Watch Purchasing in Japan: The Final Information to Snagging Grails and Hidden Gems | FashionBeans

I Went To Japan!

I lately got here again from a mission to Japan to discover a watch to purchase. Effectively, I truly ended up with multiple, so keep tuned to see what I purchased. Though this looks as if a straightforward process, 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 obtained a tip or two for watch buying in Japan. Let’s first check out some locations to purchase watches.

 

BIC Digital camera

The BIC Digital camera retailer sells extra than simply cameras and electronics. On the very prime degree, they’ve a ground 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’ll be able to consider, together with, yep, Grand Seiko. Naturally, I let my feelings information me and headed straight to the Grand Seiko part.

I’ve by no means owned a Grand Seiko earlier than, however I actually need to. Might 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, one in every of which occurred to be, on this case, the Sky Blue GMT reference SBGM253.

Coming from the US, the change charges had been in our favor in opposition to the yen.

Coupled with tax-free buying and a further 5% promo low cost from BIC Digital camera, you’re saving fairly a bit of cash versus shopping for one model new within the States.

I made a decision to maintain transferring 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.

Three Seikos caught my eye: the basic however polarizing Seiko Tuna, a chronograph below the Spirit line, and the Seiko 5 Subject GMT that everybody is raving about. I might see why. I’ve all the time needed to personal a Tuna, however even with the reductions, the value wasn’t nice for choosing one up.

That left the Subject GMT and the Spirit chronograph in an icy blue dial that appears very harking back to a platinum Rolex Daytona. Oh, and did I point out that this factor may very well be picked up for roughly 90 bucks? Yeah, I really like Japan.

Seiko Dream Sq.

I promise this isn’t an article all about Seiko, however when in Japan, it’s a must to go to their flagship Seiko retailer and idea house they name Seiko Dream Sq.. The constructing consists of a number of ranges, every highlighting totally different collections, equivalent to their Prospex line, Presage, and King Seiko, to call just a few.

To be sincere, it was cool, however I didn’t discover something worthy of choosing up. Nonetheless, it was cool to see a whole constructing stuffed with Seikos of their flagship retailer.

Except they had been promoting classic divers, I had little interest in shopping for something right here, but it surely’s positively value a go to. I did, nevertheless, 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.

If there’s one Grand Seiko boutique in the 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 similar to that.

Nonetheless, as a substitute of shopping for an costly ticket and overpriced churros, you get the pleasure of buying a look ahead to 1000’s of {dollars} and carrying it in your wrist to stare at. Bizarre how our sense of pleasure modifications as we become old, proper?

This place had every thing from most of what you see in Grand Seiko’s catalog, restricted version fashions solely obtainable in that retailer, and even watches from their Creator line that I’ll by no means be capable of afford. They principally had every thing—and likewise every thing I didn’t need.

I spotted perhaps I’m not as a lot of a fan of Grand Seiko as I believed, or maybe there isn’t a Grand Seiko for me in the mean time. 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

Bear in mind these three Seikos I had my eyes on? I went again to contemplate them one final time. So it’s between the Tuna and the Spirit Chronograph.

I didn’t must suppose a lot in regards to the Spirit Chronograph, in order that’s going within the bag for certain.

The Tuna, however, I needed to suppose lengthy and laborious about. However ultimately, I handed.

Particularly with the present manufacturing mannequin that features the Prospex brand, I couldn’t pull the set off on this one except a classic mannequin comes up later on this journey. That is known as foreshadowing.

Kurono Tokyo Salon

Ever since Kurono Tokyo opened its Aoyama Salon in Tokyo, I knew I needed to go to it in the future. I imply, how usually do you get to have a look at each single watch from an impartial watch firm in a single place?

Now, you’ll be able to’t actually purchase something right here, as Kurono Tokyo has its personal distinctive method of releasing watches on-line. At one level, you would purchase unique Urushi lacquer dial items, however after all, 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 an ideal place to lounge round and try their total catalog.

Shortly earlier than my go to, Kurono Tokyo had simply launched their new set of 34mm watches known 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 desperate to see.

Sadly, they had been solely accepting pre-orders for these watches, or I might’ve purchased one proper on the spot.

The dial is much extra dynamic in particular person, and you’ll actually see the detailing that went into the customized typeface seen by means of the Breguet numerals, designed from the bottom up by Hajime Asaoka—the person behind this elusive model.

For these fortunate sufficient to safe this piece, you’re in for a deal with. I’m really 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 high quality instance of symmetry in an Artwork Deco design that could be very distinctive to their design philosophy.

Now, this watch, sadly, is offered out and ceaselessly will likely be, which is unhappy, however I’m glad I obtained 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 already know what, if that’s essentially 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 sincere, 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 a whole lot if not 1000’s of watches from Timex’s all the best way to Unbiased watchmaker items.

Sure, I are inclined to get choice fatigue fairly simply and it didn’t assist that among the retailers 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 are usually 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 may need discovered one thing.

I discovered myself misplaced on this fairly huge store known as Jack Street and Betty they usually had every thing from ultra-luxury impartial manufacturers all the best way to previous classic Japanese watches, and one explicit part actually obtained me excited.

Out of every thing 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 slightly than the gold one.

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 of work.

Fortunately, my spouse talked me out of it as I used to be getting a bit of antsy about choosing one thing up, however ultimately, we determined to maneuver alongside, and that’s once I got here throughout this small store known as Samurai Pleasure.

The Seiko Tuna Temptation

This one excited me much more than the final, because it had largely classic items. As soon as once more, a Wild Tuna seems to hang-out me – this one, nevertheless, is a Neo classic JDM model below the Marine Grasp line, predating the Prospects model sequence we see right this moment.

Now was this my last calling to choose up a Seiko Tuna? I imply, I’ve already come throughout one at BIC Digital camera and even that one time visiting the Seiko Dream Sq.. The third time’s a attraction, proper?

I started to replicate on my watch hunt and actually thought of 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 check out one final retailer, and for some cause, 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 best way from previous Seikos that appear like museum items, sporty, dressy watches, and every thing in between all the best way to Swiss items that had been very nicely curated.

And as if the watch gods had been wanting down on my poor soul, I discovered it – I discovered one in every of my classic grails.

This watch is named the final of the nice Japanese mechanical chronographs to be created proper at first of the quartz disaster, which in the end compelled many manufacturers to focus their efforts on quartz expertise.

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 fanatics merely name it a Bullhead.

The Hollywood Connection

I’ve all the time needed 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 obtained me researching a bit extra into Citizen’s choices.

That’s once I found this octagonal case model, and since then, I’ve been retaining a watch out for the correct one.

And every thing about this one, from the unique bracelet, authentic elements, and situation, ticked all the correct packing containers for me.

At this level in my journey, I can most likely say that I used to be already content material with my two pickups. I’ll be sincere: 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 retailers 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

Nonetheless, the shop is superbly designed, and I observed that the watches they’ve in inventory had been actually just like the brand new watch Fanatic and even simply the informal watch wearer as the costs had been honest and the design was appropriate for a lot of tastes.

They’ve a number of shops all through Japan, so in the event you’re close to one, give it a shot. I fully forgot a few 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.

Like plenty of different watch fanatics who found Kuoe, it was most probably by means of Instagram, because it has caught plenty of our consideration with its army discipline watch designs.

And this being their modest headquarters, they’d their total assortment laid out together with all of the straps you’ll be able to couple your watch with if you choose it up in-store.

I figured what higher strategy to mark my first time right here than with a domestically made watch not solely in Japan however in Kyoto itself, they usually really do assemble their watches proper there of their headquarters.

I requested to make use of the restroom earlier than I left they usually 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 Previous Smith 90-002.

The Good Memento

This was their mannequin that basically put Kuoe on my radar. Though it could seem like every 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.

Now, there’s a 38mm case model, which can be a bit of bit extra appropriate for fanatics preferring a bigger case, however to me, the 35mm model offers extra true classic British army watch Vibes that I imagine the founder Kenji Uchimura was going for.

In any case, he drew inspiration for Kuoe as a pupil 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 informed 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.

Watch This Overview

Last Ideas and Ideas

Right here’s a fast rundown on extra suggestions for watch buying in Japan: Make a want listing of watches you prefer to see or purchase, simply bear in mind there are extra than simply JDM watches to have a look at in Japan.

Map out the place you’d prefer to hit up – Ginza for luxurious and Grand Seiko, Nakano Broadway for secondhand, and BIC Digital camera for every thing else.

Reap the benefits of tax-free buying and reductions, search for division retailer and BIC Digital camera coupons, and know your value. Get an thought of watch costs earlier than heading to Japan.

Lastly, simply bear 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 gained’t be capable of see every thing you would possibly need to see in your listing and that’s fully 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.