The Tokyo 1964 Olympics marked a revolutionary moment in broadcasting as the first Games to be transmitted live via satellite. Suddenly, 800 million people worldwide could watch nations compete and interact in real-time, showcasing Tokyo’s vibrant culture and advanced technology on the global stage. The Olympics became a powerful boost to Japan’s rise as an economic and technological powerhouse.

For Seiko, this was a defining moment to solidify its status as a global brand. Following the 1960 Rome Olympics, Seiko’s executives made the ’64 Games their top priority. They launched a comprehensive engineering effort to develop precise timers, clocks, and stopwatches, backed by a strategic marketing push to establish Seiko as an internationally trusted name in timekeeping.

While anything having to do with Seiko and the '64 Summer Olympics is highly collectible, there's a singular reference that takes home the gold medal for desirability, and that's the Seiko Ref.5718-8000 Counter Chrono.

This chronograph stands out thanks to an unusual feature, a two-digit counter at 12 o'clock controlled by two pushers on the left side of the case. The pusher at 10 o'clock advances the counter by a single digit, and the pusher at seven advances the counter by a full ten digits. It's a unique feature, and it's the only Seiko, ever, to possess this complication. The minute register is uniquely designed with two hands stacked one above the other. The black hand serves as a traditional minute counter, activating when the chronograph is engaged, while the silver hand functions as a continuously running small seconds hand.

In addition to its unique features, the dial showcases a multi-layered design that creates impressive depth, enhanced further by a tall crystal: The tachymeter ring, minute register, indexes, and subdials are arranged in distinct levels, all harmonizing beautifully to create a sense of precision and complexity. Despite the watch's robust features, the case is sleek and slender, offering a timeless look. The original coffin-link bracelet is the final touch, designed exclusively for this model and remarkably comfortable on the wrist.

The Counter Chrono was priced at a whopping 38,000 JPY and it was only sold at the Olympic Village, some were gifted to members of the Olympic committee making it very limited, as some speculate it was only made around 100 units.

Considered the rarest vintage Japanese chronograph and the absolute Seiko grail, this is a rare opportunity to own a symbol of Japan’s grand debut on the global stage, an achievement that helped establish Seiko as the beloved international brand it is today.