Description
Seiko vintage quartz watch
MADE IN JAPAN
“Seiko” (精工) is a Japanese word meaning “precision,” “exquisite workmanship,” or “refined craftsmanship.”
It comes from the characters:
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精 (sei) – fine, precise, refined
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工 (ko) – craft, workmanship
Originally, Seiko’s watchmaking division was called Seikosha (精工舎), meaning “House of Precision.”
The name first appeared on a watch dial in 1924, shortened from Seikosha and keeping the core meaning; the company itself was renamed Hattori Seiko in 1983 and Seiko Corporation in 1990.
So the brand name literally ties directly to the idea of precision engineering—which is exactly what the company wanted to be known for in its watches.
🕰️ Seiko SilverWave Overview
SilverWave (also written Silver Wave or Silverwave) is a long-running Seiko name used on a variety of water-resistant and “sport” watches from the 1960s through the 1980s — everything from early Seikomatic waterproof models and compact dive watches to 1970s/80s quartz and digital pieces. It’s an important name in Seiko’s dive/sport-watch story and a favourite among vintage collectors.
Product Description:
The Seiko SilverWave D229-5000 is an early-1980s digital built on Seiko’s Caliber D229A module. Two things separate it from an ordinary LCD watch of the period: the upper line of its display is a dot-matrix panel rather than seven-segment, and the case carries a working crown at 3 o’clock, which almost no digital watch of the era had.
Model Uniqueness
The display is a hybrid. Its upper line is a dot-matrix panel, so it can spell out words instead of being limited to seven-segment shapes — in the photographs it is running the day and date, as WED-15 and THU-1 — while the lower line is a conventional seven-segment readout carrying the time, the stopwatch and the timer.
The controls are split between buttons and crown. The four front buttons choose the mode — the dial surround labels them ALARM, TIMER, STOPW and TIME — while the knurled crown at 3 o’clock is pulled out and turned to set the values, following the SET and −/+ legend printed beside it. A pusher on the left flank covers select/light and start/stop. Setting a digital watch by turning a crown is unusual; most of Seiko’s LCD models of the period do everything through pushers alone.
Technical Characteristics
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Model Reference: Seiko D229-5000 (the boxed AO stamped after it on the case back is a case code, not part of the reference).
- Date of Manufacture: September 1981 — case-back serial 193496, in which the first digit is the year ending and the second the month
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Movement Caliber: Seiko D229A, Japanese Quartz.
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Display Type: Hybrid LCD — a dot-matrix upper line over a seven-segment lower line.
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Case Material: Stainless steel, with a circular screw-in case back (six tool notches around its rim).
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Controls: Four front-mounted rectangular buttons, a knurled crown on the right side, and one pusher on the left.
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Functions: Alarm, countdown timer, stopwatch, time and calendar with day of the week, and a backlight.
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Battery Specification: Powered by a 1.55V silver oxide cell (currently fitted with a Renata 390).
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Water Resistance: Rated as “Water Resistant” as stamped on the case back.
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Audio: Features an integrated alarm speaker located behind the horizontal vents above the display.
Watch is fully working, with good contrast LCD and original Seiko bracelet.
This watch has recently been serviced by a professional watchmaker and keeps good time.
Comes complete with original steel bracelet*.
(*)Note: Stock bracelets are often shortened by previous owners and may not fit you(see bracelet size in the product images). We match the strap to this watch’s lug width, so there is nothing for you to measure — just pick a padded leather strap for Seiko from the options at the top of the page.
This watch ships from 🇺🇦 Ukraine with tracking number
Modes of payment:
- PayPal
- Credit Cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover)
- bitcoin
We guarantee the item you receive looks and works exactly as advertised — or your money back.
Seiko lug-width matched leather straps — 18 / 19 / 20 mm
About the watch factory
Seiko Group Corporation (セイコーグループ株式会社, Seikō Gurūpu kabushiki gaisha), commonly known as Seiko, is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world’s first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.
Seiko is widely known for its wristwatches. Seiko is one of the few watch companies that is fully vertically integrated. Seiko is able to design and develop all the components of a watch, as well as assemble, adjust, inspect and ship them in-house. Seiko’s mechanical watches consist of approximately 200 parts, and the company has the technology and production facilities to design and manufacture all of these parts internally.
Seiko offers one of the widest ranges of watch technologies in the world—quartz, kinetic, solar, mechanical, and Spring Drive—spanning everything from affordable everyday pieces to six-figure haute horlogerie. Over the decades it has launched multiple global brands, including Lorus, Pulsar, and Alba, while elevating its prestige through innovations like Spring Drive, which helped push Seiko into higher-end territory. In 2017, Grand Seiko was spun off into its own standalone luxury brand, while Credor remains part of Seiko’s own lineup, sold primarily in Japan. Seiko’s own global lineup now includes Grand Seiko, King Seiko, Prospex, Astron, Presage, and Seiko 5 Sports.
Among Seiko’s key lines, Seiko 5 (born in 1963) is the gateway mechanical series known for durability and value; Lord Matic defined 1970s style with faceted crystals and colorful dials; Astron remains Seiko’s flagship GPS-solar tech line; Presage focuses on traditional mechanical craftsmanship with enamel and urushi dials; and Prospex delivers professional-grade dive, field, and pilot watches often embraced by enthusiasts. At the top end, Grand Seiko emphasizes precision, Zaratsu polished design, and movements like Spring Drive, while King Seiko—revived in the 2020s—brings back sharp, elegant 1960s styling with modern calibres.
Finally, Credor represents Seiko’s pinnacle of artisanal watchmaking, producing low-volume pieces in precious metals and showcasing Japanese decorative arts and haute complications from the Micro Artist Studio. Beyond watches, Seiko has also produced various electronic devices and, historically, jewelry and eyewear—though those divisions have since shifted to other companies.
