Seiko vs. Casio vs. Citizen vs. Orient: Which Wins the Japanese Watch Brand Showdown?

Seiko vs. Casio vs. Citizen vs. Orient: History

Seiko 

The story of Seiko began in 1881, when a 21 year old entrepreneur, Kintaro Hattori, opened a shop selling and repairing watches and clocks in central Tokyo. Just eleven years later, in 1892, he established the 'Seikosha' factory. In 1892 Kintaro Hattori bought a disused factory in Tokyo and Seikosha was formed (In Japanese, "Seiko" means "exquisite", "minute" or "success" and "sha" means house). It was here that Kintaro Hattori produced his first clocks and these marked the beginnings of a company that was to become one of the world's most important manufacturers of timepieces.

Seiko also Produced the first Japanese Diver's watch.The first Japan-made diver's watch, waterproof to a depth of 150 meters. The winding crown was designed with a double packing structure to withstand high water pressure. Designated for use by the 8th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition.

Grand Seiko has always been distinct in its design, character, presentation and, more recently, its calibers. In order to further reinforce its unique appeal and to reach out to a wider audience, it was decided to take one step further and presenting Grand Seiko as an entirely separate brand.

A detailed timeline can be found on Seiko's official website.

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Casio 

Casio is one of the most well-known brands in the world, and for decades the Japanese company has been producing high-quality watches to meet market demand. They remain an enduring symbol of timekeeping to this day, but alongside their range of watches, Casio also offers a huge selection of electronic products as diverse as calculators and musical instruments.

Citizen

Since 1924, when CITIZEN released its first pocket watch,

a single ideal has been handed down within the company: They make watches that are an integral part of their customers’ lives. Established in 1995, The CITIZEN was conceived as a brand that would embody that ideal. By incorporating and refining technologies that delight the wearer,

The CITIZEN has gone on to take a leading role in their unending pursuit of the essence of the watch. The challenge of crafting the next ideal continues.

Orient

Dedicated to creating the best watches for our customers since 1950, both ORIENT and ORIENT STAR provide exquisite style and meticulous timekeeping, no matter which line you choose from. Orient heritage is rooted in craftsmanship, reliability, precision and beauty that stand the test of time.

They are proud to be at the forefront of mechanical watch production in Japan. With mechanical movements manufactured in-house, they can ensure the highest possible quality for our customers worldwide.

Seiko vs. Casio vs. Citizen vs. Orient: Movement

Seiko 

When Seiko introduced the world's first quartz movement in 1969, it changed timekeeping. Not only was it accurate to within 5 seconds a year, but it would run nonstop for an entire year with no winding. Manufacturers from all over the world soon adopted the quartz movement. These days, Seiko offers various watch movements including kinetic, mechanical and quartz. 

Casio 

Casio has Digital and Analogue movements (mostly quartz). However, Casio excels Citizen in Digital watches due to their ability to withstand tough conditions + offer excellent battery life.

Citizen

Citizen has chosen to focus almost completely on Quartz movements, so you won’t find many mechanical watches in their range. Also they are very invested in their Eco-Drive technology which is fundamentally solar-powered watches. Citizen has very much focused on quartz. Their leading solar powered technology works best with quartz.

Orient

Orient is one of few watch brands that focus on their in-house manufactured automatic movements. They tout themselves as the “watchmaker's watch”, and their watches all use one of their mechanical/automatic movements.

Seiko vs. Casio vs. Citizen vs. Orient: Style & Design

When comparing any wristwatch, style is always going to be a personal choice. And I know my tastes are not everybody’s. This is even more true for an entire manufacturer's range of watches. These four brands offer an enormous selection of styles, from traditional to high tech and everything in between. 

• While some would say a Citizen watch might have a more modern look and a Seiko watch more traditional, that is not necessarily true. Both have such a large selection of watches.

• Citizen watches genuinely stand out is how stylish a Citizen timepiece will look on your wrist.

• Orient is known for their divers, they have quite the selection of classic, contemporary, and sport styled watches. They indeed have fashionable timepieces, but it goes a bit further. Orient, in a way, distinguish themselves from the competition with their designs. One thing you will may notice when looking at Orient watches is that they have a more luxury look to them overall. It’s a bit subtle, but you do notice it. This luxury flair to their style sets them apart from the crowd.

• Finaly, Casio has more diverse choices with different looks for multiple purposes. G-Shock timepieces are ideal if you are people who enjoy outdoor activities. For office workers, a Casio MTP timepiece will be the perfect match for formal outfits. However, the more functions a Casio item has, the dial will look bigger and somehow not convenient for wearers.

Seiko vs. Casio vs. Citizen vs. Orient: Pricing

This one is pretty close, as four brands inhabit that mid level price tier. Each one has both lower priced, and higher priced watches, but they never get super expensive to the point of being priced like high end luxury watches. 

Seiko vs. Casio vs. Citizen vs. Orient: Guarantee

Seiko 

Normally, the warranty period for this watch’s replacement parts is a standard 7 years. Replacement parts are parts for which repair is necessary to maintain the time function.

Please keep in mind that if original parts are not available, they may be replaced with substitutes whose outward appearance may differ from the originals.

During the guarantee period, they guarantee free repair / adjustment service against any defects on the watch head (movement and case) and metallic band, provided that the watch was used as directed in the instruction manual.

However, in the following cases, repair/adjustment service will be provided at cost even within the guarantee period or under guarantee coverage.

• Exchange of leather, urethane or fabric band

• Trouble with or damage to the case, glass or band caused by accidents or improper usage

• Trouble or damage caused by the repairs carried out by anyone other than a member of our service network

• Scratches or grime caused by use

• Trouble or damage caused by natural disasters including fire, floods or earthquake

• When the text on the guarantee booklet has been altered or when the certificate of guarantee has no store name and date of purchase

• When the certificate of guarantee is not presented

• Battery replacement

Casio

The minimum guarantee period for any watch brand is 2 years from date of purchase, but many luxury brands now exceed this and supply their watches with anything from 3-5 years which really gives the customer 'peace of mind' and increased confidence in the quality of their watch.

What is not covered?

• The problem is caused by improper, rough or careless treatment

• The problem is caused by fire or other natural calamity The problem is caused by improper repair or adjustment made by a third party

• Accidental damage or fair wear and tear (bands & cases)

• Consumables - case, band, glass, and battery

• Any failure caused by the product not being used in accordance with instructions

• The valid proof of purchase not provided when requesting service..

• Discoloration of product parts (cases & bands)

Citizen

Warranty policies vary from country. In UK:

All Citizen Watches in the UK come with a 5 year guaranteewith an extra 1 year on product registration. 

What is not covered?

• Damage, accidental or otherwise, to the watch not caused by a defect in material or workmanship.

• Damage caused by accident, misuse, tampering with or failure to follow the care and special handling provisions in the instructions.

• Damage and/or scratches to the finish of the case, glass, bracelet, strap or other components caused by wear or accident.

• Moisture damage to a watch not marked ‘water resistant’ on the case back or damage from moisture in ‘water resistant’ models that is a result of opening the watch, broken or damaged components.

• Damage caused by the customer’s failure to have the watch serviced in accordance with the following schedule of regular maintenance.

• Power cells must be replaced immediately when power is lost (except Eco-Drive). Water resistant models, including Eco-Drive, must be tested and resealed every two to three years or whenever the battery is replaced on battery operated models, whichever comes first.

• Damage caused by repairs or alterations of the watch by anyone other than one of the Authorised Service Centres listed in the guarantee booklet.

Orient

If the ORIENT specified in this guarantee experiences a failure under normal use and service resulting from any defects in material or workmanship, it will be repaired and/or adjusted at no extra charge for a period of one year from the original purchase date. Should a failure or other problem occur, take the watch under guarantee together with the guarantee booklet to the original place of purchase or an authorized member of the ORIENT Service Network.

The guarantee is voided in the following cases:

• Failure resulting from misuse or carelessness.

• Failure caused by fire, earthquake, and other disasters.

• Failure resulting from an improper repair and modification.

• The guarantee booklet is not submitted with the watch to be repaired or the information listed on it is incorrect or invalid.

• The watch glass, bracelet/strap, and cell battery are not covered under the terms of this guarantee

• In repair, the case, dial plate, hands, glass, and bracelet/strap may be replaced with equivalent parts.  

Which Brand Wins the Japanese Watch  Showdown? 

Seiko is considered as better than Casio,  Orient, and Citizen. If you want a mechanical/self-winding watch, Seiko is your best bet. Just keep in mind that the accuracy will suffer a lot, because you just can’t beat a Quartz watch, even if you satisfy the Swiss Chronometer standards (-4 to +6 seconds per day).

Citizen was one of the first manufacturers to produce solar powered timepieces. And they have continued to invest in solar technology. They had the first solar powered analog quartz watch, the Crystron, in the mid-70s. And today their Eco-Drive is a benchmark for solar power.

A modern Eco-Drive will charge in low light conditions, will operate for months in the dark and is available with bluetooth or radio-controlled functions. The Eco-Drive solar power technology means a watch with this type of charging will not need a replacement battery for decades. And this is one of the reasons they have stuck with the quartz movements. It is hugely efficient and, as the name would suggest, environmentally friendly.  

And most young users choose Casio G-shock, while an entry level executive prefers wearing a Citizen.

As for Orient, it has a slightly better builds, more distinguished designs, and are a bit less expensive on average than Citizen watches.

Ultimately though, which brand you choose is going to come down to personal preference.

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