Description
SEIKO vintage mechanical watch
MADE IN JAPAN
“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.
About the Business-A Line
The Business-A dial name appeared during 1967 on Seiko’s 83-series automatics, aimed at the Japanese salaried professional.
It did not replace the Seikomatic-R. The two ran side by side on the same 83-series calibers, the Seikomatic-R badge carrying the older, more formal name and Business-A the one aimed at a younger office buyer; Seiko sold several of the same case references under both. Either way the movement is an automatic with Diashock shock protection, running at 18,000 bph.
The name was deliberately straightforward: “Business” for the white-collar audience it served, “A” for automatic. No clever portmanteau — just a clear statement of purpose for the dress watch of Japan’s post-war business generation.
The 83-series calibers powering the Business-A were a genuine step up from entry-level Seiko offerings: 27 to 30 jewels when most mid-market automatics offered 17–21, with Diashock protecting the balance staff through decades of daily wear. The day-date at 3 o’clock added practical utility without cluttering the dial, with a quickset date; the day is set by cycling the hands past midnight.
The Business-A sat between the Seiko 5 below it and King Seiko above it, and still trades well under either on the second-hand market. Many were sold on period expansion bracelets, and plenty have since been swapped for straps or lost links along the way.
About This Watch
This is a Seiko Business-A day-date, reference 8346-9000, powered by the automatic caliber 8346A — a 27-jewel movement built by Suwa Seikosha, with Seiko’s Diashock shock protection, running at 18,000 bph and able to be wound by hand as well as by the rotor. The date quicksets; the day is set by cycling the hands past midnight. Its case-back serial number, 7616611, dates manufacture to June 1967, in the first year of the Business-A run.
The dial is a bright silver sunburst with applied faceted baton markers, a doubled marker at 12 and a framed day-date aperture at 3 o’clock — the day printed in English, with Sunday in red. A gold-toned ring runs around the outer edge of the dial beneath the crystal, warming an otherwise cool, formal layout.
What sets this one apart from most Business-A watches is the case. The 90xx references are the large ones: approximately 38 mm across excluding the crown, with 19 mm lugs, against the 35–36 mm of the more common 80xx cases. Polished bezel, sharply faceted lugs, and a fitted stainless steel bracelet closing on a Seiko-signed folding clasp.
Technical Specifications
- Brand: Seiko
- Line: Business-A
- Reference Number: 8346-9000
- Movement: Automatic with hand-winding, caliber 8346A, 27 jewels, 18,000 bph, Diashock
- Serial Number: 7616611
- Production Date: June 1967
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Case Diameter: Approx. 38 mm (excluding crown), 19 mm lug width
- Dial: Silver sunburst with applied faceted baton markers, day-date aperture at 3 o’clock
- Crystal: Acrylic
- Case-back: Stainless steel, engraved “Stainless Steel 8346 – 9000 Water Proof”
- Country of Manufacture: Japan
Condition Report
The silver sunburst dial is clean and bright, with crisp printing and no spotting or lacquer loss; the applied markers and the slim baton hands are unmarked, and the gold-toned ring at the dial’s outer edge has warmed evenly with age. The stainless steel case is complete and holds its original shape, with light scattered scratches and polishing marks across the bezel and the flanks of the lugs — the honest wear of a watch that was worn rather than stored. The crystal is clear, with only faint surface marks visible under direct light. The bracelet is complete and flexes freely; its Seiko-signed folding clasp carries scuffing across the polished cover. The movement is clean and turns smoothly, and both the day and the date change correctly.
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
Why Collectors Want This Watch Today
The Business-A is not a scarce watch — Seiko sold these in volume to Japan’s office workers, and examples turn up regularly. The uncommon part is the case. At roughly 38 mm the 90xx references wear like a modern watch, where most of the line sits at 35–36 mm, so they get sought out by buyers who normally find 1960s dress watches too small for them.
Add a 27-jewel automatic that both self-winds and hand-winds, a quickset date, a sunburst dial that has come through nearly sixty years without spotting, and the Seiko-signed bracelet still on the watch, and this is a lot of mid-century Japanese watchmaking for the money.
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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.
