cazalea[Seiko Moderator]
17091
Watches FOUND after a long search Part 2
Nov 12, 2014,16:53 PM
Here's another story in the Watches FOUND after a long search (Don't give up!) saga.
I heard about a special Seiko Chronograph that was issued at the 40th anniversary (2004) of Seiko's first Chrono.
As it turned out, it was a Kinetic Sportura variant, using the 9T82 movement.
Below you can see it on the left, and on the right, my original Kinetic Sportura Chronograph with the same movement.
I don't know why this watch struck my fancy, but the facts were:
1 produced years before in a small run of 300
2 it had a top-quality decorated movement
3 with display back
4 a ceramic bezel
5 a large sapphire crystal
6 and it was UNAVAILABLE
got me interested.
(38 jewels too)
I searched the web for several months - using Google translate and trawling through dozens of Japanese marts and forums. I finally found the watch I wanted.
One owner, but "Like New In Box" condition (aren't they all?). I contacted the seller.
After a few days delay I got an email back "This is for my father. He doesn't speak English. We don't sell outside Japan. Sorry"
Of course this is like waving a red flag to a bull.
I had to do something, but what? I knew no one in Japan but one other guy I had bought a watch from. He's not a Purist and the fact that he's a "dealer" of sorts made him a competitor to this seller. But I had no one else to turn to, so I swallowed my misgivings and emailed him:
"Will you buy this watch for me and mail it to the USA? or if I buy it directly, can I have him ship it to you, and you mail it on to me? I will pay you for your trouble."
My contact replied fairly quickly, saying,
"Let me pursue this for you. I will get back to you when I learn what the seller wants to do. I am sure he wants to make some money from this watch. I am happy to help."
I waited anxiously for several days (chewing fingernails, wondering what might go wrong, you know what I mean). Finally I got an email back from Japan:
"I have the watch. I negotiated with the old man and lowered the price by $300. Shipping will be $35 so just send me the asking price minus $265."
Who could ask for more than that! I tried to give him a commission but he wouldn't take it. So within another week I had the watch, box, papers, etc. Here's a photo I took the day that it arrived at my office, in September 2009 (at this point the watch was 5 years old).
and here it is today:
Don't give up. Keep on looking! And tell us your success (or failure) stories of searching for that special Seiko, please.
Cazalea
This message has been edited by cazalea on 2014-11-12 18:01:50