Vintage King Seiko Wristwatch 45-7001 Hi-Beat 1972

SPECIFICATION

Reference : Seiko 45-7001
Movement : 45
Age : June 1972
Case Size : 36mm
Case Thickness : 9mm
Lug to Lug : 41.5mm
Lugs : 18mm
Condition : used Seiko watch
Box & Papers : No
Case Material : Stainless steel
Warranty : 12-Months Warranty

POINTS TO MENTION

• In wonderful condition with some signs of wear from use.
• Case and bezel have some light scratches and marks
• Sunburst dial has some light marks
• Hands have some patina
• Fully serviced movement
  
• High Beat movement 36,000 BPH
  
• The gold medallion is in fantastic condition
  
• KS sign crown
  
• Paired with an unworn grey leather strap

This King Seiko 45-7001 features the manually wound, high beat (as marked on the dial) calibre 45. As part of the famous 45~ series of King Seiko movements, the 45A runs in 36,000 bph, or 5 Hz, which provides greater accuracy to the wearer. The calibre 45A also instituted an instantaneous date change for the framed aperture at three o'clock.

The applied hour markers on the sunburst dial are beautiful and elegant, as is the handset. Both the markers and hands are executed without lume and instead the black minute hands sit underneath a sweeping silver second hand with the hour marker silver and through its centre a single black stripe. The case is curved and brushed with a polished bezel. One of our favourite details is the gold King Seiko medallion placed in the centre of the case back, a testament to the quality of construction and design present in the watch.

A BIT OF TRIVIA

The inter-corporate competition between Grand Seiko and King Seiko in the 1960s and '70s is a story that has fascinated all who have heard it. At that point in time, Seiko had two factories to create watches. Grand Seiko was produced at the Suwa factory; King Seiko was produced at the Daini factory. The rationale between having these two separate factories was to promote internal competition in order to build the absolute best watches possible. This 1970 King Seiko is an excellent example of exactly that.

The 45 King Seiko is the first 10-beat watch manufactured by Daini Seikosha Kameido Factory.

The 45 Kings became the new-generation 10 beat, thin high-end machines that was released and officially certified by the Japanese Chronometer Inspection Institute (est 1968) As for the manufacturing method, the watch was assembled separately from the normal line, carefully adjusted and inspected before being cased.

The case features large lugs, and the silver dial is a wonderful design that gives a simple yet powerful impression. It is a masterpiece of its time, and still today its awesome.

OUR THOUGHTS

King Seiko models in this kind of condition are becoming increasingly rare. With its striking design and ideal vintage proportions, this watch is a timeless classic — carefully preserved from the past and ready to be carried into the future on your wrist.