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Video
Akio Naito, President of the Seiko Watch Corporation, on GS, The Tourbillon and Evolution 9
Talking about the evolution of Grand Seiko with its president.
Live from Watches and Wonders, we talk to the President of the Seiko Watch Corporation, Akio Naito, about the evolution of Grand Seiko as a separate brand, the expansion of the brand and the future for new markets, but also the importance and relevance of the new Evolution 9 collection. Finally, M. Naito will show us and explain the Kodo Tourbillon, the first high-end complication watch of the brand.
For more details about the brand and its new watches, please visit www.grand-seiko.com.
https://monochrome-watches.com/akio-naito-president-of-the-seiko-watch-corporation-on-gs-the-tourbillon-and-evolution-9/
3 responses
Mr. President, you say that your top engineers spent 10 years working on the Kodo Tourbillon. This is a $350,000 watch of which you will make 20 pieces.
My question to you is how long will it take your engineers to figure out how to align the bezels, hands and markers on your Prospex dive watches? Those are currently retailing in the $2000 range, and often provide deplorable accuracy alongside a slew of issues modern consumers would assume quality control departments would flag. You guys have been at this for over 140 years. I think by now you should have figured some of this stuff out.
Instead of trying to impress 20 dudes with deep pockets why don’t you refocus some of your energy into providing a product that doesn’t resemble a factory second to the thousands upon thousands of customers that continue to support your brand. Try taking some pride in that!
I’d love to buy a manually wound Grand Seiko and the SBGW231 and 267 are at the top of my watch wish lists. However my experience with your Prospex SPB143 leaves me quite hesitant to pull the trigger. On my wrist the watch loses 20 seconds a day!!!
As much as I love the design I have a hard time trusting the overall product and brand by extension. Watches that don’t tell accurate time with hands that don’t align. It’s a Wonder you can even call that a watch. The worst of it is My experience with Seiko has cast a small though not insignificant shadow of doubt over all Japanese products.
I understand why your sales and marketing people want to position Grand Seiko as a separate brand from Seiko. But as a consumer in search of quality products I’m still wary. I’ve experienced the difference between the Seiko product line and the Prospex product line and for the most part the difference was mostly price to the tune of 10x. Let’s hope that’s not the case here with Grand Seiko. Buyer be warned!
Seiko and grand Seiko have never been more popular than they are now so clearly your experience is that the majority. Might I interest you to a day brand and don’t look back
Your insights on Seiko and Grand Seiko are thought-provoking and reflect what many watch enthusiasts feel about the brand’s strengths and weaknesses. I agree that the Kodo Tourbillon is a remarkable achievement, showcasing Seiko’s technical prowess, but it’s equally important for the brand to ensure consistent quality across its more accessible lines, like the Prospex series.
That said, I’ve had both great and less-than-perfect experiences with Seiko watches. For example, my Prospex SPB143 had alignment issues, but a quick service fixed it, and I’ve been pleased with its performance since. It seems like Grand Seiko takes QC much more seriously—I own the SBGW231, and its craftsmanship and timekeeping have exceeded my expectations.
Hopefully, Seiko will address these concerns to reinforce the trust of everyday customers. After all, a strong foundation across all product tiers would only elevate their prestige models even more. Still, I can’t deny my respect for their innovation and heritage. It’s a delicate balance, but one worth pursuing for such an iconic brand.