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  1. micampe Sep 1, 2015

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    After reading Fratello Watches King Seiko TBT a while ago my curiosity was triggered and I decided to learn a bit more about Seiko’s history and about their higher end pieces.

    As many of you already know, King Seiko was a separate sub brand inside Seiko that was competing internally with Grand Seiko. They were produced at the same time and at similar levels of finishing and precision (it’s unclear from what I read but I believe King Seiko was always a notch down).

    I liked the “Grammar of Design”, the set of rules that Taro Tanaka created in the 60s when Seiko decided to move up from their mechanically sound but utilitarian watches to better compete with the European companies. The step up in design was also accompanied by a step up in the mechanical department, with the intention of participating to the Swiss chronometer competitions.

    I like the KS45-7000 for several reasons: it's manual wind, no date, it beats at 36,000 bph, the case is a clear implementation of the Grammar of Design recipe, and the 4500 movement was the base used for the very best Grand Seikos that ended up crushing the Swiss competition, even getting the Neuchatel Observatory certification, and getting the Swiss to change the rules to exclude Seiko, which is just awesome.

    So I started my search and I quickly noticed that they were pretty inexpensive, which is always good news. I found one that looked dirty but untouched, except for the marks of a life well lived and light patination of the dial.

    (Seller’s pictures before)

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    I decided to pick it up and try to do the cleanup myself. Nothing mechanical of course, just case and crystal. So I bought polishing cloths for the case and cerium oxide for the crystal.

    When it arrived I took it apart and washed and gently polished the case, bezel, and back. I didn't remove all the hairline scratches, they are mostly still there, but now it shines more like a katana style case is supposed to. I might do another pass later, we’ll see.

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    Obviously, as the brighter among you probably already predicted, after three days of cerium oxide and elbow grease with absolutely zero progress on the crystal, I found a NOS one on the bay and just purchased that (not arrived yet). Much easier.

    In conclusion I’m relly impressed with the quality of this watch. First of all the case is very heavy: I don’t know what steel they used but the head is as heavy as my SM300 166.024. The movement is very nice but the thing that really gives the feeling of quality is operating the crown: this has the most precise action of all the othe watches I have. Its shape and size, winding it or pulling it out to set it is just exact, I don’t know how else to describe it: there is no play, no hesitation, just precision. The only small disappointment were the hands that from pictures I expected to be faceted but are instead flat. The quality/price ratio is truly through the roof here.

    Lastly, I really need to step up my pictures, these suck.

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    Fish70, robinhook, felsby and 17 others like this.
  2. ulackfocus Sep 2, 2015

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    Love vintage Seiko! ::love:: I still occassionally miss my early 70's Grand Seiko.
     
  3. wsfarrell Sep 2, 2015

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    I've read before about the incredible precision feel these watches have when moving the hands; hope I can pick one up some day.
     
  4. shaun hk Fairy nuffer Sep 2, 2015

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    Well done that man, a very nice pick up :thumbsdown:
     
  5. M.D. Sep 2, 2015

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    Nice summary! I've been poking around the internets looking at vintage seikos lately. Great looking watch, let's see the wrist shot!
     
  6. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Sep 2, 2015

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    Shit...... something else I need to have...... I gotta stop opening these Seiko threads!

    beautiful watch by the way.
     
  7. micampe Sep 2, 2015

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    Thanks! The watch is off being serviced so I can’t take new wrist shots, but here is an hairy one that clearly shows why I needed a new crystal.

    IMG_0743.jpg
     
  8. M.D. Sep 2, 2015

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    Thanks for clarifying, I wasn't sure if those were scratches or stray arm hairs! :p

    Looks great. A new crystal will make a huge difference. Congrats again!
     
  9. adi4 Sep 2, 2015

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    Love the Grammar of Design uhh... design. :) I used to have that exact model before but ended up with a GS from around the same period ultimately. Incredibly happy with the design and finish.

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    Fish70 and micampe like this.
  10. vpn Sep 3, 2015

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    Very beautiful watch. King Seikos are surely very charming. A friend of mine used to have a KS with a cushion case and curious horizontal markers on the dial. I remember he was amazed by its accuracy, despite the watch wasn't serviced since years, it lost only two seconds per day.
     
  11. erpin9 Oct 4, 2015

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    Seiko wanted to make a statement when they came up with the GS and KS models and they succeeded in getting the attention of the Swiss watch companies of their achievements in the Department of Neuchatel Astronomical Obervatory Concours. The goal of the competition was to produce the most accurate movement. The testing process set very high accuracy standards, higher than the COSC standards at the time. Only two manufacturers in the world entered and passed this competition with commercial watch movements, Girard Perregaux and Seiko.

    Below are pictures of a Grand Seiko VFA (Very Fine Adjusting) which is considered one of the grail watches of the brand. This particular watch is being offered to me for $7.5k.

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  12. styggpyggeno1 ΩF Enforcer ....and thread killer Oct 4, 2015

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    A VFA... One day it will happen. Grail country.

    I have also been trying for a KS chronometer for a while but no luck yet.

    Hold my GS Special and the Superior very high in my collection. Thru a Swedish watch friend in Japan I have been lucky to get these two. I wish I could lure hime over here to OF and you would be blown away by his collection.

    1977, 4883-8100

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    1971, 6155-8000

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  13. Rman Oct 4, 2015

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    Thanks for your post I really need to look at the KS's.
    I was lucky to come across a GS a while ago that was in great condition and had the original buckle, a 43999 cal 430. I snapped it up but didn't realize at the time the crown wasn't original. I've been searching EBay for a course knurled "W Seiko" crown ever since. I love the watch, in my collection it occupies a really unique place, the dial, hands and lugs are so harmonious and reassuring, it just "works."
    FullSizeRender.jpg

    As far as I can tell the 43999 was the archetype for a lot of what GS does today.

    image.jpeg
     
    Edited Oct 4, 2015
  14. danomar Oct 5, 2015

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    Dammit! Now you've all started me wanting one again...
     
  15. erpin9 Oct 5, 2015

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    Beautiful GS. Is this the early manual wind or is it automatic? Ask your Japanese friend if he can find you a rare GS19.
     
    PatrickJ likes this.
  16. styggpyggeno1 ΩF Enforcer ....and thread killer Oct 5, 2015

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    It says "Automatic" on the dial. That is a clue... :):);)
    He is a Swede who lives in Japan - and I have a standing list with him for watches I would like him to look out for.
     
  17. erpin9 Oct 5, 2015

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    Your watch is so gorgeous that I didn't notice the word automatic on the dial anymore. :);)
     
  18. mahamithra Oct 9, 2015

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    Wonderful things that Seiko produced from the early 60's to 1976. Very very underrated watch. As the Swiss think they are the only ones who know how to make watches!
     
    styggpyggeno1 and erpin9 like this.
  19. russell.bowyer1 Apr 27, 2016

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    I've just bought my first King seiko and I'm thinking have I done the right thing

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    But it looks got me and the sweep on the movement seems super smooth

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    I pushed the yes please button and it's on it's way !

    What do you think ?? Let me know !!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  20. micampe Apr 27, 2016

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    I’m not familiar with that model. It’s a monocoque, I didn’t know Seiko made those.