Vintage King Seiko Hi-Beat 5626-7113 Automatic Watch 1974 Serviced UK Warranty

SPECIFICATION

Reference: King Seiko 5626-7113
Movement: Seiko 5626, 25-jewel automatic Hi-Beat
Age: March 1974
Case Size: 36mm
Case Thickness: 10mm
Lug to Lug: 42mm
Lugs: 18mm
Condition: Used vintage Seiko watch
Box and Papers: No
Case Material: Stainless steel
Warranty: 12-Month Mechanical Warranty (UK only)

POINTS TO MENTION

• In good pre-owned condition, with light wear from use
• Case and bezel have some light scratches and marks
• Some paint on hands missing
• Sunburst dial has 2 light spots
• English and Kanji day wheel
• KS-signed crown
• Fully serviced hi-beat movement with upgraded metal quickset
• Paired with an unworn blue leather strap

THE WATCH

King Seiko spent the 1960s refining its idea of a serious Japanese mechanical watch, and by 1974 that ambition could be expressed without a busy dial or a flamboyant case. The 5626-7113 has an appealing contrast: a softly toned silver/off-white dial surrounded by crisp, angular casework. The narrow bezel gives the face room to breathe, while the lugs lend the whole design a little more purpose than its quiet dial first suggests.

It is a particularly interesting watch from the closing years of the original mechanical King Seiko era. Quartz was already changing Japanese watchmaking, yet there is nothing hesitant about this design. It feels like the result of years spent working out exactly what was needed, and having the confidence to leave the rest alone.

A BIT OF TRIVIA

There is a nice twist in the 56KS story. King Seiko began with Daini Seikosha, while Grand Seiko was associated with Suwa, yet the automatic 56KS family was a Suwa design. By the time of the 5626-7113 the case had also moved away from the earlier one-piece 7110 construction to a conventional screw back, a quieter exterior around a movement from the “other” side of Seiko’s famous internal rivalry.

OUR THOUGHTS

We think the 56KS is one of the most rewarding corners of vintage Seiko collecting. Grand Seiko tends to get the headlines, but King Seiko has its own pedigree and deserves to be appreciated on its own terms. This 5626-7113 has all the things that draw us to the line: serious mechanical ambition, beautifully considered design and a confidence that never needs to shout about itself.

We wouldn't choose one as a substitute for a Grand Seiko. We'd choose it because it's a King Seiko. And for us, that's what makes these watches so appealing.