35 Quartz-Astron†
First quartz watch: Astron released 25 Dec 1969 calibre 35 with hand soldered hybrid integrated circuit featuring 76 transistors and 84 resistors 29 capacitors total 189 elements onto a ceramic substrate. $1,250
Ref | Astron | Case No. | Movement No. | Dial | Date | Notes |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 9Nxxxx | | | Nov 1969 | Yahoo auction Aug 2024 Yen 1.964.000 / £10.920. Original box strap & gold buckle |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 9N0015 | | | Nov 1969 | Yahoo auction Mar 2017. Bear 18K bracelet. Reddit 2022 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 9N0020 | | | Nov 1969 | YouTube |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 9N0024 | | | Nov 1969 | Yahoo auction working Jul 2024 2.208.000 / £12.015 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 9N0041 | | | Nov 1969 | |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 9N0048 | | | Nov 1969 | Unknown auction Jun 2008 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 010013 | | | Jan 1970 | |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 010023 | | | Jan 1970 | Yahoo auction Nov 2019 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 010032 | | | Jan 1970 | Yahoo auction Dec 2023 Yen 1.358.000 / £7.387 |
35-9000 | Non-Astron non-date | 010xxx | | | Jan 1970 | Chrono24 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 020009 | | | Feb 1970 | Yahoo auction Jul 2024 for Yen 1.513.000 / £8.230 Original buckle |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 020016 | | | Feb 1970 | Yahoo auction Jul 2021 Original buckle slim box |
35-9000 | | 020019 | | | Feb 1970 | |
35-9000 | Date non-Astron | 020031 | | | Feb 1970 | Mercari Nov 2024 Yen1.550.000 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 020035 | | | Feb 1970 | Chrono24 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 020041 | | | Feb 1970 | https://thewatchbloke.co.uk/2017/06/08/seiko-astron-35-9000/ |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 020066 | | | Feb 1970 | |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 020072 | | | Feb 1970 | Yahoo auction Dec 2019 Paperwork some original & some recent Seiko. Original buckle box |
35-9000 | | 020086 | | | Feb 1970 | |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 040040 | | | Apr 1970 | Yahoo auction May 2019 Original buckle |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 040059 | | | Apr 1970 | Yahoo auction Feb 2015 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 040088 | | | Apr 1970 | http://www.theseikoguy.com |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 0401xx | | | Apr 1970 | Yahoo auction Sep 2024 for Yen 1.000 so presume not sold? Original buckle box & outer card box |
35-9000 | Date non-Astron | 040137 | | 3502 | Apr 1970 | Mercari 2024 Yen 2.000.000 Original buckle |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 060013 | | | Jun 1970 | Yahoo auction Oct 2016 |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 060024 | | | Jun 1970 | Yahoo auction FeB 2019 Original buckle |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | 060043 | | | Jun 1970 | |
35-9000 | Date non-Astron | 060047 | | | Jun 1970 | Mercari Nov 2024 Yen1.200.000 |
35-9000 | Non-Astron date | 06xxxx | | | Jun 1970 | |
35-9000 | Astron non-date | xxxxxx | | | | Yahoo auction Feb 2023 Yen 1.601.333 / £8.711 Original buckle |
35-9000 | Date non-Astron | xxxxxx | | | 3502 | Yahoo auction listed Oct & Nov 2020 Original buckle |
35-9000 | Non-Astron non-date | xxxxxx | | | | Dial just signed Seiko |
Variations†
Ref | Case | Dial | Price | Notes |
35-9000 Astron | Gold | Gilt non-date | 450.000 | Nov 1969-Jun 1970 |
35-9000 Non-Astron | Gold | Gilt non-date | 450.000 | |
35-9000 Non-Astron | Gold | Gilt date | 480.000 | |
35-9010 | Stainless steel | Silvered non-date | 175.000 | Dec 1970-May 1971 |
3502-9010 | Stainless steel | Silvered date | 185.000 | May 1971- |
Based on theory that each month began at number 0001, and only on highest number I have recorded.
Statistics | |
32 watches recorded | Highest noted |
Nov 1969 | 48 |
Jan 1970 | 32 |
Feb 1979 | 86 |
Apr 1970 | 137 |
Jun 1970 | 47 |
Poss total | 350 |
| |
Stainless | |
Dec 1970 | 271 |
Jan 1971 | 313 |
Feb 1971 | 494 |
Apr 1971 | 289 |
May 1971 | 244 |
Oct 1971 | 15 |
Poss total | 1626 |
Cal | Launched | Serial numbers |
35 | Dec 1969 | Nov 1969-Oct 1971 |
36 | Dec 1970 | ??? |
38 | Dec 1971 | May 1971-Feb 1975 |
36 Series†
Very short lived predecessor to the 39 Series, rectangular with back & forth motor instead of stepping motor, and 2x batteries. Very rare and debatably not even sold to the public.
Full article Seiko 3602
38 Series Stainless Steel†
First true production quartz watch calibre 3800 series 1971 with in house CMOS IC. Prototype finished April 1971, first watches shipped Nov 1971, 3823 released Dec 1971.
Earliest watch I've seen dated May 1971, latest 1978 (both 3823)
Regarding John Hall. At Intersil, Hoerni, a Swiss native, received venture funding from Swiss watchmaker Omega to develop a wristwatch IC. Though Hoerni and Hall created a successful design, Omega decided not to put it into production. Hoerni went to Japan and received an order for the watch chips from Seiko Chairman Shoji Hattori. Seiko used these chips to create the world's first quartz watch, the “Astron”, in 1969. Hattori, recognizing the potential of this design and future ones, funded Hall's start-up company, Micro Power Systems (MPS), in 1971.
Eight models
3800†
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | | |
-3000 | Silver | Snowflake | Pocket watch | 85.000 | |
-7030 | | 7030 | | | |
| | 7120 | | | |
38SQ-016 | 18K | Gilt Roman numerals VFA | Pocket watch 580.000 1972 | | |
38SQ-024 | Platinum? | Blue Roman numerals VFA | Integrated bracelet 2.600.000 1972 | | |
38SQ-026 | 18K | Brown Roman numerals VFA | Integrated bracelet 850.000 1972 | | |
3802 38QTC†
Nine models
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-7000 | | Silvered | | |
-7010 | | 7010 | | x |
| | 7020 | | |
-7020 | | 7030 Silvered | 70.000 1972 | x |
-7020 | | Blue | | |
-7020 | | Green | | |
| | 7040 | | |
-7021 | | 7030 Silvered | Seems same as above | |
| | 7040 | | |
-7030 | | 7030 | | |
| | 7120 Snowflake arabic numerals | | |
-7031 | One piece | 7030 Silvered | Jul 74 | x |
| | Snowflake Arabic | | |
-7060 | | Snowflake | | |
-7070 | One piece | Silvered QT | | x |
-7110 | | Silvered QT | | x |
| | Blue | | |
3803 38QTW†
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-5010-G | | Green | | x |
-7000 | | Silvered | Oct 1971 | |
-7010 | One piece | Silvered | 69.000 1972 | x |
-7020 | | Silvered | 75.000 1972 | x |
| | Gray | | |
| | Blue | | |
| | Green | | |
| | Fading blue | | |
-7050 | | Silvered | May 73 | x |
| | Black linen | Seems same as -7020. Aug 72 | x |
| | White railroad | | x |
| | Black railroad | | x |
-7060 | | Snowflake | | |
-7061 | | Blue | Faceted crystal | |
-7070 | | Striped silver | | x |
| | Striped blue | Apr 73 Italy | x |
-7080 | Octagonal | Silvered | | x |
| | Green-blue | | x |
-7090 | One piece | Silvered | Jan 74 Jun 74 | x |
| | Brown QT | | |
-7100 | | Blue green QT | | |
-7110 | | Silvered QT | | x |
| | Blue QT | | |
-8000-G | | Silvered QT | | x |
| | Blue QT | | |
3819†
GMT, 2 models
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-7000 | | | | |
-7009 | | Silvered 2002 | | |
3820†
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-6000 | 18K | Wood? | VFA | |
| 18K | Tiger eye | VFA | |
| 18K white | Agate | VFA | |
3822†
3823 38SQW†
VFA 6+ models
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-5005 | 18K gold snap-on back | Gilt VFA | 695.000 | |
-5010 | 18K gold | Gilt | 695.000 | |
| 18K gold | Brown VFA | 695.000 | |
-7000 | One piece | White-cream Non VFA | 135.000 1972 | |
| | Blue | Non VFA May 71- 135.000 1972 | x |
| | White-cream VFA | | |
| 18K gold | 7005TKT Gilt VFA | 1973 | |
-7001 | One piece | Silvered | VFA plain crystal | x |
| | Silvered | VFA Faceted | x |
| | Snowflake VFA Roman | | |
-7010 | Stainless steel | Blue & silver | | |
-7030 | 18K gold | Gilt VFA | | |
| White gold | | | |
-7040 | | | | |
??? | 18K white | | 400.000 1972 | |
??? | 18K | | 390.000 | |
??? | 18K + bracelet | | 535.000 1972 | |
??? | 18K | | 360.000 1972 | |
3862†
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-5010 | Snap on | Silvered QR | | x |
| | Blue QR | | |
-7000 | | Silvered | | x |
-7001 | | Silvered | | |
-7010 | | Silvered QR | | x |
| | Blue QR | | x |
-7020 | | Silvered QR | | x |
-8000 | | Blue green QR | | x |
| | Green | | |
-8010 | | | | |
-8020 | | | | |
3863†
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-5009 | | Silvered | | x |
| | Blue | | |
-5010 | | Red | Confirm ref | |
-7000 | | 7000T Silvered QR | | |
| | Blue | | |
-7001 | | 7000T Silvered QR | | |
-7010 | | Silvered QR | | |
| | Black w Roman numerals QR | | |
| | Green QR | | |
-7020 | | Green & gold QR | Faceted | |
| | Blue | Faceted | |
-7039 | | Silvered | | x |
-7049 | | Blue 3003 | | x |
-7059 | | Silvered 3003 | | x |
-8000 | | Silvered QR | | x |
| | Navy blue QR 8000T | | |
| | Blue QR | | x |
| | Honey | | |
-8010 | | Silvered | | |
| | Blue | | |
| | Purple | | |
-8020 | | | | |
3870†
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-0010 | | Silvered | Pocket watch | |
3883†
Superior One model
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes | |
-7000 | One piece | Silvered | | |
| | Blue-Green | | |
39 series†
3922†
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes |
-504A | | Blue | |
-5010 | | Blue | Jul 1971 |
| | Brown | |
-5011 | | | |
39SQC-014 | | | 90.000 1972 |
39SQC-016 | | | 90.000 1972 |
39SQC-022 | 18K | | 400.000 1972 |
39SQC-026 | 18K | | 400.000 1972 |
39SQC-036 | 18K | Integrated bracelet | 880.000 1972 |
39SQC-037 | 18K | Integrated bracelet | 880.000 1972 |
3923†
Ref | Case | Dial | Notes |
-5010 | | Blue | |
| | Green | |
-5020 | | | |
39SQW-014 | | | 95.000 1972 |