Seiko Custom Watch for Purists: Feasibility

reintitan · 2018-11-09T20:13:59Z

Explore the idea of a custom Seiko watch for Purists. Learn about Seiko's "Original Watch" service, design options, and community challenges.

reintitan

WPS member · Seiko forum

34 replies6175 views5 photos

reintitan proposes an intriguing idea: a custom-made Seiko watch funded by a minimum of 100 Purists. This initiative explores Seiko Japan's "Original Watch" service, which allows for personalized designs using 100% Seiko components. The post outlines the potential for both standard and full custom orders, sparking a community discussion on the feasibility and challenges of such a collaborative project.

Are there a minimum of 100 Purists who would be willing to fund a CUSTOM made watch from Seiko Japan?

Seiko Japan have a service called "Original Watch" where customers can, with the help of a Seiko designer assigned to them, design their own watch: case, dial, movement, packaging, etc.

There are limits such as the watch will have to use 100% Seiko parts and components (naturally) and also there are some limits based on available case shapes, materials, etc. And as stated above, the minimum order is 100 watches.

original.seiko-watch.co.jp

There are two types of design paths:

Standard Order - Create your custom watch from base models already pre-configured by Seiko. See 3 examples below.

Full Order - With the help of a Seiko designer create your custom watch from the case up.

Some more design examples (Standard Order)

Key Points from the Discussion

The minimum order for each unique watch design is 100 pieces, meaning individual members would need to fund 100 watches if they wanted a completely personalized design, which is not the purpose of this group proposal.
Before proceeding, it's crucial to ensure forum ownership supports an official Purists design, or at least permits using the forum for idea aggregation and project updates.
The final design should reflect the 'Purist' identity, potentially drawing inspiration from Seiko's traditions, such as their early wall clocks or the classic dial designs of the first Seiko-branded watches.
Watches would likely need to be picked up in Japan, adding shipping costs from Japan to the overall expenses, which must be factored into the project's budget.
There's an upfront cost for Seiko's design service, meaning members must commit to a buy-in before any watch is designed or manufactured.
The project's appeal depends on the level of customization offered, ranging from a simple Purist logo on an existing design to a more ambitious, fully custom creation.

The Discussion

xxcesar

Nov 9, 2018

Could we do an enamel turtle?

aston.db4

Nov 9, 2018

perhaps a vote for certain attributes might be better to come to an agreement on configuration?

Rogi

Nov 10, 2018

as it would really be a downer if we ended up having to pay GS price tag on a seiko 5. Too many questions so far from me lol 😆 it also states minimum quantity 300 ? Does that mean some models need more or less to order ?

Tick Talk

Nov 10, 2018

As mentioned, the final design will either draw or repel participation. As a Purists watch, it should answer the question; what is a purist? Dictionaries would say it is a person who adheres strictly, even excessively, to a tradition. So what are the traditions behind Seiko? I didn't know until checking today that they first manufactured wall clocks. The first Seiko-branded watch appeared in 1924, manufactured in a new plant reborn from the ashes of a destructive fire the year before. The classi

reintitan

Nov 10, 2018

LOL! I don't have any definitive answers to many of the early questions yet, but I think I can safely answer a few. In regards to whether we can design and build multiple watches the answer is YES. But for each watch design you need a minimum order of 100 pieces. So if you want your own individual design you'll have to (1) go through all the logistics, administration, and process yourself, and (2) pay for 100 pieces of your example. No one is stopping anyone from this path. Please feel free to t

cazalea

Nov 10, 2018

We just have to look through the 100,000 or so choices and pick one or two. 🙁 However, beyond that we would have a myriad of shipping, import and taxation issues which Bill can probably speak to, as he did the Zenith P15 handling in the USA. Cazalea

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Seiko Custom Watch for Purists: Feasibility

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