1969 was one of the most spectacular in Seiko’s storied history.  That year, it released the world’s first automatic chronograph, the Calibre 6139 and the V.F.A. (Very Fine Adjusted) movement – which delivered Seiko’s highest yet level of precision for a mechanical movement. 
 
Seiko would also release another first upon the world, the first quartz wristwatch.  The Quartz Astron went on to change the way the world told time, and severely tested the dominance of the Swiss, bringing high technology within the reach of all.
 
As the world got accustomed to the novel new Astron technology dominating the market in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Seiko was hard at work on its next innovation to challenge Swiss watch industry dominance, developing the Superior, Grand Quartz, and King Quartz lines – like this 1978 King Quartz 5856-8090, with its spectacular texured "hammered" brown dial.  
 
In 1975, Seiko introduced the King Quartz 4823 calibre (which would evolve into the 5656 series shortly thereafter), an improvement upon the first Seiko quartz movement to be produced in large quantities, the 38xx calibre series.  The KQ’s high level of finishing easily remains several cuts above the disposable mass-produced quartz movements fitted to the vast majority of modern quartz watches (let alone those when the watch debuted in the mid-1970s).  
 
Following Seiko’s 1975 introduction of its Grand and King Quartz lines, Seiko simply reigned supreme – the combination of innovative technology and Tanaka’s Grammar of Design lines overwhelmed anything the Swiss had on offer.  And the Swiss quite literally paid the price for this in global market share loss.  Subsequently, in 1978, Seiko introduced the twin quartz 9943, ending the 58xx line that year; regardless, the latter remained a more robust movement in comparison.
 
Seiko’s newly developed quartz collections replaced its mechanical Grand Seiko and King Seiko collections were produced until the early 1980s.  The Japanese company, thankfully, has never seen fit to let go of its famed Grammar of Design philosophy, and for the hard-core collector, there is ample evidence of Seiko’s dial design genius and finishing techniques here – this 5856 gleams like glass, despite nearly half a century of service.  
 
Seiko would go on to produce a diverse line of Grand and King Quartz watches, characterized by a beauty that competes with the best of its 1970’s golden age.  To wit, some of its quartz lines were identical in price point as Rolex at the time.  Their accuracy was unmatched and live on today in Seiko’s newest generations of quartz movements, such as the classic 9F.
 
This King Quartz comes on a vintage stainless-steel Seiko bracelet, and with nylon strap, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.