SPECIFICATION
Reference: King Seiko 44-9990
Movement: 44A
Age: August 1966
Case Size: 36mm
Case Thickness: 11mm
Lug to Lug: 44mm
Lugs width: 19mm
Condition: used Seiko watch
Box & Papers: No
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Warranty: 12-Months Warranty UK only
POINTS OF MENTION
- In great pre-owned condition, with light signs of wear
- Case and bezel have some light scratches and marks
- Sunburst dial
- Fully serviced manually wound movement
- Signed Seiko crown
- Gold medallion is in fantastic condition
- Paired with an unworn black leather strap
SECOND GERNERATION KING SEIKO
Seiko has recently rekindled the Kings Seiko range and the first straight from this model, showing the acclaim that this timeless watch is held and at a fraction of the cost of the new models, which really does mean you can pick up something so cool.
A BIT OF TRIVA
The second generation King Seiko model was introduced towards the end of 1963 named the 44999 although that name was eventually changed to 44-9990. Casebacks up until late-1964 will show the number 44999 on the new horseshoe case back design while other after will show 44-9990.
The case design followed the arc set by the 15034 [first gen] but was modified with widened lugs and a more emphasized facet. The crystal was changed from a smooth dome to a high squared profile with almost no bezel. Water resistance was improved with the additional of a screw-down case back. Later 44-9990s lost the ‘Diashock’ text from the dial and gained a Daini lightning bolt.
The truly timeless King Seiko 44-9990. A manual wind, precision crafted time piece. Designed at Daini Seikosha With a 36mm diameter and slim profile, this is the typical silhouette of a timepiece that lived from 1963 until 1968. You may recognise the design language of this King Seiko with its sharp facets and high polish edges extrapolated to Grand Seiko pieces of today. This particular watch is amongst the first generation of pieces from the manufacture to feature Taro Tanaka’s grammar of design
Mr Taro Tanaka's grammar of design represents four core principles, those being all angles are to be flat and high polish to best reflect light, bezels to be two dimensional and simple, there is to be no visual distortion from any angle and all cases must be high polish. It’s fascinating to wear something on the wrist that is the genesis of an artist’s breakthrough design which paved the way for a successful career and the very foundation of what Seiko is today.
OUR THOUGHTS
The King Seiko 44-9990, a prized collector's piece, exemplifies Seiko's dedication to precision and elegance from the 1960s era. This watch features the robust and highly accurate 44A hand-wound movement, housed in a sleek stainless steel case with sharp, clean lines that reflect meticulous craftsmanship. Our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction guarantees that your purchase from us ensures that you receive an authentic, meticulously inspected watch in the best possible condition. Trust us to provide not just a watch, but a piece of horological history.
PAST — Every watch has one
The story doesn't begin when a watch arrives at Past2Present. Some have survived remarkably untouched. Others carry decades of wear. Cases soften, dials change, bracelets acquire their marks and movements tell their own mechanical story. Those signs of age aren't necessarily faults to remove. Understanding what should be preserved and what needs attention is part of understanding the watch.
PRESENT — When it reaches us
This is where Past2Present enters the story. Every watch is selected individually and then assessed as a watch, rather than simply treated as another piece of stock. Its movement, case, dial, hands, crown, crystal and general condition all help determine what happens next. Sometimes a watch needs considerable work. Sometimes the most important decision is knowing when to leave something alone.
THE PEOPLE — Past2Present is small by design
There isn't a warehouse full of anonymous watches behind the website. There are people. Buying, researching, photographing, preparing, servicing, packing and talking to customers are all parts of the same small business.
THE BENCH — Where past becomes present
This is one of the things that makes Past2Present different. The workshop isn't something outsourced at the end of the process. It's part of P2P. Mechanical watches are inspected and, where appropriate, serviced and prepared here before they are offered for sale. The objective isn't to erase fifty years and manufacture something that looks new. It's to make a vintage watch ready to be worn again.
OUR APPROACH — Preserve rather than erase
A vintage watch should look like a vintage watch. We value originality, honest condition and sympathetic preparation. A mark acquired during a watch's life can be part of its history; removing every trace of age isn't automatically an improvement. The same philosophy runs through the workshop, our descriptions and the way we present our watches. We would rather explain something than hide it.
FUTURE — The next chapter isn't ours
Eventually the watch leaves our hands. That's why each P2P watch isn't simply sold and forgotten. Its Digital Logbook records the watch and gives its next custodian a place in its continuing history. We bring the watch as responsibly as we can from its past into the present.
Where it goes next is yours.