I don't like that look man.

It's the only one I've got.

Introduction

Whilst it remains relatively quiet following the Golden Week holiday and hence this week’s newsletter is somewhat on the short side (but I’ve still managed to hit that “post too long for email” warning!), there are nonetheless quite a few listings worthy of our attention, including a stunning 57GS, a VFA, a great example of a 62GS, and even a platinum Grand Seiko!

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F/A-18E

Grand Seiko 5722-9990

The final iteration of the 57GS series is typically not as sought after as the earlier examples with the “Chronometer” dials, and it is very rare for me to feature a listing of one in this newsletter.

No hesitation in recommending this example though, since on turning it over…

… we can see that it has remnants of its original caseback protection sticker still in place.

Due to the way the watch is lit it is quite difficult to ascertain exactly how much of the sticker remains, but whenever we come across a “stickered” vintage Grand Seiko, we can be fairly confident that the quality of the overall piece will be very good indeed.

One thing that is obvious is that despite it having the final non-Chronometer dial, the caseback is of the earlier 5722-9990 reference. Checking my records of the 5722-9990, this is perfectly acceptable for one dating from July 1966 - there is roughly a 50:50 split of examples featuring the early and late dials.

The buckle is of the correct design (although as always, all but impossible to tell whether original or not just from a photo), and the fine knurled crown is also correct, and indicates that this will most likely have the 5722B movement inside.

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Grand Seiko 6185-8021 VFA

Even with just the usual four photos that we have come to expect from this seller, it is obvious that there are some pretty significant issues with the dial of this VFA, with a considerable amount of degradation on the upper right quadrant of the dial, and a rather odd stain across almost the entire surface.

These dial issues will of course subdue the closing price to quite some degree (a mint “stickered” example of this reference was sold by a dealer this week for 2.5M Yen), but there are enough people out there keen to add a VFA to their collection that I expect it will still attract a lot of attention.

As is always the case with this seller, the paucity of photos means that you will be taking on a degree of risk as to the condition of the case, but from the few photos that are provided, there doesn’t appear to be anything substantially wrong with it.

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Grand Seiko 6246-9001

This is a super example of a steel 62GS with all the features one would be looking for when wanting to add this reference to a collection.

The dial looks to be pretty much immaculate, with little to no aging of the dial furniture, the case retains its sharp lines and facets, the caseback condition is commensurate with that of the main case and has a very well preserved medallion, and you get the added benefit of the original price ticket, and the correct buckle.

What’s not to love?!

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The first Grand Seiko with raised logo dial

This seller really is doing himself no favours by only providing four images in his listing.

In this instance, the angled shot from the other side is even more extreme than usual, which makes it impossible to tell which marks are on the dial, and which are on the crystal. Err on the side of caution and certainly assume that everything you see here is on the dial, and then be pleasantly surprised should any turn out to be on the crystal instead.

The crown you will definitely want to replace, and the final photo in the listing shows considerable patination (or is it actual wear and tear?) on the caseback.

But - caseback excepted - the case generally looks to be in great condition, and even if most of those marks are on the dial, you could do a lot worse.

You could also do a lot better however, so perhaps just let this one go and be patient!

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It’s not a vintage Grand Seiko but I like it

Grand Seiko SBGS005

If you’ve ever wanted a platinum Grand Seiko, this is the entry point.

The SBGS005 is one of my favourite references from the modern era, and quite frankly utterly ridiculous value - even more so at the moment with the Yen being so weak if you are fortunate enough to be holding dollars.

As is so often the case with Grand Seikos, it really can be quite difficult to tell from the poor photos you typically see in auction listings just how gorgeous this reference is. Here’s a shot of mine, and then a couple of crops of that shot to show you what exactly you are getting into with this reference -

These turn up quite frequently, but unfortunately they are often quite scratched up. The example in this listing looks to be better than most, although clearly you won’t be getting a mint example. This reference was originally launched in 1992 (with the example in this listing dating from September 1994) and so these are three decades old now.

With the strong trend towards smaller watches, I can’t help wondering just how much longer these will escape the notice of the wider watch collecting community.

A platinum Grand Seiko for $2,000 (these typically close on Yahoo for 250-300k)?

Find me better value for money in any reference from any brand!

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Su-57

The first Grand Seiko in stainless steel

Yet another showing for this piece, which was discussed in some detail in an earlier newsletter. The seller seems to be alternating putting it out at a high BiN price, and then running an auction with the same high price as the reserve.

Gotta be honest - I’ve contemplated picking this one up just for the dial, but just can’t convince myself to pull the trigger on it.

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Grand Seiko 6155-8000

Ugh.

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Redone coloured dial summary

I close with the usual copy/pasted reminder to steer clear of any vintage Grand Seikos with coloured dials similar to the above. This is not a comprehensive photo - there are many references that get this “treatment”, so be careful out there.

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