What To Do After You Get Your Grail Watch

Not so long ago, I was able to acquire my grail watch. It’s a timepiece I’ve sought after for 5+ years, and now it was finally mine.

So now what do I do now? Continue reading to find out!

Since we at A Step Above Style value your time (and because you already know why you’re here) we’ll jump right in.

Let’s begin.

The History Of The Watch

Here is the **Orient President** in all of it’s vintage glory.

I’ll summarize the history/details of this watch with a few bullet points as found below:

Made by The Orient Watch Company which was founded on July 13, 1950
The company itself is owned by the popular watch brand Seiko
It has a 36mm diameter with a fluted bezel
Stainless steel bracelet
Screw down crown
21 jewels automatic movement
40 hour power reserve
1st edition of the Orient President as indicated by the baton indices
Jubilee style bracelet
Discontinued for nearly 20 years

What Attracted Me To This Watch

For those who are long term readers of the blog, you’ll know that I began my watch enthusiast journey with the Orient brand.

My very first Orient watch was the Orient Symphony as pictured below.

Photo Credit : Automatic Watches For Men

I’ve since given the Symphony away to a dear friend, but I still have 2 other Orient Watches.

The Orient Bambino is widely regarded as a excellent entry level watch for those entering the watch community.

Although they are regarded as “beginner” watches to some, I fell in love with them, and exclusively wear Orient watches for all formal occasions.

The Only Dress Watch I Wear – The Orient Bambino

Check out the other two Orient Watches in my current collection by clicking above.

What drew me to Orient was their value proposition. Somehow, they are able to pack so much quality into their timepieces while keeping the price of each item relatively low for the customer.

Additionally, I love that they are owned by Seiko. Seiko needs no introduction to watch aficionados, as their movements (interior workings) are used in many other watches that aren’t made entirely by Seiko. That’s a testament to how good Seiko is at what they do.

Lastly, I liked that this watch was somewhat off the beaten path. While it would be cool for my grail watch to be a Rolex, Omega, or Patek Phillipe , I had to be true to what I really wanted.

P.S. Check out this Patek Phillipe I saw on a recent visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The watch I really wanted was the Orient President.

To me this watch epitomized all the things that got me started on my path of classic menswear, self-improvement, and being a modern day gentleman.

Not only is it from a brand I’ve come to love, but it represents one of the finest timepieces they’ve ever made.

How I Got My Grail Watch

A short video from the gentleman who sold the watch to me.

I purchased my watch from a gentlemen who is originally from Japan, but moved to Hanoi, Vietnam in 2019 with his wife (who is Vietnamese).

For those curious Hanoi, Vietnam is 20 hours away from where I live by plane. At the time of this writing, round trip tickets are about $1,800.

I was connected to this gentleman online via a Reddit community called Watch Exchange. He has sold over 400 watches since he moved from Japan to Vietnam and had glowing reviews from his customers.

His bio informs the reader that he is a “Collector of rare Japanese watches”. I was very happy to come in contact with this gentlemen on the day that I did.

To make a long story short, I paid $600 to purchase this watch. I had been wanting it for so long that I didn’t have to spend much time thinking about it.

Because it was being shipped internationally, I had to wait a few days, but it arrived quickly and in pristine condition.

Where Do I Go From Here?

I’ll be very honest and tell you that I enjoy wearing my Orient President as often as possible. To me, watches are made to be worn and enjoyed. Even if they are your grail watch.

I’ve wanted this watch for 5+ years, and now that I have it, there’s no way I’m letting it sit on a shelf.

I am not thinking about reselling it, nor am I worried about it being a “investment piece”.

I mostly wear it in formal situations such as going to church, but occasionally I wear it on Saturdays when out and about with my wife.

One habit I have is wearing it to work on “Casual Fridays”. I have somewhat of a tradition that consists of three parts :

Sit at my desk to take a break
Look down at my watch to admire the fact that I actually own one of the items I’ve wanted for so long
Gaze at the day window showing that it’s Friday and that the weekend is just around the corner

It’s a piece I’ve wanted for a significant amount of time, and being able to purchase it is a testament to the hard work I’ve been able to put in over the years.

To me, the watch is a reminder of 3 things: good things come to those who work, be patient, and lastly how valuable time truly is.
ASAS Words Of Wisdom