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I Went To Japan!
I just lately got here again from a mission to Japan to discover a watch to purchase. Properly, I truly ended up with multiple, so keep tuned to see what I purchased. Though this looks as if a straightforward job, keep in mind that there are a ton of watches to select from in Japan: Seiko, Grand Seiko, Citizen, Casio, Orient, Kurono Tokyo, Kuoe, Minase, and an entire lot extra.
I’ve received a tip or two for watch buying in Japan. Let’s first check out some locations to purchase watches.
BIC Digicam
The BIC Digicam retailer sells extra than simply cameras and electronics. On the very prime stage, they’ve a flooring devoted solely to watches. This was my first time going right here, and let me simply say, I used to be in JDM watch heaven.
That they had each JDM watch model you possibly can consider, together with, yep, Grand Seiko. Naturally, I let my feelings information me and headed straight to the Grand Seiko part.
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I’ve by no means owned a Grand Seiko earlier than, however I actually wish to. May this journey mark the primary Grand Seiko to enter my assortment?
Previous to coming over to Japan, I had just a few Grand Seikos in thoughts, considered one of which occurred to be, on this case, the Sky Blue GMT reference SBGM253.
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Coming from the US, the alternate charges had been in our favor towards the yen.
Coupled with tax-free buying and an extra 5% promo low cost from BIC Digicam, you’re saving fairly a bit of cash versus shopping for one model new within the States.
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I made a decision to maintain shifting alongside and take a look at different manufacturers within the retailer. After all, I landed on three watches, all from Seiko. What can I say? Seiko is king.
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Three Seikos caught my eye: the basic however polarizing Seiko Tuna, a chronograph below the Spirit line, and the Seiko 5 Discipline GMT that everybody is raving about. I may see why. I’ve all the time wished to personal a Tuna, however even with the reductions, the value wasn’t nice for choosing one up.
That left the Discipline GMT and the Spirit chronograph in an icy blue dial that appears very paying homage to a platinum Rolex Daytona. Oh, and did I point out that this factor might be picked up for roughly 90 bucks? Yeah, I like Japan.
Seiko Dream Sq.
I promise this isn’t an article all about Seiko, however when in Japan, you need to go to their flagship Seiko retailer and idea area they name Seiko Dream Sq.. The constructing consists of a number of ranges, every highlighting completely different collections, similar to their Prospex line, Presage, and King Seiko, to call just a few.
To be trustworthy, it was cool, however I didn’t discover something worthy of choosing up. Nonetheless, it was cool to see a complete constructing full of Seikos of their flagship retailer.
Except they had been promoting classic divers, I had little interest in shopping for something right here, however it’s undoubtedly price a go to. I did, nonetheless, see that Seiko Tuna once more. Is that this an indication to choose one up?
Professional Tip: If visiting within the winter, be ready to be blasted with heaters on full blast in each retailer. I used to be sweating bullets in each store.
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If there’s one Grand Seiko boutique in your complete world to purchase a Grand Seiko, it’s at their flagship retailer in Ginza, situated of their well-known Wako Constructing. What can I say?
It was like being a child in a sweet retailer—or for any of you who had the pleasure of going to Disneyland as a baby, it felt identical to that.
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Nevertheless, as an alternative of shopping for an costly ticket and overpriced churros, you get the pleasure of buying a look ahead to 1000’s of {dollars} and sporting it in your wrist to stare at. Bizarre how our sense of pleasure adjustments as we grow old, proper?
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This place had every part from most of what you see in Grand Seiko’s catalog, restricted version fashions solely accessible in that retailer, and even watches from their Creator line that I’ll by no means have the ability to afford. They principally had every part—and likewise every part I didn’t need.
I spotted perhaps I’m not as a lot of a fan of Grand Seiko as I assumed, or maybe there isn’t a Grand Seiko for me in the meanwhile. This thought made me unhappy. It was at this level that my hunt for Grand Seiko ended. So, till subsequent time, Grand Seiko, I bid you farewell.
That doesn’t imply my hunt for watches was over, although.
Again to the Seikos
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Keep in mind these three Seikos I had my eyes on? I went again to think about them one final time. So it’s between the Tuna and the Spirit Chronograph.
I didn’t should assume a lot concerning the Spirit Chronograph, in order that’s going within the bag for positive.
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The Tuna, however, I needed to assume lengthy and onerous about. However in the long run, I handed.
Particularly with the present manufacturing mannequin that features the Prospex emblem, I couldn’t pull the set off on this one until a classic mannequin comes up later on this journey. That is referred to as foreshadowing.
Kurono Tokyo Salon
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Ever since Kurono Tokyo opened its Aoyama Salon in Tokyo, I knew I needed to go to it at some point. I imply, how usually do you get to have a look at each single watch from an impartial watch firm in a single place?
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Now, you possibly can’t actually purchase something right here, as Kurono Tokyo has its personal distinctive means of releasing watches on-line. At one level, you could possibly purchase unique Urushi lacquer dial items, however in fact, I got here just a few weeks too late—proper after the final one was offered.
Regardless, I encourage all of you to go to the salon. It’s a fantastic place to lounge round and check out their total catalog.
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Shortly earlier than my go to, Kurono Tokyo had simply launched their new set of 34mm watches referred to as the Calligra. I used to be tremendous excited that they’d them on show to deal with.
The Mom of Pearl dial variant was the model I used to be most desirous to see.
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Sadly, they had been solely accepting pre-orders for these watches, or I’d’ve purchased one proper on the spot.
The dial is way extra dynamic in particular person, and you may actually see the detailing that went into the customized typeface seen by the Breguet numerals, designed from the bottom up by Hajime Asaoka—the person behind this elusive model.
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For these fortunate sufficient to safe this piece, you’re in for a deal with. I’m actually excited so that you can expertise it for the primary time, simply as I did.
I’ve all the time been interested by their chronograph one which, in my view, is a advantageous instance of symmetry in an Artwork Deco design that may be very distinctive to their design philosophy.
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Now, this watch, sadly, is offered out and perpetually shall be, which is unhappy, however I’m glad I received in some wrist time with the chronograph. It principally by no means left my wrist the previous few minutes I used to be there, and you realize what, if that’s probably the most time I’m ever going to get with that chronograph, then that’s okay.
The Native Watch Scene
When doing all of your analysis on the place to search for watches in Tokyo, this place all the time pops up someplace within the listicle, and to be trustworthy, from what I’ve learn, I used to be terrified to go to.
I imply, I used to be already overwhelmed with the variety of selections that I got here throughout, and to be there at Nakano Broadway, the place 5 ranges within the constructing exist and, seemingly, each different retailer is a watch store promoting tons of if not 1000’s of watches from Timex’s all the way in which to Unbiased watchmaker items.
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Sure, I are likely to get resolution fatigue fairly simply and it didn’t assist that among the outlets had been near closing time, and I nonetheless wasn’t 100% happy with my watch buying in Japan.
Except for the stress of being in Nakano Broadway, it was fairly loopy to see how many individuals store for watches and usually are not simply vacationers right here. As a matter of reality, the bulk appear to be locals truly shopping for issues. So, after getting misplaced on this maze, I believe I might need discovered one thing.
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I discovered myself misplaced on this fairly large store referred to as Jack Highway and Betty and so they had every part from ultra-luxury impartial manufacturers all the way in which to previous classic Japanese watches, and one explicit part actually received me excited.
Out of every part in that part, the Citizen Bullhead caught my eye. It’s principally the identical watch seen in As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood however in a metal case fairly than the gold one.
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It was a cool watch, however after getting it in hand, it wanted fairly a bit of labor – the case wasn’t in the perfect form, the crystal was a bit too worn, and the operation of the pushers wanted a bit work.
Fortunately, my spouse talked me out of it as I used to be getting a bit antsy about choosing one thing up, however in the long run, we determined to maneuver alongside, and that’s once I got here throughout this small store referred to as Samurai Pleasure.
The Seiko Tuna Temptation
This one excited me much more than the final, because it had principally classic items. As soon as once more, a Wild Tuna seems to hang-out me – this one, nonetheless, is a Neo classic JDM model below the Marine Grasp line, predating the Prospects model sequence we see as we speak.
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Now was this my ultimate calling to choose up a Seiko Tuna? I imply, I’ve already come throughout one at BIC Digicam and even that one time visiting the Seiko Dream Sq.. The third time’s a appeal, proper?
I started to mirror on my watch hunt and actually considered whether or not I ought to proceed with the journey or simply finish it proper there. However simply once I was about to throw within the towel, I took one final probability to try one final retailer, and for some purpose, I knew there was one thing particular about this one.
Discovering the Holy Grail
Not like the final retailer we had been in, this had nothing however classic watches and actually nice items ranging all the way in which from previous Seikos that appear like museum items, sporty, dressy watches, and every part in between all the way in which to Swiss items that had been very effectively curated.
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And as if the watch gods had been trying down on my poor soul, I discovered it – I discovered considered one of my classic grails.
This watch is called the final of the nice Japanese mechanical chronographs to be created proper initially of the quartz disaster, which in the end pressured many manufacturers to focus their efforts on quartz know-how.
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It got here out of the ’70s, with its design that includes an octagonal case and pushers at 11:00 and 1:00 positions. Citizen calls this the Problem Timer, however we watch fans merely name it a Bullhead.
The Hollywood Connection
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I’ve all the time wished a Bullhead, particularly this one from Seiko, however ever since As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood featured a Citizen Bullhead on the wrist of Brad Pitt’s character, it received me researching a bit extra into Citizen’s choices.
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That’s once I found this octagonal case model, and since then, I’ve been holding an eye fixed out for the appropriate one.
And every part about this one, from the unique bracelet, authentic elements, and situation, ticked all the appropriate bins for me.
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At this level in my journey, I can in all probability say that I used to be already content material with my two pickups. I’ll be trustworthy: whereas in Kyoto, I didn’t have any extra intention of in search of watches, however as one does on public transportation, you find yourself in search of watch outlets round me, and I occur to be close to this Japanese microbrand retailer, Knot.
I first found Knot doing a little bit of analysis whereas in search of Japanese watch manufacturers previous to this journey, and I got here throughout their Urushi lacquer fashions, however sadly they didn’t have any of those on show.
The Native Watch Scene in Kyoto
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Nevertheless, the shop is fantastically designed, and I observed that the watches they’ve in inventory had been actually much like the brand new watch Fanatic and even simply the informal watch wearer as the costs had been truthful and the design was appropriate for a lot of tastes.
They’ve a number of shops all through Japan, so for those who’re close to one, give it a shot. I utterly forgot a couple of younger model that was born proper in Kyoto, so I simply needed to give their showroom, which doubles as their headquarters, a fast go to.
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Like a whole lot of different watch fans who found Kuoe, it was most certainly by Instagram, because it has caught a whole lot of our consideration with its navy area watch designs.
And this being their modest headquarters, they’d their total assortment laid out together with all of the straps you possibly can couple your watch with once you choose it up in-store.
I figured what higher option to mark my first time right here than with a domestically made watch not solely in Japan however in Kyoto itself, and so they actually do assemble their watches proper there of their headquarters.
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I requested to make use of the restroom earlier than I left and so they kindly let me go behind the curtains, the place they actually had a number of watch techs assembling the watches by hand, which was a reasonably cool sight to see.
I used to be questioning why I needed to wait round quarter-hour for my watch that I made a decision to choose up which ended up being the Outdated Smith 90-002.
The Good Memento
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This was their mannequin that basically put Kuoe on my radar. Though it could seem like some other easy three-hand watch, taking a better look in hand it’s rugged but elegant with its excessive polish case and creamy dial in a compact 35mm case.
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Now, there’s a 38mm case model, which can be a bit bit extra appropriate for fans preferring a bigger case, however to me, the 35mm model provides extra true classic British navy watch Vibes that I imagine the founder Kenji Uchimura was going for.
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In spite of everything, he drew inspiration for Kuoe as a scholar throughout his time in London, looking for vintage watches.
As of penning this, they solely have one location the place they function, assemble, and promote their watches however they instructed me that they’ll quickly be opening a devoted retailer, so I extremely encourage all of you to present them a go to everytime you’re in Kyoto.
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Last Ideas and Ideas
Right here’s a fast rundown on extra suggestions for watch buying in Japan: Make a want record of watches you wish to see or purchase, simply keep in mind there are extra than simply JDM watches to have a look at in Japan.
Map out the place you’d wish to hit up – Ginza for luxurious and Grand Seiko, Nakano Broadway for secondhand, and BIC Digicam for every part else.
Benefit from tax-free buying and reductions, search for division retailer and BIC Digicam coupons, and know your worth. Get an concept of watch costs earlier than heading to Japan.
Lastly, simply keep in mind to benefit from the hunt. You’re within the mecca of Japanese watchmaking, so simply soak all of it in and simply come to peace that you just received’t have the ability to see every part you would possibly wish to see in your record and that’s utterly okay. There’s all the time subsequent time.
And till subsequent time, I’m Chris from Clicky Bezel, and I hope you snag your very personal grail in Japan.
From a younger age, I used to be hooked on watches. My dad and uncle had been each collectors, and I couldn’t resist the attract of their timepieces. Nevertheless it wasn’t till I stumbled upon a Casio digital calculator watch in school that I actually fell in love. (I initially purchased the watch to finish my Again to the Future costume for an 80’s-themed social gathering)
It wasn’t till the discharge of the Swatch Moonswatch watches that Clicky Bezel got here to fruition. My spouse (bless her coronary heart) had been bugging me for years to begin a YouTube channel, and I lastly caved in with my first video overlaying my expertise tenting over 16 hours for the hyped-up Moonswatches.
In a comparatively brief time, I’ve been fortunate sufficient to attach and collaborate with some massive gamers within the trade, together with Nomos Glashütte, Jomashop, Minase, and now Fashionbeans. To study extra about my ardour, discover my content material right here on fashionbeans.com, observe my Youtube web page: https://www.youtube.com/c/ClickyBezel or go to my web site at: https://clickybezel.com/
