I came accross this very vintage Seiko and I'm wondering is it worth buying. It's working but the service history in unknown. I'm kind of new to watches in general so I would appreciate your help on these questions: How much would you pay for it? Seller is asking for 400$. Can the case be polished/cleaned back to it's original color? I like patina but the discoloration on the case bothers me. Thanks for helping!
Hello, If you are new to watches I would suggest staying away from vintage ones. There is plenty that can go wrong. Do some reading around on the forums, there are a ton of helpful threads on this matter. Also, if the seller fails to provide a movement picture I'd reconsider my choice. This watch appears to be all correct but I'm not that sure about the crown. I'm no expert, that's for sure. Honestly, I'd stay away from this because it's in mediocre condition. A good idea would be to first find a watchmaker you're comfortable with that will work on what you send him. If vintage Seiko is of interest for you this should be a good read: https://adventuresinamateurwatchfet...igin-of-the-species-a-seiko-marvel-from-1956/ Good luck!
Sorry, I have no idea what this watch is worth. Japanese is written on the back cover. Probably this watch was presents by Takashimaya in 1952, after 25 years of working for the Japanese department store Takashimaya. '高' is Logo of Takashimaya. '勤続25年記念' means is commemoration of 25 years of service.
A worthy addition to a collection! But not at THAT price IMO! The case is tarnished, but the pictures aren’t good enough to help identify brassing (gold finish worn off to base metal).
Interesting watch, and I like the inscription. It is almost certainly gold plated, or "rolled gold", rather than solid gold. This was typical in post-war Japan. What that means with regard to your question is that it is unlikely that it could be polished to its original finish. That can be accomplished fairly easily with solid gold, but when there is a low gold content, it becomes far more difficult. Finally, it is never a good idea to purchase a watch without seeing a clear photo of the movement.
I think it’s interesting as hec. Very rarely do I see something like that but yeah for 400 with it needing a service probably too much but very cool old seiko
In terms of condition, the damage to the dial seems to be a bigger issue than the case. It's an interesting collectible, but probably not terribly valuable. What is the size?
Takashimaya is still open for business. Takashimaya's website is here. https://www.takashimaya-global.com/en/
These super early Seikos are a minefield. I’d you think you can get burned on mid 69’s to 70’s pieces these can be even worse. I’d hit up a major Seiko forum like wristsushi.