Unboxing the platinum first-model Grand Seiko
Jun 19, 2015 12:12:13 GMT -8
lordflagpolecrabtree, antfarm, and 4 more like this
Post by estrickland on Jun 19, 2015 12:12:13 GMT -8
Package arrived from USPS today, total travel time door-to-door from Tokyo was 5 days.
For those that missed the 'What you have coming in the mail' post, here's a blurb:
Unpacking:
Double-boxed, with an unassuming inner box:
Everything nicely packed individually:
Out of the box:
SpeedTimer pamphlet:
NOS 6139 movement holder:
... and the Grand Seiko box:
Watch packed well, box is in great shape and includes the yellow silk tray, with the documents underneath:
Here is everything pulled out. Hang Tags, manual, original chronometry paperwork:
... and a closeup of the GS:
Buckle is already tarnishing, and the vintage-but-not-original strap is stiff, so putting on a black GS 18x16mm strap, with the Limited Edition GS buckle, which is as close to the original buckle as I could find:
Finally here it is on the wrist:
Thanks for reading!
For those that missed the 'What you have coming in the mail' post, here's a blurb:
This is the almost-mythical 1963 first-model Grand Seiko in platinum, one of my holiest of grails, and I couldn't be much more excited.
This watch is from a single-owner, and comes with a complete set including original buckle, box, papers, hang tags and June 1963 chronometry paperwork. All parts outside the strap are original.
The watch comes with May 2015 OEM service paperwork, and is reported to be running to chronometer spec, +1 sec/day face-up with a full wind.
The case on the platinum 3180 is solid pt850 - (85% platinum by weight or ~20karat), resulting in a 57g case weight vs the 38g weight of its gold-filled siblings (which are ~3% gold by weight - 14KT gold layered over a brass core).
From the dial emblem, I believe the indices are also solid platinum. I am not sure about the hands.
The buckle is 15mm and (rhodium?) plated brass, so I'll probably put it in storage.
On the downside, I'll be selling more than 8 watches to help cover the cost, but generally they're replaceable or upgradeable,
and I probably would have sold or upgraded them at some point anyway.
I expect to wear the watch in rotation with the rest of them, so you should see it in the WRUW threads.
This watch is from a single-owner, and comes with a complete set including original buckle, box, papers, hang tags and June 1963 chronometry paperwork. All parts outside the strap are original.
The watch comes with May 2015 OEM service paperwork, and is reported to be running to chronometer spec, +1 sec/day face-up with a full wind.
The case on the platinum 3180 is solid pt850 - (85% platinum by weight or ~20karat), resulting in a 57g case weight vs the 38g weight of its gold-filled siblings (which are ~3% gold by weight - 14KT gold layered over a brass core).
From the dial emblem, I believe the indices are also solid platinum. I am not sure about the hands.
The buckle is 15mm and (rhodium?) plated brass, so I'll probably put it in storage.
On the downside, I'll be selling more than 8 watches to help cover the cost, but generally they're replaceable or upgradeable,
and I probably would have sold or upgraded them at some point anyway.
I expect to wear the watch in rotation with the rest of them, so you should see it in the WRUW threads.
Double-boxed, with an unassuming inner box:
Everything nicely packed individually:
Out of the box:
SpeedTimer pamphlet:
NOS 6139 movement holder:
... and the Grand Seiko box:
Watch packed well, box is in great shape and includes the yellow silk tray, with the documents underneath:
Here is everything pulled out. Hang Tags, manual, original chronometry paperwork:
... and a closeup of the GS:
Buckle is already tarnishing, and the vintage-but-not-original strap is stiff, so putting on a black GS 18x16mm strap, with the Limited Edition GS buckle, which is as close to the original buckle as I could find:
Finally here it is on the wrist:
Thanks for reading!
Congratulations..
Especially the GS 62! 
