The Bonhams Seiko Auction is Back Again
Last weekend we published an article on the planned Bonhams Seiko Auction. The event was taken down after some heavy criticism but has returned.
That’s right, the Bonhams Seiko Auction has returned for another try. Dubbed as “Making Waves: Seiko Part 1,” this online only event is set to expire on August 25th at 18:00 Hong Kong Time. Last weekend, I had attempted to write a full review of the lots when, suddenly, the links were taken down. It seems that mounting criticism caused the auction house to rethink the situation.
With its latest incarnation, the Bonhams Seiko Auction sees a reduced number of lots and, thankfully, most of the really bad pieces have been delisted. Also, Bonhams has come back with condition reports for most of the watches and they seem transparent. Still, there are issues that I will mention. I’ll also touch upon certain lots that I find interesting.
Some notes
As a note, the Buyer’s Premium sits at 27.5% of the hammer price up to $3,000. After that, a fee of 25% is applied. Also, all photos within this article are directly from the Bonhams site except for the header photo — that’s actually from my collection. Some photos are unfortunately not hi-res. I also gained some valuable insight on some lots from noted collector Erik Strickland.
Some thoughts on the Bonhams Seiko Auction
Before we begin, though, I’m still a little frustrated with this auction as a Seiko fan. I said it last weekend about the Bonhams Seiko auction, but it bears repeating. Seiko does deserve to be taken seriously in the world of vintage horology. This auction is now a shell of its former self and now leans very heavily on modern pieces. Several those modern watches can either be found new at your local department store or very easily on eBay, Yahoo Japan, or any number of forums. Some are expensive because they were expensive to begin with or limited in nature, but they’re collectibles and not necessarily a good showing of the brand’s rich horological prowess. There’s nothing wrong with these watches; I simply see this event as a missed opportunity.
Lot 703 – Seiko 6215-7000 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
Lot 703 — Seiko 6215-7000
The 6215-7000 (Lot 703) within the Bonhams Seiko Auction is the same example that we discussed last week. I came back after some discussions and side more with those who feel the bezel insert is correct. Note: I am still getting messages from collectors who have never seen such an insert. Judging from the general condition of the watch, the insert was added much later and likely lived its life in a dark place until very recently. Collectors have seen so few with gold font that it is an outlier. The condition report is open and discusses one hand that may be redone. It actually seems both may be redone and the plating on the hour hand looks to be gone.
The other thing to note here is the overall condition of the dial. It looks quite washed out to me in this lighting. Then again, 6215’s come around somewhat infrequently. Bonhams has the listing at $6,500 – 10,000. With the Buyer’s Premium, I’d personally struggle at the minimum due to the dial, but I suppose it depends on how much one values a bezel insert.
Lot 708 – Seiko 5126-8130 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
Lot 708 — Seiko 5126-8130
The Bonhams Seiko Auction contains a silver-dialed “Daini-produced” (that’s Japanese for “second”) 5126-8130 Rally Diver. The lot 708 condition report calls out an aftermarket bezel insert. However, I don’t see a mention of the hands, which are incorrect for this model. They should have black stripes running through their centers. The listed range of $320 – 650, makes this unadvisable.
Lot 713 – Seiko 5126-6030 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
Lot 713 — Seiko 5126-6030
A guilty pleasure of mine at the Bonhams Seiko Auction is for a so-called “Double Hurricane” 5126-6030. Lot 713 is on the correct bracelet and the condition report calls out missing lume on the internal bezel and the possibility of a replaced hand. I pulled this one out because I like this sport diver model. They wear nicely and they’re historically uncommon outside of Asia. Several variants were made, but I really like the full dose of orange. With a range of $190 – 390 and noting the issues, I’d consider somewhere above mid level as my maximum.
Lot 717 – Seiko 5718-8000 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
Lot 717 — Seiko 5718-8000
Like all auctions, the Bonhams Seiko Auction has a catalog cover piece. It’s the ultra rare 5718-6000 as Lot 717. This watch was produced in 1964 and sold during the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Some estimate that only 50 or so were made. Aside from the visible tachymeter ring damage, the hour and minute hands are incorrect for the reference. These look the part to a large degree, but the correct hands have different tips and the minutes hand does not extend into the minutes ring. The case shows evidence of polishing and the case back logo is still certainly visible.
Even with these faults, these are so rare that it may still create spirited bidding. I think there’s a decent chance that we’ll see things head toward the upper end of the $13,000 – 26,000 range despite the heavy juice the buyer must pay. In nice condition, these have hammered for over $30K, so let’s see how it does. Intriguingly, (thanks George) here’s a link to TheWatchSite forum where this exact watch was mentioned back in 2013.
Lot 726 – Seiko 6138-0030 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
Lot 726 — Seiko 6138-0030
The Bonhams Seiko Auction also features a blue 6138-0030 “Kakume” chronograph from 1976. Lot 726 calls out a non original bezel and red hands. From my research, the dial also looks to be aftermarket. The “Speedtimer” font should not be in white. Granted, there could be some fading and the picture isn’t great. Then again, the rest of the condition report casts some doubt on this one. With a range of $320 – 650, there’s not much reason to bid on this one. Here’s a cool link on some 6138 details.
Lot 748 – Seiko SBDB008 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
Lot 748 — Seiko SBDB008
Our first modern entry within the Bonhams Seiko Auction is Lot 748 and it’s a watch that’s close to my heart. The Spring Drive Golden Tuna is a pretty cool piece that I picked up from none other than Grand Seiko’s Joe Kirk when he was working for Arizona Fine Time. It was expensive, polarizing, but beautifully made. It also paved the way for the regular production SBDB009. The SBDB008 was made in 2013 as an edition of 300. I often get comments on mine with people asking where to find one. With a range of $3,200 – 6,500, the lower end at least represents on opportunity to buy at just below original retail.
Lot 753 – Seiko Samurai SBDA005 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
Lot 753 — Seiko “Samurai” SBDA005
There are a number of Seiko Samurai models within the Bonhams Seiko Auction, but I happen to like the original generation titanium version in orange. Lot 753 is a 44mm SBDA005 that dates from 2005 and looks to be in nice condition. The Samurai have a cult-like following and with their unique case shape, odd (for Seiko at least) 3:00 crown placement, and light weight. It’s easy to see why. These often sell for $750 or more, but usually including the box and paperwork. With a range of $390 – 770, I think the lower to middle estimate represents a nice opportunity to own an early edition of a modern Seiko icon.
Lot 773 – Seiko Landmaster SBDX SBDX009 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
Lot 773 — Seiko SBDX009
The next piece in the Bonhams Seiko Auction is for a model we rarely see. Lot 773 is the 44mm titanium Landmaster with the 8L35 automatic (the same detuned GS engine as in the Marinemaster 300) is a bit of a legend. It was the end of an era for an arguably very busy design, but fans love them. The SBDX009 from 2003 just happens to be the last of the line and celebrates 10 years of the model. Seiko made 500 of these and they sell for prices within the $2,300 – 4,600 range. They don’t come up frequently, though. This one comes with its box and on the correct bracelet.
Lot 775 – Seiko Landmaster SBDX007 (Photo from Bonhams.com)
If you’re interested, a regular production SBDX007 in a slightly different color scheme is also up for bid as Lot 775. That one has a lower estimate of $1,500 – 3,100 and is essentially the same watch.
There are plenty of other modern limited edition watches for sale in the Bonhams Seiko Auction. These include some JDM-only Sumos, Marinemasters, and various other Prospex models. For the most part, these consist of rare color ways that may or may not be to your liking. As mentioned, we are happy that Bonhams removed many of the lots. Now, let’s how the bidding progresses.
