Monday, January 27, 2014

Vintage King Seiko

I was told that for the King Seiko 4420 was collectable followed by 4502(with date), 4500(no date), 52, 56 series...

Vintage Seiko collection

These are my small collection of Vintage Seiko. 

This is a vintage Seiko Hi-Beat Professional 300m Divers Watch, reference 6159-7001, first introduced in 1968 known as the “Grand Seiko Diver”, the 6159-7001 is equipped with a Seiko Hi-Beat 6159A automatic movement and elapsed time bezel. 
The calibre 6159A was 36000 bph, manually wind, and featured quick-set date, the Movement is enclosed in one piece stainless steel waterproof case and can only be accessed from the front.  The dial is black colour contrasted with luminescent hour markers and luminescent hour hands, the date is quick set and the crown is screw down type, the rotating bezel is click stop.
Top roll  6159-7001, 6159-7010, 6306, 6105-8000, 6217, 6217, 
Bottom roll : 6145 first generation, 6246, 43999, 5722-99906145second generation. 

Even though Seiko watches are inexpensive watches, it can be collectable from the point of view of rarity and condition. One of the Greatest challenge is to find these watches in prestime condition, especially the Seiko vintage divers as these were real tool watch where the owners will used it for diving.

We have to bear in mind that during the 1960s-70s, these Seiko watches were bought by people who used them and not merely for "collection". Moreover, the prices of the Seiko were comparable to those of Rolex at that time.

Grand Seiko 43999 and 5722-9990

For the past two months, my watch collection has streamlined to vintage Rolex and Seiko. I have sold off my Limited edition IQ watch to 7 gor in order to finetume the watches plus I have swapped my Speakers for a 6105-7010.


Seiko 6159-7001 bezel

The Seiko 6159-7001 is so rare that I am determined to bring it back to its glory. Even though the bezel of the watch is already nice, there is one small scratch at the 26 mins maker. Spare parts are like the bezel is really rare. 
I must say that I am lucky to be able to find one in near mint condition bezel

Waiting for it to arrive...

Friday, January 24, 2014

Rolex 16550

The cream dial Rolex 16550'is highly collectable owing to the discoloration. However, owing to the demand, the are bound to have man made discoloration. Normally, the white 16550 dial owing to manufacturing default, will changed to a nice yellowish cream colour. However, I have seen one in brown lately. I was told that the authenticity of the brownish dial is questionable,many comments?

Vintage Seiko diver 6159-7001 1868-197x)



After much waiting, my vintage Seiko 6159-7001 has finally arrived from Japan with the great help by 7 gor.  As I am still in Europe, I can only see my watch via what's apps photos.

As you may know, this was Seikos second Hi capable divers watch. The first only ran for about a year, and they are perhaps the rarest of all Seiko divers but it has the low beat movement. I have seen the 6215 in a shop but the condition is quite used thereby eroded my desire to get it. 

The 6159-7001 Seiko were produced in 1968 until 1969 making it pretty rare, it was very expensive for the time and  it houses Grand Seiko 36,000 hi-beat movement. The 10 vibration 6159B was developed based on those used in Grand Seiko movement is (36000) Haibito. The official site of Seiko, has mentioned that this model has been used to reach the summit of Everest Naomi Uemura Mr. explorer as "Uemura model". Because the number of production is small, it is a perfect gem good to go with diver's watch. The different between the normal and hi beat movement is that for the hi beat movement, the second sweeps beautifully. It wasn't the first 300m professional Seiko produced, that was the 6215, same case but not a hi-beat movement. 


This 6159-7000/7001 was an improvement on the design, and lasted for several years. I was originally looking at the year 2000 re-issued SBDX300, which was produced for 500 units. However, the price of the SBDx 300 was high at HK$32000mplus it was not using the GS hi beat movement. Myndesires therefore is to look for the original vintage one first.

Even though I have made my decision to find a vintage one, I must admit that instill have to mentally struggles for quite a while before making a bold decision to close the deal. After all, the price is high for a Seiko. In the end, following my research, have come to a conclusion that since the quantities is so little that it is truly a collectable watch. Moreover, the original price in the 1960s were also higher then the Rolex Diver watch then. It was retailed at 30,000 yen at that time, about a month salary of a graduate. With a hi beat movement and quality finishing and small quantities, this is one if the best Diver watches produced during the 1960s. 

The movement in it is the same movement that is found in the 61GS, except it did not benefit from the 5 adjusments found in the 61GS. I have two 6159`s, one a 7000 case below,  and the 6159 7010 600Meter in titanium cased, whom I swapped using a pair of vintage speakers.

Hope you will enjoy viewing this great vintage time piece from the 1960s
Life is good!



Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Vintage Seiko 7002-700J (1988-1996)

The Seiko 7002 series of diving watches is the fourth generation of Seikos professional/recreational ISO-rated automatic diving watches. As far as vintage Seiko diver watch, this is really value for money..


The 7002 line of divers replaced the 6309 in 1988 and ran until 1996. It was replaced by the SKX line of divers in 1996. The 7002s use an entirely different movement from prior 6000 series based models used in earlier divers. The 7002s (especially the second generation) introduced many design changes to Seiko divers that are with us to this day. For the 7002 series, there are many variations with movement from Japan or Singapore or cased in Hong Kong etc.

 
As mentioned, ther are many variations of 7002 and since I am collecting Seiko, a Japanese brand, I have decided to focus in getting the 7002-700J, which is the authentic made for the Japanese home market version of the normally aspired 150m-rated 7002 (1st generation) diver. It is cased in Japan and have a Japan made movement. It differs from the more popular 7000 and 7009 in that the jewel-count (17 Jewels) is written on the dial directly below the depth rating (WATER150mRESIST). The dial code on these normally reads: MADE IN JAPAN 7002-700L R , followed by the Daini lightning bolt logo. The Japanese version tended to be slightly higher priced then the other models but in my opinion, at Yen$17600, it is still a bargain!

Summary of my hunts for the 150m Vintage Seiko...with one more 6309-7049 to go...




轉帖精土潛水表的歷史

(转帖)精工潜水表的历史

2010-01-16 17:06:35

今年正逢誕生50週年的 Rolex Submariner 當然是一只兼具創新發明、傳奇故事、堅固設計和優良品質的絕佳好錶,堪稱幾近完美的潛水錶典型,當然能讓擁有者領略機械錶的樂趣。但是,如果你只是一般受薪階級、家計有負擔,是不是下得了決心買一只十來萬的手錶?特別是當你對很多類型、品牌的手錶都有興趣的時候。當然如果你真心喜愛、想犒賞自己、相贈摯愛的人,或是就當是買一只可以傳家的手錶,我絕對贊成你下定決心買一只。但是其實用心去體驗腕上小小機械的運行之美、了解它的歷史背景、增進自己對手錶的知識了解,遠比一無所知戴上一只鑲金包銀、價格高昂的手錶,更能讓你得到自我的滿足與成長。
「在亂世中成長的台灣,到了1970 年代還是窮人家的孩子,窮孩子的文化特色就是,用野台戲的方式過日子,燈鬆了嗎?用膠帶綁一綁。碗破了嗎?那就將就著用吧。野台戲演完之後,一地瓜皮紙屑讓風去決定去向。」「經過三十年不動聲色的教化,我們看見了窮孩子的蛻變。再下鄉,影響所及,五萬人可以為一場現代舞聚集到一個廣場上,聚集時井然有序,安靜禮讓;離開時沒有雜踏的喧囂,地上沒有一片紙屑。」,天下雜誌如此描述雲門舞集對台灣觀眾文化的影響。欣賞手錶其實就像音樂、現代舞、戲劇一樣可以雅俗共賞。我也把初進入鐘錶世界的自己,當成是七零年代的窮孩子。喜歡手錶不一定需要一開始就傾家蕩產,只買 Patek Philippe、Audemars Piguet 或是 Rolex。正如同貧窮的村童、鄉婦也可以從路口廣場的克難義演舞台,領略藝術之美,不必花大錢上台北、進廟會殿堂聽義大利歌劇。
因此,我們的第一項提案是 Seiko 的 Diver's Watch,而其絕大部分錶款的價錢還不到 Rolex 16610 Submariner 的 1/20。

你可能聽過很多有關精工的潛水錶的評語,像堅固耐操、計時精準、價錢又便宜等,但你可能不知道精工潛水錶其實也具有不遜於 Rolex 和Omega 的悠久歷史和傳奇故事。日本是從什麼時候開始?又如何製造出既堅固又性能精良的潛水錶呢?相信你應該有興趣讀一讀。可是為什麼推薦一只手錶之前,還要大費周章談這些故事呢?我們先來引用 Franco Cologni 在其所著 “Cartier: The Tank Watch”一書中的一段話:有人以為「錶就是錶」一句話就足以交代一支錶的字面意義。但這僅是表象而已。事實上就算「錶就是錶」這句話也有不同的理解與詮釋,我們是要以自我設限的角度來看,還是用最廣闊的觀點來詮釋?一只錶難道就只是一只錶而已嗎?或者一只錶除了本身是一只錶以外,還有更深層的意義?美國作家葛特璐史坦 (Gertrude Stein, 1874-1946) 有一句名言:「玫瑰就是玫瑰」,其實無論我們所注視的是玫瑰或是錶盤,一只手錶和一朵玫瑰一樣,代表的絕不只是一朵玫瑰和一只手錶,更代表了千百種情境和連結。因此,一只手錶所指的不僅僅是一只手錶而已,我們總能從其中挖掘到很多有趣的事,而以下我們所要說的有關Seiko Diver手錶的故事,正是當我們深沉注視一只手錶後便能引發的樂事之一。
回歸到精工潛水錶的歷史背景來:精工的潛水錶和其旗下的 Grand Seiko類似,都源起於 1960 年代日本製錶業試圖與瑞士製錶業在機械錶的技術、技藝和美感修為一較高下的企圖中誕生。1964 年日本東京順利舉辦奧運會後,舉國充滿一股自信興奮的氛圍,完全忘卻二次世界大戰失敗後的沮喪氣息,日本的製錶業也順勢全心發展製錶技藝。精工的專家們認為製造出最高品質的潛水錶,對於樹立公司的技術標竿而言是絕對必要的,因為潛水錶所處的環境可以說是一切製錶技藝的終極考驗。1964 年,精工推出第一只潛水錶,即防水150米的6217潛水錶 (又被稱為  62MAS-010), 當年的零售價是 13,000 日圓。6217所使用的6217A自動上鍊機芯為21石、18,000 bph,具備日期顯示,此款機芯也用於同期的 World Time錶款。6217另有一35石的孿生機芯 6218A,增加了星期顯示,被用於年代後期的Seikomatic 和 Weekdater錶款。


Seiko Diver 6217

之後精工又順利於1967年推出防水達300米的自動上鍊潛水錶6215-010。 精工的設計團隊自此對自己的技術水準充滿了信心,迅速於翌年1968年再推出採用與 Grand Seiko相同的 Hi-Beat 自動上鍊機芯、防水300米的6159-011


6159-7001

不過,精工團隊的信心與自滿並未維持太久。1968年,精工錶收到一封來自廣島的職業飽和潛水 ( SAT: Saturation) 者的抱怨信指稱:他經常必須在350米深的海底進行飽和潛水,但是他所佩戴的精工潛水錶的玻璃鏡面,經常在潛水上浮的過程中因為飽和潛水使用的氦氣 (helium gas) 逸入而爆裂。他還抱怨精工的潛水錶防震效果不佳,一旦在水底不慎撞擊到岩石等硬物,就很容易損壞。他以憤怒的口吻總結說:精工的潛水錶對專業潛水者而言是完全不及格的。精工錶的經營階層因此感到十分震驚,重視客戶反映的公司文化讓他們立即因此信函而改組了另一個研發團隊來改善這些問題。在1968到1977年這段時間, Seiko 繼續生產了兩系列的潛水錶:(1) 早期的 6105-80006015-8009 以及 (2) 後期的6105-81106105-8119, 前者使用6105A機芯,後者使用6105B機芯,這兩個系列的潛水錶都只防水150米。


6105-8000 and 6105-8009

而力求再出擊不容任何閃失的精工,這次耗費了七年才於1975年,再度推出新世代潛水錶 Professional 600M Diver's Watch 6159-022。6159 再度在技術上精進,具備600 米防水能力,還具有高抗磁防震性能,也具備高量度夜光顯示,而其售價則調高到 89,000 日圓。然而,七年的研究發展所賦予Professional 600m Diver's Watch 6159 的一些創新技術 (包括20項世界專利),不但證明它的確值得這個價錢,也演變成今日很多潛水錶不可或缺的標準配備。首先,6159是第一只採用鈦合金金屬錶殼的潛水錶;也是第一只配備雙邊三肋狀突起橡膠錶帶的潛水錶。採用號稱太空科技鈦金屬製作錶殼的最大好處是:鈦金屬質堅、重量輕,又具很高的抗腐蝕性。而具肋狀突起的橡膠錶帶則聰明地解決了高壓潛水時,橡膠錶帶會收縮造成佩帶者手腕壓迫不適的現象,同時對固定錶帶與錶殼的螺絲的壓力也減輕了,不致因而造成損壞。至於Professional 600m Diver's Watch 6159 的最大技術突破則當推其錶殼的製作與防水技術。特別設計的錶殼,結合專利橡膠密封及防水機制 (L-type gasket system),讓6159完全杜絕了飽和潛水時氦氣逸入的可能,因此不需要像一些同時期瑞士製潛水錶的氦氣排放閥孔的設計。6159的外型非常壯碩,直徑51 MM、厚度則達16.9 MM。


Professional 600M Diver's Watch 6159-022

據信:Seiko於同一年也推出了石英錶型的 600M Professional Diver,而防水1000M 的 Professional Diver 則於1986年推出,其鈦金屬外殼外還塗覆有一層特殊陶瓷以防激烈操作時刮傷錶面。目前該錶款還在生產之中,錶款編號為 SSBS018,並附有電池電量不足顯示裝置。


6309-7290

1976到1988年之間,Seiko 還生產了6309及 6306 兩款 150M潛水錶。前者使用6309機芯,主要是銷往國外;後者使用6306機芯,在日本本地販售,大約於1981年結束生產。這兩款雙生機芯皆為21石、21,600 bph,備有快調星期日曆顯示。一如期前身錶款6105,6309潛水錶同樣具有 (1) 6309-70406309-7049以及 (2) 6309-7290和 6309-729A/729B兩種不同樣式。前者的錶殼為厚實坐墊樣式,其時刻標誌採用圓形標記;後者的錶殼明顯較為纖細,外型很像今日仍在生產的 SKX007/173,而且時刻標誌是方型的。這兩款6309潛水錶的錶冠是旋入式設計,不同於6105 採用的是轉動鎖定式 (turn and lock) 錶冠。



6306-7001

6105和6309這兩款潛水錶都相當受到美國消費者,特別是派駐海外美國大兵的青睞。6105 潛水錶曾被選為美國海軍 SEAL 的配備錶款,甚至在 1979年 Francis Ford Coppola 所導演電影 'Apocalypse Now' 一片中,Martin Sheen 所飾演的Airborne Army Ranger 所佩戴的也是 6105 潛水錶。這樣的結果一點都不令人驚訝,因為無論是6105或6309經過眾多消費者的使用,無論是日常生活、戶外活動、探險,甚至是專業潛水者也讚譽有加。一位專業潛水者在Mississippi River 以及 Boston Harbor長達五年的潛水工作中,一直佩戴著6309-7049。在經歷過1100小時實地水底工作、激烈操作、不慎撞擊,還包括一次造成手腕骨折(戴著手錶的那隻手)的撞擊意外後,Seiko 6309卻依舊運行正常,維修後繼續蟬連他最愛戴的手錶。


7002-700A

1988到1996年之間,Seiko的主力潛水錶是防水150及200米的7002系列潛水錶。Caliber 7002 為 21石、21,600 bph。如先前所述:1980年代後期,Seiko的6309-7290潛水錶就已經放棄坐墊狀的厚實錶殼,改採較纖細的錶殼設計,7002依舊承繼此項改變,而且時刻標記也同樣是方型的。1996年後一質生產至今的當代Seiko潛水錶,款式明顯比以前快速增加,其機芯編號是7S26,防水深度則大部分是200米,外表則延續6105-6306-6309-7002一脈相承的樣式。比較常見的款式有以下幾款:SKX007K、007J、009、011J、171、173、175、A35、779和781。

1988到1996年之間,Seiko的主力潛水錶是防水150及200米的7002系列潛水錶。Caliber 7002 為 21石、21,600 bph。如先前所述:1980年代後期,Seiko的6309-7290潛水錶就已經放棄坐墊狀的厚實錶殼,改採較纖細的錶殼設計,7002依舊承繼此項改變,而且時刻標記也同樣是方型的。1996年後一質生產至今的當代Seiko潛水錶,款式明顯比以前快速增加,其機芯編號是7S26,防水深度則大部分是200米,外表則延續6105-6306-6309-7002一脈相承的樣式。比較常見的款式有以下幾款:SKX007K、007J、009、011J、171、173、175、A35、779和781。


SKX007

其中SKX007 和 SKX173 堪稱6105-6306-6309-7002的嫡系傳人。SKX007採用圓形時刻標誌,而SKX173 則採用方形標誌。7S26潛水錶和其前身7002等潛水錶最大的不同在於:其錶冠位置由原本的四點鐘移到了3:45的位置,而且所有7S26的200米潛水錶都改配單向旋轉計時錶圈。也正由於樣式繁多,相信每一位愛錶人都不難從中挑選到自己中意的樣式。

最後我們以一位Seiko 的收藏家的話,來為我們提議您考慮Seiko Diver's Watch為Rolex Submariner的替代方案的理由作結論,他指出:我經常介紹朋友買精工的潛水錶,而且向他們保證這世上再沒有這麼好的 bargain,只要花一到兩百塊錢美金左右,就可以買到一只既具歷史背景、堅固強悍又品質精良的手錶,陪伴每一天的生活。以後你的兒子甚至還有機會將這只你戴過的手錶,親手送給你的孫子並對他說:「這只手錶可是我爸爸最愛的手錶,現在我把它轉送給你。雖然自從他去世之後就再也沒保養維修過,但是一戴上依舊能夠運行如常。當然每個月可能會有個5到10分鐘的誤差,但對古董錶來說算是很不錯的了.

Monday, January 20, 2014

SIHH Bovet Watch fair, Geneve 2014












Vintage Seiko 43999

Seiko watch has a great impact on my generation as we practically grew up with it as it was a dominant watch brand in the 1960s, 70s till the early 1990s. I remebered have a titanium Seiko when I was in my Univerrsity and was proud wearing it.

Even though my attention recently is on the vintage Seiko Divers, the highly collectable Grand Seiko 43999 is always on my radar lists and I didn't expect to find one.. But somehow LOA made it happened!

The Suwa Seikosha :1963年 ~ 1968年 :

43999               (SS) 1963年4月 ~ 1965年4月 
5722-9990(SS) 1965年4月 ~ 1966年12月 
5722-9010(GC) 1966年8月 ~ 1966年9月 
5722-9991(SS) 1967年1月 ~ 1968年7月 
5722-9011(GC) 1967年5月 ~ 1968年2月 

Photo showing the Grand Seiko 43999, with the Chronometer wording, Grand Seiko, Diashock 35 Jewels,Made in Japan 43999TO and the Taiyo logo.Taiyo means Sun... ever shining, ever bright... full of radiance... 

This is one of the most beautiful Grand Seiko ever produced during the 1960's till now. The first of second model Grand Seiko made in 1963,1964 only. A total of 81,000 units of Cal.430 and 5722 were produced.

The taiyo is powered by a chronometer (Seiko internal Chronometer declaration) 35 jewels low beat 18,000 bph Cal.430 movement. It is called self-dater because it has quick set date function. Taiyo is the highest quality masterpiece of low beat GS.

 The back case has the lion emblem and the 43999 wordings

The difference between the 43999 and the 5722-9990 . is that the latter has no Taiyo logo on the dial, while the back case wordings are different (43999 versus 5722-9990) and the movement markings are different too 

Grand Seiko 43999.

Movement Calibre 430

35 Jewels

18,000 bph

37mm Diameter Stainless Steel Case

Serial Number 3001662 - October 1963


For those who wants to know how much is the Grand Seiko then, in1965, Seiko´s first model diver (62MAS) sold for 13,000JPY, approximately half the monthly wage of a Japanese college graduate. By way of comparison, the precursor sport/waterproof 50m Silver Wave 6201B (1960) cost 11,000JPY while its lower-spec successor, the 6601-7990 30m Sportsmatic Silverwave sports diver cost about 8,200JPY. At this same time the GS 5722 cost a breath-taking 27000JPY, a full month wage of a Japanese college graduate.

Vintage Seiko 6105-8110 (1968-77)

Following my dive into the Sekio divers watches , my hunt for the vintage seiko divers continues. From reading the various forums, the information for the The 6105 was that it was made in two distinctive body styles: the cushion-cased 8000/8009 (with a thinner case, which I have found last week) and the fatter and larger, asymmetrically-cased 8110/8119.  

Below is the example of the thinner cushion-cases 6106-8000.


Either model is an iconic piece for vintage Seiko enthusiasts. They were the second true dive watch made by Seiko (for the 150m series) following the Seiko 6217 (62MAS). The 6105 was produced from 1968 to 1977, the 6105 greatly influenced the design of the cushion-case Seiko 6309 that succeeded it 1976 — a watch that became a Seiko collector’s piece in its own right. Even the modern Seiko SKX is directly descended from the 6105′s design heritage. The 6105 becomes a big deal in the Seiko dive watch world, with the blessing of Martin Sheen wearing the watch in the movie.

IN APOCALYPSE NOW, CAPTAIN WILLARD (PLAYED BY MARTIN SHEEN) WEARS A 6105-8110

During the Vietnam War, U.S. troops were known to buy Glycine Airman watch for the pilot and the Seiko 6105-8000/8009′s at the PXs (Post Exchanges) on bases in Southeast Asia. Many soldiers wore them through the rigors of combat. Lots of pieces made their way back to the States on the wrists of service members after their tours were done and some remainder in SE Asia

In Apocalypse Now, Captain Willard (played by Martin Sheen) wears a 6105-8110

The 6105-8000 features a larger 41mm cushion case with a signed crown (a rarity for Seikos of the time) at the 4 o’clock position. The in-house automatic 17 jewel 21,600 bph cal. 6105A powers the watch. There were the hacking and non hacking movements and all had quick-set dates and could not be manually wound. All these were tough tool watch that can withstand the heavy usage and abuse.

There were two dials with early models with “waterproof” on the dial were non-hacking, and that the later models with “water resistant” were hacking. All of the watches were waterproof down to 150 meters. The only 300m divers were the rare 6215-7000 and the 6159-7001. For those who is looking for the 600m vintage Seiko diver will have to look for the 6159-5010, a titanium version.

For those who does not want to invest huge cash in getting the vintage 5513, 1680 Rolex divers, the 6105′s history with its quality features is a great bargain, US600-1000, depending on conditions.



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