A watch that combines precise engineering, classic aesthetics, and historical significance, bearing the “Grammar of Design” style!

In 1959, Seiko underwent an internal split aimed at promoting internal competition and encouraging the production of better products, leading to the creation of the Daino Seikosha and Suwa Seikosha subsidiaries. They operated separately, without sharing knowledge, propelling Seiko to the forefront of design and technology.

Against this backdrop, the King Seiko collection was launched by Daino in response to Suwa’s Grand Seiko.

This piece incorporates a set of design principles by the young designer Taro Tanaka, who dubbed them the “Grammar of Design.” One of the results was the abandonment of traditional rounded cases.

Among the principles were that the surfaces and angles of the case, dial, indices, and hands had to be flat and geometrically perfect to reflect light more effectively; settings were to be simple, two-dimensional faceted curves; no visual distortion was permitted from any angle; and all cases and dials had to have a mirrored finish.


This 1968 watch features a 35mm-diameter steel case, an ideal size for its concept, with thick, eye-catching lugs and sharp, angular chamfers along the outer edge. The caseback is adorned with the traditional gold crest, showing slight wear and corrosion. The inscriptions are still visible (a rare sight on this model). The oversized crown is signed “Seiko” and features the letter “W” (indicating water resistance), providing a good grip for easy winding, as required by an exclusively manual-wind watch.

It is equipped with the famous 4402 manual-wind caliber, renowned for its precision and robustness. Recently serviced, it features a “hacking” function—the ability to stop the seconds hand when setting the time—an uncommon feature in watches from that era.

The silver dial is original, unrestored, and in excellent condition, showing some signs of wear and age. The wide dauphine-style hands harmonize with faceted baton hour markers, creating a clean, classic symmetry.

It is a watch that combines elegance, personality, and high-standard mechanics from an era when Seiko began to challenge and surpass Western standards.