Grand Seiko dinner in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

(Report and photos by LiLing) Seiko and its local distributer Thong Sia Sdn Bhd kindly hosted a dinner for Seiko fans in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, earlier this month, in conjunction with A Journey Through Time (AJTT), a 10 day watch fair at the Starhill Gallery organised by YTL Corp, one of Malaysia's largest companies. The dinner venue was Chiaroscuro, one of KL's best Italian restaurants, thanks to the good taste of one lady. In attendance was Kaoru Matsumoto of Seiko Watch Corp., who came all the way from Tokyo just for AJTT. He was in Kuala Lumpur for Also present were Dr Bernard Cheong and Su Jia Xian (SJX) from Singapore, who were both also in KL for AJTT.

Enjoying the champagne and pre dinner drinks – life is good

Food is served - 24 month cured Ruliano Riserva parma ham, rock melon and mozzarella stuffed zucchini flower

Too busy looking at watches to eat

Patrick trying to figure out how heavy the raw quartz crystal is

Bernard checking out Needles’s quills.

Venus clam guazetto – delicious and too small a portion... I want more !

Crepes mushroom skin open ravioli, duck ragout, foie gras, light pumpkin sauce – the ravioli melted in my mouth

Baked invertebrate coral grouper, sautéed endive, black truffle and saffron sauce

Ling Hua Keong looking serious

Beauties

Grand Seiko SBGM003

Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph in steel

Can’t decide between the two - Spring Drive Chronographs in rose gold and steel

Table shot – what an amazing collection !

All the way from Seiko Watch Corporation in Tokyo... Mr Kaoru Matsumoto

One of our youngest and best looking Purists members - Jacky

Bernard taking a shot of the watches

We can chat the night away

Catching up with buddies

What good looking time pieces

Cooked at low temperature veal loin, fried bone marrow, morel mushrooms, chianti sauce

Chocolate Millecrespe with vanilla sauce – the best in town

I would have licked my plate if no one was looking

Guests enjoying their desserts

It is nice to make a new friend

Group photo

Saying good byes

Needles the Celebrity hedgehog wishes everyone a Happy New Year !

This message has been edited by SJX on 2010-12-25 07:50:28

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Thanks SJX for the post..

By: LiL : December 25th, 2010-08:59

the dinner was memorable - fab watches , delicious food and good company - the perfect end to a exciting year.

And thanks to your indispensable role in putting it together. - SJX

It was indeed my pleasure to help out [nt]

By: LiL : December 25th, 2010-22:06

The last picture is adorable! Thank you, Li Ling . . .

By: Dr No : December 25th, 2010-12:29

. . . for sharing this Grand Seiko event. I suspect it's the first, but probably not last, time a hedgehog has held sway at a gathering of watch enthusiasts . . . cordially, Art

It was Needles's first Watch event...

By: LiL : December 25th, 2010-21:53

Great dinner. But why is Bernard petting the hedgehog?

By: patrick_y : December 25th, 2010-16:31

Looks like a fabulous dinner with great attendees... But one of the strangest attendees isn't a watch lover at all, it's an animal, a hedgehog. But can someone please tell me what the hedgehog is doing at the dinner table? And why is Needles a celebrity h...

Needles likes to think of himself as a celebrity hedgehog

By: LiL : December 25th, 2010-22:01

because there are so many pictures of him on the internet. OK that does not necessarily qualify him to be a celebrity but since he is young, cute and innocent, we usually humour him. You may view some of his pics on the Purists Travel Forum Kuala Lumpur h...

Please sign me up for Needle's fan club!

By: patrick_y : December 26th, 2010-08:09

Wow! I'm looking forward to meeting Needles, and he's certainly got very good taste in food and vacationing. Sign me up for Needle's fan club!

Please add him

By: LiL : December 26th, 2010-08:23

Thanks for the post SJX.

By: fernando : December 25th, 2010-17:59

That RG chrono is awesome! Is that in the regular GS line up? cheers fernando

Yes it is part of the regular line-up. [nt]

By: SJX : December 25th, 2010-20:59

No message body

Thanks! [nt]

By: fernando : December 25th, 2010-23:44

wonderful pics of both watches and food

By: playtime : December 25th, 2010-18:54

thanks for sharing! J

Thanks for viewing and

By: LiL : December 25th, 2010-22:09

I think Needles should have his own forum of cuteness!

By: dxboon : December 25th, 2010-20:18

Only on PPro will you find posts talking about great watches and featuring albino hedgehogs! Very cool! Looks like a fun gathering, and the food...wow! Fried bone marrow for me please! Cheers, Daos

Well, Needles does not have his own forum.. but he has his own

By: LiL : December 25th, 2010-22:08

Facebook page. His wife Pins gave birth to 6 pink hoglets recently and you may view their daily progress here. www.facebook.com .php#!/needles.ong?v=photos Please feel free to add Needles to your list of friends :o)

OMG! I'm gonna die! I know the babies will be so cute!

By: dxboon : December 25th, 2010-22:17

Too cute, LiL . . .

By: Dr No : December 26th, 2010-18:19

Thanks for the wonderful post SJX.

By: TdotBean : December 25th, 2010-20:51

Hope to see you soon with other gang. Best Tyler

Likewise, hope to catch up again soon. [nt]

By: SJX : December 25th, 2010-21:00

Thanks LiLing for the report

By: MTF : December 25th, 2010-21:02

I did not know you like Grand Seiko too. I thought it was only Audemars Piguet. Regards, MTF

I have only 1 Seiko watch

By: LiL : December 25th, 2010-22:04

Thanks to Seiko....

By: Jacky : December 26th, 2010-01:18

I'd like to say thanks to Seiko and Jia Xian for the invites, not forgetting our very own LiLing Thanks to all for a wonderful night, good choice of place, Lil Having a Grande Seiko gtg is rare, almost none existence in Malaysia thus far, truely appreciat...

Hiii Jacky, merry Christmas to u and

By: LiL : December 26th, 2010-05:56

Thanks SJX

By: Quan : December 26th, 2010-03:21

Good to read you Quan.

By: SJX : December 26th, 2010-03:31

Cool gathering and very cute needles. Is he/she albino?

By: patrickmaniac : December 26th, 2010-05:27

Cheers PAt

Yes Needles is a albino hedgehog..

By: LiL : December 26th, 2010-05:53

Looked like a good time, althugh Needles seemed to be..

By: Ronald Held : December 26th, 2010-06:03

upstaging the event.

Needles loves the attention and likes to take photos with everyone

By: LiL : December 26th, 2010-06:21

Thanks to both SJX and LiLing for the invitation and report....

By: Sleng : December 26th, 2010-07:03

It was indeed a great GS GTG....great food, best Japanese watches and best Purists for company..., what more can I ask...nice to catch up with our SG Purists as well as the Seiko Reps...especially Kaoru Matsumoto of Seiko Watch Corp, who flew all the way ...

All the best to u too..

By: LiL : December 26th, 2010-08:20

Thanks SJX

By: aldossari_faisal : December 26th, 2010-09:55

Thanks, Seiko, SJX, Liling and others for making this event a reality in Malaysia.

By: ling5hk : December 26th, 2010-20:08

It was indeed a rare GS event in Malaysia. Excellent choice of venue for the event . Great host. Nice surprises - including the BIG quartz presented to Bernard by Seiko's representative and guests were invited to sign autograph for Seiko. Old and new face...

It was a pleasant evening..

By: LiL : December 27th, 2010-00:16

Thanks Seiko for the dinner

By: patrickau : December 26th, 2010-23:51

and LiLing for the arrangements. Now I know where to get great Italian food in KL. Thanks Bernard for sharing the romantic story of how Seiko "grow" their own quartz crystal to be used in GS spring drives. One will never look at Spring Drives the same way...

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