Back to 1984!

For a keen student of horology, there is no better 'time travel machine'  than watch catalogues which provide accurate snapshots of the ever revolving door of watch fashion. Today we are traveling back to 1984. What was in - and what was out? Contrary to one would expect - out of hundreds of watches on offer, Seiko had only two divers watches: Gold Tuna PYF018 in Titanium and PYF028 in steel. Both were powered by a high precision quartz mechanism calibre 7549.  Clearly, in 1984 divers and sports models were a hard sell for Seiko. What sold like hot chips were digital ‘combo’ watches. Both volumes list page after page of duo timers offering stop watch, alarm and count down time functions in sleek, slim line cases. One could have had five or six of them for a price of a Golden Tuna! Lady’s fashion: even more slim liners, both on leather strap or matching bracelet. And millions of pendant watches in all shapes and forms.

Gong through the 1984 catalogue one would quickly conclude that we were definitely less concerned about time and timekeeping and more abut form, design and fashion. Demand for ‘fine art of mechanical watchmaking’ was simply not there any more; neither in Switzerland and especially not so in Japan. It would take another two decades for major manufacturers to ‘rediscover’ their roots, and this is why we considered the 80s and 90s as lost decades of horology.  Yet there was one humble timepiece which remained as relevant as ever: Seiko railway pocket watch. The pocket watch which has seen and marked the technological milestones of timekeeping, yet remained practically unchanged for almost 100 years. In 1984 RW was fitted with the same robust quartz calibre movement as the Golden Tuna (cal 7550). And here is my prediction so mark my words - one day, sooner or later, Seiko railway pocket watches will be fitted with Astron GPS solar movements! Can’t wait for it!