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:
- 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 SilverWave Line
The Seiko SilverWave was Seiko’s line of water-resistant sports watches, first introduced in the early 1960s and still in the catalogue through the 1970s and into the 1980s. The name captured the whole idea in two words — a bright, polished steel case (“Silver”) engineered to keep water out (“Wave”). It was the Seiko you never had to take off: at the poolside, caught in the rain, or simply worn day in and day out.
Where the Sportsmatic and later Seiko 5 lines chased the affordable everyday automatic, the SilverWave staked out the water-resistant corner of the catalogue. Its cases were fully sealed with screw-type case-backs and gaskets, stamped “WATER RESIST” on the reverse, and the sportier references in the family were built as genuine divers. It was the accessible, water-ready Seiko for the buyer who wanted a single watch for work, weekend and water alike.
At the very end of the 1970s the SilverWave made the leap to quartz. Just a decade after Seiko introduced the world’s first quartz wristwatch, the name returned on a new generation of water-resistant quartz models — among them the caliber 7121 references like this one: a hacking quartz movement accurate to ±15 seconds a month, housed in the same sealed, wave-stamped steel cases the line was known for. These launch-generation quartz SilverWaves of 1978–1980 capture Seiko at the precise moment its quartz revolution was reshaping the whole industry.
About This Watch
This is a launch-generation quartz SilverWave, reference 7121-7020, produced in November 1979 (serial 9N1503). The flat black dial is late-1970s Seiko sports design at its cleanest: white baton markers with a doubled marker at the top, a 13–24 hour track printed in pale blue around the edge for at-a-glance 24-hour reading, and white baton hands with a slim silver seconds hand. SEIKO QUARTZ sits above centre; below it, the SilverWave emblem, the name in period cursive script and the Daini Seikosha lightning bolt. There is no date window, so the dial stays symmetrical and uncluttered.
Inside is Seiko’s caliber 7121A, photographed with the back off: a two-jewel, no-date quartz movement with hacking seconds and a rated accuracy of ±15 seconds a month. The brushed and polished stainless-steel case has the faceted, bracelet-hugging profile of the line, with a screw-down crown and a screw-down case back stamped with the Silver Wave emblem. It comes on its original Seiko steel bracelet, with a signed SEIKO fold-over clasp and end links stamped GA940.
Technical Specifications
- Brand: Seiko
- Line: SilverWave (quartz)
- Reference Number: 7121-7020
- Movement: Seiko caliber 7121A, quartz, 2 jewels, hacking seconds, rated ±15 seconds/month, made by Daini Seikosha
- Serial Number: 9N1503
- Production Date: November 1979
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Case Size: Approx. 40 x 38 mm (including crown)
- Dial: Flat black, white baton markers, 13–24 hour track, SilverWave emblem and script, Daini Seikosha lightning bolt, no date
- Crystal: Mineral glass
- Case-back: Screw-down stainless steel with embossed Silver Wave emblem, marked “WATER RESISTANT STAINLESS STEEL JAPAN-L 7121-7020”
- Crown: Screw-down
- Bracelet: Original Seiko stainless steel bracelet, signed SEIKO fold-over clasp, GA940 end links
- Country of Manufacture: Japan
Condition Report
The black dial is in excellent condition: clean and even, with crisp printing and sharp markers, and only a couple of tiny pale flecks at the very edge near the 19 and 20 numerals. The hands are clean. The mineral crystal is clear, with a few minor marks at its edge. The stainless-steel case shows light scratches and scuffs from normal wear, most visible on the brushed top surfaces and the polished bezel, plus a few small knocks on the case edges; no deep damage. The case back is clean, with no owner engraving, and the Silver Wave emblem, serial and reference are all sharp. With the back off, a little light spotting is visible on the inside of the case around the gasket seat. The original bracelet shows honest surface wear, with scratching on the signed clasp, and closes securely.
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). This watch has 17 mm lugs, narrower than our leather strap range, so it is offered on its original bracelet only.
This watch ships from 🇺🇦 Ukraine with tracking number
Why Collectors Want This Watch Today
The quartz SilverWaves of 1978–1980 sit at an interesting crossroads: they carry the name and the sealed, water-ready build of one of Seiko’s classic sports lines, made in the exact years quartz was reshaping the industry. The black dial with its 13–24 track is the most utilitarian face in the 7121 family, sportier and more legible than the plain silver and blue versions. What sets this example apart is completeness: it still wears its original Seiko bracelet with the signed clasp and GA940 end links, and its case back is clean. These are not scarce watches, and that is part of the appeal: an honest, serviced Seiko approaching fifty years old that still keeps time to within seconds a month.
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We guarantee the item you receive looks and works exactly as advertised — or your money back.
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.
