[Huckster]

Hey, just wanted to add my little collection to the thread. I have a smaller wrist, which doesn't go well with all the gaudy and huge watches for sale these days, so vintage is for me.

First pic: a blacklight shoot

Modern seiko 5, 1970's rare seiko chrono midsize, bulova accutron stainless 1967.

Second pic: Blacklight Fossil Chrono (looks good but meh) and an amazingly made swatch auto.

Third pic: 70's seiko chrono

Fourth pic: Seiko G757, when I got it I didnt know it worked, when I changed the battery the old one said '86 on it, now works great

Fifth pic: Rado tuning fork- classy, very comfy and reliable so far.

Sixth pic: Led watch, unknown make

Seventh pic: Accutron tuning fork '67, was maintained and works great.

They all work perfectly for me, but of course Im ok with time being off by a few seconds a day.

 

[xenithon]

Quote:

I personally love the look of this longines (and the others in the range - especially the ones with leather strap). The one reason I have held back from buying one is the way the "6" o'clock is cut off by the date display. Rather take it out completely; otherwise it looks a little tatty IMO.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenithon /img/forum/go_quote.gif I personally love the look of this longines (and the others in the range - especially the ones with leather strap). The one reason I have held back from buying one is the way the "6" o'clock is cut off by the date display. Rather take it out completely; otherwise it looks a little tatty IMO.

Good point! I agree that it was a styling mistake to have positioned the date window there. If you ever do purchase that watch, though, it is otherwise beautifully executed. Even the bracelet is very nicely done.

 

[csommers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenithon /img/forum/go_quote.gif I personally love the look of this longines (and the others in the range - especially the ones with leather strap). The one reason I have held back from buying one is the way the "6" o'clock is cut off by the date display. Rather take it out completely; otherwise it looks a little tatty IMO.

Yea I'm not a fan of watches that do that. If anything just remove the 6 from the dial, I'm sure we all know what hour position that is anyways

 

[baka1969]

Hello everyone,

It's always bitter sweet when I look through this thread. I was an avid mechanical watch collector for many years. I've owned literally countless watches from the A-Z of watch brands. I was eclectic in my tastes so I had pretty much anything and everything. My passion for watches was so great I was privileged and humbled to serve as a moderator, for about a year, for the TimeZone community.

Some of the most fun challenges I had collecting would be getting a vintage NOS watch that was stashed away somewhere, maybe in an attic, for decades before discovery and wearing it myself. Vintage watches always had a way of giving me a certain satisfaction knowing it's history and the possible stories that went with the watch.

This is not to say that I didn't enjoy some more modern watches. The recent trend of oversized watches have a great aesthetic to them filling out the wrist. Panerai is a nice example. Plus Patek, JLC, and IWC make some incredible timepieces. Like budda! (Inside joke) The Ulysse Nardin San Marco is just gorgeous.

Sadly, years ago, I was forced to sell off my entire collection due to personal circumstances. Of the many hundreds of watches I've owned there's only one watch I really miss. The Omega Speedy Pro. It happened to be the 30th Anniversary model, but the Speedy Pro is just about the perfect watch. Although I'll never get another quality Swiss watch, that Speedy will always have a fond memory.

Thanks for reading,

Ross

 

[Huckster]

I am a vintage watch fanboy as well. It is safe to say I hate the ticking sound of a quartz watch. With people doing estate and garage sales on Ebay these days, there is potential for great finds at cheap prices. I agree Ross, many modern watches (and many on this forum) are way too huge and gaudy. I personally would look like an idiot wearing a watch wider than my wrist.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wish, just lots of nice pictures and some training material. Speaking of training, Bill invited me to attend an in-house training session next Monday, which is being put on by Seiko. Bill is picking up the Ananta line which is an amalgamation of Grand Seiko and Spring Drive, about 50% of the new models are GS movements and the other half is Spring Drive. Pretty cool stuff!

The Seiko training session was way cool as are the new models they are bringing to market. See the September issue of International Watch, which has a short article on Seiko and the new Ananta line. Even at full retail, these new Ananta's are easily worth 4x of their price.

Press Release | SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION

 

[DanTheMiataMan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Seiko training session was way cool as are the new models they are bringing to market. See the September issue of International Watch, which has a short article on Seiko and the new Ananta line. Even at full retail, these new Ananta's are easily worth 4x of their price. Press Release | SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION

*DROOL* that is the sexy

 

[kwkarth]

The new Ananta's are much more impressive in person than they are in pictures!

 

[vagarach]

Wow, that Ananta is simply stunning. I can only imagine how much nicer it looks in person!

edit: RRP of €2000 for Europe on the double retrograde caliber watches!

 

[Habaneroholic]

My everyday watch:

Destro Titanium Luminor with stingray band.

I'll post some of the rest when I get a chance to shoot them.

John C.

 

[Mercuttio]

I'd really like to own a Grand Seiko someday, but I can't see having a US market model. I don't know why, exactly... it seems like I'm almost falling in the same trap that everyone who pooh-poohs any Seiko does.

Maybe I just have very little faith in the brand in the US, due in part to their absolutely bizarre lines... Sportua, Courura, Somethingelsera... then you've got that whole weird "It's Me" ad campaign. I just don't feel like Seiko USA has ever treated us like intelligent consumers. Bring the Sumo here, bring the Alpinist here, give the USA incredible 6R15 watches that kick the tar out of anything else you'll find under $1500.

Now, the lines in Japan and the way they're marketed there? Perfection. I'd be proud to own any JDM Grand Seiko Model.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd really like to own a Grand Seiko someday, but I can't see having a US market model. I don't know why, exactly... it seems like I'm almost falling in the same trap that everyone who pooh-poohs any Seiko does. Maybe I just have very little faith in the brand in the US, due in part to their absolutely bizarre lines... Sportua, Courura, Somethingelsera... then you've got that whole weird "It's Me" ad campaign. I just don't feel like Seiko USA has ever treated us like intelligent consumers. Bring the Sumo here, bring the Alpinist here, give the USA incredible 6R15 watches that kick the tar out of anything else you'll find under $1500. Now, the lines in Japan and the way they're marketed there? Perfection. I'd be proud to own any JDM Grand Seiko Model.

Not sure I'm following you here. Three of the movements in the Ananta line are GS movements. The most expensive Ananta in the line up is a spring drive based, limited edition (70 pieces to the US, 300 worldwide) chronogrph at about $6500 U.S. Seiko could probably retail that piece for four times that and still sell every one. BTW, the Ananta line is not for US market only, it's for the world market. The Grand Seiko line, still for Japan market only does go for four times the price of the Ananta line, and they still sell every watch they make. The spring drive movements for this line are 5R66 and 5R86. The GS grade movements in the Ananta line are 6R21, 6R24, and 6R28.

Here's what Seiko said about the Ananta line;
Quote:

Ananta opens a new chapter in SEIKO’s history SEIKO Ananta is a landmark collection whose arrival heralds an important new step forward for the whole SEIKO brand. It is the first Elite Collection designed for the Worldwide luxury watch market. It is the first Elite Collection to be marketed both internationally and in Japan. It includes 2 new calibers. It is the first Elite Collection to include Spring Drive, and, most importantly, It is the first SEIKO collection to showcase SEIKO’s high-grade mechanical watchmaking artistry to the World market. With Ananta, SEIKO announces its long term aspiration to be a leading ‘manufacture’, and to offer the world’s most advanced craftsmanship to those who truly appreciate fine watches.

So this is a wake up call to the planet that Seiko IS a world class, fully vertically integrated, 'manufacture' to be reckoned with.

I bet the prices go way up after the world economy improves. Even at that, Seiko is a very well diversified company, and with regard to watches alone, they're not in it for the money. High end watches for Seiko is a matter of pride, history, and tradition. They're in it because they love it. High end watches are not a money making division for them.

Each of these watches is hand assembled by one master watchmaker for each watch. Seiko used to have half a dozen such watchmen, very recently they have doubled their capacity to 12 watchmakers. If there is ever an issue with one of these watches, it will go back to THE watchmaker that built it for repair.

 

[kwkarth]

An interesting story that was related to me by someone at the training and corroborated by several others present, years ago, Basel held some sort of top 10 competition among watch houses. That year, Seiko won three of the ten places and it so embarrassed the BasselWorld folks, and the European watch houses, that it was cancelled thereafter, and that is why it is no longer held. I think that was 1986, when Seiko was allowed to participate for the FIRST time.

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not sure I'm following you here. Three of the movements in the Ananta line are GS movements. The most expensive Ananta in the line up is a spring drive based, limited edition (70 pieces to the US, 300 worldwide) chronogrph at about $6500 U.S. Seiko could probably retail that piece for four times that and still sell every one. BTW, the Ananta line is not for US market only, it's for the world market. The Grand Seiko line, still for Japan market only does go for four times the price of the Ananta line, and they still sell every watch they make. The spring drive movements for this line are 5R66 and 5R86. The GS grade movements in the Ananta line are 6R21, 6R24, and 6R28. Here's what Seiko said about the Ananta line; So this is a wake up call to the planet that Seiko IS a world class, fully vertically integrated, 'manufacture' to be reckoned with. I bet the prices go way up after the world economy improves. Even at that, Seiko is a very well diversified company, and with regard to watches alone, they're not in it for the money. High end watches for Seiko is a matter of pride, history, and tradition. They're in it because they love it. High end watches are not a money making division for them. Each of these watches is hand assembled by one master watchmaker for each watch. Seiko used to have half a dozen such watchmen, very recently they have doubled their capacity to 12 watchmakers. If there is ever an issue with one of these watches, it will go back to THE watchmaker that built it for repair.

Oh, no question of the quality in the GS movements or in a Spring Drive based watch. No matter what, there's no real way you can go wrong with any Seiko movement... for one company to produce so many absolutely rock-solid movements is absolutely unheard of. I get the genuine feeling that Omega's little 33xx series of issues could never happen at Seiko... and certainly wouldn't because everything is in-house at Seiko.

I think I'm more musing or waxing on my personal perception of the brand in both the USA and in Japan. I genuinely feel that Seiko doesn't understand the US market and is producing watches here that are both ugly and oversized, as opposed to the JDM watches that are elegant or functional, and often a combination of both. My understanding of this new line is that the cases are quite large. Like many others, I feel that large cases are a fad, and that Seiko would be better suited in the classic designs that they've absolutely perfected in their JDM products.

Absolutely, I understand that this new line is destined for both sides of the Pacific... but I don't believe that they fit in with their Japanese offerings. Leaning back on Samurai sword design elements feels cheap in comparison to the simple elegance of a watch like this:

Or their modern interpretations of the Chronograph with new Spring Drive models like this (though it is large):

But, then again I could be totally wrong about all of this. Omega, my favorite watch company, is also going in a direction that I don't feel as if I could follow in as a consumer (even if I had the money). The dressing up of tool watches with extra chrome and movement changes that are less robust and more about an almost jewelery achievement doesn't work for me.