WSRUW: What Seiko Are You Wearing Today?

[STANDY]

 

[Pascal S]

With the temperatures rising and my propensity to sweat, I like to wear titanium watches when it's hot. So these days, I am wearing a lot what is one of my go-to Summer watches, the OG Samurai ref. SBDA001.

 

[Dsloan]

I really wish they'd reissue the Rotocall. So many fun functions.

 

[PatinaPete]

King Seiko 4502-7001 out for a hi beat stroll today

 

[billiout]

 

[Spruce]

Having a skinny wrist can make an SKX013 look full size

 

[Walrus]

Got my only solar watch. A bit unimpressed with the chrono function but my fault for being impulsive. I had originally ordered the panda dial not because if you do enough damage to your eyes it may resemble a Daytona but because I liked the panda dial.
This however seems to have a Grateful Dead steal your face nod and decent color scheme. Anyway I’m pleased I don’t like to get just vintage things the humidity around here been crazy.

 

[Pascal S]

Giving a bit of wrist love to an old friend...

 

[mseamaster]

My only non-8000 case Grand Seiko 45.

 

[PatinaPete]

mseamaster

My only non-8000 case Grand Seiko 45.

What year? I feel like they were making those about the same time as my King Seiko, just different factories if I remember my history. The King Seiko's were made at the Daini factory and the Grand Seiko at the Suwa. They were competing with each other. Mine is S/N 9D so 1969 December.

 

[PatinaPete]

A little Kamen Rider lume, as I miss my connie, in having the crown replaced

 

[mseamaster]

PatinaPete

What year? I feel like they were making those about the same time as my King Seiko, just different factories if I remember my history. The King Seiko's were made at the Daini factory and the Grand Seiko at the Suwa. They were competing with each other. Mine is S/N 9D so 1969 December.

Yep, August 1969 on this one. The movements are extremely similar. All 45XX are I guess. It all started with the Lord Marvel 36000 which was the proof of concept 36000 bph movement.

The only other vintage 36000 bph are all autos and don't have a no date version - 6145/6146, the more accurate 6155/6156 and the ultimate VFA 6185/6186 - super expensive.

Btw there are 6146 watches in HSS - hardened steel. Also I think there are some exotic 6185/6186 cases.

There are also ladies movements which are 36000 bph btw - 1944 and 1964. I think they are very nice for ladies.

Anyway as far as all of these go - my grails are 6186 and the elusive 4580.

I don't have any 61 though. Just a bunch of 45XX. Sadly no 4580 either.

Btw your 4502 is nice, minty condition just like I like it.

 

[PatinaPete]

mseamaster

Yep, August 1969 on this one. The movements are extremely similar. All 45XX are I guess. It all started with the Lord Marvel 36000 which was the proof of concept 36000 bph movement.

The only other vintage 36000 bph are all autos and don't have a no date version - 6145/6146, the more accurate 6155/6156 and the ultimate VFA 6185/6186 - super expensive.

Btw there are 6146 watches in HSS - hardened steel. Also I think there are some exotic 6185/6186 cases.

There are also ladies movements which are 36000 bph btw - 1944 and 1964. I think they are very nice for ladies.

Anyway as far as all of these go - my grails are 6186 and the elusive 4580.

I don't have any 61 though. Just a bunch of 45XX. Sadly no 4580 either.

Btw your 4502 is nice, minty condition just like I like it.

Those are some very nice GS. I'm out of my league there, but sure can appreciate those designs. Thank you I lucked out at a watch show with that KS. Keeps great time.

 

[mseamaster]

Btw at first 45XX was super weird to me.
- Why are 4500/4520, 4502/4522 needed - why not just 4500/4502? The answer is probably because Suwa wanted to produce it themselves and didn't want confusion in who made the movement which would have happened if both Daini and Suwa made 4500.
- Why does 4500/4522 has chronometer variation when 4520/4522 doesn't? No idea on this one.
- Why are the watches with 4500 called 45-XXXX and not 4500-XXXX? No idea either.
- What's the difference between 45-7000 and 45-7001, ditto for 4502-7000 and 4502-7001? Pretty random imho.
- Why does the dial on 45-8010 say 45-8020? Again.. random.
- Why are there many different crystals used on these different 45XX watches? I guess they wanted variety or something.. I don't get it.
- Why do some serials contain letters while others are purely numeric? Perhaps they aran out of digits if they made too many watches or so?
- Why do people keep saying 45XX wears out fast because it's 36000 bph and some specific design desicions, despite most 45XX working for decades without service? I guess people just compare it 61 which I am led to believe is more durable.. but there's less satisfaction in it not being manual.

At some point I just accepted it all as it is . Just Seiko doing Seiko things.

As for the wear and tear - I bought a few cheap 45KS in bad visual condition for spare parts in case things go badly and I need to repair.

 

[billiout]

Speaking of King Seikos, here is my 45KS no-date. I recently had it serviced and my watchmaker mentioned that it’s one of the most accurate vintage watches he’s worked on. Although I don’t wear it frequently, it barely loses a second over a two-day period. Great movement!

Edited: Aug 16, 2024

 

[PatinaPete]

billiout

Speaking of King Seikos, here is my 45KS no-date. I recently had it serviced and my watchmaker mentioned that it’s one of the most accurate vintage watches he’s worked on. Although I don’t wear it frequently, it rarely loses a second over a two-day period. Great movement!

Your medallion is in awesome shape

 

[mseamaster]

PatinaPete

Your medallion is in awesome shape

Medallions are sometimes being replaced with aftermarket ones when they deteriorate. You need to learn to recognize the real ones and ask when buying.

The color on the real ones is slightly different.

Here's a comparison:

That's a Grand Seiko 4522-8000 I am selling with a real medallion and an aftermarket near it for comparison. The real medallion has a more nuanced color while the aftermarket one near it, it's just a different color I guess, I suck at explaining colors.

 

[SOG53]

Seikomatic “Blue Yacht”. April 1961

 

[Dsloan]

 

[Dsloan]

PatinaPete

A little Kamen Rider lume, as I miss my connie, in having the crown replaced

The reissue is fun, right?

Got mine on today: