King Seiko Hi-Beat 5626-7000 – Caliber 5626A, Suwa Seikosha – Stainless steel, KS-signed crown – June 1970 – freshly serviced

Pull out the crown, and the seconds hand stops.

That sounds trivial. In 1970, it was not. A hacking seconds feature meant that you could set the watch to the exact second according to a time signal—and thus that the accuracy of the movement could actually be put to use. A watch that runs within two seconds a day but is thirty seconds off when setting it is of no use to anyone.

It is precisely this level of rigor that distinguishes a King Seiko from the watches below it.

King Seiko – the line from the other factory

For decades, Seiko maintained two completely separate production facilities that competed against each other: Suwa Seikosha in Nagano Prefecture and Daini Seikosha in Tokyo. Both developed their own movements, maintained their own model lines, and vied for the top spot. The company’s management explicitly encouraged this—whoever built the better movement received the commission.

In 1960, Suwa introduced the first Grand Seiko. Daini responded in 1961 with the first King Seiko. What followed is one of the most productive rivalries in watchmaking history: the 44KS in 1964, the 45KS with 36,000 vibrations per hour in 1968, and the 52-series from Tokyo running in parallel.

With the 56-series, the situation reversed. Caliber 5626 comes from Suwa—the same factory that built the Grand Seiko. Suwa thus supplied both the Grand Seiko and, under the King Seiko name, its direct in-house competitor. The Grand Seiko caliber 5646 and this King Seiko caliber 5626 share the same basic architecture; they were distinguished by fine adjustment, equipment, and finishing.

King Seiko was therefore never the second choice, but rather the more affordable watch with the same structural foundation.

"Hi-Beat" – what’s on the dial

The KS HI-BEAT lettering denotes the high oscillation frequency of the movement: 28,800 vibrations per hour, meaning the balance wheel oscillates eight times per second.

The logic behind this is simple. The faster a balance wheel oscillates, the less external disturbances—shocks, changes in position, or acceleration while wearing—affect the rate. A fast-oscillating balance returns to its rhythm more quickly. The price for this is higher wear and a more sophisticated construction, which is why Hi-Beat movements were reserved exclusively for the top lines at the time of their introduction.

This is visible in the seconds hand: it runs noticeably smoother than in a movement with 18,000 or 21,600 vibrations per hour.

Caliber 5626A

• Automatic with additional manual winding
• Hacking seconds when the crown is pulled – for setting to the exact second
• 25 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour
• Day and date with quick-set
• Bilingual day wheel, Japanese and English
• Manufactured by Suwa Seikosha, Japan

The bilingual day wheel follows the Japanese calendar convention: Sunday in red, Saturday in blue. In the photo, Saturday 土 is visible in blue—a detail not found on European watches that reveals the watch's origin at a glance.

Front-loading movement

The case back bears an instruction rarely seen: OPEN THRU GLASS, PUSH SET LEVER, PULL STEM.

The movement is removed not from the back, but from the front after the crystal is removed. The added text is for the watchmaker: the set lever must be pushed before the winding stem can be pulled.

The structural reason for this is water resistance. A case that is not opened from the back has one less weak point—which is why Seiko stamped it "WATERPROOF" instead of "WATER RESIST." The price for this was the effort in the workshop: the dial side is exposed during every service. Many of these watches today bear marks of improper handling on the dial. This is not the case with this example.

The signed crown

The crown features the embossed KS emblem. This is more than decoration: signed crowns are wear parts that were regularly replaced with simple spare parts during repairs over five decades. A King Seiko with an original, clearly legible KS crown is therefore rarer than one with an intact dial.

Dial and case

The dial is finished in a light silver tone with a fine radial sunburst pattern that moves across the surface under changing light. The hour markers are applied, multi-faceted batons with sharp edges; at twelve o'clock, they are rendered as a double index. These are complemented by slender polished hands and a fine central seconds hand.

The dial lettering is sparse: SEIKO AUTOMATIC at the top, KS HI-BEAT with the Suwa symbol at the bottom. The calendar window at three o'clock is framed with an applied border and shows the day of the week and date side by side.

The stainless steel case follows the design language that Taro Tanaka formulated at Seiko as the "Grammar of Design": flat, sharply defined surfaces instead of rounded transitions, angular lugs, and a flat bezel. Tanaka's principle was that every surface should reflect light in a defined direction—which only works as long as the edges remain sharp. They are preserved here; the watch has not been over-polished.

At 37.1 mm in diameter, it is slightly more generous than most Seiko models from these years, yet remains compact on the wrist due to the 41.5 mm lug-to-lug distance.

Condition

First, the flaw, so it is not overlooked: The gold medallion on the case back is damaged. A portion of the plating has broken off. This is clearly visible in the photos. Anyone looking for a King Seiko with an intact medallion should choose a different example—this point is the only reason this watch is offered significantly below the price level of comparable pieces.

Apart from that, the watch is in very good condition.

Technically flawless: it was professionally serviced by a watchmaker in Japan in the spring/summer of 2026—fully disassembled, cleaned, oiled, and regulated. The automatic movement, manual winding, hacking seconds, and the quick-set for day and date function perfectly.

The dial is very well preserved: even sunburst finish without spots, discoloration, or fading; lettering is complete and sharp; applied indices are firm and free of corrosion; the calendar frame is intact.

The stainless steel case shows only slight, age-appropriate signs of wear. The facets on the lugs and the transitions between the polished and brushed surfaces are preserved. The KS-signed crown is original and clearly legible. All case back engravings—reference 5626-7000, serial number, workshop instructions—are complete and sharp. The crystal is clear.

A new Seiko leather strap is fitted.

Dating

The serial number 061108 allows for dating according to the Seiko scheme: the first digit indicates the last digit of the production year, the second the month. 0 – 6 results in June 1970.

Technical specifications

• Brand / Line: King Seiko, Hi-Beat
• Reference: 5626-7000
• Serial number: 061108
• Production date: June 1970
• Movement: Seiko Caliber 5626A, automatic with manual winding, 25 jewels, 28,800 vph, hacking seconds
• Manufacturer: Suwa Seikosha, Japan
• Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, day and date with quick-set, bilingual day wheel (Japanese/English)
• Case: Stainless steel, KS-signed crown, gold medallion (damaged), front-loading movement
• Diameter (without crown): 37.1 mm
• Height: 10.6 mm
• Lug-to-lug: 41.5 mm
• Lug width: 18 mm
• Weight (incl. strap): 49 g
• Strap: new Seiko leather strap
• Crystal: Acrylic crystal
• Service: Spring/Summer 2026, Japan – full disassembly, cleaning, oiling, regulation

For whom

For those looking for a stainless steel King Seiko with an original signed crown and a very well-preserved dial and case—and who are willing to accept a damaged medallion on the back. It is invisible while on the wrist.

For collectors who want to document the Suwa side of Seiko history: this movement shares the basic architecture with the Grand Seiko caliber 5646 from the same factory.

And for anyone who wants to wear a mechanical watch every day. Automatic with manual winding, hacking seconds, quick-set for day and date, plus a case designed for water resistance—functionally, this watch lacks nothing after fifty-five years.

Warranty (used)
This is a used item. The limitation period for claims for defects (statutory warranty) is 12 months from delivery.

Note
As this is a vintage watch, water resistance cannot be guaranteed. To protect the movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.