Watches are classic.

They are an essential part of every wardrobe,

but they must also possess style and functionality

to the wearer. For years, watches have been

extremely popular gift ideas while remaining

a constant self-indulging accessory.

In 1881, Kintaro Hattori opened a clock shop

in Tokyo, which established a foundation for

modern clock and watch making in Japan.

This new brand was titled Seikosha. The store

was the direct ancestor of the current Seiko

Corporation, Tokyo, which is the parent company

of Seiko Corporation of America. Eleven years

later, Hattori opened a clock factory with ten

employees. Two months after it is inception,

the first dozen clocks were produced.

In 1895, the production of pocketwatches began.

Following that trend, the company began to

produce alarm clocks in 1899, which was followed by the introduction of table and musical clocks in 1902. In 1912, Hattori began considering ideas regarding the production of a Japanese wristwatch. The following year, his company began working on the first Seikosha wristwatch to ever be made in Japan. In 1924, the Seiko brand was officially created. After 43 years of the company's existence, the first Seiko wristwatch was made.

Since that time, there have been many modern advancements to the world of watches. But, throughout the changing times, Seiko has remained a powerhouse in the timepiece industry. In 1956, they produced the first self-winding wristwatch made in Japan. In 1964, Seiko released the world´s first quartz chronometers and became the official timer of the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. In 1968, they introduced the world´s first quartz wall clock. The following year, in 1969, Seiko released the first quartz watch. Also that year, Tiffany & Co. began selling the Seiko Astron 35SQ, which was encased in solid 18kt yellow gold. During the next several years, Seiko introduced many firsts to the world of watches, including the first multi-function digital watch and the first LCD quartz watch with six-digit digital display.

Seiko has served as the official timer for various athletic competitions and events. Among the collections offered by Seiko include the Tressia, La Grand Sport and Elite Collections, which includes the Sportura, Arctura and Coutura. Their line of technology timepieces include the Kinetic Perpetual, Kinetic Chronograph, Kinetic Auto Relay, Kinetic, Analog Digital, Chronograph, Flight Computer and Perpetual Calendar. The majority of Seiko timepieces are designed to be water resistant. The Canadian warranty for Seiko watches, which are sold by Seiko Corporation of Canada, is three years. The warranty for clocks is one year. Certain restrictions and exclusions may apply, so be sure to read your warranty information closely when purchasing any new timepiece and always retain a copy of all such warranties.

As with any timepiece, caring for your watch will promote a longer life for the product. If the battery is in need of changing, be sure to have this done immediately. Seiko advices that customers contact an authorized Seiko dealer for battery and other minor repairs. If the timepiece needs further repair or replacement parts not serviced by an authorized dealer, customers may return the watch to the address on their warranty card for proper handling. If the watch is under warranty, the repairs should be done at no cost. If the warranty has expired, however, the customer will be responsible for the cost of repairs and replacements.