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Editor’s note: In this week’s 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, reader Mark Alamares picks a theme and sticks with it. His collection consists of three sporty Seikos, but these are all JDM models that differ just slightly (well, sometimes more than slightly) from their counterparts available in the United States, and elsewhere. Collecting JDM Seiko is a rabbit hole within a rabbit hole, and Mark makes a compelling case for why diving into these slightly tougher to obtain Seikos is worth the additional effort.
You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here.
The theme of my $5,000 trio is Neo-Vintage (late 1990’s to early 2000’s) JDM Titanium Seiko’s that cover the gambit of Air, Land, and Sea (prior service U.S. Marine, 2001-2011). While this theme may not be for everyone, there’s a certain level of difficulty in acquiring clean examples of these watches that I must say is extremely gratifying. Much more so than just crunching the numbers and hitting your targets on the new market. You’ll have to do some research, make some connections, and enjoy a lot of insightful back-and-forth while on the hunt for a trio like this. Think niche JDM watch dealers on Instagram.
So, as great as the destination is, the journey is equally as satisfying. Yes, pricing may vary depending on many external factors but in reality, I’ve never had $5,000 burning-a-hole-in-my-pocket to the point where I had to get creative on how to spend it. In this case you’re getting amazing heritage from an iconic Japanese brand with roots dating back to 1881, truly in-house mechanical automatic movements with smooth 4Hz (28,800vph) beat-rates, and finely executed titanium construction, offering both objective and subjective points of value.
JDM Seiko Prospex Flight Master – SBDS001 [$2,350]
While the cult-classic SNA411 Flightmaster Quartz may get all of the love online, this lesser-known premium automatic example was way ahead of its time, sporting a 4Hz in-house column wheel automatic chronograph with a smartly integrated power reserve indicator to boot. Its titanium construction helps the 42.5mm diameter x 14.8mm height x 48.5mm lug-to-lug wear very comfortably on the wrist, and while not compact in dimensions, it’s far from feeling oversized. The deep matte black dial is almost vantablack-like in appearance, keeping elevated contrast even against the reflective gunmetal toned subdial accents. Crisp white numerals and text plus signature yellow highlights complete the aviation inspired aesthetic to offer a serious sports watch that not only has-it-all, but also offers a refreshingly contemporary take on a pilot’s chronograph, when compared to more vintage inspired mainstays like the Breitling Navitimer. As a bonus you also get wonderfully standard 20mm lugs which accommodate some of the best military inspired strap pairing on the market. Not to mention a confidence inspiring 100m of water resistance thanks to a screw-down crown and pushers that ensure this watch is as capable as it looks.
JDM Seiko Brightz – SAGL003 [$1,800]
Next, to offset the tooltastic nature of the Flighty, you have this much more obscure yet versatile everyday piece from the JDM Brightz line, think Rolex Explorer 1 meets Patek Philippe Nautilus, but add in a gorgeous black enamel dial and titanium construction. Its 38mm diameter x 13mm height x 46mm lug-to-lug make it infinitely wearable and the 20mm drilled lugs add to the versatility, should you ever choose to forgo the beautifully articulated titanium bracelet. The clean and well balanced, dateless dial layout offers a level of balance and symmetry that will keep this design timeless for many years to come. Speaking of longevity, the no-date 8L21 movement is derived from the famous 9S Grand Seiko caliber, offering the same smooth 4Hz beat-rate with the only drawback being the slightly dated feeling 50hr power reserve. This watch was originally produced during a time before Grand Seiko gained the international footing it now has, and at the time, even in Japan, GS was merely a heritage sub-brand that had only recently been revived. So, pieces like this mechanical Brightz were actually near the pinnacle of Seiko’s powers at the time. I just love the versatility of this piece and while some classic everyday type of watches can approach being overly simple or even boring, the SAGL003 has all of these ornate details that present themselves to you over further examination, easily missed at a glance, yet undeniable upon detailed inspection.
JDM Seiko Scuba (4S15-7000) – SCVF003 [$850]
Lastly, you have to have a diver, and from a brand like Seiko with such storied involvement in development and innovation within the dive watch space, picking just one can be tough. Interestingly enough, the SCVF003 shares much of its iconography with the brand’s famed field and expedition line, the Alpinist. Serving as a sister-model to the Red-Alpinists of the same era, sharing the now signature cathedral handset and general proportions at 40mm diameter x 12.6mm eight x 46mm lug-to-lug, you also get the bonus of its King Seiko derived 4S15 movement, an evolution of the their Daini Seikosha movements previously used in Chronometer Certified KS applications. The smooth 4Hz sweep is still quite rare to find even today within their modern diver offerings. Now don’t let the uniquely non-traditional diver details fool you; this is a serious piece of dive kit at its core. Details like a Monoblock case assisting in water resistance as well as overall thinness and a rudimentary friction based ratcheting diver’s extension equipped clasp give this model genuine dive chops. You even get the modern niceties of a surprisingly well tuned 60-click unidirectional bezel action as well as a full titanium construction, and having both of those together is a rare feat within itself, as titanium bezel action is notoriously difficult to dial in and make feel as good as their steel constructed counterparts. Additionally, in this particularly creamy gilt colorway it stands out and even looks as special as its unique details would imply.
So, while titanium watches are having a bit of a moment as of late, as well as Seiko extending its reach on both the casual and enthusiast markets, I feel like it’s just a great time to go out and piece together a trilogy of titanium titans like these three. All being as collectable as they are capable, while also still being niche enough to remain relatively attainable. Ultimately, I just feel that you’ll get more satisfaction collecting within a designated theme in general. So, set goals, make a plan, and execute, you’ll never feel the reward of reaching a destination, if you never identify one worth chasing. Whether you collect these three specific watches or any number of others, be deliberate, take your time, and enjoy your journey.
