Perpetually Walking with Seikos

Feb 19, 2021,12:58 PM
 

The sun is out today, the sky and ocean are blue, the air is comfortable, and we are walking again with a "new" watch.  Perhaps you are locked in, or snowed in, or bored out of your mind -- if so please join us as we stroll down the beach and talk about watches (and for the first time on our walks, we visit a watch shop).



BTW I am wearing my very own Seiko, YES ANOTHER SEIKO. Here's the story on this 8F56 Perpetual Calendar GMT -- I bought it a long time ago -- its first photo was May 2005. After say 10 years, the battery died and during the installation the movement was damaged (a very common occurrence) and the watch was set aside for a "rainy day" repair. There were no movements or parts available back then - about 5 years ago. And there are even fewer today. But I admired this watch's multi-level flat black dial with brilliant red hands and glowing markers, so I kept it around "just in case".



I got motivated during my long sequence of Seiko walks, and dug this one out of hibernation along with many more that I fixed first. Finally, after a prolonged search, I found a brand new movement in the LA area, for a fraction of the price of a parts watch. So I bought it. A few days in shipping, a few hours sweating over pulling and replacing the four hands, and a bit more gnashing my teeth to reprogram it, and the watch was ready to be cased, polished and subjected to an overnight trial.



Who would think this watch lume is 20 years old? I "lit it up" with the bathroom heat lamp for this photo 6pm , and it was still glowing when the cat woke me at 4:41 am.



Having passed its test, the watch got buckled on, and we headed north along the coast to Solana Beach, where we had never walked the sand before ... 

This is looking down south towards Del Mar. We were there a few weeks ago walking the estuary and looking at one of Bill Gates' houses.



This is looking North towards Solana Beach 



Sea grass



Pirate's loot in this cave? My wife thinks so, I think not.



This is walking right at low tide (about +1 ft) In a week or so the low tide will be several feet lower and the beach much wider.



A solitary yoga practitioner was stretching and grunting, with a towel over her head for anonymity or privacy.



Ok, whatever floats your back leg in the air; anything goes nowadays.



This is the only wildlife we saw. No pelicans.



They aren't kidding about cliff erosion!



I had so much fun getting my shadow in this picture that I failed to focus on the watch. But it's the same one you'll see elsewhere in this story, right? 
Notice (Mostel) that it has POLISHED CENTER LINKS on the bracelet. What was Seiko thinking?



The cliffs were NOT polished, they were brushed by the sea.






I liked this beautiful purple flower that Mrs C found poking out of the sheer rock cliff.


The waves didn't look that impressive to me, but it didn't stop a handful of folks from trying their best to catch a ride.



And above us a pair of small aircraft droned up and back along the shoreline. I could only catch one with the camera.



Happily the beach exit is just a few minutes walk from Passion Fine Jewelry, our favorite watch purveyors. We turned and trudged up the hill (going in the wrong lane, without masks on)


When we got to the top we learned all the things we can't do on the beach. Are they serious when they say "Please Enjoy" or is it irony?



We walked along the fabled Pacific Coast Highway for a few blocks, checking out the cars and bikes.



Fancy sidewalk mosaic art, starfish draped over the curb to deter skateboarders,



and over the tracks to the shop.



shown here



where we talked watches, kids, helicopters, and the state of the world. Not much talk of the Seiko, I'm afraid, as I am after some "more visible" hands for my Laine. These might work.



Thanks for coming along with us today.

Cazalea




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Comments: view entire thread

 

You buried the lede!

 
 By: Brandon Skinner : February 19th, 2021-13:58
Talking watches is always the headliner, c'mon now!

Watches, watches, watches

 
 By: cazalea : February 19th, 2021-17:22
This photo shows that my FIRST SEIKO GROUP SHOT taken almost 17 years ago contains 5 watches that I still own today. I think that's pretty amazing. Only the 7T59 1/100th Sec Chrono on top left is dead at the moment. ...  

Boring?!

 
 By: George Gently : February 19th, 2021-14:02
Never. Thanks for letting us walk along.

OK, another photo for you

 
 By: cazalea : February 19th, 2021-17:14
Girl on beach, walking ...  

Makes me want to walk my dog along that wonderful beach.

 
 By: George Gently : February 20th, 2021-00:25
If it weren’t for that “nothing is allowed” sign. Thanks, Mike.

Actually dogs are allowed where we started our walk

 
 By: cazalea : February 20th, 2021-05:14
At North Beach in Del Mar. About a half-mile up the beach they restrict dogs after 8 am, depending on the season. ...  

Good to know

 
 By: George Gently : February 22nd, 2021-00:40
Thanks for the extra info have a good day! George

Absolutely delightful, thank you,

 
 By: Gwai : February 19th, 2021-14:33
Sir. What for you is another walk on the beach seems to me a dream vacation in the realms of unobtainium, at least for the time being. Beautiful pictures, Mike! Cheers Marc

Thank you

 
 By: cazalea : February 19th, 2021-17:11
I do keep in mind that we are extraordinarily fortunate to live in such a beautiful place, AND after 40+ years working I now have the time to enjoy seeing more of it. Here's another flower photo for you. Mike ...  

Hello dear Mike

 
 By: renerod : February 19th, 2021-17:39
Thanks for sharing another nice and interesting walk with us. It's good to know you're ok. Best regards my friend. René

Thanks for reading

 
 By: cazalea : February 19th, 2021-20:41
Good to hear from you too, Rene. Photos for you - another watch being sorted out, so another walk someday. Mike ...  

Thank you for the new pictures?

 
 By: renerod : February 20th, 2021-12:46
Can you give us a little hint? A Lordmatic? A King Seiko? Best. René

Glad to be of service!

 
 By: cazalea : February 19th, 2021-20:42
...  

Thanks for the nice read !

 
 By: Ron_W : February 20th, 2021-00:40

Nice walk and nice Audi.

 
 By: Blansky : February 20th, 2021-06:21

The Solana Beach station is a regular stop when I am in the SD area....

 
 By: Ronald Held : February 20th, 2021-12:50
Stopped at that watch store once. How much was the spare 8J movement?

8F56 movement

 
 By: cazalea : February 20th, 2021-13:39
No cheap at $175 but what’s the alternative?