1970 Seiko 'Superior' King Seiko Hi-Beat 37mm Black Dial 4502-8010

Here we have a 1970 Seiko 'Superior' King Seiko Hi-Beat 37mm (Ref. 4502-8010), an exceptionally rare and historically monumental Japanese dress watch that represents the absolute pinnacle of Seiko's internal rivalry between its Daini and Suwa factories. This highly coveted "Superior Chronometer" reference is a true grail for vintage collectors. The legendary "Superior" text on the dial was reserved for an elite handful of chronometer-certified pieces that exceeded standard constraints to meet Grand Seiko's rigorous internal accuracy standards. The perfectly proportioned 37mm stainless steel case forms the foundation of the brand's modern design philosophy, showcasing perfectly polished architecture designed from the ground up to manipulate light. With an ultra-compact lug-to-lug of 41mm and a svelte case thickness of just 10mm, its slender profile delivers an incredibly balanced, ergonomic, and elegant wrist presence that slips effortlessly under a formal cuff. The case sits comfortably on the wrist, with mirror-polished lines capped by a signed "KS" crown at 3 o'clock. A flush-fitting crystal protects a striking, exceptionally rare matte black dial variant. The dark canvas layout cleanly breaks down the time with applied faceted indices and steel baton hands. Ditching an overly complicated format to favour daily utility, a quickset date window sits neatly at 3 o'clock. On the reverse side, the solid screw-down case back proudly preserves its crown jewel: the iconic, intact gold King Seiko Chronometer medallion inlaid into the steel, a beautiful hallmark that has frequently degraded on other examples over the decades. Beneath the dial lies the magnificent, in-house manually wound Seiko Hi-Beat Cal. 4502 movement. Masterfully hand-built by the Daini Seikosha division, this legendary 25-jewel mechanical engine operates at a blistering ultra-high frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour (10 beats per second / 5Hz), delivering an instantly recognisable, incredibly smooth sweeping second hand. Renowned as one of Seiko's greatest hand-wound movements ever created, it features an instant-change calendar mechanism at midnight and full hacking seconds. This highly exclusive reference comes with an 18mm leather strap finished with a steel buckle.

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no Seiko box or Seiko paperwork. The watch comes paired with a 20mm leather strap. The watch is from Circa. February 1970, and is in worn vintage condition, but overall a lovely, honest example. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

One of the things I find most fascinating about vintage Seiko is the rivalry between the Daini and Suwa factories. The idea of two divisions within the same company effectively competing against each other to produce the best watch feels almost unimaginable in today’s watch industry. But that internal competition pushed Seiko to continually improve its movements, accuracy, finishing and design, producing watches like this incredible King Seiko Superior Hi-Beat. Ultimately, that rivalry helped shape Seiko into the watchmaking powerhouse we know today, and this is a wonderful piece of that history you can actually wear on the wrist. Add this wonderful vintage watch to your collection today!

Reference : 4502-8010
Movement : Manually Wound Seiko Hi-Beat Cal. 4502
Age : Circa. February 1970
Year : 1970
Case Size : 37mm
Case Thickness : 10mm
Lug to Lug : 41mm
Lugs : 18mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Seiko's history began in 1881 when Kintaro Hattori established the K. Hattori retail and repair store. In 1892, Seikosha was established to make wall clocks. 1895 saw the production of their first pocket watch. 1913 saw the launch of their first wristwatch, the Laurel. In 1924, the first Seiko was manufactured. Daini Seikosha (now Seiko Instruments Inc.) was established in 1937. Seiko was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1949. The Suwa factory became independent and formed Suwa Seikosha Co., Ltd. (now Seiko Epson Corporation in 1959). In 1956, Seiko launched Marvel as their first true in-house-made watch; they continued to make this watch until 1959. The Seiko Lord Marvel, introduced in 1958, was Seiko's first luxury watch, predating the well-known Grand Seiko. It was designed to rival Swiss brands with a refined design and higher specifications. In 1967, Seiko launched the calibre 5740C watch movement, a significant upgrade over the earlier calibre 5740A, which beat at 18,000, and the 5740B, which beat at 19800. This movement was special because it allowed the watch to run at a high speed of 36,000 beats per hour, making it Japan's first high-frequency watch. In fact, it was only the second watch movement of its kind in the world, following one released by a Swiss brand just a few months earlier. Japan’s first chronograph watch was introduced for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics; it was called the Seiko Crown Chronograph monopusher. Not stopping there, Seiko launched Japan's first true divers' watch, the Seiko Diver’s 150M, fitted with the automatic Calibre 6217, which was later given the nickname “62MAS” by collectors. King Seiko and Grand Seiko emerged as prominent lines within the Seiko brand, with King Seiko making its debut in 1961 as a distinguished luxury watch collection. Grand Seiko, on the other hand, has consistently set the standard for exceptional craftsmanship and precision engineering. In 1965, Seiko introduced a groundbreaking manual-wind movement featuring 25 jewels and hacking seconds, coinciding with the launch of the second-generation KSK series, which boasted sharp, angular cases and robust, flat-ended lugs. The King Seiko KCM was introduced in 1969, featuring a chronometer-certified movement that operates at an impressive 36,000 beats per hour, along with a sleek C-shaped stainless steel case. In 1975, the King and Grand Quartz brands were introduced, built at the Suwa Seikosha and Daini Seikosha factories. In 1977, a high-end Twin Quartz Cal. 92 was produced until 1979, when the 97KQ and 99KQ were introduced. The final 1981 King Quartz Cal. 94KQ movement remained in production until Seiko ended the King Seiko line in 1985. Despite the challenges during the Quartz crisis of the 1970s that led to the gradual shutdown of King Seiko production, Seiko made a comeback in 2022 by reintroducing the classic King Seiko collection. The company name was changed to the Seiko Corporation in 1990. Innovation at Seiko continues today with GPS Solar watches.