When Grand Seiko launched in the early 1960s, they made quality and accuracy one of their pillars of their production. Grand Seiko simply had to be better than the European manufacturers to be competitive in a market dominated by the Swiss companies. Grand Seiko became the first Japanese wristwatch to be evaluated by the Bureax Officiels de Controle de la Marche des Montresand and display the chronometer rating on its dial.
In 1966 the “Grand Seiko Standard” was established, a standard still used today, which mandated a mean daily rate of +5/-3 seconds per day – notably two seconds stricter than the +6/-4 seconds per day of COSC . While incredibly accurate, Grand Seiko pushed the limits further with their “Grand Seiko Special Standard” of +/- 3 seconds per day and even stricter “Grand Seiko Very Fine Adjusted” VFA standard: +/- 2 seconds per day for their mechanical pieces, guaranteed to run within a minute per months for the first two years of ownership.
The VFA automatic watches had a short production run of only three years leading to their rarity. The blue dial VFA watches are exceptionally rare even within this limited arena.
Grand Seiko VFA 6186-8000-G utilizes a 44GS case shape with the broad polished shoulders of the lugs and features top-notch executed surface finishes including satin brushing and Zaratsu distortion-free mirror polishing. This mirror polish cannot be replicated if the watch is repolished by an independent watchmaker.
As the technical highlight, this watch features Seiko in-house caliber 6186B, a 36,000 VPH movement regulated to the VFA +/- 1 minute per month standard. There are no signs of oxidation to the caliber, despite the age of this watch and the movement maintains a high degree of accuracy. The movement, bridges, and inside cap are all free of scratches or service marks.
The cosmetic condition of this watch is remarkable: the case is unpolished and free of any deep scratches or dings. To be sure there is light surface wear evident, consistent with the age of the watch. The blue dial appears perfect under a loupe without any signs of oxidation on the dial or around the edges. The original crystal is in great condition: many of these crystals have been replaced over the years with non-Seiko glass, but our watch is all original.
Accessories: This excellent watch comes with the original Grand Seiko buckle and wooden box with leather interior. All are in good condition.
This watch is truly a unique find.
Movement: Cal. 6186B, automatic
Beats: 36,000 vibrations per hour
Jewels: 25
Dial: Blue
Case: 37 mm. wide, 42.5 mm. overall length
With: Stainless steel Seiko buckle
