Catching a Unicorn – The Seiko Gifted by the Emperor of Japan
I often get asked by family and friends: “Why vintage Seiko?” I can trace my interest in this niche hobby to my childhood, coupled with the fact that I instinctively avoid the mainstream. Growing up in Saudi Arabia in the early 1980s, Japanese technology was found in the majority of products. When it came to watches, there were two market leaders: Casio and Seiko. Everyone at school, myself included, had a Casio of some sort. Seiko watches, on the other hand, were worn by the working professional. I remember clearly being in awe of my headmaster’s watch. It was a Seiko that had a golden-yellow face with a sub-dial. I thought to myself that his success and authority must have come from the watch. I wanted that glorious watch that gave the headmaster his power. Fast forward 25 years to 2017, and I noticed myself subconsciously buying retro Japanese technology, watching episodes of anime series Grendizer and looking for a vintage, yellow-dial Seiko watch – cue my pursuit of vintage Seiko and Casio. The first vintage Seiko I bought was a yellow-dial, all-original ref. 6139-6005 “Pogue” – named after the American astronaut who wore one – from a well-known Seiko seller on Instagram. I had waited almost a year for a Pogue in original condition at a decent price, which frustrated me. After that, I wanted to jump the queue, so to speak, while being under the radar as I knew I couldn’t compete with many of the more serious Seiko collectors. So I hatched a plan: ...
Time+Tide
