King Seiko 56

The King Seiko 56 or KS56 refers to the watches that house the Cal.5621, 5625 and 5626 movements. These watches were produced for 14 year period, spanning from 1968 to 1982. They are the performance automatics of the base Cal.5601 and Cal.5606 Lord Matics. The Kings run at a higher beat rate requiring a beefier mainspring and pallet fork jewels.For better accuracy, they are fitted with jeweled barrel holes. The KS56 movement also have a decorated bridge plate. The automatic rotor also has gold filled lettering. Although the KS56 is a thoroughly upgraded version of the base Cal.5606 movement, it is only cosmetically different from the Grand Seiko 56 or GS56, the main difference being that the Cal.5645/6 is regulated out of the factory in 6 positions for better accuracy. That performance upgrade is null and void now that we are more than 50 years from the last GS56 productions run. Furthermore the King line has been retired completely, giving the line a nostalgia that is frozen in time. Enough about that. This particular example is quite rough and tumble. The case has a lot of marks and scuffs, the dial is stained around the edges and the hands are worn. The gold medallion on the back is worn through as well. Despite this, the watch ticks on, and the calendar works like a charm. Additionally, with a full service, new crystal and gaskets, this example has many years ahead of it. Furthermore, the model 7000 case is perhaps one of the most handsome to have been produced, among any brand, during any period. Thank you Taro Tanako for giving us the grammar of design.

This is an excellent every day watch with vintage charm. Its wears it’s past life and ticks on. Its design is so versatile that it could pair with dressy or casual wear. This would also be a good choice for a someone looking for a King Seiko or a vintage hi-beat and doesn’t want to break the bank. As for sizing, the uni-body case and compactness of the Cal.56xx makes for a light and efficient case shape. The dimensions might seem fairly standard for the late 60s early 70s. however, the size of the dial and the contourded flatness of the case give it strong wrist presence.

30mm Sternkreuz Flat Mineral Crystal

This Example has an original, repaired, Plastic Day/Day Star Jumper

• 37mm Case Width

• 41.5mm Lug to Lug

• 18mm Lug Width

• 10.5mm Height

• 28,800 Beats Per Hour

• 25 Jewels

• Automatic with Hand winding

• Quickset Day and Date

• Hacking Seconds

• English and Kanji

• 30mm Sternkrutz Flat Mineral Crystal

• 3 O'Clock Crown

• Push/Pull

• Suwa-Seikosha

Average Deviation:

(+) 4.7 s/d 0.0 ms 204 deg