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@@TheJapaneseFactory favorite shop was definitely ishida best. favorite watches cant rly say as there were so many good ones, but I really liked the Seiko Quartz Astron as you never see them and its a watch that marks a historical moment in watch history. second favorite would have to be either some of the grand seiko's or the JLC reverso's. i also thought it was interesting to see that you could get some of seikos presage lineup in a normal store like Donki hote, for example i own a seiko presage style 60s with the green dial and i bought that at an actual watchmaker / jeweler, and you would just never see this quality of watch at a normal store where im from. (Denmark)
@@TheJapaneseFactory also i heard more vintage watch content is coming so cant wait, it was actually your videos on vintage watches that got me into the idea of owning a vintage watch, and i then noticed my local watchmaker had a 1965 omega Seamster cal. 286 gold plated with the linen dial up for sale in exelent condition for a good price aswell so i went ahead and bought it :)
We are going to do a Tokyo wide vintage episode at some point so subscribe and stay tuned. What vintage brands are you most interested in for that video out of interest? 😁
Problem with Yodobashi is that the prices are 10% higher than MSRP because they give you 10% points back. It’s fine if you regularly shop there as it will equal out. For a tourist it doesn’t make sense to pay 10% over MSRP just to get 10% subtracted for tax-free.
@@OkiDingo That's a good point, but japanese MSRP for the same model is WELL below US MSRP anyway. And if you are purchasing multiple watches or other goods you can put the points towards that purchase. E.g. buy a watch, and use the points to buy a travel adapter/power bank etc.
One thing to note is that the Japanese yen has declined significantly in value by more than 40% since I lived there over a decade ago. However the prices for watches there today are still more or less the global grey market value particularly foreign swiss brands like Rolex. But salary has been stagnant in Japan, making luxury watches for the local Japanese extremely expensive. 3-4 million JPY for a regular steel sports Rolex used to be almost unheard of back in the day. Gone are the days where a submariner date can be found for 400,000 JPY at Jack Road.
Yep! Right before the yen dropped off a cliff my friend sold me his datejust 16233 for ~500k yen, now the same watch is around 800~900k yen. Unfortunately I ended up selling that watch. But yeah, Rolex especially are "globally priced", but other brands like Seiko, Citizen etc you can get really crazy deals compared to USD MSRP. E.g. Grand Seiko Shunbun is $6,900 USD MSRP, in yen is 908k yen, then -10% tax free -5% tourist discount so ~772k yen which is just under $5k USD. it means if you are thinking about buying a Grand Seiko it's better to fly to Japan and have a little holiday and purchase it here :)
Depends a lot on the model, some cheaper orient stars can get down to $500, and orient can get down to $150. I bought one for my cousin recently an orient diver that was gorgeous. The orient star is the more premium lines from orient so a bit more expensive. They can get up to $3k for the really nice models.
@@TheJapaneseFactory The Astron was the first quartz watch to market however the Swiss actually developed the first quartz prototypes with the Beta 1, 2 & 21 movements :)
Check out the citizen flagship store here: Citizen Flagship Store Tokyo 03-6263-9987 g.co/kgs/uWhXbtN They should have all models there, but the ana digi is a pretty common model so should be all around 😊 if you buy one post it in the discord we love the ana digi there!
This video was perfectly timed on my feed. Im heading to Japan in april and i for sure and gonna pick up a watch. I wanted something a bit more special though and I wanted to check out the Kuoe microbrand in Kyoto. Have you guys or anyone in the comments been there or have had experience with Kuoe?
A lot of people in the discord have experience with Kuoe and love them! Our next episode is interviews from our first ever Meetup event and somebody brought a Kuoe so stay tuned :) we are also going to do a future episode on Kuoe as well as other microbrands.
Hotels these days are around 15-30k yen a night (around $100-200 USD), pod hotels are not that common in Tokyo, but net cafes are pretty equivalent and they can be quite cheap at 3k-5k yen a night but I wouldn't recommend them.
The components such as movements, case, dial etc are made in Japan and then assembled in Thailand or Malaysia. Some more premium models are made and assembled completely in Japan.
Generally their more premium lines have other stuff that makes them higher quality as well - e.g. the case materials, finishing, movement quality, dial etc, so it's not just where it's assembly but the entire watch is higher quality when made by the Japanese production lines. But even the non Japanese production line models are still high quality watches at reasonable prices.
You can buy them tax free at most stores in japan, and some department stores offer an additional 5% discount, so -15%. Probably cheaper to buy them outside tokyo airport.
What piece are you most interested in? 🤔 And thank you, wishing you the best for your trip. We host monthly meetups generally on the last week, if you're in town while we are hosting one we'd love to have you!
It's listed for sale here (ishida-watch.com/c/bestvintage/1002000010941-f08) for 2.56m yen incl. tax, if you're a tourist you can get it tax free for 2.3m yen for just under $15k USD.
Generally you want to go for ones with more simple dials - e.g. no chronographs or complex dials. Check out Seiko's presage or Seiko 5 sports such as the SBSA227!
@@TheJapaneseFactory seiko presage is sold at amazon in usa but not directly from Amazon. I kinda have little faith in these sellers selling them on Amazon. Can I buy directky from one of these shops shown in this video.? Do they ship to usa?
We can purchase and ship any watch from Japan to your door, check our enquiry page on our website (thejapanesefactory.com/ ) and I'd be happy to help you!
@@rodsalvador3608 Most department stores outside of GS boutiques offer the 5% tourist discount. Check the Grand Seiko's reddit for a full list :) Happy to chat on discord as well and find some department stores for you if you are interested in buying.
Yes we had a few issues with the microphone this episode, it's been cleared up so it should be better for next episode and won't happen again 😭 thank you for your comment!
There's too many watches to list, the yen prices are there so take a look and convert yourself. Mentally it's relatively easy, let's say a 30k yen watch, just imagine it's 100 yen to $1, so $300, then reduce by 33% so $200 and you'll be VERY close to the price. Hope that helps!
There are many advantages to using a quartz/analog watch over a smartwatch :) but yes, a lot of it is cultural and old-fashioned as well! And it's watches are great hobby for men and women!
![Is Tokyo Safe For a Solo Woman at Night? [SHINJUKU]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8KbJBRIpJgc/mqdefault.jpg)
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Please don't forget to Like, subscribe and hit the share button, and follow our socials if you can 🎉
Insta: @jpfactorywatches
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Patreon: www.patreon.com/c/TheJapaneseFactory
lovely chill video as allways, keep it up! 👍
Thank you so much! What was your favourite shop or watch this episode :)
@@TheJapaneseFactory favorite shop was definitely ishida best. favorite watches cant rly say as there were so many good ones, but I really liked the Seiko Quartz Astron as you never see them and its a watch that marks a historical moment in watch history. second favorite would have to be either some of the grand seiko's or the JLC reverso's.
i also thought it was interesting to see that you could get some of seikos presage lineup in a normal store like Donki hote, for example i own a seiko presage style 60s with the green dial and i bought that at an actual watchmaker / jeweler, and you would just never see this quality of watch at a normal store where im from. (Denmark)
@@TheJapaneseFactory also i heard more vintage watch content is coming so cant wait, it was actually your videos on vintage watches that got me into the idea of owning a vintage watch, and i then noticed my local watchmaker had a 1965 omega Seamster cal. 286 gold plated with the linen dial up for sale in exelent condition for a good price aswell so i went ahead and bought it :)
I can’t wait to go back to Japan!
great video gents. lets see some more vintage stuff! it's hard to find good videos on vintage watches online.
We are going to do a Tokyo wide vintage episode at some point so subscribe and stay tuned. What vintage brands are you most interested in for that video out of interest? 😁
Problem with Yodobashi is that the prices are 10% higher than MSRP because they give you 10% points back. It’s fine if you regularly shop there as it will equal out. For a tourist it doesn’t make sense to pay 10% over MSRP just to get 10% subtracted for tax-free.
@@OkiDingo That's a good point, but japanese MSRP for the same model is WELL below US MSRP anyway. And if you are purchasing multiple watches or other goods you can put the points towards that purchase. E.g. buy a watch, and use the points to buy a travel adapter/power bank etc.
Amazing content, guys! Well done!!!
Will do mate! What was your favourite shop or watch this episode? :)
Great video guys as always!!!
Komehyo, Daikokuya and 2nd street store also have watches
I love second street! You never know what you're going to see there :)
Vacheron Constantin watch boutique. Great vlog!
i didnt expect it when i walked in but loft has a really good selection
Yeah Loft in Shibuya has a watch section that's pretty decent too, as well as other daily necessities.
Solid video. Thank you !
No problem! What was your favourite watch or shop in this episode? 😊
One thing to note is that the Japanese yen has declined significantly in value by more than 40% since I lived there over a decade ago. However the prices for watches there today are still more or less the global grey market value particularly foreign swiss brands like Rolex. But salary has been stagnant in Japan, making luxury watches for the local Japanese extremely expensive. 3-4 million JPY for a regular steel sports Rolex used to be almost unheard of back in the day. Gone are the days where a submariner date can be found for 400,000 JPY at Jack Road.
Yep! Right before the yen dropped off a cliff my friend sold me his datejust 16233 for ~500k yen, now the same watch is around 800~900k yen. Unfortunately I ended up selling that watch.
But yeah, Rolex especially are "globally priced", but other brands like Seiko, Citizen etc you can get really crazy deals compared to USD MSRP. E.g. Grand Seiko Shunbun is $6,900 USD MSRP, in yen is 908k yen, then -10% tax free -5% tourist discount so ~772k yen which is just under $5k USD. it means if you are thinking about buying a Grand Seiko it's better to fly to Japan and have a little holiday and purchase it here :)
How much are orient star in dollars?
@ I have 2 orient stars actually. An orient star classic and retrograde. I bought both brand new for around $200 usd each about 8 years ago.
@ from where did you buy them?
Depends a lot on the model, some cheaper orient stars can get down to $500, and orient can get down to $150. I bought one for my cousin recently an orient diver that was gorgeous. The orient star is the more premium lines from orient so a bit more expensive. They can get up to $3k for the really nice models.
Great video! Def got a new subscriber in me. Did the watchnians in ginza close as well? I was there in nov 2024 and it was still open
Watchnian in Ginza is still open, and Nakano Broadway as I mentioned :)
6:20 the first **mass-produce** quartz watch
great video !
Oh really? I didn't know that! What were some quartz models before the Seiko astron?
@@TheJapaneseFactory The Astron was the first quartz watch to market however the Swiss actually developed the first quartz prototypes with the Beta 1, 2 & 21 movements :)
im just a simple man who will be looking for citizen ana digi temp on my next japan trip in november. where should i go?
Check out the citizen flagship store here:
Citizen Flagship Store Tokyo
03-6263-9987
g.co/kgs/uWhXbtN
They should have all models there, but the ana digi is a pretty common model so should be all around 😊 if you buy one post it in the discord we love the ana digi there!
This video was perfectly timed on my feed. Im heading to Japan in april and i for sure and gonna pick up a watch. I wanted something a bit more special though and I wanted to check out the Kuoe microbrand in Kyoto. Have you guys or anyone in the comments been there or have had experience with Kuoe?
A lot of people in the discord have experience with Kuoe and love them! Our next episode is interviews from our first ever Meetup event and somebody brought a Kuoe so stay tuned :) we are also going to do a future episode on Kuoe as well as other microbrands.
I'm early!
Congrats! you're the first commenter! What was your favourite store/watch in this episode? :)
@@TheJapaneseFactoryI wanna take home that giant G-Shock clock on Ishida Best 😂
Haha you and me both!!!
How much is average or lowest hotel stay in Tokyo? Pod hotels?
Hotels these days are around 15-30k yen a night (around $100-200 USD), pod hotels are not that common in Tokyo, but net cafes are pretty equivalent and they can be quite cheap at 3k-5k yen a night but I wouldn't recommend them.
So the watches are all made in japan? Here we made in China or Thailand!
The components such as movements, case, dial etc are made in Japan and then assembled in Thailand or Malaysia. Some more premium models are made and assembled completely in Japan.
@@TheJapaneseFactory so same quality? I guess made the n japan and assembled there just sounds prestigious.
Generally their more premium lines have other stuff that makes them higher quality as well - e.g. the case materials, finishing, movement quality, dial etc, so it's not just where it's assembly but the entire watch is higher quality when made by the Japanese production lines. But even the non Japanese production line models are still high quality watches at reasonable prices.
@ can I buy them at same or cheaper price at Tokyo airport?
You can buy them tax free at most stores in japan, and some department stores offer an additional 5% discount, so -15%. Probably cheaper to buy them outside tokyo airport.
it would be cool if you did the same thing in Osaka
We're going to do this all over japan! So make sure you subscribe and stay tuned :)
Is Casio duro. a Popular watch in japan?
Pretty popular I'd say. Good price to performance every day watch 😄
@ need to make it in smaller size and less heavy. It is big for average wrists and feels heavy too
I bought my Aqua Terra from Don Quiote!
Nice! Which model and how much did you pay? 🤔
I’m hoping to make a returning trip to Tokyo this year. I plan to purchase my first luxury piece. Thanks for the great content!
What piece are you most interested in? 🤔 And thank you, wishing you the best for your trip. We host monthly meetups generally on the last week, if you're in town while we are hosting one we'd love to have you!
How much is that Rolex Cellini? 6:52
It's listed for sale here (ishida-watch.com/c/bestvintage/1002000010941-f08) for 2.56m yen incl. tax, if you're a tourist you can get it tax free for 2.3m yen for just under $15k USD.
Anyone tell me names of watches suitable for old eyes.
Generally you want to go for ones with more simple dials - e.g. no chronographs or complex dials. Check out Seiko's presage or Seiko 5 sports such as the SBSA227!
@@TheJapaneseFactory seiko presage is sold at amazon in usa but not directly from Amazon. I kinda have little faith in these sellers selling them on Amazon. Can I buy directky from one of these shops shown in this video.? Do they ship to usa?
We can purchase and ship any watch from Japan to your door, check our enquiry page on our website (thejapanesefactory.com/ ) and I'd be happy to help you!
damn, the sgba211 is 902k
Yeah, Grand Seiko been raising prices recently.
But you can get it 10% tax free and 5% tourist discount which lowers it down to 766k yen aka $5k USD
definitely beats $6.6k in the US. question -- who offers this 5% tourist discount? first I've heard of it
@@rodsalvador3608 Most department stores outside of GS boutiques offer the 5% tourist discount. Check the Grand Seiko's reddit for a full list :) Happy to chat on discord as well and find some department stores for you if you are interested in buying.
Hey guys there seems to be something wrong with your microphone.
Yes we had a few issues with the microphone this episode, it's been cleared up so it should be better for next episode and won't happen again 😭 thank you for your comment!
Why don’t you tell watch prices in dollars?
There's too many watches to list, the yen prices are there so take a look and convert yourself. Mentally it's relatively easy, let's say a 30k yen watch, just imagine it's 100 yen to $1, so $300, then reduce by 33% so $200 and you'll be VERY close to the price. Hope that helps!
Most of them using analog watch compared to smartwatch, is this culture or just they old fashioned?
There are many advantages to using a quartz/analog watch over a smartwatch :) but yes, a lot of it is cultural and old-fashioned as well! And it's watches are great hobby for men and women!
My god are you a werewolf 😂 you are a furry blot
DAMN. You right though 😭