As the world got accustomed to Seiko's novel and revolutionary 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, King Quartz and eventually the Type II lines – like this crisp gold 1986 Seiko "Hitachi" Dolce 9520-5190 dress watch, with its original inner/outer boxes, Seiko 9520 instrucitons manual, and warranty paperwork.  Dolce was a high-end Seiko brand of dress watches in 1980's and 1990's. 
 
But why do we call this a "Hitachi" dress watch?
 
Kanji Japanese engravings on this watch's caseback indicate the watch was gifted in January 1990 to a loyal Hitachi Construction Machinery employee for 25 years of service.
 
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (日立建機株式会社) is a Japan-based construction equipment company mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of construction equipment, and the provision of related services.
 
The company operates in two business segments – the Construction Machinery Business segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of hydraulic excavators, ultra-large hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders and the provision of other related toral life cycle, while the Specialized Parts & Services Business segment is involved in the development, manufacture, sale and provision of after-sales service solutions for mining equipment and machinery.
 
Established in 1970, Hitachi was involved in the production of Japan's first mechanical excavator, the excavator "U05," developed in 1949 at the Kameari Works of Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi’s predecessor.  In recent years, Hitachi has been engaged in autonomous operation and electrification – in particular in the mining industry.  Hitachi also builds anti-personnel landmine removal equipment based on its excavators, developed by Yamanashi Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. under the leadership of Kiyoshi Amemiya, the president.
 
The laying of landmines during the wars and civil conflicts of the 20th century has left somewhere between 60 and 110 million of these devices buried in the ground in different parts of the world (according to figures from the U.S. Department of State), and in the present day, landmines result in injuries to around 20,000 people each year.
 
It was against this background, in 1995, that Yamanashi Hitachi Construction Machinery established a project team to develop demining equipment based on its hydraulic excavators.  Following the Japanese Government signature to the Ottawa Treaty in 1997 – which prohibits the use of anti-personnel mines – hundreds of Hitachi excavators are being used for landmine clearance in nine different countries, to include Ukraine.  Hitachi has also supplied the Japan Ministry of Defense with remote-controlled demining equipment that can withstand anti-tank mines.
 
And the Seiko quartz movement at the heart of this gold watch?  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 release another first upon the world, the first quartz wristwatch - the Seiko Quartz Astron, which 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.
 
This Seiko Dolce dress watch full set comes on its original leather Seiko dress strap, and with rugged travel case, springbar tool, original Seiko 9520 instructions manual, and Seiko warranty paperwork.