To millions of diehard Seiko fans, Seiko does not represent how the Japanese arrived late to the watchmaking game. Rather, Seiko is the game-changer who reinvented the wristwatch in emphatic fashion. To them, Seiko is the earth-shaking brand that almost killed the entire Swiss watchmaking industry with its affordable and finely made watches.

As many of you know, Seiko was a major player in the Japanese watchmaking revolution of the 1970s that led to many Swiss horological brands either shuttering or being sold off. However, Seiko isn’t a brand that harps on past accomplishments – even today, with impossibly priced launches like the Seiko Prospex, Seiko presents incredible bang for your buck, which watch collectors acknowledge and laud. As you can see, Seiko has had the big boys sweating bullets for decades.

Established by Kintarō Hattori in 1881, Seiko grew from a small Tokyo watch and jewellery store into a brand that is revered for its precision and craftsmanship. Seiko rolled out its first wristwatch in 1913, and its first quartz watch, the Seiko Astron, in 1969, which set things in motion for the Quartz Crisis.

Not one to rest on its laurels, the brand went on to unveil the world's first quartz chronograph in 1983 and a ‘kinetic watch’ that was powered by wrist movement in 1988. As such, Seiko has had a lasting cultural impact on the world and many blockbuster films have featured Seiko watches, such as Aliens, Apocalypse Now, Ghostbusters and Predator.

You’ll see from the beautiful collection of Instagram photos below that there’s a Seiko for everyone, whether you’re a dive enthusiast or world traveller, deep-pocketed connoisseur or humble salaryman looking for a handsome everyday watch.

We cannot discuss the unfolding legacy of Seiko without highlighting how Grand Seiko, which is a premium brand that Seiko has established as a separate company. Distinguished by its exquisite features and painstakingly handmade dials, Grand Seiko introduces new and distinct models every month or so. This unconventional business strategy has been working well for Grand Seiko, but is an approach that other brands who manufacture timepieces of this level of haute horlogerie, would never dream of doing.

So, if you’re thinking of celebrating your Seiko by switching out its nylon or leather strap for a snazzy fabric strap, here’s how popular Instagrammers are doing it.

Photo credits for header image: @watchuncleman (left); @watchestolove; @thewristyinvestor