Thoughts on Taro Tanaka Designed Vintage Seikos- Worth Finding Them?

[lucevan le stelle]

As a number of Seiko afficienados know, Taro Tanaka was Seiko's first true watch designer, on par with, or perhaps better, given his less developed watch industry, than the famed Gerald Genta, who designed several iconic Swiss watches. There are a number of online sources on Tanaka's " Grammar of Design" for Seiko and the "Seiko Style" he created that serves as a basis for today's Grand Seikos.

Since I am finding that his vintage Seikos speak to me a bit more than vintage Rolex, I am wondering about member thoughts and experiences in acquiring or considering his seminal models and their price points. Can they be reasonably found? Any good, reliable sources? Does it make sense to buy, given whatever issues members find with vintage Seikos,(I understand that a good number have never been regularly serviced or were excessively polished/reconditioned )?

In my case, I am thinking about his original Seiko 5 Sportsmatic (1963), the Grand Seiko Self-Dater-57S (1964-), the famed 44GS, and the 61GS, V.F.A. or other.

[Lol-x]

Those models that you mention going back over 50 years now I think would be extremely rare and almost impossible to find. I personally haven't seen them.

[Old Expat Beast]

Have you considered something like the King Seiko 5621-7020, the 5625-7000 or the 5626-7000? These are basically the no-date, date and day-date versions of a late-60s/early-70s KS with strong 44GS-style Tanaka grammar, and can be found quite cheaply (around $500-600). No service record doesn't bother me with these so much as the over polished reconditioned ones that tend to come out of Korea. Just make sure the quick set is working on the day-date version.

Also a couple of interesting points here in case you missed them: https://www.fratellowatches.com/top-...seiko-watches/ and here: http://wornandwound.com/affordable-v...90-44ks-rules/ and here https://musingsofawatchaddict.wordpr...-daily-beater/

[lucevan le stelle]

Thanks Adam, all good stuff! I am trying to run down the Tanaka "firsts" but would like to pick up, at a minimum, a 5621 and 44KS, but seeking to stay with stateside sellers due to the obvious issues with overseas sellers, understand I probably have to go with Japanese sellers. A significant issue here is a watch repairman familiar with vintage Seikos. I have one for Swiss, but they will pass on these due to parts, and familiarity. Will be contacting the Seiko repair center near NYC to see if they will do them as they might my JDM models. Since I will be in China this year and may shoot down to the South can you suggest any sellers in HK, or repair resources to which vintage can be sent?

It would be great if you could share your experience for guys like me starting out in Seiko as well as Tudor with your suggestions on buying and examples of your collection. Anyway, continue to look forward to your postings here.

[Old Expat Beast]

I don’t think vintage King Seiko parts are any harder to find than vintage Rolex or ETA parts; if anything probably easier. There are dealers all over the world on eBay selling reasonably priced NOS movement parts, which is one of the reasons I feel comfortable collecting these watches.

As for servicing, if you supply the parts, a decent watchmaker should be able to fix the watch, especially since most vintage Seiko movement guides/schematics are available online as PDF files if you look for them.

Then you have Spencer Klein in the States, who’s probably one of the top vintage Seiko repair guys in the world: www.kleinvintagewatchrepair.com. He does have a very long waiting list, though.

I doubt the official Seiko place in NYC will help you; the one here, which has been open since the 1960s, won’t touch vintage.

I don’t know any particular Seiko dealers in Hong Kong, as I buy everything from Japan, usually online. I can tell you some reliable eBay sellers there if you want to drop me a PM.

Anyway, as requested, here is my vintage Seiko collection, left to right: 6619-7000 (1965); 5621-7000 (1969); 5626-7070 (1970); 5627-7000 (1970); 5740-8000 (1975); 5740-8000 (1978).

Happy hunting!

[lucevan le stelle]

Magnificent lot! Which one is your favorite? Appreciate the info and will follow-up.

[Old Expat Beast]

Thanks. My favourite (or the last one I would let go) is probably the Weekdater on the far left, partly because it has the original box and papers from the 1960s, which is rare for a Seiko of that vintage. Then it pretty much continues left to right on order of preference, though they are all great in their own way. The Lord Marvel stick dial, second from right, is the most accurate mechanical watch I have ever owned.

[lucevan le stelle]

Really refined taste in watches, what I aspire to myself. Great input and I will be pm'ing.