Seiko Watchband Catalogue – 1972/No.1

One of the key aims of this site is to be a source of information for those who collect vintage Grand Seiko. We don’t just list the watches that we have for sale in the anticipation that customers will add them to their collections – we also list watches that we have never had in stock, along with as much data about those watches as we can glean. The intent is to be a reliable source of information about exactly which references were created by Grand Seiko, and to provide data on those references.

We are confident that currently this site contains the most complete, accurate and detailed information on the historical Grand Seiko references that you will find anywhere.

Below is a gallery of selected scans from the 1972/No. 1 Seiko “Watchband” catalogue.

This is actually the only example of a strap and bracelet catalogue that we have come across, and it contains some very interesting information.

Whilst for now we are only including scans from a few pages, the entire catalogue is actually 32 pages in length, and details bracelets and straps for Grand Seiko, King Seiko, Lord Marvel, 5 Actus, 5 Sports, Divers, general Seiko, and ladies watches.

Page 1 of the catalogue details three Grand Seiko bracelets. The XQB 011 (for the 5645/6-7010/1), XQB 040 (for the 5645/6-8000), and XAB 271 (for the 6155/8-8000/1).

Grand Seiko bracelets featured in Seiko Watchband Catalogue 1972/1

There are a few interesting points to glean just from these three bracelet details.

XQB 011

The XQB 011 is listed as the bracelet for the 5645-7010/1 and the 5646-7010/1.

As can be seen from the main Seiko catalogue shot for the 5645-7010 below, a completely different bracelet is shown for the watch –

Grand Seiko 5645-7010 on bracelet from the Seiko 1973/2 catalogue

Whereas the XQB 011 is indeed shown on the catalogue shot for the 5646-7010/1 –

Grand Seiko 5646-7010 on bracelet from the Seiko 1972 catalogue

So how to explain this?

The first appearance of the 564x-7010/1 was in the 1972 catalogue. But only the 5646 is shown on a bracelet (pictured above) – the 5645 is only shown on a strap.

In the 1973 catalogue, we see both the 5645 and the 5646 on bracelets, and both are shown on the same bracelet as that in the above photo of the 5645.

As per Anthony Kable’s superlative article on vintage Grand Seiko bracelets, the reference number for the bracelet shown on both watches in the 1973 catalogue is XQB 070.

Thus, it would appear that at some time between 1972 and 1973, Grand Seiko swapped out the XQB 011 bracelet for the XQB 070. Whether or not the former was ever available at retail mounted on the 5645-7010/1 is probably impossible to determine, although clearly it was marketed as an after-purchase option.

XQB 040

There is no such confusion with the XQB 040 shown as being available for the 5645- and 5646-8000 references. These references are only ever shown in the catalogues on this bracelet (they are never shown on straps).

Grand Seiko 5645-8000 on bracelet

Grand Seiko 5646-8000 on bracelet

We have an example of the 5646-8000 on its bracelet available for purchase here.

XAB 271

Finally on the GS bracelets featuring in this catalgoue, the XAB 271 is listed as being compatible with the 6155-8000 and 6156-8000 references. Interestingly, the 6155 is never shown in a Seiko catalogue on a bracelet – it is only ever shown on a strap. Clearly however any bracelet fitting the 6156-8000 would also fit the 6155-8000 as the case design is identical.

It is our interpretation from the contemporary literature that the 6155-8000 was never offered on a bracelet, but that the XAB 271 was offered as an accessory for it available for purchase separately.

We have an example of the 6156-8000 on bracelet available for purchase here.

Page 17 of the catalogue includes a strap and buckle for the Grand Seiko 6145/6-8000.

Strap for Grand Seiko 6145/6-8000 featured in the Seiko Watchband Catalogue 1972/1

XAK 041

The useful thing about this image is that it shows the full strap and buckle. In the regular Seiko catalogues, the watches are almost always shown from the front, with the strap closed.

This image confirms that the “GS” buckle (as opposed to the “Seiko” buckle) is the correct buckle for the 6145/6-8000 watches.

Dive straps

In time, we will come back to this article and update it with scans from all 32 pages, but for now, we are also including a scan of the page from this catalogue that shows the straps for Seiko diver’s watches.

Seiko dive straps featured in the Seiko Watchband Catalogue 1972/1

Speaking to a number of prominent Seiko collectors, the strap identified as “D3” on this page has never been seen before. If anyone has this strap, or knows where to acquire one, please do get in contact!