Things With Springs CH chat 02/15/26

HELLO EVERYONE !~

Just FYI . This is still a work in progress.....
The Things With Springs Clubhouse room is meant for a Live watch forum experience with a small GTG. We are striving for a collector to collector conversation.. Having collectors either email me a photo of their watch ( or they can join the forum and reply to this thread ) so we can " chat" about it in real time... Just to be clear we dont have to talk about a posted watch ... this is a free flowing room on topics on vintage watches and things around watch collecting ... And at the end of the GTG when everyone leaves the CH room... and the room no longer exists ... This thread will remain as a quasi record of the event and we can later go back and refer to.... Hear you at 3:00 pm DST Sunday ....

THINGS WITH SPRINGS CH CHAT 02/15/26



Remember the Clubhouse room is only as good as the collectors that join in.... please post a watch, timepiece , clock etc you want to chat about.

Join the room !

Picked up a new to me uncommon clock !

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1VxJGsGpTU/

Mr Naomi Uemura, born February 12th 1941, died Feb 13th 1984​

I tracked down this September 1978 issue of National Geographic with a 28 page feature on Naomi Uemura's Solo adventure to the North Pole.

In the west this watch goes by the nickname 'Willard' after the fictional character played by Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now.
In Japan, this watch is known as the 'Uemura'. This isn't going to be news to a lot on this forum but I'll share anyway.
Mr Naomi Uemura was a Japanese explorer, well known for his solo exploits. Before he was 30 he had conquered Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn and Aconcagua solo.
In 1970, he was part of the first Japanese expedition to the top of Everest, where he wore a Seiko 6159-7000. He also travelled the 6000km of the Amazon alone on a raft.

However, he's best known for having been the first person to reach the North Pole solo in 1978.
Incidentally, before his expedition, Rolex Japan gifted him a GMT Explorer II. Mr Uemura replaced the metal Rolex bracelet with a leather strap due to the fear of frostbite. However, the leather strap ripped mid-trip so he hung the watch with string around his waist. As a result of the Rolex not getting the benefit of any body heat in the minus 50 degree temperatures, the oil in the mechanism got thicker and the Rolex stopped working. During a re-supply, he met a Japanese Journalist who switched the Rolex for the Seiko 6105 this journalist was wearing and Uemura continued his journey. After the journalist arrived back at the base camp, the Rolex started moving because the temperature was much warmer there. Naomi Uemura was known to be a very generous guy and he gave the Explorer II to this journalist.

It was -45°c when he set off from Cape Columbia on March 6th 1978. With a dog sled to carry provisions, he travelled the 800 kilometers over 8 weeks to reach the North Pole on April 29th 1978.
During his endeavour he overcame the risks of frostbite, huge ice ridges, gaps in the ice and a rather too close for comfort, encounter with a polar bear.
Uemura recounts in his own words --
"Shortly before dawn the polar bear attacks. - I feel the presence of the bear, inches away on the other side of the nylon tent wall. - Outside I can hear the bear slashing through the food supplies. - May he be satisfied with that, I pray. - But he isn't. Turning to the tent he begins ripping at the flimsy nylon with his great claws and grunting loudly as I literally hold my breath. A new terror seizes me as the tent walls bulge inward and I feel the bear's nose thrust against my back. "now surely it's over" I think. "He's found my scent, I'm finished". And suddenly, unaccountably, the bear leaves. With a final sniff of the tent he pads off, the sound of his heavy footsteps slowly receding. Silence at last."
Expecting the bear to return the next day for more food, Uemura was ready. It was minus 40 celsius and he had soaked the mechanism of his rifle with kerosine so it would be ready when the time came. He shot the animal at a distance of 50 meters and in accordance with Canadian law, reported the kill and handed over the jawbone for age identification.

Naomi Uemura had many more adventures but finally disappeared after successfully summiting Denali (formerly Mount McKinley) in Alaska on 12th February 1984 and is said to have died a day after his 43rd birthday. 42 years later, it is believed he is still sleeping somewhere on Denali.
A real life adventurer who relied on his Seiko and wore it solo to the north pole. So, just in case you ever wondered why you might see this watch referred to as the 'Uemura' and not the 'Willard'....well, now you know.

see you at 3 pm