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Lot Essay
The present Grand Seiko is one of the exceedingly rare ref. 6186-8000 VFA to appear in public to date. Recently overhauled by Seiko it is preserved in excellent, original overall condition, still retaining the original finish to the case.
Made by Suwa Seikosha it is from one of the last VFA series produced with week/date feature. The cal. 6186B movement is accurate to +-2 seconds per day/60 seconds per month.
The model was made in two versions, one with silvered dial, one with the rarer dark blue dial, such as the present watch. The dial features applied thin silver batons and minute markers, pencil hands and the applied “Grand Seiko” logo.
The VFA movement is from the 61 automatic high beat series, adjusted by one of the manufacturers’ top adjusters, and finished in anodized bronze instead of the steel color as found in regular models.
The stainless steel case is wedge-shaped, with a brushed and raised part to 6 and 12 o’clock. Although of rather simple appearance, the design is actually a complex play of geometry and finish. The wedge sides feature the famous “zaratsu” mirror-polished finishing.
Introduced in the mid-1960s, the wedge-shaped design is Seiko’s iconic “Grammar of Design”, a concept originated in the 1960s by Seiko engineer Taro Tanaka, still in use in recent production.
The total production of VFA 61 series is believed to be less than 300. The original price ranged from JPY 100,000 to 250,000 (for the Palladium-Silver and 18K models), two to ten higher than regular versions made between 1970 and 1973.
Made by Suwa Seikosha it is from one of the last VFA series produced with week/date feature. The cal. 6186B movement is accurate to +-2 seconds per day/60 seconds per month.
The model was made in two versions, one with silvered dial, one with the rarer dark blue dial, such as the present watch. The dial features applied thin silver batons and minute markers, pencil hands and the applied “Grand Seiko” logo.
The VFA movement is from the 61 automatic high beat series, adjusted by one of the manufacturers’ top adjusters, and finished in anodized bronze instead of the steel color as found in regular models.
The stainless steel case is wedge-shaped, with a brushed and raised part to 6 and 12 o’clock. Although of rather simple appearance, the design is actually a complex play of geometry and finish. The wedge sides feature the famous “zaratsu” mirror-polished finishing.
Introduced in the mid-1960s, the wedge-shaped design is Seiko’s iconic “Grammar of Design”, a concept originated in the 1960s by Seiko engineer Taro Tanaka, still in use in recent production.
The total production of VFA 61 series is believed to be less than 300. The original price ranged from JPY 100,000 to 250,000 (for the Palladium-Silver and 18K models), two to ten higher than regular versions made between 1970 and 1973.