TGIF: The Pulsar Watch Brand Is Gone

In our universe, a Pulsar is a neutron star which is the remnant of a massive star that has undergone a supernova explosion. They remain spinning quickly out in the cosmos and appearing to pulse strong beams of electromagnetic radiation as they spin. In the universe of watches, the brand appears to be the same. A dead star that we remember in flashes of brilliance. Seiko quietly discontinued their Pulsar brand a few years ago (2023?) to focus on their global brand Alba.

"Since it's launch in 1972, Pulsar watches have stood for a real value, quality brand of the Seiko Watch Corporation. However, Pulsar watches are no longer manufactured and they have made way for the truly global 'ALBA WATCHES.'

Alba watches offer the same exceptional value, style and quality you would expect from SEIKO Watch Corporation.

We encourage you to click below to discover the Alba range of timepieces."

My Pulsar Dive-Style Watch in brilliant blue

This is probably old news to many watch enthusiasts. I just found it intriguing that I could no long find the brand on Amazon. It's a bit of a bummer since I have a few Pulsar watches in my collection and always found them to be a great value: high quality at an affordable price point. I like the dressy sophistication of my Pulsar Chronograph and the brilliant blue of my Pulsar diver-style watch.

Pulsar Chronograph Watch

If you'd like to read more on the rich history of the Pulsar brand, check out my 2015 post: Pulsar Watches - Past and Present. It can serve as a suitable requiem.

As of this writing, if you search for Pulsar watches, you can still find them listed in online auctions and a few sold via Walmart.com.

Pulsar Watches - Past and Present

There are always lots of pictures of high end watches.  The heritage of mechanical watch making is well celebrated.  But, it's also worth noting that the quartz watch makers have their own history to celebrate.  For example, PULSAR was created as a joint venture between Hamilton watches and Electro/Data Inc.  The company was a pioneer in the development of digital watches.  They created the first ever LED watch in 1972.   

Vintage 1970s Pulsar LED watch - Photo by Joe Haupt from USA [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Watches like the PULSAR Model P2 Time Computer LED Watch pioneered the whole idea of digital watches.

PULSAR Model P2 Time Computer LED Watch by Joe Haupt from USA [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

PULSAR also introduced the very first calculator watch in 1975.  It was an LED watch with small calculator buttons.

PULSAR LED Calculator Watch - Photo by Rept0n1x (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Today's PULSAR watches are powered by accurate, reliable, quartz watch movements.  PULSAR was bought by Seiko in 1978.  As part of the Seiko family of watch companies, they are certainly reliable and accurate. In stores, you generally see far more analog PULSAR watches than digital. But, today, you can still get Pulsar digital watches.  When you glimpse at your wrist, you'll also be wearing part of digital history.

[As of 2025, you don't see too many Pulsar watches for sale in the US. It looks like you can still buy them online at Walmart.com.]