# 1975 Seiko QZ Quartz 0920 8000 (incoming)



## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

Sellers pics, spotted this on the bay with original(?) bracelet with fitted end links. It is virtually the same in looks as my 1975 Seiko King Quartz, so i thought they would make a complimentary pair.

when new in 1975 the KQ was catalogued at 51,000 to 56,000 yen and the QZ at 39,000 yen. So neither were particular cheap in 1975 but of course quartz was still the new thing and was still considered more prestigious then mechanical at the time.

KQ

[IMG alt="Nuance Communications, Inc." data-ratio="95.09"]https://adventuresinamateurwatchfettling.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/1976-seiko-king-quartz-catalogue.jpg?w=529&h=503[/IMG]

cf

QZ

[IMG alt="s-l1600.jpg" data-ratio="213.57"]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/D~8AAOSwy~Jdx8-U/s-l1600.jpg[/IMG]

both virtually identical apart from of course the small matter of the movement, an AR coated sapphire crystal in the KQ and of course the dial markings King Seiko as against QZ. The KQ was also available with roman numerals

sellers pictures.

[IMG alt="s-l1600.jpg" data-ratio="177.78"]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/0KsAAOSwGFZcYLHL/s-l1600.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="s-l1600.jpg" data-ratio="177.78"]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/8m4AAOSwa7RcYLHS/s-l1600.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="s-l1600.jpg" data-ratio="177.78"]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XfUAAOSwyi5cYLHa/s-l1600.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="s-l1600.jpg" data-ratio="177.78"]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/vKgAAOSwGEJcYLHg/s-l1600.jpg[/IMG]

they were both Daini factory products seen from the dial symbol.

I dont think the cases are identical, i think there is a difference in the bezel with the KQ having a cantilever design, but it will know more when i get them side by side. A little video too.


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

A bit of information here lifted from SCWF on early seiko quartz watches.

The early quartzes ar not really apriciated I think.
Good thing for me who likes them and can buy them for reasnable prices at fleamarkets and such.

The QT,QR and QZ was the JDM quartzes around 73-75 and the export models was mostly labelled 2002,
3003 and 4004.
The highest quality is the QT and the lower one is QZ.
At this time there was no cheap quartzes so even the lower grade QZ was more expensive than the average
mechanical watches.
If you wanted even better you had to buy an VFA, Very Fine Adjusted, or an Superior but they where out of
reach for most people pricewise.

After 75 Seiko introduced the Grand Quartz, King Quartz an Lord Quartz line and 1976 the TypeII
came, the first affordable Quartz watch with an price similar to the average mechanicals.

So when looking to collect early seiko quartz it is worth remembering that (along with the more obviously higher end offerings like King Quartz and Grand Quartz) before the typeII came in in 1976 as the first affordable quartz watch, that even the cheapest seiko quartz tended to be more expensive when new than the average mechanical which increases the desirability now of these early seiko quartz.

This also goes for Citizen at the same time they are worth seeking out from the early to mid 1970s


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

The QZ range was introduced in 1971 and ended in 1975, at the same time there were, SQ, QT and QR movement ranges. They were all JDM models,

QR = Quartz ("QR" and "cadre honeycomb" on the dial) - evolved into Quartz 0842/0843
QT = Quartz ("QT" and "honeycomb" on the dial) - evolved into King Quartz 0852/0853 and the Quartz QT 0823
QZ = Quartz - evolved into Quart QZ 0923
SQ = Seiko Quartz (usually "Quartz V.F.A." on the dial)

Its worth remembering that SQ carried on into the 80s and 90's by which time the desirability pf collecting these as vintage models now is lessened due to the generally cheaper prices of quartz come the 1980s.

Its the 1970s ones which we are really looking for.

QZ was the bottom of the range then with QR and QT at the higher range, these were replaced by King Quartz and Grand Quartz in 1975, so it is worth searching out the QR and QT models now. As an alternative to KS and GS. Or indeed as well as.

W = Weekday and Calendar (38QRW/38SQW/38QTW)
C = Calendar only (38QRC/38SQC/38QTC)
T = Time only (38QT)

so in detail....

In the end, starting in 1975 Seiko introduced, the descendant of the 38SQW, the Grand Quartz 48GQW and the 48SQW (4883 Superior). In the same catalogue one could see the descendant of the 38QT the King Quartz 08KQW, the 08Quartz QT and the 38QR related Lord Quartz. In 1976 the QZ related Type II appeared, the first affordable Quartz watch with a price similar to the average mechanicals.

So this is where the cross reference to my King Quartz thread comes in and my particular KQ being a ref 4822....ie

The next iteration of the King Quartz calibers were 4822/4823, 5855/5856 (derived from 08QTC?), both produced already in 1975. Generally, these parallel calibers were designed to differently styled cases and had slightly different properties looking at case design, thermo-compensation, battery life, shock resistance, build quality (plastics) and dial quality - the 08KQW in particular was featuring very complex dial work.

so in effect the QZ in the OP was the last of the line in 1975 of a range of 1970's seiko quartz, and my King Quartz was the next generation in 1975 of a new line of seiko quartz. So they reconcile quiet well.


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

as an aside ive just found this QR which is an example of the foregoing

a nice looking example and fore father of the Grand Quartz/king quartz.










thats the kanji dial day date version so im assuming it the W


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

the qz arrived this morning and its a lovely watch and interesting to compare next to the KQ. Its 1mm bigger at 36mm, but otherwise very similar and with a 40mm lug to lug the case looks the same but isnt and feels a lighter stainless, maybe the KQ is a higher grade, ive not found any reference to whether they are both 316 or not, the KQ polished up so well, it could be better than 316? But any how the QZ is in very nice condition, the case with some light marks, but i'll leave it in this case, the crystal is as new almost, as is the dial, which is a very nice weave pattern, applied logo etc, i think that back in 1975 you would have really had to have been into watches to recognise the value in the KQ, having said that even the QZ would have been fairly expensive then and it was about 4 times the price of a standard seiko 5 automatic. So both were pricey. Think seiko sarb and seiko GS quartz in todays terms. Its nice to unite two of seikos vintage quartz from the same year that would have been sold along side each other in seiko AD's in Japan in the mid 1970's

The extra 1mm in the case of the cheaper QZ does make it look bigger.

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