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Lot Essay
The Grand Seiko ref. 4580-7000 VFA made by Dai-ni is one of the most coveted and rarest model of the VFA series, the VFA manual movement much rarer than the automatic version.
The movement is the highly calibrated cal. 4580 (accuracy of +2 seconds per day/60 seconds per month) in chrome, finely with Geneva stripes in chrome and inscribed “VERY FINE ADJ. SIX 6 POS & TEMP”. While information from Seiko is scant, it is thought that these movements were submitted to the Neuchâtel Chronometer testing and then used for the VFA 4580-7000/7010 models.
The unique case design reflects the futuristic space age shape of the 1970s, the material is a special HSS-hard stainless steel. The black dial features silvered minute markers, applied Grand Seiko signature and baton numerals. The outermost end of the second hand is silvered, followed by a part painted in black, most likely designed to allow better reading of the 5 minute divisions.
Another unique aspect of the present watch is the lack of a serial number on the outside of the case back as commonly found on Seiko watches, leading to the conclusion that it could actually be a prototype.
Exact production numbers of ref. VFA 4580-7000/7010 are not known but research reveals that less than 100 examples were ever made. The original retail price was JPY 100,000, two to three times higher than a regular version model at the time.
Recently serviced by Seiko the present ref. VGA 4570-7000 is preserved in very good, original overall condition.
The movement is the highly calibrated cal. 4580 (accuracy of +2 seconds per day/60 seconds per month) in chrome, finely with Geneva stripes in chrome and inscribed “VERY FINE ADJ. SIX 6 POS & TEMP”. While information from Seiko is scant, it is thought that these movements were submitted to the Neuchâtel Chronometer testing and then used for the VFA 4580-7000/7010 models.
The unique case design reflects the futuristic space age shape of the 1970s, the material is a special HSS-hard stainless steel. The black dial features silvered minute markers, applied Grand Seiko signature and baton numerals. The outermost end of the second hand is silvered, followed by a part painted in black, most likely designed to allow better reading of the 5 minute divisions.
Another unique aspect of the present watch is the lack of a serial number on the outside of the case back as commonly found on Seiko watches, leading to the conclusion that it could actually be a prototype.
Exact production numbers of ref. VFA 4580-7000/7010 are not known but research reveals that less than 100 examples were ever made. The original retail price was JPY 100,000, two to three times higher than a regular version model at the time.
Recently serviced by Seiko the present ref. VGA 4570-7000 is preserved in very good, original overall condition.