating bezel and activated/deactivated by a pusher located near the 2:00 position of the case. They were available in a wide range of styles and models during the late 60's and 70's and featured some of the largest non-diver cases produced by Seiko at that time. They are predominantly powered by a variant of the 4xxx caliber of movements (please expand on this).

*- Business:* (Bell-matic and Business A)

*- Champion:*

*- Chronometer:* Chronometer grade pre-1960s models. Probabaly mainly hand-windable,

*- Cronos:* Suwa/Daini designed and manufactured high-end Manual watches of the late 50's and early 60s. They were precursors to the Grand Seiko and not quite as high-end.

*- Crown:* Suwa/Daini designed and manufactured high-end Manual watches of the late 50's and early 60s. They were precursors to the Grand Seiko and not quite as high-end.

*- Dolphin:* According to Mr. Tokunaga, the Dolphin case-back mark is an emblem that represents self-winding types of water-resistant gentlemen's watches of the time (mainly the 1960's).

*- DX:* A line of Seiko Automatics consisting predominantly (but not exclusively) of caliber 6106 (a, b & c) powered automatics, produced during the 1960's and 70's. These watches were produced during a time in which Seiko experimented widely with design. DX is an acronym for the word Deluxe and it is supposed to reflect the general luxury character of the watches. They were generally affordable and made in more conservative designs without being traditional. They tend to offer design touches typically found in more expensive watches of the time, such as iridescent or textured dials, applied markers, and/or painted hands and markers. Some DX models were also offered in a regular line and aside from the DX markings are indistinguishable from the regular model. In at least on case that I know of, the watch evolved over time keeping the same case but changing the movement (and jewel count).

*- Goldfeather:* A short-lived line contemporary with the first KS (1950's) that was slimmer and not quite as high end as latter Grand Seiko's.

*- Grand Seiko (GS):* Since 1960, it has been Seiko's highest end line of chronometer grade mechanical watches. In many ways comparable or superior to the best mechanical watches produced in Europe. All are manufactured in Japan and are predominantly available only to the Japanese market (though some have said that some models have been made available in Hong Kong) Be prepared to spend serious money for one.

*- Gyro Marvel:* A subset of the Marvel Line built around the same time and Seiko's first automatic line of watches. Like the Marvel, they formed Seiko's top watch line of watches during the late 1950's.

*- King Seiko (KS):*

*- Lordmatic (LM):*

*- Marvel:* Seiko's top watch line of manual watches during the late 1950's. The Marvel was manual, the Gyro was Seiko's first auto. Gyro Marvel -

*- Navigator Timer:* A Family of watches that included an additional hand that could be set against a 24 hour GMT scale so that time could be read simultaneoously in another time zone. I'm not sure if these came only in vintage automatics or if the brand has survived into quartz or other types of movements. Seiko has for sure continued to use the concept both in modern quartz, automatic and spring drive powered watches.

*- Prospex:* a sports line of watches, if I remember correctly it's sort of a play on the words Professional Spec?

*- Rainbow:* (women's styles)

*- S-Wave:*

*- Seahorse:* According to Mr. Tokunaga, the Seahorse case-back mark is an emblem that represents manual-winding type of water-resistant gentlemen's watches of the time (mainly the 1960's). Although this information came directly from Mr. Tokunaga, some owners have reported owning automatic powered Seahorse models. It is possible that these might be an exception rather than the rule.

*- Sealion:* According to Mr. Tokunaga, the Sealion emblem stands for high quality chronometer grade watches of the time (mainly the 1960's).

*- Seiko 5:* Seiko 5 is Seiko's introductory line of automatic watches. The "5" stands for the watch's 5 principal attributes: 1.Date, 2.Day, 3.Automatic, 4.Shock Resistant, 5.Water Resistance. The 5 logo has been applied to a wide variety of calibers and styles and is one of the few sub-brands still in use today.

*- Seiko 5 Sports:* Basically the same thing as Seiko 5, but used in watches styled to appeal to people involved in sports, without being manufactured to handle professional use or abusive conditions. Seiko was not necessarily strict about this and there are numerous examples of identical watches which carried both the Seiko 5 and Seiko 5 Sports brand.

*- Seiko Credor:* This brand is two things at different times. During the 1980's it was a line of high end analog quartz watches. The brand was was reinterpreted in the late 1990's and reintroduced as a maker of very high end mechanical watches similar to Grand Seiko but with less traditional, more experimental (yet still conservative), more youthful styling. The succes of the sub-brand, coupled with the introduction of Spring Drive movement caused Seiko to relaunch it once again in the early 2000's as a separate stand-alone brand called Credor. The new Credor brand stands together with Grand Seiko as the top brand for the company, but focuses on much more innovative styling, materials and the use of the Spring Drive movement (they do use mechanical movements, but not as high end as Grand Seiko and there are unconfirmed rumors that mechanical movements might be fazed out of Credor altogether).

*- Skyliner:* A line of Manual watches made in various styles, from classic dress watches to more edgy designs later on, offered during the 50's & 60's.

*- Selfdater:*

*- Speedtimer:* Speed timer is a sub brand of Seiko's automatic chronographs from the 1970's. Speedtimer branded watches where mechanically the same as their regular counterparts, but had small stylistic differences that set them apart from the general production of the same watch. They were built in far lesser numbers and offered in fewer markets than their normally aspirated variants. As such Speedtimer are highly priced amongst collectors. It is important to note that not all Seiko chronographs had a Speetimer variant. A note on Speedtimers....at one time it was determined that one of the variants. I think it was the 6139's had the "b" movement with the extra jewels. Not true with the 6138's though. There is also the issue of whether or not Speedtimers were domestic [Japan] only models.

*- Sportsman:*

*- Sportsmatic:*

*- Super:* Seiko's top watch of the early 50s, I believe. Manual.

*- Vanac:* Funky styled KS watches of the 70s.

*- Weekdater:*

*- World Time or World Timer:* Basically the same as a Navigator Timer with the main difference being that the hour markers on the GMT bezel where replced with the names of major cities located in the corresponding horu markers. They tended to be (though not exclusively so) a bit more luxury oriented than Navigator Timers. I'm not sure if these came only in vintage automatics or if the brand has survived into quartz or other types of movements. Seiko has for sure continued to use the concept both in modern quartz, automatic and spring drive (?) powered watches.


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

How about the short-lived AGS for the very early Kinetics (Advanced Generating System?)


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## K.I.T.T. (Sep 5, 2003)

Roger said:


> How about the short-lived AGS for the very early Kinetics (Advanced Generating System?)


I have a really battered one of those!!! The only 'kinetic' type that I have









Mike


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## Isthmus (Sep 29, 2005)

Excellen't Hadn't thought of Kinetic or the Early AGS. Can you give me a description of each (or at least how AGS Differs from Kinetic)?


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

you two having the same avi confuses the **** out of me, i thought Ist' was talking to himself for a minute there!


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