Price dropped. Asking price is a flat RM15,000.
More accessories
may be included! I am trying to get a full set put together. The certificate is still not going to be included though; but you'll get everything else!
In the interest of full disclosure, I'd like to share with everyone the issues with the watch that I found out only because I used a 40x loupe and extensively examined it. I admit it has actually been a while since I bought it, but I completely trusted the seller. My mistake.
I believe it was an unfair transaction. I was assured the watch was both functionally and cosmetically great. I assumed perhaps minor signs of wear. Unfortunately, we met at a rather dim area and I was a bit too trusting so I did not scrutinise it properly.
The watch is definitely not cosmetically amazing. There are obvious signs of wear. No dents. No major damage. Just scratches -- but a lot. Thankfully the bracelet is in pretty great condition.
The problem is, the watch has been sent to Seiko Japan before -- but not for a movement service. It was sent to get the Zaratsu treatment. Basically, please consider this watch as having been polished before. The cert included proves this.
Movement wise I believe it has never been serviced...so what happened not long after we transacted, I noticed the watch was faulty. It wasn't working properly -- so his claim of it being functionally OK was nonsense. It was losing time. Accuracy was all over the place (SD is supposed to be accurate in seconds per week or month). Worst of all, it was stopping abruptly.
I told him all this and he feigned concern, but eventually ignored me. I don't believe I even asked him to contribute to the cost of repair. Class act. I may reveal his identity. But not now.
Hang Thai basically quoted me RM2 - RM3k total with a 3 month waiting time. It was depressing -- I just basically wasted money. The Snowflake is a model I really wanted (still love it) and I thought I managed to acquire a decent specimen for a reasonable price, but instead I was sold a broken watch for above market value.
I was ready to send it get repaired, then list it up and just cut my losses, but then I remembered I had this watchmaker friend in East Malaysia. He's very technically capable and has repaired many things for me before. And the old SD I sold away was actually purchased by him.
I didn't have much hope at all.
Instead, what happened is that he basically repaired the watch. It was like a complete overhaul, mind you -- taking everything apart then reassembling it. In this case, that means he has to know how to work with Spring Drive. And it's a "fact" that SDs are only serviced by very few "Seiko qualified" watchmakers.
Well, he fixed it and shipped it back to me in less than a week because I mentioned that I wanted to have it with me quick. He didn't even ask for payment until much later when he verified with me that the watch was OK.
The watch is OK, but not as it should be as a GS SD. There is still something wrong with its accuracy when rested in a certain position. And there is a tiny, tiny speck of dust in the dial just because he was rushing to put it back together for me. When I brought this up, he said just send it right back and he'll get that resolved. I believe he'll be able to get the typical SD timing too, once he identifies the problem and fixes it.
I have not sent the watch back to him yet despite it having been months because I just love having it with me and I'm reluctant to part with it. But I will, soon -- or at least, I promise these issues will be resolved upon someone actually buying the watch. I will get it sent back to my watchmaker for him to fix it.
(BTW, I will not share my watchmaker's contact. Sure, it'll be more business for him: but he already does more than well for himself, and I am not about to sacrifice having such a valuable and reliable contact who is able to fix anything I need fixing both quickly and for extremely reasonable prices. Not interested in having people spoil the market for me.)
As for the cosmetic condition, I have one guess as to what happened. The previous owner didn't know/wasn't aware that the watch is not stainless steel (it is titanium) and decided to polish and buff out minor scratches on the watch case himself. Just so you know, you aren't supposed to do that with titanium. One obvious effect is that a lot of the metal on the caseback edge is now lost -- so the normally easy-to-see details look feint, not crisp and sharp. Genius idea, dude!
Because he's so smart he managed to make this poor SBGA011 an 8.5 instead of like a 9.
BTW, Seiko has discontinued this model, the SBGA011 Snowflake. They introduced a new model, a new "Snowflake" Same dial texture, but with only GS branding. I cannot remember its model number, but it should be easy to find. I personally don't like it. Looks uninspiring. The original's looks are so much more balanced and elegant. It's only going to appreciate in value, really.
Remember -- asking price is only
RM15,000. I am willing to negotiate or even talk watches in general, but if you're just going to open with "best price pls," I really don't know what to answer. Why don't you offer me what you are willing to pay to own this beautiful piece instead? Something reasonable -- not a lowball figure like RM8k. Please just don't waste both our time if you're considering that -- I'll block you. It's insulting --but I think you'll get the full set minus the watch for that.
Actually, I wouldn't even be that motivated to sell this right now if it wasn't my dad that entrusted me with funds (that are currently needed for far more pressing issues) to buy it -- even more so why I am very upset with the seller. I would've still been interested had you been honest. At least I'd know what to expect. But your actions just show the kind of person you are -- and it really is a small world. Word travels around fast, and someday, this will come back to repay your gesture in kind.
Your actions make you no better than a scammer to me.
