A Seiko watch gifted to Kelvin Tan by late hotelier Hari Harilela sparked his lifelong passion for the brand

Utilitarian, understated, and traditional. That’s how Kelvin Tan, a law firm director, describes himself and the kinds of watches he likes. Perhaps it was more than serendipitous that a friend of his parents, the late hospitality magnate Hari Harilela, had given him a Seiko Quartz Chronograph for his 18th birthday. 

Today, 34 years later, Tan has amassed an impressive 18 Seiko and Grand Seiko watches among his current collection of 40. The timepieces range wildly — from a $26 digital Casio bought on a whim as a couple’s pair at Mustafa Shopping Centre to five-digit horology icons, such as the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona and GMT-Master “Pepsi”, Omega 60th Anniversary Speedmaster “Snoopy” 2003, and H. Moser & Cie Endeavour.

His real enthusiasm, however, is for the kind of watchmaking minimalism exemplified by Seiko Watch Corporation. “A quiet aesthetic is the most important to me, regardless of prestige,” he states. “I like clean lines, elegant decoration, excellent finishing, and a compact enough size to fit under shirt sleeves. Admittedly, the company’s design philosophy is one you either like or don’t.”

Stories that shine

“I am drawn to stories,” says Tan, who began collecting in earnest 20 years ago after joining a car forum and learning more from his watch aficionado friends. And he has plenty to share about Seiko and Grand Seiko, currently two distinct brands sharing the same heritage, with the latter being managed as the luxury division of the former until 2017.

He waxes lyrical about Grand Seiko's birth in 1960 and how, within a few years, the brand was already doing well in Swiss chronometer competitions and outperforming the COSC rating with its 36,000bph Hi-Beat caliber. He is impressed by the corporation’s singular dedication to developing the Spring Drive movement, which took two decades, as well as its ingenuity in designing professional dive watches that eliminated helium escape valves.                                                    

Besides Tan’s tale about the present from Harilela, his “first proper adult watch” that he wore for a very long time, he has several others to tell. “In my early years of collecting, Grand Seiko was not readily available outside Japan. I had to source mine through friends visiting the country or Japanese sellers who would hunt one down and ship it to you,” he adds.

An avid technical scuba diver, he has taken his Seiko dive watches on over 500 descends into the blue so far. “My hobby gave me the excuse to acquire them. They’re the backup instruments for my dive computers. The deepest I went was about 70m on several wreck exploration dives in the South China Sea. And they’ve remained reliable and robust. All I needed to do post-dive was give them a rinse.”

Timekeeping treasures

Tan, a self-professed hoarder, says he has never sold any item in his collection except for an A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 in 2021, as it didn’t quite fit his wrist. “Whether it’s my Casio, a vintage dress watch, or a refined masterpiece, I derive equal enjoyment from wearing any of them.”

It’s difficult for him to pick a few favourites, especially from his Japanese line-up. One of them is the Seiko Presage Automatic 60th Anniversary Limited Edition, which flaunts a luscious black lacquered dial crafted using the traditional urushi technique.  “A friend helped find it in Japan. For the level of craftsmanship and to include a full column wheel vertical clutch chronograph in what was then at a very reasonable price point, it’s just an amazing watch.”

Then, there’s the Seiko Bullhead Automatic Chronograph, with pushers at the 12 o’clock position, dating back to the 70s. “I had wanted to get one for almost as long as I was collecting, but finding one in good condition was nearly impossible. I was very lucky that I wandered into a watch shop on a recent trip to Japan and found this almost-pristine example.”

The next five are Grand Seikos, old and new. His first acquisition from this premium brand is the sourced-from-Japan GMT Elegance automatic watch, showcasing a graceful cream dial and domed sapphire glass. His second is the Spring Drive GMT, with “an almost quartz-like accuracy and a mesmerisingly smooth seconds hand glide”.

The third is a vintage Day-Date 56GS featuring a manual-winding Hi-Beat movement from the early 70s and an interchangeable day display between Kanji and English.

The Caliber 9F Quartz is the fourth, which he notes the manufacture took great pride in. “They grow the crystal in-house and are so confident that they decorated the movement and displayed it on the caseback. Quartz models are generally considered entry-level for Grand Seiko, but they bear the brand’s hallmarks and craftsmanship at much more accessible prices.”

To complete his collection of Grand Seiko’s main movement types, he bought a 9S5B model with a modern Hi-Beat movement. “Only a handful of watchmakers still make a hi-beat movement nowadays.”

The Seiko difference

Tan is a fan of Seiko Watch Corporation for more reasons than you can count on one hand. He appreciates the sheer verticality and breadth of what it offers: “Many fine watch brands in the market now will start from certain price points, but with this Japanese group, which also owns other brands like Orient, you can walk out of a shop with a fantastic daily beater for less than the price of a nice dinner.”

“Higher-end options like the Prospex and Presage lines under the Seiko brand will be available as your budget increases. Eventually, you get to the Grand Seikos. You can just add to your collection a lot more easily and freely, and for a lot less money than others,” he elaborates, adding that these two brands give exceptional value for the exacting standards of production.

The simplicity and elegance of the watches also sit well with him. “They have the very inherent Japanese trait of attention to detail and craftsmanship. For the Grand Seikos, the finishes are just fine as the most esteemed Swiss brands, if not better,” he says, pointing out the enamel finish on one of his less pricey, mass-produced Seiko automatics that boasts a clean, brilliant lustre.

Having recently bought a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds, Tan has yet to zero in on his next purchase. However, he is currently considering a vintage Vacheron Constantin, or Saxonia or 1815 from A. Lange & Sohne, a maison he deeply admires. “I regret selling the Lange 1 as I really love the brand’s designs, movement details, and exquisite finishing. You really never forget the first time you see the back of a Datograph.”

His excitement for a new Grand Seiko, launched at Watches and Wonders 2024 in Geneva, could hint at his ultimate decision. On his phone, he searches for a close-up video of the latest Evolution 9 SLGW003, whose aesthetics are inspired by the beautiful scenery around the manufacture’s Studio Shizukuishi. 

He lights up and asks, “Can you see the movement’s click shaped like a wagtail bird and hear the pecking when it’s being wound? An 80-hour power reserve in a hand-winding Hi-Beat movement is already quite unique. And there is no rotor to hide the caliber. These details are incorporated into just a standard production movement.”

If you have a journey about watch, jewellery or precious object collecting to share, drop us a note at yanni@sph.com.sg.