Of the introductory four, the 6185 8020 stuck out like a sore thumb, but was the shape of things to come. Soon VFA would mean rockin’ little steel office watches with formula one engines… Very Fine Adjusted
I thought it was crystal clear after reading the full paragraph and I’d always thought “very fine” is a weird way to describe adjustment. Very accurate, very reliable, very precise sure - but very fine?
I've re-read the Grand Seiko V.F.A. section in your Substack several times and I think I disagree with you change of mind on the meaning of VFA. If on pages 3 and 4 the catalog's translated text reads "Very Fine-Adjusted" then in my opinion your initial understanding of the meaning was correct because of the hyphen in "Fine-Adjusted". The hyphen connecting the two words is implying a higher/finer level of mechanical adjustment.
Forgive me for being lazy with a copy and paste, but I’m going to share what I said to someone who emailed me with the exact same observation...
“Whilst this is up for a certain degree of interpretation, I think you are incorrect once you take into context the full translation.
Yes, you could read “Very fine-adjusted” by interpreting the “-“ as a n-dash that is intended to imply the “-“ connects the word “fine” with “adjusted”.
But, it could also be interpreted as an m-dash, which is used to separate distinct concepts. In this second interpretation, the punctuation mark is used to separate two different aspects of the watch. It is “very fine” and it is “adjusted”.
If that was all we had to go on, then it would be up for debate.
But it’s not all we have, and I don’t believe it is up for debate.
The context in which we find the English text “Very fine-adjusted” is this (Japanese text translated professionally) -
“ As the name suggests, this is a luxuriously finished, specially adjusted product. Very Fine-Adjusted.”
The key here is “As the name suggests, this is a luxuriously finished”.
The only thing that suggests a luxuriously finished watch in the name is “Very Fine”.
The Japanese text makes it very clear that two different aspects of the watch are communicated in the name - the luxurious finishing, and the special adjustment. This corresponds to interpreting the “-“ as an m-dash, not an n-dash.
It’s very relevant to the discussion that the name referenced here is just “VFA”, and not “Grand Seiko VFA”. Has the text been “As the name suggests, this is a luxuriously finished, specially adjusted product. Grand Seiko Very Fine-Adjusted.”, then it could be argued that it was “Grand Seiko” that implies the luxurious finish, and Very Fine-Adjusted that speaks solely of the chronometry. But that’s not what it says.
It also could be argued that this solves the age old problem regarding the incorrect grammar of “Very fine adjusted”. You can’t use an adjective to describe a verb. So either you use an adverb, and it should be “Very finely adjusted”, or, you keep the adjective and have it describing a noun - “Very fine adjustment”.
Or, that could just be Japenglish which we see so much of.
The other explanation of course is that the marketing types responsible for creating the brochure completely misunderstood what “VFA” was intended to communicate…”
I remember the quite heated battle for this catalog. Congratulations on its acquisition. I am also looking to complete the full catalog collection and am happy that you have almost done so. I really appreciate your time and effort in putting this article together and look forward to your next installment.
Of the introductory four, the 6185 8020 stuck out like a sore thumb, but was the shape of things to come. Soon VFA would mean rockin’ little steel office watches with formula one engines… Very Fine Adjusted
No sign of King Seiko in this catalogue?
I thought it was crystal clear after reading the full paragraph and I’d always thought “very fine” is a weird way to describe adjustment. Very accurate, very reliable, very precise sure - but very fine?
After reading the article I would say VFA means “Very Fine watches specially Adjusted” But I guess VFWSA didn’t fit on the dial
I've re-read the Grand Seiko V.F.A. section in your Substack several times and I think I disagree with you change of mind on the meaning of VFA. If on pages 3 and 4 the catalog's translated text reads "Very Fine-Adjusted" then in my opinion your initial understanding of the meaning was correct because of the hyphen in "Fine-Adjusted". The hyphen connecting the two words is implying a higher/finer level of mechanical adjustment.
Forgive me for being lazy with a copy and paste, but I’m going to share what I said to someone who emailed me with the exact same observation...
“Whilst this is up for a certain degree of interpretation, I think you are incorrect once you take into context the full translation.
Yes, you could read “Very fine-adjusted” by interpreting the “-“ as a n-dash that is intended to imply the “-“ connects the word “fine” with “adjusted”.
But, it could also be interpreted as an m-dash, which is used to separate distinct concepts. In this second interpretation, the punctuation mark is used to separate two different aspects of the watch. It is “very fine” and it is “adjusted”.
If that was all we had to go on, then it would be up for debate.
But it’s not all we have, and I don’t believe it is up for debate.
The context in which we find the English text “Very fine-adjusted” is this (Japanese text translated professionally) -
“ As the name suggests, this is a luxuriously finished, specially adjusted product. Very Fine-Adjusted.”
The key here is “As the name suggests, this is a luxuriously finished”.
The only thing that suggests a luxuriously finished watch in the name is “Very Fine”.
The Japanese text makes it very clear that two different aspects of the watch are communicated in the name - the luxurious finishing, and the special adjustment. This corresponds to interpreting the “-“ as an m-dash, not an n-dash.
It’s very relevant to the discussion that the name referenced here is just “VFA”, and not “Grand Seiko VFA”. Has the text been “As the name suggests, this is a luxuriously finished, specially adjusted product. Grand Seiko Very Fine-Adjusted.”, then it could be argued that it was “Grand Seiko” that implies the luxurious finish, and Very Fine-Adjusted that speaks solely of the chronometry. But that’s not what it says.
It also could be argued that this solves the age old problem regarding the incorrect grammar of “Very fine adjusted”. You can’t use an adjective to describe a verb. So either you use an adverb, and it should be “Very finely adjusted”, or, you keep the adjective and have it describing a noun - “Very fine adjustment”.
Or, that could just be Japenglish which we see so much of.
The other explanation of course is that the marketing types responsible for creating the brochure completely misunderstood what “VFA” was intended to communicate…”
Thanks for clarifying and explaining your grammar findings.
From now on in my head I'll be reading it as "Very Fine, Adjusted."
Also my curiosity is now peaked by their mention of palladium alloy cases. I wonder what the mix was 🤔. Puzzles for another day 😋😊
I remember the quite heated battle for this catalog. Congratulations on its acquisition. I am also looking to complete the full catalog collection and am happy that you have almost done so. I really appreciate your time and effort in putting this article together and look forward to your next installment.