Thanks...

Feb 10, 2017,04:29 AM
 

Hi Gerald...Can you educate me why you are so certain that the recent SS3180 is a fake one while it looks very similar to those that you mentioned that are real?
It also has the chronometer medallion, similar dial, movement and case. So what make this particular model a fake? I think the buyer paid around $8500 for it.
Thanks in advance.

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Stainless Steel Grand Seiko 3180

 
 By: CL : February 8th, 2017-15:34
A good friend who knows the people from GrandSeiko management help me ask them about the existence of Grand Seiko SS 3180. Grand Seiko management told him that many people had asked them this question over the years. They did investigate about this with n... 

They exist.

 
 By: gerald.d : February 8th, 2017-22:26
I have it on extremely good authority (two sources) that these actually do exist. However, it is alleged that there are fake examples out there, and I'm pretty certain that one sold recently Here are some photos of mine... The quality of my one is extraor...  

What a response!

 
 By: KMII : February 8th, 2017-23:19
I bow to your knowledge Gerald! Learned a lot - and as there are so few of these out there, it\'s fantastic of you to share this - no other sources for us

fantastic info...

 
 By: mahesh : February 9th, 2017-02:35
& wonderful watch...simple & humble dial. Thanks for sharing Gerald ! Best, mahesh.,

I'm aware of these...

 
 By: CL : February 9th, 2017-06:24
hence I'm impressed by option 2 and option 3. There's ton of vintage Omega that are nicely franken too, with beautiful dial. Why not Grand Seiko? It's very desirable. Note that I'm not the one who claims these are 'fakes'. It is Seiko themselves. You said... 

Very desirable...

 
 By: gerald.d : February 9th, 2017-08:16
Here's the thing. If these are so desirable, how come there are so few of them? How come we don't see them up for sale all the time? The "make it with whatever they can find" doesn't make sense. Carved dial 3180's in good condition are hitting close to $4... 

Hi Gerald...Not to disagree with you.

 
 By: CL : February 9th, 2017-13:13
I was just stating the official reply from Seiko. I don't know how come your source from Seiko is different as mine said this is the official answer since they find no sales record and most importantly, no manufacture record. Even if they do it for intern... 

I'm sorry if I offend anyone here with this sharing...

 
 By: CL : February 9th, 2017-13:35
if I do hear otherwise from Seiko, I will share. Franken or not, this is a beautiful watch. No doubt about that. Still, your V.F.A still win the fight any day, without any dispute.

No reason for anyone to take offence

 
 By: gerald.d : February 9th, 2017-19:33
Hi John - I don't think anyone should take any offence from this. Certainly from my perspective, it's a fascinating discussion. Clearly you and I have different contacts who have different perspectives on the matter. Hopefully one day there will be an off... 

Thanks...

 
 By: CL : February 10th, 2017-04:29
Hi Gerald...Can you educate me why you are so certain that the recent SS3180 is a fake one while it looks very similar to those that you mentioned that are real? It also has the chronometer medallion, similar dial, movement and case. So what make this par... 

The hour indices...

 
 By: gerald.d : February 10th, 2017-09:44
... are totally wrong. Have a look at a Seiko Liner Chronometer...

So other than the hour indices are different...

 
 By: CL : February 10th, 2017-12:11
everything else is correct? Thanks.

I think this latest example...

 
 By: CL : February 10th, 2017-12:21
illustrated an important point. It literally has the correct dial, correct case and even the correct medallion. But it has a different hour indices. All the other examples that you think is real have various variants but they are consider authentic? So ho... 

No, I did not say that. Please don't misrepresent what I have said.

 
 By: gerald.d : February 10th, 2017-18:55
What I said was that according to two different sources, the SS3180 exists as a real watch made by Seiko. I made no claim that the ones that I am aware of are considered to be authentic. I even specifically said with regards to my own personal watch "I sh... 

Ok...noted.

 
 By: CL : February 11th, 2017-10:35
I accuse you of nothing. I'm talking abut the watch, not you.

Officially, they do not exist.

 
 By: KIH : February 11th, 2017-16:27
But they do. Why and how? The best guess from the God of Adjustment at SEIKO is that there were bunch of prototype parts made in SS, and someone assembled the movement from the spare parts and put them in the prototype SS cases. His best guess is the SS i...  

Medallion?

 
 By: gerald.d : February 11th, 2017-22:15
Hi Ken - Is your medallion steel or gold? It's hard to make out in the photo. Interestingly we are now seeing differences on the inside of the case back as well. The markings on mine are identical to yours. One of the other ones out there is very differen... 

Brilliant reply and insight :-)

 
 By: CL : February 12th, 2017-08:32
WOWOWWOWOOOWWOWOWOW.....you know the Seiko God!!! I heard he is phenomenon. Kudos to you . You must introduce me to him one day

Sure I will - he is the one of the team members who re-started GS line in the modern days.

 
 By: KIH : February 12th, 2017-16:12
When he finishes his current task - training the customer service center watchmakers all around the world. He seldom is in Japan, at the age of around 60. Poor old man. He is so underappreciated and I really think that he deserves some national medal, whi... 

Ah my friend this delves into another interest/collecting obsession of mine, maybe the Medal of Honor or Order of the Rising Sun? I know a lot of watchmakers have received Japan's Medal of Honor (Civil Division of course)

 
 By: Rogi : February 12th, 2017-16:39
but has there ever been one that is so worthy of receiving the nation's Order of the Rising Sun? It seems to be the case here He has certainly advanced his field and made a significant contribution to it. P.S. Just a related question, what ribbon do watch... 

I think those dedicated to..

 
 By: KIH : February 16th, 2017-19:24
... making things receive "Yellow"..,

An update...

 
 By: gerald.d : September 27th, 2018-04:08
I hope it's ok posting this link here. TGSG is a commerical site, but more than that I expend a significant amount of time and money on research and sharing insight with the wider community, so it's not all about selling watches. Here's 6,000 words on the...