『MASTER'S COLUMN』Watches selected by professional appraisers Vol.Ⅰ ~Kaneko Edition~

Hello everyone.

This time, we will be sharing the watch history of Executive Advisor Kaneko, who not only appraises, sells, and purchases at COMMIT GINZA, but also has a blog and a column in the Watch Investment Newspaper.

Those who read his blog or know Kaneko are probably aware of this, but Kaneko is an extraordinary watch enthusiast. In the world of vintage and second-hand watches, the condition of the watch greatly affects the price, and among these, what he particularly values ​​is "non-polished" and "sharp edges," as well as the tanning of the dial and the stretching of the bracelet. Even his co-workers are often impressed by how he will comment on the condition of a watch without even using a magnifying glass.

He currently owns four watches. When you hear about his history of ownership, you can see that he has had an eye for watches even back then. We will introduce them to you, including the background of the purchase, so please take a look.

A history of luxury watches selected by professional appraisers

❶ROLEX EXPLORER II Ref.16570 (black) F serial

The Explorer II was made for cave explorers and was designed to be both durable and functional. The third model, the Ref. 16570, is a long-selling model that has been around for about 20 years, with a case diameter of 40mm. The difference from the previous model is that the font of the numbers on the bezel is slightly thinner and more stylish.

" Background at the time of purchase "

This was the first ROLEX I bought in my first year as a working professional. I really wanted a sports model, and this was the model I fell in love with at first sight and bought. At the time, it was priced at less than 300,000 yen. I bought it second-hand, and there were scratches on the bezel, and I told myself that it couldn't be helped, but it bothered me so much that I had the manufacturer replace the bezel.

❷ROLEX GMT MASTER Ref.16700 (Red x Blue) A Series [Trade-in ❶]

The GMT Master was developed by Rolex for the international pilots of Pan American World Airways. It is the only pilot watch from Rolex that has the function of knowing the time in different places. There are two models of the GMT Master, "I" and "II", and this Ref. 16700 is the final model of the GMT Master "I". The red and blue bezel color is commonly known as "Pepsi" and is still a popular model today. As the bezel color changes over time as shown in the photo, it takes on various expressions, so it is fun to look for your own one.

"Background at the time of purchase"

The second GMT MASTER that he found himself drawn to. He said he was looking for the last A model year. This one, too, had its color changed from black to blue and red by the manufacturer.

❸ROLEX GMT MASTERⅡ Ref.16710 (red x blue) Z serial number

The GMT MASTER II was sold as an advanced version of the GMT MASTER. The second model is the Ref. 16710. The first model was only available in red and black, but with the end of production of the GMT MASTER I, black/red and blue was added.

"Background at the time of purchase"

This is the third watch I found at a department store and bought. It came with a sticker and no link adjustment. It's hard to imagine now, but it seems the guarantee was made without a name. "Since production had been discontinued, I bought it with the intention of putting it away," he said, and he has been conscious of resale ever since.

➍BREGUET AERONAVAL Ref.3800

The "Type XX" was designed in the 1950s. The "Aeronavale" is a revival of that model as a civilian watch. It is a masterpiece that is worthy of the name of French military, with a classic Breguet design, high visibility, and elegant details, while also being tough enough to withstand everyday use.

"Background at the time of purchase"

"I've always been attracted to military-themed designs, and I've always wanted something with that feel," said Kaneko, whose fourth pick is the BREGUET. "I fell in love with the early model with the gold cap at first sight." The NATO design makes it stylish and fun to use.

➎ROLEX GMT MASTERⅡ Ref.16710 (Red x Blue) M-number Stick [Trade-in ❸]

This is the “stick dial” model introduced in ❸. It is a rare feature sought after by vintage enthusiasts, and the Roman numerals in the model name [GMT-MASTER II] have a font without a horizontal line for the [II]. The serial number has only been confirmed for D, Z, and M model numbers. It is also known as the “lidless” model.

"Background at the time of purchase"

"I came across a new watch with the final M-number stick dial and Cal.3186..." I was so excited that I quickly put the new Z-number watch I had planned to put away for sale and bought my fifth GMT MASTER. At that time, all my thoughts stopped and I ended up buying it without thinking. I really felt the strength of the appeal of ROLEX.

➏ BREITLING CHRONOMAT BLACKBIRD Ref.M449B27RRB *Limited to 2000 pieces worldwide

The US military strategic reconnaissance aircraft boasts the world's highest horizontal flight altitude and flight speed as a practical aircraft, and is called the "Blackbird" because of its black-painted body and the fact that it secretly carries out reconnaissance at ultra-high altitudes. This model was inspired by it. Conventional Breitling DLC ​​processing was a matte finish, but this one is coated on polished steel, giving it a glossy texture.

"Background at the time of purchase"

If you know Kaneko now, you will find it hard to believe. This model is a BREITLING model that he bought because he "fell in love with the rugged design of the black case at first sight." It seems that it had some scratches, but he bought it with the intention of "using it as much as possible." It might look good on him now that he has recently started growing a beard.

❼ROLEX SUBMARINER Ref.5512 Maxi Dial *Currently owned

The first Submariner Ref. 5512 equipped with crown guards. Case diameter 40mm. The crown guards, which are the first to be equipped with crown guards, are available in three different patterns, and the earliest square crown guards, commonly known as SCG, are extremely rare and trade at high prices. They are often found on Ref. 5513s from the late 1970s to early 1980s, but the Ref. 5512 owned by Kaneko has a "maxi dial" in which the dots on the dial index are larger than usual. Incidentally, among maxi dials, the one in which the dots on the index and the minute scale are attached is commonly known as a "lollipop."

"Background at the time of purchase"

This is a watch that he still owns and has a strong attachment to. It all started when he saw a store clerk wearing a 5513 and thought it was insanely cool! While researching the 5513, he discovered the existence of this maxi dial 5512. However, he said with a wry smile, "I had a hard time finding a 5512 that I was satisfied with." This is also one of the joys of vintage watches, but when he found this watch, he was almost obsessed with the idea of ​​"getting on the Shinkansen without hesitation and heading to Tokyo."

❽HUBLOT BIG BANG Ref.301.SB.1323.RGRAP *Limited to 25 pieces in Italy

The Big Bang was born in 2005 with the theme of "fusion of different materials." It features a three-dimensional case design with a multi-layer structure that skillfully combines different materials (stainless steel, ceramic, titanium, rubber, etc.), and this model is a rare limited edition of 25 pieces, with bright green, an Italian color, accenting the ears.

"Background at the time of purchase"

HUBLOT was explosively popular at the time. He said he bought this model because "I was looking online and was attracted by the green accent color, which was limited to 25 pieces." He also said, "Before I knew it, I was calling the store." It seems that men really have a weakness for the word "limited."

➒ROLEX SUBMARINER Ref.16610LV (Green) Random number *Currently owned [Trade-in ❽]

The Ref. 16610LV was released in 2003 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Submariner. Nicknamed the "Green Sub," this model uses Rolex's corporate color green. The size of the hour and minute hands and indexes have been increased to improve visibility. This model also has some specification differences that appeal to collectors, and early models have a pale green bezel called "lime," and some are known as "big Swiss," with a large "SWISS MADE" inscription at the 6 o'clock position on the dial. (There are also various other differences in usage.) Incidentally, "LV" is the French word for green bezel, "Lunette Vert."

"Background at the time of purchase"

Speaking of ROLEX sports models, it is a well-known fact that the value of the final model increases, and when he was looking for the final model of this SUBMARINER in green (LV), he happened to find it. Like HUBLOT, he also likes the color green. (lol) Also, as I wrote at the beginning, this is an undisputed "non-polished" model. I am happy to own it now.

➓ROLEX SUBMARINER Ref.16610LV (Green) F Serial MKⅠ

This is the Mark I dial version of the early F number of the Ref. 16610LV introduced earlier. [FLAT4/Fat4]: The 4 in the bezel memory of 40 is trapezoidal. [BIG SWISS]: The SWISS MADE marking at 6 o'clock on the dial has a wide gap. [Oval 'O']: The O in the ROLEX logo is a horizontal O. [Open '5']: The gap between the rounded corners under the number 5 is wide. These are the models that enthusiasts will drool over.

"Background at the time of purchase"

Green, green, green! (laughs) At that time, he ended up buying a green Sub in quick succession, but this is the [MK1 with lime bezel], which is still a very popular watch. "I just wanted it so badly that I bought it," he said. Everyone wants one. (laughs)

⓫ROLEX DAYTONA Ref.116520 (cream dial) P number *Currently owned

This model is equipped with Rolex's fully in-house manufactured chronograph movement Cal. 4130, with a revised layout of the sub-dial small seconds and larger indexes. The Cal. 4130 has a 72-hour power reserve and uses a Parachrom hairspring with excellent magnetic resistance. Around 2007, it was changed to the proprietary blue Parachrom hairspring, further improving magnetic resistance and shock resistance. The bracelet has also been changed to a solid part for improved robustness, and is equipped with an Easylink for easy fine adjustment.

"Background at the time of purchase"

The 11th watch is the ROLEX DAYTONA Ref116520. It was a time when ivory had zero reviews, but I bought it because I was attracted to the burnt and retro look. At the time, everyone around me said, "Why would you buy a burnt dial? Is it okay?", but now this model is a premium item. It's frustrating, but it shows "foresight."

⓬ROLEX DAYTONA Ref.16520 (black *El Primero) A serial number *currently owned

In 1988, the Daytona was made automatic based on Zenith's El Primero, a masterpiece chronograph movement. The movement Cal. 4030 reduces the El Primero's vibrations from 36,000 per hour to 28,800 per hour, enlarges the balance wheel, and improves accuracy with a microstella nut, all of which are improvements unique to Rolex. The bezel is now a more durable stainless steel bezel, and the crystal has been changed to a sapphire crystal, achieving 100m water resistance. The case diameter has been increased from 37mm to 40mm, a design that has been carried over to the current Daytona.

"Background at the time of purchase"

After purchasing the DAYTONA Ref. 116520, his desire to have a 16520 that was as close to non-polished as possible grew stronger, and as prices were rising, he was browsing the internet every day, thinking, "Now is the time to buy one." He came across a nearly non-polished watch and bought it immediately. Looking back, it wasn't cheap, but seeing him happily talk about how lucky he was to have come across such a watch makes you think again about how you should approach watches, as many people buy watches for investment purposes these days. He says it's the watch he wears most often now.

summary

This concludes the watch history of COMMIT GINZA Executive Advisor Kaneko.

Ultimately, he was captivated by the allure of Rolex.

However, he has strong preferences! He is aiming for a hand-wound Daytona next. Is it possible to collect all generations of Daytona or not? It seems he still has a long way to go. (laughs)

However, he always looks at watches with a frighteningly happy expression as he studies the points he looks at and the "differences" to find future value. COMMIT GINZA has a wide selection of vintage items, including those not for sale, so it seems his research is progressing well.

This is a non-sale item that is not listed on the website. It was only shown in the store, but

"CVWD＊Commit Vintage Watch Dictionary"

A new website has been launched.

You can now view it here, so if you're interested, please take a look.