Seiko

Seiko Group Corporation
Native name
セイコーグループ株式会社
Seikō Gurūpu kabushiki gaisha
Formerly
  • K. Hattori & Co. (1881–1917)
  • K. Hattori & Co., Ltd. (1917–1983)
  • Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd. (1983–1997)
  • Seiko Corporation (1997–2007)
  • Seiko Holdings Corporation (2007–2022)
TypePublic
TYO: 8050
ISINJP3414700009 Edit this on Wikidata
IndustryElectronics
Watchmaking
Founded1881 (1881) in Chūō, Tokyo, Japan
FounderKintarō Hattori
HeadquartersGinza, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan
Key people
  • Shinji Hattori
    Chairman and CEO of Seiko Group; Chairman of Seiko Watch
  • Shuji Takahashi
    President of Seiko Group
  • Akio Naito
    Executive Vice President of Seiko Group; President of Seiko Watch
Products
RevenueIncrease ¥304.7 billion (FY2024)
Increase ¥21.2 billion (FY2024)
Increase ¥13.3 billion (FY2024)
Total assetsIncrease ¥369.2 billion (FY2024)
Total equityIncrease ¥156.0 billion (FY2024)
OwnerHattori family
Number of employees
11,740 (as of 31 March 2024)
Subsidiaries
Websiteseiko.co.jp

Seiko Group Corporation (セイコーグループ株式会社, Seikō Gurūpu kabushiki gaisha), commonly known as Seiko (/ˈseɪkoʊ/ SAY-koh, Japanese: [seːkoː]), is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.

Seiko is widely known for its wristwatches. Seiko and Rolex are the only two watch companies considered to be vertically integrated. Seiko is able to design and develop all the components of a watch, as well as assemble, adjust, inspect and ship them in-house. Seiko's mechanical watches consist of approximately 200 parts, and the company has the technology and production facilities to design and manufacture all of these parts internally.

The company was incorporated (K. Hattori & Co., Ltd.) in 1917 and renamed Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd. in 1983 and Seiko Corporation in 1997. After reconstructing and creating its operating subsidiaries (such as Seiko Watch Corporation and Seiko Clock Inc.), it became a holding company in 2001 and was renamed Seiko Holdings Corporation on July 1, 2007. Seiko Holdings Corporation was renamed Seiko Group Corporation as of October 1, 2022.

Seiko watches were originally produced by two Hattori family companies (not subsidiaries of K. Hattori & Co); one was Daini Seikosha Co. (now known as Seiko Instruments Inc., a subsidiary of Seiko Holdings since 2009) and the other was Suwa Seikosha Co. (now known as Seiko Epson Corporation, an independent publicly traded company). Having two companies both producing the same brand of watch enabled Seiko to improve technology through competition and hedge risk. It also reduced risk of production problems, since one company can increase production in the case of decreased production in the other parties. Seiko remains as one of the world's most recognised watchmaking brands.

In Ginza, where the company was founded, there are several Seiko-related facilities in addition to Seiko House Ginza, including the Seiko Museum and Seiko Dream Square. Several Seiko boutiques and department stores in the area frequently offer Ginza-exclusive models.