Seiko Eyes Global Luxury Watch Market | Watch Repair in Castle Rock, CO

The executive floor at Seiko Holdings Corp. in Tokyo’s posh Ginza district is a piece of history unto itself. For one, the chambers have remained the same for almost a century. If the walls could speak, they would perhaps weave tales of how Seiko evolved from a watch and jewelry shop in 1881 into one of Japan’s most iconic wristwatch and clock manufacturers to date. 

Although Seiko’s headquarters is located just a mere few blocks away, the executive floor in the Wako Building, which is one of the most visible landmarks in Ginza remains an iconic part of the company.  Now, nearly 140 years later, Seiko Holdings is looking to transform itself into a global corporation under the guidance of CEO Shinji Hattori, whom is the great-grandson of the original founder. 

His mission, is to take the company to a new frontier and enter into the world’s luxury watch market.  Hattori, whom assumed the position of CEO in 2012, separated the company’s high-watch line, Grand Seiko, from its other brands in 2017. 

 “We wanted to give Grand Seiko a bigger stage that would push its name into the global public consciousness,” Hattori said in a recent interview with The Japan Times.

He also wanted to restructure the company’s international marketing strategy, and Grand Seiko was to be at the forefront of these plans. 

 “The first item on the to-do list was to increase the number of Grand Seiko outlets overseas. There were only a few offshore outlets in 2015, but now we have 80 boutiques worldwide. This gives our customers a chance to get to know us and become familiar with our vision as a maker of luxury brand watches.”

In 2018, Grand Seiko was a part of Milan Design Week, an exhibition for design-forward products, with a goal of impressing upon the Swiss-dominated European market that Japan-designed watches can be attractive too. 

Last month, Seiko opened the four-story Seiko Dream Square in the center of Ginza and it is a stone’s throw away from the Wako Building. This allows for customers to stroll back and forth between both the outlets. It is one-part museum and one-part timepiece boutique for Seiko. 

 “Apparently the trend these days is to forego the wristwatch,” Hattori said. “People tell time on their phones. But there is still a place for the wristwatch, just as there is a place for the watch boutique.”

The main audience for Seiko used to be Japanese, but the firm is now targeting inbound tourists, including millennials, Hattori said. He hopes to expand luxury brand markets in places such as Dubai and Singapore, and attract travelers who come to Japan for quality Japanese products. 

 “They know our brand by name, but they may not be aware of the specifics of our watches. We want to reach out and have them experience our watches first hand. It’s our way of getting acquainted with new customers and promoting our vision and brand image.”

For a long time, Hattori said, “the Made in Japan logo stood for industrial excellence. But now, that same logo has become about artisans and craftsmanship. We want our watches to reflect both sides of Made in Japan.”

Hattori, however, understands that it may fly in the face of current market trends, which have seen more consumers looking to buy luxury goods online. 

 “In the old days, buying a luxury watch meant getting dressed up, making the trip to the store and conferring with the salespeople to make the purchase. There were many stories attached to the act of buying a wristwatch. The wristwatch itself was a part of the wearer’s personality and history.”

But Hattori added: “We are very aware of the vast changes in the retail market. The whole mindset has become different, and so has the act of buying a wristwatch. I feel that the tide is not going to turn any time soon.”

Hattori touched on how Swatch Group, the world’s largest watch brand, had pulled out of the 2019 edition of Baselworld – the industry’s largest trade show. CEO Nick Hayek shook the timepiece world with the announcement and his comment, according to media reports, that Baselworld was “too stuck in its old ways.”

 “The news took me by surprise, but on the other hand, the watch market has been undergoing some major changes in the past decade,” Hattori said. “Corporations and their leaders must be on their toes and ready to make constant adjustments to management, strategy and marketing. It’s not enough to simply repeat what had worked before, because the same formula may not work in the future.”

Hattori understands that better than most other CEOs.

In 2017, Seiko Holdings announced that its net earnings were down 95 percent, a number that astounded many in the domestic watch industry.

Analyst Masashi Sato said in an online interview that although Seiko has great technology, it needs to improve its design and brand image in order to expand in the global market. 

The company, which came out with the world’s first quartz watch, has always been second to none when it comes to precision technology, Sato said.

 “But both Japanese and overseas consumers are choosing brands like Tag Heuer and Bulgari over Seiko, mainly for the design and product image,” Sato said. “Seiko Holdings need to compete in those fields in order to reinforce their brand and become a real global contender.”

Hattori has observed that the modern customer is a bit more sophisticated and discerning, with many options at their disposal. 

 “It’s not enough for a watch to be precise and infallible — it must appeal to the senses. A luxury wristwatch is a wearable piece of state-of-the-art technology. But it’s different from the smartwatch in that it’s aesthetically pleasing and evocative of memories and emotion.”

This is why, Hattori added, Grand Seiko watches target customers that are looking for products in the mid-to-high price range. 

 “These customers are not abundantly wealthy, but they also don’t stint themselves when it comes to paying for quality products that they trust and like,” he said.

It is precisely this clientele, Hattori continued, “that will enjoy coming to Seiko Dream Square. I believe these are the people that will value the experience of trying on a wristwatch, getting to know the brand history and wandering through an actual store, looking at things.”

Such customers are free to optimize their shopping experiences in whatever method they so choose too, including online purchases.

This is partly why the company opened the outlet, Hattori stated, as it aims to provide a space where the customer can feel different and special. 

Hattori stated that if Japanese firms have a certain advantage over their Western counterparts, it is their special relationship with time. 

The West has traditionally perceived time as something to control, or to be controlled. However, in Japan, time is part of the grand scheme of nature and is not the enemy, Hattori stated. 

 “Time flows, seemingly without effort. We sense the flow of time, and we have structured our lives in accordance with that flow. Time is the very essence of Japanese culture.

“And though we have retained a unique and friendly relationship with time, Japan-made watches are the most precise, reliable timekeepers in the world.”

About Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry

Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry has been providing quality products and professional services to the metropolitan Denver, CO area since 1951.  The very first watch repair and service facility ever opened in Colorado. Dan Matheu, watchmaker, pioneered watch repair and services in Colorado.  Today, Scott Matheu is at the helm steering Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry. With his vision, Scott opened a watch store in Highland Ranch and has made Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry not only one of the largest watch stores to provide watch repair in Castle Rock, CO but also the entire state.

Whether you need watch repair in Castle Rock, CO, watch engraving, or even if you have an antique watch that you would like appraised, you can count on Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry to provide you with superior service each and every single time. All of our watchmakers are factory trained and we have CW21 Certified by the American Watchmakers and Clockmakers Institute (AWCI) on site. This certification has the most stringent standards for watchmakers performing repair, restoration, and service work on watches. With one of the largest service centers in the metropolitan Denver, CO we are not only able to provide watch repair in Castle Rock, CO but to the entire 50 states as well.  

Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry is also a factory authorized service center for Cartier, Tag Heuer, Philip Stein, Swiss Army and many more brands. When you use Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry for your watch repair in Castle Rock, CO, you can rest assured knowing that you will receive our (3) three-year warranty on major watch repairs that we provide. If you are looking for the best watch repair service center throughout the United States, you cannot go wrong when you choose Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry. With certifications from not only AWCI but SAWTA too, we not only stand out from the pact; we lead it.”

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