Seiko

I heard about a special Seiko Chronograph that was issued at the 40th anniversary (2004) of Seiko's first Chrono.

As it turned out, it was a Kinetic Sportura variant, using the 9T82 movement.

Below you can see it on the left, and on the right, my original Kinetic Sportura Chronograph with the same movement.

1 produced years before in a small run of 300

2 it had a top-quality decorated movement 

3 with display back

4 a ceramic bezel

5 a large sapphire crystal

6 and it was UNAVAILABLE 

got me interested.

(38 jewels too)

I searched the web for several months - using Google translate and trawling through dozens of Japanese marts and forums. I finally found the watch I wanted.

One owner, but "Like New In Box" condition (aren't they all?). I contacted the seller.

After a few days delay I got an email back "This is for my father. He doesn't speak English. We don't sell outside Japan. Sorry"

Of course this is like waving a red flag to a bull.

I had to do something, but what? I knew no one in Japan but one other guy I had bought a watch from. He's not a Purist and the fact that he's a "dealer" of sorts made him a competitor to this seller. But I had no one else to turn to, so I swallowed my misgivings and emailed him:

"Will you buy this watch for me and mail it to the USA? or if I buy it directly, can I have him ship it to you, and you mail it on to me? I will pay you for your trouble."

My contact replied fairly quickly, saying,

"Let me pursue this for you. I will get back to you when I learn what the seller wants to do. I am sure he wants to make some money from this watch. I am happy to help."

I waited anxiously for several days (chewing fingernails, wondering what might go wrong, you know what I mean). Finally I got an email back from Japan:

"I have the watch. I negotiated with the old man and lowered the price by $300. Shipping will be $35 so just send me the asking price minus $265."

Who could ask for more than that! I tried to give him a commission but he wouldn't take it. So within another week I had the watch, box, papers, etc. Here's a photo I took the day that it arrived at my office, in September 2009 (at this point the watch was 5 years old).

Cazalea

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