The 14 Most Important Seikos (According to Seiko)

Don't shoot the messenger. I didn't make the list.

Apr 13, 2025

The Precursor

I couldn’t decide which watch deserved to be the centrepiece today, so I gave them all the long-read treatment. Hopefully you will agree they’re all equally deserving of the praise I’m about to give them.

Credor GCBK981 6S37-00D0

The last automatic chronograph made by Credor. Don’t worry, as I’m sure Credor will revisit this type of movement eventually - but it has been a while. The GCBK981 on offer today was released in 2011 and discontinued in 2013, marking a 12-year absence of a chronograph in Credor’s lineup. That’s only slightly surprising, given the brand's increasingly dressy direction in recent years.

It seems Credor has moved on to Big Dates and ultra-thin Spring Drives, leaving the chronographs to Seiko. I’m largely fine with that, but it is nice to see Credor’s level of finishing applied to sporty watch.

Despite being part of the Singo collection, rather than the Pacific, the sub-dials feature a ship’s wheel motif similar to the one etched into the GCBZ999, which I assume is a tribute to Japan’s maritime legacy.

The internal metal accents have all been coated in titanium nitride, giving them an iridescent sheen reminiscent of mother-of-pearl. The purples and turquoises produced by the coating are hard to capture in photos, but you can catch glimpses of them in a few of the shots above.

Adding to the eye-catching design is the impressively polished “waterfall” bracelet, with links that seem to cascade seamlessly from one to the next.

Speaking of hyper-polishing, the stepped rehaut is quite literally a mirror. I didn’t even notice it until I pulled out the macro lens - a small detail, but a brilliant demonstration of the lengths Credor goes to when finishing a watch.

To be clear, mirrored rehauts aren’t unique to Credor, but finding one this distortion free is rare. I had the pleasure of handling an AP recently, and despite its merits and overall quality, even its rehaut wasn’t free from slight distortion in places.

Obviously not deterred by the philosophical notion of a tree falling silently in the forest, Credor’s dedicated watchmakers take a huge amount of pride in their work, even if some details will only be seen by a tiny percentage of people.

Eagle-eyed readers might have spotted that the GCBK981 uses a 6S - the same calibre that TAG Heuer infamously borrowed to build their first fully “in-house” chronograph movement. But don’t let TAG’s questionable business ethics detract from the movement’s quality.

It’s powered by the 6S37 - the direct successor (and upgrade) to the 6S78 that TAG took inspiration from. It features more jewels, tighter tolerances, and a decorative finish. Credor sensibly opted for an exhibition caseback, giving you a clear view of the Geneva stripes on the bridges and rotor.

And while the quoted daily accuracy is the modern Credor standard of -10 to +15 seconds per day, these 6S chronographs are well known to outperform that. My timegrapher certainly agrees.

Steadier than a brain surgeon’s hand.

The Credor GCBK981 is available to buy on our website

In great condition. No noticeable marks anywhere. Just serviced. Full box and papers.

SCVM001 “Historic Collection” Laurel LE 1000

A 100-year throwback. To celebrate the turn of the millennium, Seiko produced seven limited-edition reissues of historically significant watches. A mix of divers, formal pieces, everyday automatics, and pocket watches - the collection had something for everyone. The watch on offer today is a reimagining of the earliest model from the collection: the 1913 Laurel, also known as Seiko’s first wristwatch.

While broadly faithful to the original, Seiko sensibly made this reissue slightly larger than the original. At 33.0mm wide, it’s still smaller than the average modern wristwatch, but the WWI-style Bund strap gives it formidable wrist presence.

The dial has been dutifully recreated. You don’t need me to tell you that Seiko has delivered an immaculate enamel finish - crisp white with a gently recessed small seconds sub-dial. The painted numerals have been layered multiple times, giving them a subtle lift against the high-contrast background.

The original blued spade hands have been swapped out for blued Breguet-adjacent hands - perhaps to harmonise with the Breguet numerals.

Interestingly, the domed crystal carries a blood-pink tint. As seen in the photos above, a soft red hue creeps around the edges in certain light. Believe it or not, anti-reflective coating dates back to 1886, so it’s entirely plausible that its inclusion here is historically faithful - although I haven’t been able to find confirmation from Seiko.

The original Bund strap rarely ages well, and most examples are now found on aftermarket replacements. This one has been paired with a Japanese soldier’s strap - a fitting choice given the period from which the original Laurel hails.

Etched into the leather is a small cherry blossom accompanied by the kanji 忠勇 (chūyū), meaning “Loyalty and Courage” - virtues upheld by the Japanese military, dating back to the Bushidō moral code followed by the Samurai. Similarly, the cherry blossom has long appeared on Japanese military apparel as a poetic reminder of life’s fragility - like the blossom itself, human life can bloom brilliantly and end suddenly.

In 2021, Seiko included a mysterious box with every watch purchase from one of its Japanese boutiques. Inside was one of fourteen possible pin badge miniatures from their expanded and revised Historical Collection - the watches Seiko now considers most representative of its legacy over the past 120 years. The miniature shown above is original 1913 Laurel, upon which the SCVM001 was based. It will be included in the sale, as a small bonus.

For those curious, here’s the full list of Seiko’s historically significant models, in chronological order:

1913 Laurel - the first wristwatch produced in Japan (pictured above)
1924 Seiko - the first Seiko branded watch
1956 Automatic - the first automatic watch produced in Japan
1956 Marvel - the first fully in-house watch produced by Seiko
1959 Alpinist - the first Alpinist
1961 King Seiko - the first King Seiko
1964 Crown Chronograph - the first Japanese chronograph
1965 62MAS - the first true diver produced by Seiko
1968 6159-7000 - the first Hi-Beat diver produced by Seiko
1969 Astron - the first quartz movement in the world
1969 Speedtimer - one of the world’s first automatic chronographs
1975 Tuna - the first deep dive (600m) resistance watch from Seiko
1999 SBWA001 - the first Spring Drive movement
2012 Astron - the first solar powered GPS watch in the world

The Laurel SCVM001 is available to buy on our website

In very good condition overall, but there are very hard to notice, hairline scratches in the top left corner of the crystal. Full box and papers.

SBDB007 “Miura Everest” Spring Drive LE 300

This could have been a tragic example of tempting fate. In 2003, Yūichirō Miura reached the summit of Mount Everest at the tender age of 70, becoming the oldest person to do so. Then in 2008, he did it again at 75. And in 2013, Miura announced to the world that he had one more climb left in him - this time at 80 years old.

So what did Seiko do? They released a commemorative “Miura Everest 2013” edition of the Landmaster before the climb had even begun.

The watch was officially announced in March. Would Seiko have released it if he hadn’t made it? Fortunately, we’ll never know - Miura successfully summited Everest on 23 May, 2013.

For those wondering: yes, his record still stands, and yes, he’s still alive. Did you really think something as trivial as aging could stop a man capable of climbing 29,035 vertical feet at 80?

The watch itself is a fitting tribute - arguably the most rugged Spring Drive Seiko has ever made. Originally designed for use in space (literally), the Landmaster GMT was later adapted for Earthbound adventures - a blessing, since I don’t have the $28,000 required for the “Spacemaster”.

There are plenty of small details that capture the spirit of the occasion. The crown is engraved with a rising sun cresting over a mountain peak, presumably symbolising Japan’s conquest of Everest. The additional strap is a reinforced nylon band, ideal for slipping over the cuff of your Gore-Tex outer layer. And don’t forget the engravable Personal Data caseback - useful if you’re ever found unconscious and require emergency assistance.

As a final touch, the box contains a thoughtful message from the man himself:

"Towards the high and distant summit of dreams,
continuing to mark the passage of time."
- Yuichiro Miura

But perhaps the most meaningful detail wasn’t from Seiko or Miura, but the previous owner.

You might have already noticed the casing has worn away where Miura Everest 2013 is engraved. In my experience, this kind of gradual and even wear is not something you see on PVD plating.

So I decided to contact the previous owner, just out of curiosity.

And I didn’t expect to love his answer as much as I did.

Inspired by Miura’s triumph, the previous owner wore this watch everyday for many years. And whenever he felt anxious or uncertain, he would rub the Miura engraving - a tactile reminder that even the seemingly insurmountable can be overcome. Judging by the wear, he had plenty to worry about - but he was quick to clarify that it brought him great fortune over the years.

While I can’t promise the next owner good fortune. But I do hope it brings you the same quiet reassurance it once gave him.

The SBDB007 Spring Drive is available to buy on our website

Just serviced by Seiko. Cosmetically, in worn condition, with marks on the PVD. The PVD has been rubbed away around the Miura Everest 2012 engraving. Full box and papers.

Watches you’ve seen before…

Three silvery classics (although one is actually white gold). All three have featured before so won’t be getting full write ups. As usual, you can find the original articles below:

Seiko 21-3210 White Gold Emperor

Laurel “Swiss Inspired” LJAK602

Seiko “Brushed Steel” 3883-7000

All three watches are available to buy on our website:

Seiko 21-3210 White Gold Emperor

Laurel LJAK602

Seiko “Brushed Steel” 3883-7000

Please click on the respective links above to read each condition report and see additional photos.

Don’t forget to follow my Instagram to see all of the watches above in full cinematic glory next week.