Over 200 Timepieces Spanning Half a Century, Including:
The 'Holy Grail' of Seiko Watches – Ref. 5718-8000

More than 200 timepieces by world-renowned Japanese watchmaker Seiko will be offered at Bonhams.com. 'Making Waves: Seiko – A Private Collection of Japanese Wristwatches' is an online-only sale of a single owner collection amassed over the past 15 years, encompassing the brand's major vintage and modern watches, as well as other iconic, if not legendary even, models, such as the ultra-rare Ref. 5718-8000, which was tailored for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and widely considered as the 'holy grail' of Seiko watches. The first part of the online sale will be held between 17 and 25 August, with all lots available on the sale page on the first day.

Tim Bourne, Bonhams International Director of Watches, Asia, commented: "Seiko is undoubtedly one of the most loved and most well-known watch brands across the world. Thanks to its diverse selection of models produced in a wide price range, Seiko timepieces are accessible to all walks of life, and their movement and accuracy are on par with their high-end counterparts. All these made Seiko a perfect starting point for new vintage watch collectors to embark on their journey."

Highlights of the sale include:

Seiko. An Extremely Rare Stainless Steel 'Tokyo Summer Olympic 1964' Chronograph Bracelet Watch with Lap-Counter and Date Display, Circa 1964.
Estimate: HK$100,000–200,000

Considered as the 'holy grail' of Seiko timepieces, the legendary and exceedingly-rare Ref. 5718-8000 was produced in 1964 for the Tokyo Olympics as an effective sports counter. The two iconic push buttons on the left of the watch allow wearers to easily adjust the 1's and 10's positions of the count graph – a function designed to count laps; while the single sub-dial located at 6 o'clock has both a continuous second and a 60-minute register. There are only a handful of 5718-8000 examples known to exist in the market, with only one other example released at auction previously.

Seiko. A Stainless Steel 'Yachtman UFO' Chronograph Wristwatch with Day and Date, Circa 1973.
Estimate: HK$3,000-6,000 (No Reserve Lot)

Seiko. A Rare Stainless Steel 'Bullhead' Chronograph Wristwatch with Date and Day in Japanese and English, Circa 1977. (Right)
Estimate: HK$4,000–8,000

Seiko has a long-standing tradition of the chronograph. Sporting a dual register movement (minutes and hours), which equipped some of the most emblematic models from this golden era for mechanical chronographs, the automatic Ref. 6138 is a vintage icon that sees a resurgence of popularity in recent years.

Other highlights of Seiko chronographs include:

• A Rare Stainless Steel 'Kakume Speed-Timer' Chronograph Wristwatch With Day And Date, Circa 1975 (Estimate: Hk$2,500–5,000; No Reserve Lot)

• A Rare Stainless Steel 'Bullhead' Chronograph Bracelet Watch, Circa 1976 (Estimate: HK$4,000–8,000)
Seiko. A Rare Limited Edition Titanium 'Spring Drive Spacewalk' Chronograph Wristwatch with Date and Power Reserve Indication, Complete with All Accessories, Circa 2010.
Estimate: HK$150,000–180,000

First produced in October 2008 to accompany private space adventurer, Richard Garriott, throughout his 12-day flight in space, Ref. SPS005 was then released to the public in a commemorative limited edition of 100 pieces in 2010. The limited edition shares the exact same specifications as the one travelling into space with but one adaptation: a screw-in crown is used to enhance the overall security of the case.

Apart from 'Making Waves: Seiko', Bonhams will also present a series of sales related to Japanese craftsmanship and creativity throughout August.

• Made in Japan (Online-Only)
20–27 August
A new online-only sale celebrating centuries of Japanese creativity and aesthetics, encompassing ceramics, glassworks, modern and contemporary art, architectural sketches as well as early editions of Japanese whisky, all from the favourite and finest artists and craftsmen in their fields.

• Fine and Rare Wine and Whisky
21 August
Spotlighting the oldest ever Japanese whisky – the Yamazaki-55 Year Old.

• Luxury Online (Online-Only)
21– 28 August
Featuring a private collection of traditional Maki-e fountain pens by Namiki. Maki-e is a decorative craft of expressing intricate design by sprinkling gold powder on lacquerware, with a history dating back 1,500 years. Both functional and exquisite, this collection on offer hails from the early 20th century, but the lustre has remained throughout times. The sale also presents other watch, jewellery and handbag highlights.