Feb 1969 Seiko 5 Rare Blue 5126-8110
Ref: 5126-8110

Specification

Points of Mention

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no original box or original papers. The watch comes paired with a blue NATO strap which matches the blue of the dial perfectly. The watch is from Circa. February 1969 and is in worn, vintage condition as you can see from the photos. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

The Watch

Seikos history began in 1881 when Kintaro Hattori established the K. Hattori retail and repair store. In 1892 Seikosha was established making 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.) established in 1937. Seiko listed on the Tokyo stock exchange in 1949. The Suwa factory becomes independent and forms Suwa Seikosha Co. Ltd. (now Seiko Epson Corporation in 1959).

First introduced as the Seiko Sportsmatic 5 in 1963 it became an instant bestseller for Seiko. Seiko 5 is the longest continuously running sub-brand in the Seiko family. The 5 stands for the watches 5 principle attributes :

1. Diaflex (unbreakable mainspring),
2. Diashock (Seiko's shock-resistant design, equivalent to the Swiss "Incabloc"),
3. Automatic winding,
4. day/date indication, and
5. Water-resistant.

In 1959, Taro Tanaka joined Seiko. As an aspiring design graduate, he was always on the lookout for inspiration, in 1962 while at Wako, he observed that Swiss watches caught and reflected the light in the store much better than Seikos. He realized that the Swiss watch cases have perfectly flat and conical surfaces that are smooth and free from distortion. It was at this moment he created a perfect storm of form and function, which became known as Seiko’s “Grammar of Design”. This concept encapsulates all of the elements he witnessed and has been adopted by Seiko ever since. 

Our rare Seiko 5 has a 38.5mm tonneau stainless steel case. Faceted lugs with a length of 42mm and an 11mm thickness ensure a comfortable fit on your wrist. On the right side at 4 o’clock a recessed crown. Polished and brushed surfaces with crisp lines, capture the light as you rotate your wrist. A polished bezel holds a bevel-edged flat crystal. The sunburst silver dial has a blue minute track adding a nice pop of colour to the dial. Applied faceted baton indexes with polished sides and a hole punched corresponding to the minute markers. At 3 o’clock a day-date window Japanese Kanji/English. Stainless steel baton hands with a fine center seconds hand. On the reverse a screw-down case back. Inside an Automatic Seiko Cal. 5126, 23 Jewels, 19,800 beats per hour. Fitted on an 18mm nylon Nato strap.

Personal Note

Upon first look, you would be forgiven for thinking this dial is an aftermarket dial, which is what makes it all the more interesting when you realise this is a completely original dial and a super unusual and comfortable case! The watch is absolutely stunning and the blue NATO is perfectly fitted.