Seiko Holdings Corporation
セイコーホールディングス株式会社

Type	Public TYO: 8050
Industry	Retail-Jewelry, Precision Instruments and Machinery
Founded	Chūō, Tokyo, Japan (1881) (incorporated in 1917)
Headquarters	Minato, Tokyo, Japan (Officially registered in Chūō, Tokyo, Japan)
Key people	Shinji Hattori, President[1]
Products	Watches, clocks, printers, semiconductors, mechatronics devices, machine tools, optical glass materials, jewellery, eyeglasses, etc.
Revenue	¥213.73 billion (FY2005, consolidated)
Employees	6,699 (March 31, 2006, consolidated)
Parent	Seiko Group
Website	Seiko Holdings Corporation

A Gaetano Faillace 1945 image of Ginza 4chome and the Hattori Tokei-ten building

Seiko Holdings Corporation (セイコーホールディングス株式会社, Seikō Hōrudingusu Kabushiki-gaisha^?) (TYO: 8050), more commonly known simply as Seiko ( /ˈseɪkoʊ/ SAY-koh), is a Japanese watch company.

History and ongoing developments[link]

The company was founded in 1881, when Kintarō Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop called "K. Hattori" (服部時計店, Hattori Tokeiten^?) in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan. Eleven years later, in 1892, he began to produce clocks under the name Seikosha (精工舎, Seikōsha^?), meaning roughly "House of Exquisite Workmanship". According to Seiko's official company history, titled "A Journey In Time: The Remarkable Story of Seiko" (2003), Seiko is a Japanese word meaning "exquisite," "minute," or "success". (The meaning "exquisite" is usually written 精巧, while the meaning "success" is usually written 成功.)

The first watches produced under the Seiko brand appeared in 1924. In 1969, Seiko introduced the Astron, the world's first production quartz watch; when it was introduced, it cost the same as a medium-sized car. Seiko later went on to introduce the first quartz chronograph. In 1985, Orient Watches and Seiko established a joint factory.

The company was incorporated (K. Hattori & Co., Ltd.) in 1917 and was renamed Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd. in 1983 and Seiko Corporation in 1990. After reconstructing and creating its operating subsidiaries (such as Seiko Watch Corporation and Seiko Clock Inc.), it became a holding company in 2001 and was renamed Seiko Holdings Corporation as of July 1, 2007.

Seiko is perhaps best known for its wristwatches, all of which were at one time produced entirely in-house. This includes not only major items such as microgears, motors, hands, crystal oscillators, batteries, sensors, LCDs but also minor items such as the oils used in lubricating the watches and the luminous compounds used on the hands and the dials. Currently watch movements are made in Shizukuishi, Iwate (SII Morioka Seiko Instruments), Ninohe, Iwate (SII Ninohe Tokei Kogyo), Shiojiri, Nagano (Seiko Epson) and their subsidiaries in China, Malaysia and Singapore. The fully integrated in-house production system is still practised in Japan.

Models[link]

Seiko produces both quartz and mechanical watches of varying prices. The least expensive are around ¥4,000 (US$45) (sold under the brand Alba); the most expensive (Credor JURI GBBX998) costs ¥50,000,000 (US$554,000).^[2]

Grand Seiko SBGW005

Seiko Grand Quartz, produced in 1978.

Seiko SBDX001 Marinemaster Professional Diver's 300 m mechanical watch for mixed-gas diving.

Seiko mechanical watches are highly prized by collectors—from the Seiko "5" series (the 5 reflects the five essential features of the watch, namely shock resistant, water resistant, automatic, and day and date display), which is the most common, to the highly prized luxury "Credor," "King Seiko," and "Grand Seiko" lines. Today, Seiko Kinetic watches account for a large proportion of sales that combine the self-energizing attributes of an automatic watch with quartz accuracy. The watch is entirely powered by its movement in everyday wear.

Spring Drive[link]

On 7 October 2005, Seiko announced the launch of the Seiko Spring Drive, a new movement that provides 72 hours of power compared to 40 hours for mechanical and 3 years for battery powered quartz watches. This new movement uses a "Tri-synchro Regulator". The power from the spring is used to turn the gear train and a generator. The generator powers a circuit that includes a low consumption (~25 nanowatts) quartz crystal oscillator. The oscillator is a part of a continuous feedback circuit, which holds the speed of the generator close to eight revolutions per second. According to Seiko records the resulting movement delivers accuracy commensurate with other quartz timed watch movements. The Spring Drive movement was also used as the basis for the first ever watch designed to be worn by an astronaut during a space walk, the aptly named Seiko Spring Drive Spacewalk ^[3].

Seiko in America[link]

Seiko Pyramid Talk, the world's first quartz talking clock, from 1984.

Seiko Corporation of America is responsible for distribution of Seiko watches and clocks, as well as Pulsar brand watches, in the United States. The models available in the United States are normally a smaller subset of the full line produced in Japan. Seiko Corporation of America has its headquarters (and Coserv repair center) in Mahwah, New Jersey. In the United States, Seiko watches are sold primarily by fine jewelers and department stores as well as 19 company stores located in various cities.

Seiko's 2004 marketing campaign emphasized that a watch, as opposed to other traits (such as what car they drive, for example), tells the most about a person.

Media appearance[link]

Various Seiko watches were worn by the cinematic James Bond 007 in four films starring Roger Moore from 1977 to 1985. Also, a Seiko watch was worn by Sean Connery in the 1983 Bond film Never Say Never Again. A Seiko Chronograph is also worn by Jason Bourne in the book "The Bourne Identity" by Robert Ludlum. Aki Ross wears a Seiko wristband computer in Final Fantasy the Spirits Within. Nazi war criminal and SS officer Josef Mengele wore a Seiko Automatic 21 Jewels watch in South America held by the archives of the federal police in Brazil and it is still working to this day. (seen in National Geographic Mengele Twin Mystery)

Official timekeeper[link]

Seiko is also the official timer of many major sporting events:

• Tokyo Olympic Summer Games in Japan, 1964
• 1978 World Cup in Argentina
• 1982 World Cup in Spain
• 1986 World Cup in Mexico
• IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Italy, 1987
• 1990 World Cup in Italy
• IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo, Japan, 1991
• Barcelona Olympic Summer Games in Spain, 1992
• Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games in Norway, 1994
• Nagano Olympic Winter Games in Japan, 1998
• Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games in USA, 2002

Seiko is also named as the official timekeeper of the Gran Turismo racing game series, published by Sony. It's also the sponsor of FC Barcelona.

Seiko used to sponsor Honda F1 (previously known as BAR [British American Racing] Honda). The Seiko name cannot currently be found on the Honda racing cars because Seiko Japan refused to be advertised whilst the names of tobacco companies are still appearing on the cars. They can, however, be found on the lollipop used in the pitlane.

Operating companies (products and services)[link]

Seiko Sportura

• Seiko Watch Corporation — watches: Seiko (Grand Seiko, Dolce & Exceline, Brightz, Lukia, Prospex, iu, Ruse, Spirit, Alpinist, Ignition, Premier, Coutura, Arctura, Sportura, Criteria, Rivoli, Vivace, etc.), Credor, Galante, Wired, Wired XYZ, Alba, Pulsar, Lorus. Seiko Watch is a planning and marketing company. Seiko Holdings delegates a large portion of the manufacturing in its watch business to Seiko Epson and Seiko Instruments.
• Seiko Clock Inc. — clocks, kitchen timers: Seiko, Decor Seiko, Seiko Emblem, Seiko Premium, Seiko Melodies in Motion Musical Clocks, Pyxis
• Seiko Service Center Co., Ltd. — repair and after service for watches
• Seiko Time Systems Inc. — system clocks (outside, building wall, monument, floral clocks), sports timing equipment
• Seiko Sports Life Co., Ltd. — golf clubs, stopwatches, musical accessories (tuners, metronomes)
• Seiko Precision Inc. — printers, time servers, electronic devices, micromechatronics devices, camera shutters, etc.
• Seiko NPC Corporation — semiconductors
• Seiko Jewelry Co., Ltd. — jewelry
• Seiko Optical Products Co., Ltd. — optical lenses & frames
• Seiko Instruments Inc. — electronic components, precision parts, watches, analysis and measurement instruments, machine tools, printers, network items, information systems and services, IC dictionaries, etc.
• Wako Co., Ltd. — upscale specialty retails
• Cronos Inc. — retail sales of watches, jewelry items and eyeglasses
• Seiko Business Services Inc. — human resources
• Ohara Inc. (Seiko owns 32.2% TYO: 5218) — specialty optical glass (glass materials for lenses and prisms)

Seiko Group[link]

Seiko Holdings is one of the three core companies of the Seiko Group. The Seiko Group consists of Seiko Holdings Corporation (Seiko), Seiko Instruments Inc. (SII), and Seiko Epson Corporation (Epson). Although they have some common shareholders, including the key members of the Hattori family (posterity of Kintarō Hattori), the three companies in the Seiko Group are not affiliated. They are managed and operated completely independently. Seiko Watch, an operating subsidiary of Seiko Holdings, markets Seiko watches, while SII and Epson manufacture their movements.

On January 26, 2009, Seiko Holdings and Seiko Instruments announced that the two companies will be merged on October 1, 2009 through a share swap. Seiko Instruments became a wholly owned subsidiary of Seiko Holdings as of October 1, 2009.

Other[link]

Seiko also produces other electronic devices. Notably, during the 1980s, the company produced a range of digital synthesizers, such as the DS-250, for use in electronic music. Today, the music division, a part of Seiko Life Sports, produces metronomes & tuning devices.

References and footnotes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Seiko

• Seiko Holdings Corporation website (English)
• Seiko Holdings Corporation website (Japanese)
• Seiko Holdings group companies (English)
• Seiko Watch Corporation website (Japanese)
• Seiko Watch Corporation International website (English)
• Seiko Clocks website (English)
• Seiko Holdings Group Companies (English)
• Seiko Spring Drive website (English)
• Seiko Calibers (English)
• A detailed evaluation of the mechanics of a Seiko 7S26 watch movement (English)
• Do It Yourself Project: Seiko 7S26 for Novice Horologists by Nicholas Hacko (English)

v t e Electronics industry in Japan Akai Alaxala Networks Alinco Alps Alpine Anritsu AOR Brother Canon Casio Cateye Chinon Citizen Watch Copal Clarion Contec Cosina D&M Holdings Daikin Denon Koppel Inc. Denso DNP DX Antenna EIKI Eizo Elpida Epson FANUC Fostex Frex Fuji Electric Fujikura Fuji Xerox Fujifilm Fujitsu Funai Futaba Hamamatsu Photonics Hitachi Hori Hoya I-O Data Ibanez Icom Ikegami Tsushinki Iwatsu JEOL Japan Display JRC JR Propo JVC Kenwood Kawai Kenko Keyence Kikusui Kiramek KO Propo Konica Minolta Korg Kyocera Luxman Mabuchi Motor Mamiya Maspro Maxell Melco Mimaki Minebea Minoura Mitsubishi Electric Mitsumi Murata Manufacturing Mutoh Nakamichi NEC Nichia Nikon Nintendo Nitto Denko Oki Olympus Omron Onkyo Orion Electric Panasonic Pentax Pioneer Pixela Plextor Ricoh Rohm Roland Rubycon Sansui Sanwa Denshi Sanwa Electronic Instrument Sanyo Sega Sammy Seiko Sekonic Sharp Shimadzu SII Sony Stax Star Micronics Sumitomo Electric Sigma Taiyo Yuden Tamron TEAC TDK Tiger Tokyo Electron Toshiba Uniden Wacom Yaesu Yagi-Uda Yamaha Yaskawa Zojirushi Zuken

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2009)

Donnie Wahlberg
Wahlberg in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Donald Edmond Wahlberg, Jr.
Born	(1969-08-17) August 17, 1969 (age 42)
Origin	Dorchester, Massachusetts, United States
Genres	Pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actor
Years active	1984–94(with NKOTB) 1995–present(solo and acting career) 2008–present(with NKOTB)
Associated acts	New Kids on the Block

Donald Edmond "Donnie" Wahlberg, Jr.^[1] (born August 17, 1969) is an American singer, actor and film producer. He is a member of the popular 1980s and 1990s boy band New Kids on the Block. His work background includes music, feature films, and television. Donnie has had featured roles in the Saw films, The Sixth Sense, Dreamcatcher, Boomtown and Righteous Kill, also appearing in the award-winning World War II miniseries Band of Brothers. He is also known for currently starring in the critically acclaimed drama series Blue Bloods. Donnie was nominated for Choice Scream at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards for his work on the Saw films.

Early life[link]

Wahlberg was born in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, as the eighth of nine children, with older siblings Arthur, Jim, Paul, Robert, Tracey, Michelle, Debbie (died 2003) and younger brother Mark. He also has three half-siblings from his father's first marriage- Donna, Scott and Buddy. His mother, Alma Elaine (née Donnelly), was a bank clerk and nurse's aide, and his father, Donald Edmond Wahlberg, Sr. (died February 14, 2008) was a teamster who worked as a delivery driver; the couple divorced in 1982.^[2][3] He is of Swedish, Irish, English, and French Canadian ancestry.^[4]

Career[link]

New Kids on the Block[link]

Wahlberg in 1990

As a recording artist, Wahlberg is known as an original member of boy band New Kids on the Block.

Acting career[link]

Wahlberg's first film acting role was in the 1996 film Bullet with Mickey Rourke and Tupac Shakur. Also in 1996, he appeared as a kidnapper in Ransom with Mel Gibson. Wahlberg received attention for his role in the 1999 film The Sixth Sense, playing the patient of Bruce Willis's character in the opening sequence. This role was originally intended for a 13-year-old boy until Wahlberg met with writer and director M. Night Shyamalan to inquire about obtaining the rights for a theatre production, and ended up getting the role.

In 2001, Wahlberg co-starred as Second Lieutenant C. Carwood Lipton in the television miniseries Band of Brothers. Wahlberg also starred in the 2002–2003 NBC drama series Boomtown as Joel Stevens, a Los Angeles police detective. Graham Yost, executive producer and writer of Boomtown, had worked with Wahlberg in Band of Brothers and was so impressed by his performance that he wrote the role of Joel Stevens specifically for him.

2003 was the year that Wahlberg starred alongside Timothy Olyphant, Jason Lee, and his Band of Brothers co-star Damian Lewis as the mentally challenged Duddits in William Goldman and Lawrence Kasdan's adaptation of the Stephen King alien-invasion thriller, Dreamcatcher. In 2005, Wahlberg starred as Detective Eric Matthews in the second installment of the Saw series. He reprised the role in Saw III in 2006 and Saw IV in 2007, also appearing in Saw V in 2008 via archive footage from the previous films.^[5]

In 2006, Wahlberg also played Lieutenant Commander Burton in the military/boxing drama, Annapolis. In September 2006, he played the lead role in the short-lived television drama Runaway on The CW. The show was cancelled in October 2006 due to poor ratings. In 2007, he starred alongside Jason Gedrick, Ricardo Chavira, and Nadine Velazquez in the television film Kings of South Beach on A&E. Also in 2007, he starred opposite John Leguizamo on the TV series The Kill Point.

In 2008, he appeared in Righteous Kill co-starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. He also co-starred in What Doesn't Kill You with Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffalo and Amanda Peet.

Wahlberg currently stars as a detective on CBS's Blue Bloods, a police drama set in New York City. The show, which also stars Tom Selleck and Bridget Moynahan, airs Fridays at 10 pm EST.^[6]

Currently, Donnie is the host of an internet radio show on Friday nights at 8 pm PST called "DDUB's R&B Back Rub" on Cherry Tree Radio.^[7] Donnie also appeared in the 2011 comedy, The Zookeeper.

Personal life[link]

Wahlberg married Kim Fey on August 20, 1999. He has two children with Fey, Xavier Alexander Wahlberg (born March 4, 1993) and Elijah Hendrix Wahlberg (born August 20, 2001). Wahlberg and Fey filed for divorce on August 13, 2008 citing "irreconcilable differences".^[8] He is one of the "famous faces"^[9] due to being a regular player on the online poker website Hollywood Poker which is run in conjunction with Ongame Network.

Wahlberg is a passionate fan of the Boston Celtics and has been seen attending many of their games. He will be narrating a documentary called "The Association: Boston Celtics" about the team's 2010–11 season, which is set to air on ESPN between 2010 and 2011.^[10]

Filmography[link]

• Bullet (1996) as "Big Balls" (street name) Shelby Horne
• Ransom (1996) as Cubby Barnes
• Black Circle Boys (1996) as Greggo
• Body Count (1996) as Booker
• Butter (1998) as Rick Damon
• The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1998) (TV) as Mr. Grey
• Southie (1998) as Danny Quinn
• Purgatory (1999), as Deputy Glen/Billy The Kid
• The Sixth Sense (1999), as Vincent Grey
• The Practice (2000) (TV) (1 episode, "Settling") as Patrick Rooney
• Bullfighter (2000), as Chollo
• Diamond Men (2000), as Bobby Walker
• Big Apple (2001) (TV) (7 episodes) as Chris Scott
• Triggermen (2002), as Hitman Terry Mulloy
• Band of Brothers (2001), television miniseries, as 101st Airborne second lieutenant Carwood Lipton
• Dreamcatcher (2003), as Douglas "Duddits" Cavell
• Boomtown (2002–2003), television series, as Detective Joel Stevens
• 50 First Dates (2004) as Vincent Grey (cameo)
• Saw II (2005), as Detective Eric Matthews
• Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (2005), as Randall Ipswitch
• Annapolis (2006), as Burton
• Runaway (2006), (TV series), as Paul Rader
• The Path to 9/11 (2006), television miniseries, as Detective Kirk
• Saw III (2006), as Detective Eric Matthews
• Kings of South Beach (2007), as Detective Andy
• Dead Silence (2007), as Detective Jim Lipton
• Saw IV (2007), as Detective Eric Matthews
• The Kill Point (2007), (TV series), as Detective Horst Cali
• Turok (video game) (2008), as Shepherd
• Righteous Kill (2008), as Detective Ted Reily
• What Doesn't Kill You (2008), as Detective Moran
• 1 1/2 Ritter (2008), as singer
• In Plain Sight (episode one, season 3) (TV series) (2010)
• Rizzoli & Isles (2 episodes) (TV Series) (2010)
• Zookeeper (2011) as Shane
• Blue Bloods (TV Series) (2010 – present), as Detective Daniel "Danny" Reagan

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Donnie Wahlberg

• Donnie Wahlberg at the Internet Movie Database
• Donnie Wahlberg on Twitter