Description
Seiko Solar quartz watch
JAPANESE MOVEMENT — CASED IN CHINA
“Seiko” (精工) is a Japanese word meaning “precision,” “exquisite workmanship,” or “refined craftsmanship.”
It comes from the characters:
- 精 (sei) – fine, precise, refined
- 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 Solar Overview
Seiko’s Solar watches carry a photovoltaic cell under the dial, which charges a rechargeable capacitor from daylight or ordinary indoor light. A full charge runs the watch for up to ten months in the dark, and there is no battery to replace at a service interval. Accuracy is quartz: Seiko rates the caliber V157 at ±15 seconds per month.
This is the black-dial version of Seiko’s 42 mm Essentials solar dress watch, reference SNE489. The dial carries a fine vertical pinstripe texture, with applied baton markers alternating with printed Arabic numerals and a date window at 3 o’clock. The case back is stamped V157-0CN0 with the serial 7N9658, which dates the watch to November 2017.
It is sold as a watch head: the steel bracelet it originally shipped on is not included, and it comes on a new black nylon NATO strap instead.
Technical Details
- Brand: Seiko
- Model Reference: SNE489 / case V157-0CN0, as stamped on the case back
- Movement: Seiko Caliber V157A Solar Quartz, 2 jewels (movement plate: SEIKO TIME CORP. JAPAN / V157A / TWO JEWELS)
- Origin: Movement made in Japan, case made in China (case back: MOVEMENT JAPAN; inner case back: SEIKO TIME CORP.-R CHINA CASE)
- Production date: November 2017, from the case-back serial 7N9658
- Power Reserve: Up to 10 months on a full charge
- Case Material: Stainless steel, as stamped on the case back
- Case Diameter: 42.0 mm
- Case Thickness: 11.0 mm
- Lug Width (Strap Size): 21 mm
- Dial: Black textured pinstripe dial with alternating Arabic numeral and index markers
- Crystal: Scratch-resistant Hardlex crystal
- Calendar Function: Dedicated quick-set date window at 3 o’clock
- Water Resistance: 10 Bar / 100 Meters (330 feet)
- Caseback: Solid, screw-down stainless steel caseback
This watch has recently been serviced by a professional watchmaker and keeps good time.
Comes complete with new nylon NATO strap included*
(*)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.
