For sale we have a nice, honest example of a June 1970 King Seiko Hi-Beat, ref 4502-7001. It has a well-executed dial, as expected from a high-end Seiko of this period. The applied baton hour markers standout out against the silver brushed sunburst dial, as do the handset. They are neatly facetted, which causes them to reflect the light. The markers and hands also share a matching black striping through the centre, which catches the eye and breaks up the mirror polished finish. 
The Stainless-Steel case is appealing, sharing similarities with the Grand Seiko case designs of the period. It has clean lines, with sloping angles and a polished finish throughout. 
To the centre of the screw back is the gold tone, King Seiko medallion, a testament to the quality of the construction and design of the watch. The medallion is an area which often sees wear against the wrist, but on this example it is in good condition.
 
Inside, the calibre 4502A manual wind movement is in very good condition cosmetically and functionally. It has been recently serviced and has a daily variation of -4 seconds a day. It has a Hi-beat 36,000 BPH frequency, with an instantaneous date change. 
 
The only noticeable signs of age on this example, are to the extremity of the dial, where there is some corrosion to the dial finish. 
 
The inter-corporate competition between Grand Seiko and King Seiko in the 60s and 70s is a story that is fascinating on a technical level and a business innovation level. Through my own study of business, the main takeaway from Japanese firms from the mid-century onwards, was that they had a receptive and encouraging approach to innovation. This created an environment that allowed firms to thrive and dominate with ground-breaking advancements in product development. 
 
The creation of the Grand Seiko was overseen by the Suwa factory, whilst the King Seiko was developed by the Daini factory. 
 
The Daini division used freshly designed movements which incorporated modern technology, with the potential to overtake the Grand Seiko movements, which developed along more traditional lines.
 
The King Seiko 45 calibres are known for their extraordinary beat rate of 36,000 BPH, almost twice that of some Grand Seiko calibres. The instantaneous date change is another aspect that this movement triumphs. 
 
This is a beautifully designed everyday vintage watch, with a high-grade movement calibre you can rely on. It is difficult to find examples in the UK market, with most examples still residing in Japan.
 
Full condition report below. Please see the images as these compliment and aid the description provided below.
 
Dial: 
The dial is in good condition, apart from the extremities where the dial edge meets the chapter ring. There is corrosion around the edge. The hour markers and applied signing are excellent, as is the dial finish to the centre. 
 
Hands: 
The hands are original and are in very good condition, with no signs of corrosion.
 
Glass: 
The crystal is original and is in good condition with no marking. 
 
Crown: 
The Stainless crown is original with KS logo to the centre. It has light scratching.
 
Case:
The case is formed of stainless steel and is in decent overall condition. It has been polished in the past, It has light surface scratches and some small nicks. The facets to the case are good. 
 
Caseback:
The screw back is formed of Steel and is in decent condition. The case has been polished in the past, with light surface scratching and a couple of small, deeper marks. There are no major marks from poor opening. The engraving is good, as is the condition of the medallion to the centre. 
 
Strap: 
The watch comes on a new genuine leather strap, with unbranded steel buckle.
 
Movement: 
The movement is a Seiko calibre 4502A. It is a 17-jewel hand winding movement, with sweep second hand. It has a Hi-beat rate of 36,000 BPH, with a instant date change. 
 
The movement has been recently serviced by ourselves. It’s keeping time to -4 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 210 degrees and a beat error of 0.0m/s.
 
Case dimensions: 
Case width: 36.5mm
Case width with crown: 38.5mm 
Case length: 33.75mm
Case length lug to lug: 41.5mm
Case Depth: 10.5mm
Lug width: 18mm