Cazalea playfully explores the perceived value and abundance of Seiko watches by comparing their prices to some of the world's most expensive fruits. This thought-provoking post uses vivid imagery and surprising statistics to question our perceptions of luxury and accessibility in horology.
I was wondering on this bright sunny day ... if I saw some watches hanging from branches, would I pick them and bring them home?
Seiko produces many millions of watches a year - certainly they are "almost" hanging on trees!
Waiting to be plucked.
I was pondering this and wondered if a Seiko might cost more than "a fruit hanging on a tree" so with Mr Google, I located some competitors in a Singaporean newspaper:
1. S$6,728 Roman Ruby grapes
A cluster of 30 Roman Ruby grapes was auctioned to a wedding hall operator on the first day of the 2014 buying season in Ishikawa prefecture in Japan. The bunch weighed 800g (more than a watch!), and some were 30mm in diameter (larger than some Pateks and a women's Rolex). Each grape cost around $180 (the price of 3 Seiko 5s) and was served at a wedding in Kanazawa.
2. S$3,662 Egg of the Sun Mangoes
A pair of mangoes sold for a record 300,000 yen (S$3,662). More than the price of a black laquer (Urushi) dialed Seiko Chronograph shown above. The mangoes were sold under the label "Egg of the Sun" and are famous for high sugar content.
3. S$7,688 Densuke Black Watermelon
Japanese exquisitely formed melons have equally exquisite price tags. This Melon cost as much as a single new Grand Seiko! The Densuke Black watermelon is black with no stripes. The fruit (up to 11kg) is known to be the priciest watermelon in the world, with one having been sold at a record price of 630,000 yen in June 2008.
4. S$19,526 Yubari Melon
Yubari Melons are regarded as a status symbol,and are grown in Yubari, Hokkaido. They are often given in pairs as a gift. So are Seiko watches, and you can get a matched set of his and hers Grand Seikos for the price of this melon.
5. S$21,389 Cornish Pineapple
The most expensive pineapple in the world is grown in the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, England. To recreate the tropical climate required by pineapples, growers at this plantation use Victorian techniques, in greenhouses heated with horse manure and straw. They cultivate the pineapples for two years. Each is valued at around £10,000 (S$21,389). For that price you can get a new Grand Seiko ceramic-cased, Spring Drive chronograph.
Cazalea
