my Grand Seiko fixation began and grew. If you like history, read on. If you like pictures better, scan over the text and just focus on the pictures. If you like heros and villains, I will
the names who nudged me into this.
We have to go back to 2002, when I was in the position of xxcesar today, or KMII a couple years ago.
Of course I knew of Seiko (who doesn't) but I didn't appreciate its depth and breadth of products. On a flight to England I saw the Seiko Sportura Kinetic Chronograph and fell in love ... in love enough to wire $2000 to Singapore or someplace across the date line and the equator, in hopes that this would come back to me.
I was a bit troubled that the website address looked like "Penis in Asia.com" but it turned out to be "
PensInAsia.com" which was better. And he got me to buy some nice pens too, but that interest quickly faded.
Not long after that I learned about a Flightmaster for sale in the same region of the world and in the same general price range. I fought the urge for weeks but in searching for more information stumbled on SteveG's website. I was blown away by the watch and by the photography.
So I finally wired another bunch of money that direction and received this beauty in return (don't get excited, the King Seiko Hi-Beat was just to show the size and wasn't for sale).
A bit of time went by and I kept looking at SteveG's site. I began to fixate on this watch, one of 300 from a decade before. But I couldn't find one for sale.
I came to own a Paul Gerber retro twin watch, my most expensive watch at the time. I loved its look and the technicalities of the dual rotor. I liked the independent Swiss builder, his history and creativity; but soon became nervous about the retro part, which didn't jump as smoothly or regularly as I thought it should. So I sold it to another Steve (Hallock). Don't worry, I have purchased several Gerbers since then.
But at the time, you could say I had money to burn (as demonstrated by my trick flaming wallet, operated here by a pal).
So I turned away from Swiss watches for awhile, and bought anything with the name "Grand Seiko" on the dial. Like this SBGM001, a sporty automatic, suitable for an "Explorer".
And SBGW001, the more common manual wind cousin of my dream watch. I learned to take more carefully planned photos, as I was then posting on the PuristS and had been shamed by my fingerprint-stained, dust-covered casual attempts. I bought a better camera too (about every 10,000 shots I flip cameras).
And then came the white titanium automatic with embossed dial. I didn't like it on the bracelet but on a strap it became a keeper.
I was studying watch repair with my mentor Ken and was impressed by his obvious delight as he opened a few of the GS watches we were then servicing for Armin (more about him later). Ken said "These are damn nice watches. Not Swiss, but very nice." He approved.
By early 2005 I had a Spring Drive, one of the first in the country (smuggled in from Japan, of course). These early watches came via Armin, who lived in the Bay Area and spent more on "watch postage" each month than I spent on watches. He was quick to change his mind and send them south to me for clean, adjust, and flip (he was a perfectionist).
I might have bought 10-12 Grand Seikos from Armin in a couple of years. I didn't keep this SBGA001 (early Alpha code, early number) very long as I found the appearance too mild. But Armin had a solution for me (all his photos were on a sheet of marble countertop), the newly released "Snowflake dial" Spring Drive. Serial number 32. Here is its first photo.
And here is one taken today, 10+ years later. I still love this watch.
When Armin got married and She put an end to his watch dealings, I started to think I would have to work only with dealers such as Seiya, who were "Westerner-friendly". But then I met JimmyZFu. We each drove 50 miles, met in a gas station parking lot, and I handed him cash for this watch, the GS quartz milgauss.
Jimmy and I cheerfully traded a few GSs back and forth. We were kindred spirits, as he was in the car business like me, and loved watches. When he moved to Taiwan, I had a trusted Asian supplier. We dragged each other into the Credor world too. I bought this chronograph first from Armin (yes, I like chronographs) but my old eyes couldn't find the white hands on the white dial.
Then Armin offered me this Credor, which I either bought and soon sold, or turned down (I forget). I think I passed because I already had a couple other Spring Drives by then. (I would buy this model later, from KIH).
and finally both Jimmy and I each bought one of these moonphase spring drive Credor automatics.
All along I was ticking off the boxes:
- manual, automatic, Spring Drive, quartz
- chronograph, moon phase, power reserve
- magnetic shielding, hardened case
- bracelet, strap &/or both
- steel, titanium, gold, platinum
- dress, sport, tool, diver
- standard, high-accuracy, ultra-high-accuracy
Finally my GS Grail showed up on a search, and with the assistance of SJX and a couple others, I landed it. The 4-month purchase cycle included negotiation by email, swapping one SBGM001, photo sessions with a trusted proxy, sending the watch to Japan for overhaul and a new dial, wiring more money to SE Asia, etc. etc.
You could say I was seduced by Grand Seiko - its allure was overpowering (photo from GS brochure at the time).
Finally (skipping about 10 years) I met Ken KIH and he got me an entre into Grand Seiko, which I scheduled to coincide with a cruise. It was difficult with typhoons and such going on, but fantastic at opening my eyes about the companies that make my favorite watches.
We got together with Ken and Casey (photo forum) and I learned about fancy Japanese seafood dishes, and some subtle tricks for getting the hostess to laugh hysterically.
By some quirk of fate, I managed to corner a few rare and beautiful GS and Credor items. My first platinum watch and hand-skeletonized piece:
A very rare Japanese Chronograph recently serviced and adjusted by the "God of Seiko".
I think that's enough history to wear out anyone.
If anyone wonders, I'm not really into vintage GS watches, but when Art "Dr No" landed one of these babies I went into a frenzy and after 3 months found this one (you guessed it) in SE Asia with box and papers, so I once again wired money ...
i have enough watches to drive almost any wife crazy, so please don't tell her I have two more incoming (both with blue dials).
