Bernard Cheong buys a used SEIKO (Seiko Spacewalk)

OK. I will admit I am not an "ordinary" collector of anything.
Others, whether print or internet media will recognise my almost approaching 40 years of collecting...no I recently dianosed that I am NOT AT ALL a hoarder.
I thought I was, for the last 10 years.
Seeing and consulting a psychiatrist put an end to that.

But today...allow me to enjoy sharing this watch by SEIKO.
In 2010, I nominated and campaigned and won recognition for THIS watch.
Against a most worthy competitor, the Richard Mille, which cost $400,000 sgd.
The SEIKO cost about $28,000 sgd.

There were 6 made for space use, and 100 made for collectors.

The rest of it, info, pics and all...google for it!

 The SEIKO SPACEWALK has no ordinary lugs. Instead it has a solid, or rather 2 solid, bars to allow a sepcial strap for use on spacesuits.
The strap, made of ballistic nylon, is provided, but non of us wear spaesuits.
So, a real salt water crocodile, not alligator, (Hermes Birkin people will know), strap is GENEROUSLY given!!!
This is the SPECIAL ATTITUDE of Japanese people.
When they make something special, they go ALL THE WAY.
Note that the crocodile strap has to have a dense notch, that is hand crafted and pressed, to fit exactly onto the watch.
The wax or oils on this strap is so meticulously applied, it feels GOOD.
There is a feel that one is holding something VERY precious.
Mind you...this is just the damned strap I am discribing.

There are an estimated 28 pieces of UNSOLD BRAND NEW SEIKO SPACEWALKS around the world.
There is one in Paris.

It is the ULTIMATE  in being NON brand conscious....but a statement of being pure in acquisition.
I must admit...even I do not have the moral capacity to buy one...until a friend bought this one, and decided that he wanted to buy another watch after 2 years...he is a good guy, a chap who is, to me, a TRUE collector of the very finest.

But, fortunesmiled on me...he is not one who keeps many watches!!!!
So I had the chance to buy this one from him.

I will find a away to repay him.

Most of all...I owe knowledge of this watch to one man....Su Jia Xian.

If you have time..go to his blog.."SJX's watches"....it is a DAMNED GOOD source of knowledge.
This is a man who collected watches, not because he had money, but because of their value...from the age of ELEVEN years old.
He is, by my word, the YOUNGEST watch collector known in history.

http://www.watchesbysjx.com/
He writes frequently for the newspapers and magazines today.

This is evidence that I am a hedonistic idiot.
But..all the same, the Grand Seiko Spring Drive chronograph that I bought new, at the same time as the owner (previous) of the Spacewalk, is a FANTASTIC watch of opulence and fine work.
Touch it, feel it, and you will know that only Patek and Rolex are comparable.
Forget the Lange of today.

I was once the proclaimer that Lange was among the best.
But today, I would only say that the early FIRST models..still available, are good.
BUT..buy them used..please.
They are too expensive today, and for those prices...you could and should look for Grand Seikos.

Rolex and Pateks are forever still good value.

Rolex...I will be crazy, but I am recomending only SOLID GOLD Rolex SARU or Rainbow Daytonas.

Mark my words..those will prove to out perform your cash deposits in the bank from 2010 to 2020.