Grand Seiko
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Seiko's high-end Japanese watch brand.
Until Grand Seiko traces its gold and gemstones to the mine, it can't show that the miners who dig them are safe or fairly paid.
Better-graded watches
Graded higher than Grand Seiko, selling the same kinds of things.
No watches brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 5 of 7 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace. That alone means a poor grade until it takes steps to trace them.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually unprotected.
Good requirements 5 of 7
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: presumed because legal wages in Japan are close to a living wage, not checked at the company
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standardsPresumed from where it's made, not audited
- Not met: Shows where its earlier production stages happen, not just the final oneA "Made in" claim can cover only the final stage. Earlier stages to show: watch movements, cases and dials, and cast or set parts
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Not met: Conflict-free: diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough)
Red flags 1
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Grand Seiko's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: gold and gemstone mining are linked to child labour, forced labour and mercury poisoning.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Modern slavery statement
- "Made in Japan" only means the last major stage happened there: under customs and consumer law, watch movements, cases and dials, and cast or set parts can be made elsewhere. It hasn't shown where those earlier stages happen, so where it's made counts towards On Track but not Good. Source
- Relies on gold and gemstones from artisanal mines where workers face mercury poisoning, silica dust and deadly collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Grand Seiko says its watches are made at two locations in Japan: the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi in Iwate (mechanical movements) and Seiko Epson's Shinshu Watch Studio in Shiojiri (Spring Drive and quartz movements, cases, dials and hands). Seiko Group's procurement guidelines follow the RBA Code of Conduct and suppliers must pass a self-assessment questionnaire, but it publishes no supplier list, independent audit results, materials sourcing data or living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Covered by Seiko UK Ltd's Modern Slavery Act statement for the year to March 2026, published on the Grand Seiko site; it reports supplier self-assessment certification and no cases. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour abuse allegations involving Grand Seiko or its makers were identified; the Seiko company profile lists no allegations. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Grand Seiko opens first Melbourne boutique (Inside Retail, 2025) · search the archive · Grand Seiko boutique at The Block Arcade, Melbourne.
- History and expertise of Grand Seiko's manufacturing locations (Robb Report Malaysia, 2023) · search the archive · Shizukuishi assembles 9S movements; Shinshu Studio makes 9R/9F movements, case parts, dials and hands; all sites in Japan.
Published by Grand Seiko or its owner
- Grand Seiko - Manufacture: two locations in Japan, two studios · search the archive · Grand Seiko is a manufacture with studios at Shinshu (Shiojiri) and Shizukuishi in Japan, plus the Micro Artist Studio.
- Grand Seiko - Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement · search the archive · Seiko UK statement to March 2026; watches made by Seiko Watch (Japan, China) and Seiko Epson (Japan, Thailand); supplier certification.
- Seiko Group - Supply chain management · search the archive · Procurement guidelines based on RBA Code; supplier self-assessment questionnaires; JaCER grievance membership.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Japan
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Grand Seiko ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/grand-seiko, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Grand Seiko.