Seiko

I embarked upon a mini vacation/roadtrip to Charleston, SC  a few weeks ago. It started to rain while I was walking around the city post- Ft. Sumter tour and… “hey, that’s a watch place.” “Look they even have that bright/Kelly green “ROLEX” sign above the doorway. Eh, what the heck?”

Despite looking like a drowned albeit Gore-Tex -shrouded rat carrying an ancient LL Bean back pack, the sales people at the local pusher/AD

welcomed me in and asked if they could help. I of course immediately asked for a new no-date Sub but, well, most of us mortals know how that goes. Having gotten that conversation snippet out of the way I decided to walk around and see what was on offer. 

Rolex?  Need I say more?  Aside from a few Lady DateJusts the pickings were slim.  So I took a right turn past “the area where the Rolexes would reside were they not an endangered species like the black rhino” and found a few counters with a decent selection of Tudor, Omega, a decent (to me a bit overpriced) vintage selection, and… Grand Seiko. 

I bought an SLA017 when they first came out and it’s a nice watch. But I’d never handled a GS.  

So I guess most of us get the “ooh, watches, cool” thought upon seeing new and interesting watches.  But I was smitten by what I saw in the Grand Seiko display. 

And so, upon peering into the Grand Seiko display, I alternately saw and thought:  I would love to see what the fuss is about; GMT (don’t have one of those); Hi-Beat movement (don’t have one of those either, and that’s supposedly one of Seiko/Grand Seiko’s best); and that’s a titanium case (nope don’t have one of those either and I kick myself for not getting one of those IWC GSTs); oh yeah and a white dial, which looks freaking amazing (only white dial I have is Grandpa’s Omega dress watch which I hardly ever wear).  So, yeah, let’s try that one.  Damnit… I like this watch. 

Long story short.  I said I’d go “home” (back to my hotel, the Charleston Belmond Place) which was fantastic BTW https://www.belmond.com/hotels/north-america/usa/sc/charleston/belmond-charleston-place/, and think about it. 

I thought about getting a new watch —  that watch — all night despite several good drinks and some really good food.  And then the next day, it was a “fait accompli.”

The bracelet is cool but I’m wearing the watch on a new single fold NATO for now. And I’m consider some new strap options including some of GS’s offerings. 

Another thing: The lugs on this thing are large and shiny, which is not typically to my taste. But the way they alternately disappear and briefly reappear due to their “black” mirror finishing is pretty cool. 

And that fantastic dial… and it’s been super accurate, too. 

All in all, I could have done worse. 

Thanks for reading. 

More posts: Grand SeikoSeiko ProspexSLA017Tudor

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