Citizen Automatic...big size 38mm

There's a guy with oxygen tank there. Correct me if I am wrong. A 1970's big and huge retro style. Using caliber 650, size is 38mm across. Part of my collection, for sale RM 280. Perfect running condition. Call or SMS if interested.

Dream Factory...the place where Grand Seiko is made

I found this article somewhere stashed on the internet, might be very interesting for all us dreaming to own a Grand Seiko. You might not be able or afford to own it now, but do not forget that dreaming of having a GS is not a bad thing. This is about a factory, the place where Grand Seiko is made. Nothing technical here, all are facts related to "the finest of a very fine Japanese watch". Start reading.
Tucked away in a seemingly remote wooded part of Japan, near the town of Morioka, sits a world-class watchmaking facility that has been quietly producing some of the world’s finest mechanical watches for over 70 years.

Called the Shizukuishi Watch Studio (check out a movie about this studio here), the workshop is distinctly different from any other watchmaking atelier in Europe. Each watchmakers’ desk is custom made out of a local wood called Iwayado Tansu and lacquered to a bright polish. The benches are all made to different heights – custom made specifically to the height of the individual watchmaker. Outside the studio hangs a large sign in Japanese stating “Building in Quality with Painstaking Care”.

Within these workshops, the caliber 9S watch movement series is produced and remains the iconic mechanical caliber of the Grand Seiko collection. In the final steps of the assembly of the 9S, each balance wheel is subjected to final adjustment in a surprising way to ‘lock-in’ the accuracy of the movement.

Rather than having a balance wheel with adjustable screws or a gyromax system, Seiko uses a labor intensive process that leaves very little room for trial and error. The watchmakers painstakingly remove tiny amounts of material from a solid balance wheel in order to perfectly adjust the watch the first time. The result is a balance wheel that is perfectly adjusted and cannot be modified from the beginning. The final adjustment can only be made with the hairspring, a process that is also done manually.

Once the watches are completed, they are subjected to a 17 day quality control test adjusting to temperature and 6 positions. In the end, Grand Seiko mechanical watches are accurate to -3 to +5 seconds per day compared to COSC at -4 to +6 seconds perday. Consequently, a mechanical Grand Seiko can hold its own with any Swiss chronometer.
To exemplify the degree of hand finishing that goes into a Grand Seiko, we were given the chance to participate in the “Varnishing Experience”. We were each given a Grand Seiko rotor with our initials hand engraved by Seiko’s master engraver and we were taught how to varnish the engraved Grand Seiko logo with shellac before final polishing. It was a nice way to see how the engraved portions of a rotor or bridge are elegantly colored – and it also made for some interesting photo ops.

The second watchmaking studio we visited was in the depths of Japan’s central mountains near Nagano. Known as the Shinshu Studios, this massive workshop is where a number of high-grade Seikos calibers areassembled including the Spring Drive 9R series and high grade quartz 9F series, used exclusively for Grand Seiko.

The Shinshu studios are composed of three workshops: the Mastery“Takumi” Studio, the jewelry setting studio (mostly for Credor), and the Micro-Artist studio. Here we learned how about the various finishes that are used on Seiko bridges, plates, rotors, etc. such as perlage, sunray finish, circular finish, and even Geneva Stripes. We also saw where Seiko dials are made from scratch for Grand Seiko and we visited Seiko’s most exclusive high-end watchmaking atelier.

Hidden under a flight of stairs, a la Harry Potter, a workshop of small size and massive importance produces some of the greatest works of Japanese horological art. It is simply known as the Micro-Artist Studio. It is within this studio, the master craftsmen produce the Credor Sonnerie, a repeating wristwatch that you have to listen to in order to understand.

On the wall is a small sign written in Japanese that shares the philosophy of this studio “Our watches bring long-term satisfaction, the feeling of Japanese and are reliable to wear until Grandchildren.” Truly the words of the watchmakers, not the marketers.

Identifying Ebauches...engraved under watch hairspring

Make sure you have your eye loupe ready before finding these logos, unless your eyes are sharp enough. These engraved logos can be found under watch hairspring. Take a deep breath and close look, then match with what you see here on this blog. Hope it helps you all in determining which and what calibers are inside that case. Some are with serial number, but more important here is to identify ebauches manufacturers. Enjoy your day.

Putrajaya 4th Dec 2010

TQ Asmar for collecting me at Alamanda and bringing to Restoran Dusun. And not to forget, organizers who put their effort, time and money to make this gathering successful. Gawdbleshyer !!!

Seiko Fairway Diashock... a 1962 production

"kore wa hon mono mukashi kara no Seiko desu", translated as "this is really an old Seiko". Seiko Fairway 21 Jewels, made somewhere in 1962, the first one-piece case made by Seiko. Caliber 760 is made by SEIKOSHA Kameido Factory. 18,000 BPH. Size of the watch is 35mm across. Case is gold plated.

Manual winding and some discoloration on the dial. Take a close look, up for sale RM 380. Call or SMS if interested.

Maruman Bracelet...wire mesh

Made in Japan. Maruman wire mesh bracelet, famous in 70's. I 'm not sure whether can be found in local shop. As soft as butter, comes with other non branded stainless steel bracelet. For sale RM 50, including postage for domestic delivery. Both are for 18mm lugs.

Magazines...good info on luxury watches

There are 3 International Watch, 2 Watch Time, Time Werke with Cartier Supplement and World of Watches magazines in this lot. All must go for RM 120 including shipping and handling for domestic delivery. Weight is about 6kgs. Call or SMS if interested.

I will include other reading materials too, to add up with above magazines.

Monorex

You might also find the word "Monorex" on Rado dial, here it is.

Incabloc...

A friend of mine ask me what Incabloc is, refer to this sheet.

Exacto...Very rare and known as Rado in 1958

Something interesting here : Exacto was produced by Schlup & Co, which was a subsidiary company of Rado Watch Co. The one that I have here is believed to be made circa 1950-1957. By looking at the movement, which is AS 1237/38, the movement itself was produced starting from 1950. It is 17 Jewels, manual winding with 18,000 BPH (5 beat per second, please do not compare this with Grand Seiko, El Primero, Citizen 7230 and other Hi Beat movements). They (RWC) probably manufactured complete watches and movements was assembled by Schlup & Co. From 1958 onwards, all watches produced were to carry RADO as brand name.

This is the "father" ? of Rado, Rado that we see today. It runs great on my wrist, now I start to believe that a good mechanical watch still runs great after half a century. Serviced by experience watchmaker. Willing to let it go at RM 850 negotiable, call or SMS if interested.

Note : This watch has fixed lugs, need good ribbon or leather strap to make it look better. The one that I have here is PVC and Russian made leather backing.

Ideal...old watch for young hearted

An ideal, fancy and clean Swiss made watch. Working good, using A Schild 1686 caliber. Size is 34mm across. Call or SMS if interested RM 280, negotiable.

Sold to Mr Shah.

Seiko Lord Matic Special 5216-7070

Another modern design Lord Matic Special, same size as my previous Lord Matic posting. It is a shining dark blue dial. Hi beat 28,800 BPH. Production is on October 1977. I am selling this piece, RM 370, negotiable. Call or SMS if interested.

Seiko Lord Matic Special 5216-6030

This is a hi beat 28,800 BPH with modern design. Production date was on October 1976. "SPECIAL" on the dial is meant for special colorful tones with dark blue-light blue-bright dial. There are also versions with plain white and beige dials. Size of this watch is 33mm across, without crown. The same caliber is also used by King Seiko. Going cheap RM 370, negotiable. Call or SMS.

Citizen Dolphin...big and huge

Size is 37mm across without crown, they produce this watch to compete with Seiko Sea Lion. Part of my collection. No scratch on the crystal. Sturdy and well built. Going for RM 370, call if interested, negotiable.