The Seiko Lord Marvel that arrived today is a masterpiece with an undeniable presence in the history of Japanese watchmaking.
Both are rare early-production models with engraved dials.
The Lord Marvel was born around 1957 as an improved version of the luxury "Marvel" of the time.
The Lord Marvel was born as a top-of-the-line model and is famous for being the forerunner of the Grand Seiko, but
it is a super long-selling model that went through many improvements up to the later Lord Marvel 36000, establishing an era for Japanese-made wristwatches, starting with Seiko.
It is a wonderful product that represented Japan for about 20 years, and
without the existence of this watch, many items would probably never have been born.
This time, two types arrived: a gold-filled case and a stainless steel case.
Although an 18-karat yellow gold model also exists,
the gold-filled case can be called the most popular and basic item.
This time, it was manufactured in 1960, the same year the Grand Seiko was born.
Actually, there were several case numbers for the gold-filled case from the beginning of production,
making it a slightly complicated watch where each size differs slightly.
It is difficult to tell by appearance.
That is also part of the fun of Japanese-made wristwatches.
This is the one with the embossed logo at the 12 o'clock position, called an "engraved dial".
Later, it was changed to printing to reduce costs,
but if you buy an early model of the Lord Marvel, it is a point that everyone will see,
and you can feel the fun of Japanese-made wristwatches.
These delicate details feel very Japanese,
and the details of the curved dial and other parts show a charm that foreign watches do not have.
Also, a must-see feature of this watch is the rounded "clam shell case" detail on the back cover.
Matching the case design, the overall rounded dial and back cover convey
an indescribable cuteness.
These designs and details give a strong vintage feel,
and the early model of the Lord Marvel is surprisingly popular with women.
You can understand that feeling somehow, and the more you look at it, the more strangely attached you become.
On the other hand, although the stainless steel model has a different watch design,
it is an extremely rare model with much lower circulation compared to the gold-filled case.
At that time, stainless steel processing technology was not developed,
and it seems that special case designs could not be manufactured in stainless steel.
I hear that the reason stainless steel models were not generally sold in the Grand Seiko 1st is
because the metal processing technology was still immature.
Perhaps because of that, in addition to the low circulation of the stainless steel model,
it is rare to see it on the market, and its rarity makes it difficult to come out.
When you think about it, this watch becomes even more attractive.
Being the most basic material for wristwatches,
the impression when wearing it also exudes a calm atmosphere.
However, because it was the top-of-the-line model at the time, it not only has a luxurious feel,
but you can also feel the delicacy of Japanese-made and the passion of the craftsmen felt everywhere,
and what is conveyed from that atmosphere can be said to be exceptional.
This is also a rare engraved dial, but both have the original buckle of the time.
You should be able to feel the extremely high value from this alone.
Recently, vintage Seiko models are reheating in Europe and the United States, and I have a feeling that the boom will start again.
If that happens, rare items tend to flow overseas,
so historical masterpieces like the Lord Marvel may become harder to obtain in Japan.
I think that these watches are exactly what Japanese people should properly evaluate and try not to let out,
but the fact that vintage Seiko models have become so highly evaluated around the world
also makes Japanese people feel happy.
However, both are becoming increasingly limited in acquisition opportunities year by year,
so please do not miss this opportunity!
