Oo! Do you feel the breeze from the subway? Isn't it delicious!
It sort of cools the ankles, doesn't it?
Introduction
Last week’s introduction was certainly the shortest there has been for any of these Friday newsletters, but this one will undoubtedly be the longest, because I have some rather impactful news to share. If you normally skip right past the intro, make an exception this week…
But first, a little word about this week’s choice of film.
Surprisingly, it seems that there are still quite a few subscribers who don’t realise that the title of each Friday newsletter is a quote from a film (or TV series); the “Good Guys” section is named for the protagonist of the film; and the “Bad Guys” section is titled for the antagonist.
Anyone who to-date didn’t work that out must surely think me quite the loon, and there was even one week where a subscriber got in touch thinking I was making a snide comment about him! As if I’d ever do such a thing - we laughed it off of course.
Unlike all other weeks though, this week I’m going to actually name the film, because it’s been chosen very deliberately.
The film is Billy Wilder’s 1955 romcom starring Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell - “The Seven Year Itch”. Whilst I suspect many of you will not have seen the film, you will certainly be familiar with the scene (or photographs promoting the film) where Monroe’s unnamed character’s dress is blown upwards by a passing New York subway train as she walks on the grate on the pavement above.
To quote Wikipedia, the phrase “the seven year itch” refers to the “popular belief… that happiness in a marriage or long term romantic relationship declines after around seven years”. For me though, the itch doesn’t relate to marriage (as evidenced by the fact that next year my wife and I will be celebrating a marriage lasting no fewer than three of them!), but rather, my professional life.
I certainly won’t be boring you with a detailed curriculum vitae, but for some reason, roughly every 7 years of my working life, I have made a very significant career change.
After university, I somehow fell into in the world of head office retail; then moved to working for a software company; then independent business consulting; then photography; and then for the last 7 years or so, my ‘work’ - such as it could be described as - has revolved around “The Grand Seiko Guy”.
Thinking about it for probably the first time now, I rather suspect that what might actually going on is rather more analogous to the romantic notions of the seven year itch than I had realised, in that possibly it is my passion for whatever is the subject of my working life has that same seven year itch as the passion in a romantic relationship.
But enough self-reflection. What is all this about?
Well, to cut to the chase - I have been presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity that I can’t possibly say no to. Whilst I’m under a “verbal NDA” and can’t really discuss what it is (but no, I am not joining Hodinkee 🤣), unfortunately what it does mean is that this “The Grand Seiko Guy” journey is going to be coming to an end.
In practical terms, I will no longer be sourcing and selling watches (it probably hasn’t escaped your attention that I’ve not actually listed anything new for sale for a while); and from July 1st, no new content will be published to this Substack.
I will save the thank-yous and heartfelt thoughts for the final Friday newsletter that will be sent out in a month, but for now I just want to clarify what this all means from a practical point of view.
Firstly, I have already hit the “pause” button on paid subscriptions. It’s not actually 100% clear to me what the impact of this will be, but the intention is twofold -
Prevent any new paid subscriptions
(Hopefully) retain existing paid subscribers status so that they will continue to receive the Friday newsletters through the month of June
It is the second point that I am not quite sure whether it will work. Possibly, if you have a monthly subscription, then once that doesn’t renew, you will cease to get the newsletters. The easiest way to counter this would be for me to simply send the final newsletters out to all subscribers, which I may well end up doing if it turns out the paid status drops off. The important thing is, I don’t want to take any more money from people.
That then leaves the issue of how to handle those with annual subscriptions. These are somewhat simpler (unless anyone has an annual sub due for renewal in June), as I believe I can process a cancellation of the subscription once the final newsletter is sent out, and you will receive a pro-rata refund.
/edit
OK so I’ve just hit the “publish” button, and because I’ve paused new paid subscriptions, I don’t have any option other than to send this to everyone. So, not only paid subs, but also those with free subscriptions will be getting the final few newsletters.
And on that bombshell, let’s take a look at the featured watches this week! And boy are there a lot of them…
The Girl
Grand Seiko 6156-8040
The 6156-8040 holds the distinction of being the very last Grand Seiko reference to be introduced in the vintage era. First debuting in the supplement to volume 2 of 1974’s Seiko catalogue, it remained in the range for the two catalogues published in 1975, after which the vintage Grand Seiko story came to a close.
Given its relatively short lifespan, the reference can be quite hard to come by, especially in good condition. For some reason examples of this “Special” do seem to get knocked about quite a bit!
This example is in a better state that most that you will find, although it is certainly far from being mint - when you see a mint example of this reference, you’ll know it instantly. Oh boy do I regret letting this one go! -
The seller states that the watch is running with an error of 1 minute after just 12 hours, so you will definitely want to line this one up for a service. On the plus side, the watch is presented on its original bracelet, which has sufficient links remaining to fit a wrist up to about 17.5cm in circumference.
Grand seiko 5646-8000
In a rather spooky coincidence, the very next featured watch is another example of a steel cased, hooded lug, vintage Grand Seiko on a bracelet.
And it’s another reference that we rarely see in as good a condition as this example.
The 5646-8000 (along with it’s time and date partner, the 5645-8000) was available in a number of configurations with both blue and silvered dials found in steel cases, and some fabulous textured dials in solid 18K gold ones.
The steel cased watches are for some reason very rarely found in good condition. Most often, the dial will be stained or corroded, and - like the 6156-8040 “Special” above - the cases are very prone to getting knocked about.
This is certainly the best example of the reference I have come across in quite some time, so if you have been after one of these for a while and been patiently waiting for a good one, take a close look at the listing.
There is one slightly odd thing in the photos that might be of concern, but I actually think that what looks like staining on the dial periphery between the 3 and 4, and 8 and 9, indices is actually just a result of the lighting setup used to photograph the watch and the various reflections and refractions as the light passes through the crystal and off the rehaut.
Assuming all is good there (and it is an assumption!), this is will worth considering.
Grand Seiko 5722-9000
A reappearance for a watch that was featured in a newsletter a couple of weeks ago, so I won’t repeat what I said then.
Last time around the auction closed with a winning bid of 867,000 Yen, that was subsequently canceled. Whether the seller was shilling, or the winning bidder got cold feet, we will never know.
I’m always very wary of auctions that get canceled and relisted without any explanation. Frankly given the condition of the dial, I felt that the closing price last time around was a little on the high side. The third place bid was just 303,000, so the “winning” bidder and the underbidder took it a long way past all other interest.
If you do decide to bid on this one, keep a close eye on the bidding patterns of those bidding against you.
Grand Seiko 6146-8000 cross dial
The only thing to be aware of with this auction is that at the time this watch would have been in the store, I very much doubt it would have been accompanied by this box.
For a 61GS dating from March 1969, I would expect to see it with the inner box that has the extra “Hi-Beat 36000” text on the inside lid. This more generic box would only have been introduced with the 56GS series, which first saw light of day in the supplement to volume 2 of the 1970 Seiko catalogue.
Having said that, is it possible that a retailer might not have sold this watch for getting on for two years after it was manufactured, and then mistakenly sold it with the non-36000 box? I guess so.
But arguably the box is a pretty minor point - you could always match everything up with the “right” box at some point in the future for relatively little outlay.
As for the contents of the box, there’s a lot to like. The watch is in great condition, but clearly has been worn since there are a few relatively minor marks on the case to be seen (although fortunately the dial does look to be immaculate). The big plus point here is of course that the watch comes complete with its matching (case) numbers certificate - later on in the life of these 6146-8000’s they would have been sold with generic certificates with mention of neither case nor movement serial numbers.
Additionally, we have the benefit of the original swing ticket, and the price ticket. Although there are no pictures of the underside of the price ticket (where we should find an identifying catalogue number for the watch), at 40,000 Yen it is correct for the reference, and I think it unlikely that it will turn out to be the wrong one.
Finally, we also have what certainly looks to be the original and rare thinner style of GS buckle. The strap though - as should be obvious from its rather narrow tapered end - is clearly a more modern replacement. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise though as the original straps were certainly not built to last for multiple decades!
All in all, a rare opportunity to pick up a superb set - this one there will be a strong fight for, of that I’m certain!
Grand Seiko 4420-9990
The cap gold 44GS is an oddity for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it never appeared in any of the Seiko catalogues of the era (nor is it found mentioned in any of the contemporaneous issues of the monthly Seiko Sales magazines), but secondly, it is very evidently nothing like the famed steel cased 4420-9000 design-wise.
Unlike the 4420-9000, there is no “early dial” variant of the cap gold watch, and we only find the later “Daini logo” dial layout. The case is of course the most significant difference in that it retains the general design language of the contemporary 5722-9010 cap gold 57GS.
One great little detail on this reference is the spear-tipped second hand - a feature it shares with its 44KS “little brother”.
Condition-wise, this being a cap gold case, it is unsurprising to see that it has had quite a bit of polishing over the years, and the edges have softened up quite a bit. It still remains an attractive piece though, and very importantly the dial itself looks to be in superb condition - very often with these references the dials end up the worse for wear.
Grand Seiko 4520-7000
Another example of a cap gold reference where the case is a little on the soft side - although certainly here it is better than the 44GS above.
If you can look past that slight softness, the dial and dial furniture on this one are absolutely superb.
Like a number of listings this week, this watch comes from one of the more prominent Japanese collectors. I’m not sure why he is offloading so many pieces, but it’s a good opportunity for those on the hunt!
Grand Seiko 6146-8000 silver sunburst dial
I won’t intrude on his privacy and mention his Instagram handle, but I was very surprised to see the collector mentioned above selling this piece. Possibly he has found another example and is moving on a duplicate, but this undocumented silver dialed variant of the 6146-8000 is the kind of reference that typically once having joined a collection, tends to remain there.
Having had an exemplary example one of these pass through my hands, I am absolutely convinced that the reference is entirely legitimate. It’s just one of those rare vintage Grand Seikos (similar to the recently featured gold linen dialed ‘First’) that we simply do not know the ‘raison d’etre’ for.
All I can say really is that if you’re fascinated by the more interesting outliers in the vintage Grand Seiko canon, this is a reference you should be chasing hard.
Grand Seiko 1964-0010 cap gold
It’s a 19GS in superb condition, so naturally I absolutely love it.
As should you!
The first Grand Seiko with raised logo AD dial
This one was on my watchlist, but it has been shot in such soft (albeit, bright) light that I didn’t even clock that it was an AD dial until I copied and pasted in the photo for this newsletter and took a closer look at it.
Probably the oddest crown I’ve ever seen on a ‘First’, so if you win this one, you’ll definitely want to be addressing that, but apart from that there is a lot to like about the listing. The dial looks to be very clean, excepting a small spot at the 24 minute marker. Although in each individual photo it might look as though there are additional flaws, once you cross check against images from other angles, it would appear that these are all actually in the crystal. But, if you are considering bidding on this, do check very carefully for yourself.
The case is pretty much as to be expected on a first Grand Seiko - softened up lines and a few dings on the lugs is par for the course really (unless you are fortunate enough to manage to acquire a genuine unmarked NOS example complete with original caseback protection sticker 😛).
I think there’s every chance that many will miss the fact that this is an AD dialed variant, but 72 people have registered it on their Yahoo Japan watchlists, so there will still evidently be a lot of interest.
Grand Seiko 43999 SD dial
Ok so I’m not really including this one because I’m recommending that it’s worth chasing, because in this condition clearly it is not.
The reason I am including it is because this is the first ever SD dialed 43999 that I have seen with a case serial number indicating production in November 1963. Prior to this watch turning up, I’ve only ever seen examples produced in August, October, and December of that year.
I wonder where all the other ones got to?!
One other slightly intriguing fact about the watch is that the 430 movement has a serial number starting 41, which I am pretty certain means the movement was manufactured in 1964. Maybe someone ran off a few cases by mistake in November 1963 and then hid them out of shame for a few months before owning up to their existence ;)
It’s not a vintage Grand Seiko, but I like it
Seiko Sales - January 1970
Something a little different for this section this week - the January 1970 issue of Seiko Sales.
I’ve got a feeling that possibly I have highlighted one of these in the past, but for those not in the know, Seiko started sending out magazines to their dealers in 1957. For the first two and half years they were published every other month, and then starting in September 1959, it became a regular monthly publication.
Initially titled “Seiko News”, in the mid-60’s they were renamed “Seiko Sales”, and issue number 139 from January 1970 is one of the most sought after (and fortunately, most commonly preserved) issues ever produced.
Its contents largely overlap with the legendary 1969 Seiko Special Luxury Catalogue, and if you flip through the provided photos in the listing, it will very quickly become apparent why this issue is in so much demand, since it features not just the first four Grand Seiko VFA’s, but also the Seiko Astronomical Observatory Chronometer, and - trumping even those references - the first Seiko Ultra Thin Dress Watch.
And of course there’s that 6185-8000 on the front cover.
This issue is well deserving of space on the bookshelf of anyone collecting vintage Grand Seikos, but just be careful you don’t fall down the slippery slope of seaking to collect every single issue of Seiko News and Seiko Sales. Realistically, that is an endeavour that could well take more than a decade (I’m still missing 7 issues from my collection!).
Richard Sherman
The first Grand Seiko with black dial
Wouldn’t it be great if this was legit?
It’s not. Move on.
Grand Seiko 5646-7005
A gentle reminder that if you’re after one of these, you should be ignoring any examples whose cases have been polished so that the original gorgeously brushed finish has been completely irradicated -
The first Grand Seiko with raised logo dial
The only question really remaining regarding this listing is - will it still be bouncing around when I come to do the final newsletter on June 28th?!
217,000 winning bid - canceled
253,000 winning bid - canceled
263,000 winning bid - canceled
Grand Seiko 5646-7020 white dial
I can only assume that perhaps at around the same time this watch got so beaten up, the dial was damaged, and all the watch maker could find was a crappy example of a dial from a 5646-7000.
I hate to say it, but perhaps it’s time for someone to pick this one up and put it out of its misery and break it down for spare parts.
Grand Seiko 5722-9991
If there is one thing I’m looking forward to when this series of newsletters finally comes to a close, it’s not having to warn you off this guy’s junk almost every darn week!
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.
And finally…
WANTED
Seiko SPS005 “Spacewalk”
To mark the upcoming change in my “professional” circumstances, I wanted to get a watch to celebrate the occasion. Something that I would actually wear on an almost daily basis, rather than a safe queen.
I’ve been wanting a Seiko “Spacewalk” for many years, but unfortunately whenever one has become available, the timing just hasn’t been right for me in one way or another.
If anyone reading this has one that they would be willing to part with, do please get in touch!
Break a leg, good sir! And forgive me for holding out hope (however foolish) that Seiko recently made an offer sufficient to bring your expertise in-house and set you up as the garrulous curator for their official museum and/or company archive.
In any event, I hope that your next (ad)venture will leave you time to finally compile that TGSG photo book we (or merely me) have all been waiting for lo these many years. 😉
Don’t imagine I’m the only one here who’ll be tailoring a stock options strategy once we know it’s a listed company