有句老話：“打不過他們，就加入他們。”
1960年代發行的第一款 Grand Seiko，搭載 Cal. J14070 機芯，它擁有天文台級的精準度，並且外觀上是一款優雅、經典且紳士氣息十足的腕錶。在我看來，這款錶向 1938 年推出的 百達翡麗 Calatrava 570 致敬。
奧斯卡·王爾德 曾說過：“模仿是最真誠的奉承。”
顯然，當時日本的製錶業正崛起，並努力與瑞士製錶競爭。而他們確實做到了！1960 年 Grand Seiko 誕生，接著 1961 年 King Seiko 問世，這種內部競爭推動了精工家族的發展，每個部門都在爭奪「最優質腕錶」的頭銜。最終，這場競爭導致了 1970 年代的 石英危機。
石英危機是一場真正的「逆襲」故事——它差點毀掉瑞士鐘錶業，而始作俑者正是來自亞洲的精工。類似的變革幾乎發生在各行各業。例如，Tesla（特斯拉） 崛起後，顛覆了福斯和通用這些汽車巨頭，後來之上的 BYD（比亞迪） 和其它車廠又陸續的挑戰 Tesla的地位。
如今，在科技的推動下，企業家和顛覆者無處不在。但回到 1960 年代，那時還沒有互聯網，要在遠東建立一個垂直整合的製錶品牌，簡直是天方夜譚。
為什麼我會入手這款錶？
對我而言，腕錶的市場價值並不是收藏哲學中的重要因素，因為我戴錶是為了取悅自己，而不是為了取悅別人。第一款 Grand Seiko 本身就是一個必買的手錶——試問，有多少收藏家能夠擁有一款來自主流品牌的原始經典之作？所以，當我在 2018 年有機會入手時，我毫不猶豫地出手了。我也特別挑選我認為最棒的「雕刻Logo」版。
作為一個在東方文化背景下成長的人，我深知日本擁有世界上最頂尖的工藝。像精工和豐田這樣的企業，掌握了世界級的自動化生產、品質控管、精密機械製造等技術。如果精工具備頂尖的製錶科技，那為何製錶不能達到巔峰？這個疑問讓我開始深入研究 Grand Seiko 的歷史。後來，當 Kodo T0 恆動陀飛輪於2022年面世時，我的理論得到了驗證。這款手錶明確證明，只要精工有心，時間也對，他們投入全部心力也完全可以製造出世界頂尖的腕錶。就像豐田的Lexus LFA，至今仍是經典的日本超級跑車！好了，現在讓我來看看銀行帳戶，看看能不能買得起一台 LFA……
作者： Joe Chiang
簡介： RedBar Taiwan的創辦人兼表友電台Podcast 主持人。
因為Tom Ford的一句話 “一只手錶應該低調內斂。“ 摔入手錶的坑。
“If you can’t beat them, join them.”
The first Grand Seiko by Grand Seiko—featuring the movement Cal. J14070—was made in the 1960s. It boasts chronometer precision and is aesthetically a beautifully classy, elegant gentleman’s watch. In my opinion, this watch pays homage to the Patek Philippe Calatrava 570, which was introduced in 1938.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” — Oscar Wilde
Clearly, at the time, Japanese watch manufacturing was on the rise, aiming to compete with Swiss-made watches. And that’s exactly what they did. The creation of Grand Seiko in 1960 and later King Seiko in 1961 reflected the internal competition within the Seiko family—each striving to make the best watch. This rivalry ultimately culminated in the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s.
Why did I pick up this watch?
A watch’s perceived value is not a major factor in my collecting philosophy because I wear it for myself, not for others. The first Grand Seiko is a statement piece—how many collectors can say they own the original watch from such a mainstream brand? So when I had the opportunity to pick it up in 2018, I didn’t hesitate. There were multiple variations, and mine features a carved logo, which, in my opinion, is the best version!
Oh, by the way—the feeling I get every time I see Grand Seiko’s history in a catalog is something else.
As an East Asian myself, I know that the Japanese have some of the finest craftsmanship in the world. Companies like Seiko and Toyota have mastered automation, quality control, precision engineering, and manufacturing expertise. If Seiko possessed world-class watchmaking technology, why couldn’t they achieve greatness? That question led me to dive into Grand Seiko’s history.
I believe my theory was proven right when they introduced Kodo: The T0 Constant-force Tourbillon—a clear statement that Seiko, if they put their heart into it, can make the best of the best. Just like how the Lexus LFA remains an all-time classic Japanese supercar to this day!
The Quartz Crisis is a true underdog story—it nearly destroyed the Swiss watch industry, all thanks to a brand from Asia. Similar disruptions happen in every industry. Think about how Tesla took on automotive giants like Volkswagen and GM, only for BYD and other Chinese manufacturers to challenge Tesla.
Nowadays, with the help of technology, entrepreneurs and disruptors are everywhere. But back in the 1970s, creating a vertically integrated watch company from the Far East was almost unthinkable.
Now, let me check my bank account to see if I can afford one of those Lexus LFAs…
