Vintage Seiko King Quartz 4823-8000 watch 1976

SPECIFICATION

Reference: King Quartz
Movement: Quartz 4823
Age: April 1976
Case Size: 36mm
Case Thickness: 11mm
Lug to Lug: 41mm
Lugs: 19mm
Condition: Used Seiko watch
Box & Papers: No
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Warranty: 12-Months Warranty

 POINTS TO MENTION

• In fantastic pre-owned condition, with light wear from use
  
• Case and bezel have some very light scratches and mark
  
• Vertically textured dial
• Serviced Movement
• New battery fitted
• English and Kanji day wheel
• Quartz signed crown
  
• Paired with an unworn grey epsom leather strap
  

THE WATCH

The Seiko King Quartz 4823-8000 is a vintage quartz wristwatch from Seiko’s premium King Quartz lineup of the 1970s, powered by the Caliber 4822 high-grade quartz movement. The 4832 movement uses a 32768 Hz quartz oscillator and incorporates 7 jewels in its construction to reduce friction in key parts. A distinctive feature of many watches with this movement is a “jumping seconds” behaviour when the crown is pulled out for setting, where the seconds hand advances to the nearest 10-second mark to aid precise synchronization. The 36 mm stainless steel case says true to Seiko's 'Grammar of design' and the dial brushed dial ads a touch of class, the design reflects Seiko’s 1970s aesthetic for its higher-end quartz watches.

A BIT OF TRIVIA

The 4823 belongs to what collectors sometimes call Seiko’s “serious quartz” era. By the mid-1970s, quartz was no longer experimental, but it hadn’t yet become disposable. Movements like the 4823 were built with proper metal gear trains and robust construction, reflecting a time when quartz technology was still treated as premium engineering rather than mass-market convenience.

Battery longevity was also a genuine selling point at the time. Multi-year running without intervention felt futuristic, especially compared to mechanical watches that required regular winding or servicing. The 4823 helped normalise the idea that precision timekeeping could be effortless and consistent.

Interestingly, many watches housing the 4823 still retained strong mechanical-era design language. Applied indices, brushed sunburst dials, and sharply faceted 1970s cases give them the aesthetic of traditional watchmaking, even though the technology inside was thoroughly modern. That blend of old-world styling with contemporary quartz performance gives these pieces a subtle crossover appeal today.

From a watchmaker’s perspective, another point of interest is that these movements were still designed to be serviced rather than discarded. They predate the fully sealed, swap-only quartz modules that became common later, which adds another layer of appreciation for those who value longevity in design.