In this edition of Inside the Collection, Zach Weiss and Kat Shoulders examine what collecting Seiko has meant to them over the years.

It’s a common collecting trope that Seiko is the gateway drug for many watch collectors just getting their start, and as you’ll see here that’s certainly the case for Zach and Kat. But Seiko also endures in both of their collections years later, and in surprising ways. There’s so much variety in the Seiko collection (going back decades) that it’s impossible to ever get bored of the brand, and there are always new things to discover beyond the familiar dive watches and entry level Seiko 5. 

Zach Weiss 

The greatest thing about Seiko watches, or the brand/company as a whole, is that no matter where you are in your collecting lifecycle, there is likely a watch that will appeal to you. From Seiko 5 to Prospex to Grand Seiko to Credor, there is something to find that will suit a taste, need, and budget. And to be clear, that doesn’t exclude a Credor customer from picking up a new Seiko 5 and vice versa.

As a collector, that has kept them as a constant for me over the years. Starting with the Seiko 5 SNK field watches that one could pick up for a song a decade ago, then heading to vintage-styled Prospex divers, and now mining for oddities like the Seiko Sportura Kinetic Chronographs (not to mention Grand Seiko’s delights) there is simply always something for me to look for. 

It’s quite dangerous as I often find myself bored with many new releases and brands in general, but know that there is some Seiko I would be happy to pick up at any moment. Alpinist GMTs, I’m looking at you. 

Kat Shoulders

Seiko holds a special place in my heart as it was the first automatic watch I ever purchased. It’s truly what set off my watch collecting journey and passion. I think that’s mostly true for many watch enthusiasts and I love sharing that sentiment with so many friends in this hobby. I love the fact that Seiko is an entry point for so many new enthusiasts but also a guilty pleasure purchase for those of us who can’t resist the latest cool design. 

I think I can confidently say that there will always be 2-4 Seiko’s circulating in and out of my collection as long as I stay in this hobby. I’m drawn to their diver designs more than any other brand out there so it’s hard for me not to have several in my collection, especially at the price points they tend to sit in. There’s something about those old 60’s and 70’s designs that I just am drawn to. They’re a brand I hope continues to pull from their past. 

I’ll probably be called out for this but I personally find joy in some of the imperfections that are often found in the entry level models. Give me a jangly old Seiko SKX bracelet any day of the week and you’ll have a big smile on my face. My collection has two, err…three Seiko’s in it at the moment, and I absolutely plan to add more. Seiko