1969 was one of the most spectacular in Seiko’s storied history. That year, it released the world’s first automatic chronograph, the Calibre 6139 and the V.F.A. (Very Fine Adjusted) movement – which delivered Seiko’s highest yet level of precision for a mechanical movement.
Seiko would release another first upon the world, the first quartz wristwatch - the Seiko Quartz Astron, which went on to change the way the world told time, and severely tested the dominance of the Swiss, bringing high technology within the reach of all.
As the world got accustomed to the novel new Astron technology dominating the market in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Seiko was hard at work on its next innovation to challenge Swiss watch industry dominance, developing the Superior, Grand Quartz, King Quartz and eventually the Type II lines – like this 1996 Seiko Avenue 5P31-7A20 dress watch, with its great sparse dark black dial, a Japanese Domestic Market (Japan only) quartz watch.
Immediately obvious on the Seiko 5P31 Avenue here is the vibrant and sparsely-designed dark black - the white handset mirrors the design of the dial’s hour indices nicely. Add in the Seiko 5P31 quartz movement with its known accuracy with hacking feature and you have a watch that stands out on the wrist.
The Avenue, launched in 1985, was targeted at young people, included the high-priced Chario and Société models. The series was a big hit, thanks in part to the effect of TV commercials featuring popular artists.
In line with the watch style popular in the 1980s, a genre of watches referred to as "traditional watches" became popular. Within the Seiko answer to this style - its Avenue line, like the watch here - was retro-inspired oxidized gold and silver exterior finishes featuring user-friendly dials either with 60 markers and classic numerals around the circumference or sans numerals. Variations
incorporated small second hand dials and moon phase complications also proved popular with the line.
Seiko's Danni design house debuted the 5P31 movement in 1987, and produced it through the circa late 1990s.
This Seiko Avenue dress watch comes on its original leather strap, and with nylon strap, rugged travel case, springbar tool, and original Seiko 5P31 instructions manual.
1996 Seiko Avenue 5P31-7A20 Dress Watch, w/Instructions
DIAL: A fantastic dark black Seiko "Avenue"-signed dial, with matching hour, minute, and second hands. Applied stick hour indices and reflective chapter ring provide the already sparse dial with an intriguing depth.
CASE: Stainless-steel case measures 34mm (35mm w/crown) x 39mm, with sharp case edges.
CRYSTAL: Slightly-domed Hardlex crystal in great condition, no scratches, cracks, or edge chips.
BAND: This Seiko Avenue comes on its original Seiko-signed leather strap; it also come with a black nylon strap.
MOVEMENT: Three-jewel Seiko 5P31 quartz movement, manufactured in November 1976; movement hacks, as designed.
Of note, this Seiko Avenue dress watch comes with an original Seiko 5P31 instructions manual, in both Kanji Japanese and English.