Seiko BAPE

Seiko and Bape is collaborating to produce a watch. I am sure the watch will be a hit. 

Here is the article about the watch...

A BATHING APE proudly presents a collaboration with SEIKO, a Japanese watchmaker loved worldwide for its innovative technology. The diver’s watch from the crossover will be available on Saturday 9, February 2019. The unique combination of the BAPE’s original ABC camo featured on the face of the watch, the urethane band famous in a diver’s watch and sublime black bezel gives the exclusive item a casual yet luxurious feel. The back of the watch is engraved with “A BATHING APE LIMITED EDITION” making the collaboration item a premium, one of a kind. Available at A BATHING APE locations in Japan, BAPE.COM WEBSTORE and ZOZOTOWN.

Items will be exclusively available in Japan.

You can read more about the watch and how to get the watch here:

Seiko BAPE

Photograph: BAPE

Stussy x A Bathing Ape Camo Luminox watch

I saw this watch being advertised in the Stussy boutique when I was in Japan recently. I went in an inquired and was told that it will only be available sometime this year. The watch is the Stussy in collaboration with Bape and Luminox, Stussy x A Bathing Ape Camo Luminox watch. The watch is expected to hit Stussy stores on the 15th of January in Japan. I am unsure if the release will be worldwide. At the moment it is also unsure if the watch will be available at BAPE stores. But I will check the local Taiwan BAPE store on the 15.

The watch is part of the 'Survival of the Fittest' collection from Stussy, which consist of clothes and accessories. The watch, in gray camo is based on the Luminox 3050 EVO Navy SEAL series of watches. The watch measures 44 mm in diameter and is water resistant to 20 ATM. The watch case will be made of reinforce black polymer case and will feature a screw-down case back, also in black. It will be triple signed on the case back. It will be fitted with an extra-hard mineral crystal and is fitted with a polyurethane strap.

Photographs: Stussy

The watch is expected to retail for about $485 USD. The dial will feature the BAPE type decorations in camo gray. The dial and hands will be fitted with the Tritium gas tubes. It will feature the following functions: hours, minutes, seconds and date complication.

DW-5600VT BAPE

Here is a small review of my BAPE 5600. I believe the actual model number is DW-5600VT. However, the model number listed at the shop is BAPE model MGD-00109-NAVY.

A bit about Bape, or it's full name A Bathing Ape. BAPE is a Japanese clothing company founded by Tomoaki "Nigo" Nagao in 1993. The company specializes in street wear. Tomoaki named it after the 1968 film Planet of the Apes. According to him, the name "A Bathing Ape" is short for a Japanese saying "bathing in lukewarm water".

From what I understand, BAPE and Casio issued the first G-Shock, a DW-6900 in 1998 and have since issued a number of watches under this collaboration. Of the 13 (correct as at 2008), 5 are DW-5600 and the rest DW-6900. Making the matter more confusing, of the 7 DW-6900 issued, 2 are NFS (what ever that means) and one DW-5600 of the 5 is NFS issued. The NFS issued watches began from the 5th model issued under this collaboration.

1st: DW-6900 Black Bezel, White Dial

2nd: DW-5000/ DW-5600 (some sites states the 2nd model as a 5600)

3rd: DW-6900 White Overall

4th: DW-6900 Red overall

5th: DW-6900 Pink overall

DW-6900 NFS same as above

6th: DW-5600 White bezel, Black Dial, White Strap

DW-5600 NFS Ok it's the other way around (negative of above)

7th: DW-6900 Yellow overall

DW-6900 NFS as above

You get the picture. All BAPE collaboration watches are Limited Edition watches.

Basic specification:

Model No: DW-5600VT

Module No: 1545

Timekeeping Mode: Hour, minutes, seconds, am/ pm, month, date, day of week (time display switchable between 12-hour and 24-hour format)

Calendar System: Auto-calendar from 1995 to 2039

Alarm Mode: Multi-function alarm, hourly time signal

Countdown Alarm Mode (Timer): measuring unit: 1 second, input range: 1 second to 24 hours, auto repeat and repeat function

Stopwatch Mode: measuring unit: 1/100 seconds (first 60 minutes), 1 second (after 60 minutes), measuring capacity: 23 hours 59 minutes 59.99 seconds, measuring modes: elapsed time, split time and two finishes

Size: 48.9 X 42.8 X 13.5 mm

Weight: 60 g

This BAPE model comes in a Navy Blue Box with the BAPE logo in Silver in the center of the box. Inside the box is another box, also Navy Blue, with the same logo. The difference being the material as the inner box is tougher. Opening the box, and we see the watch. The packaging comes with the usual warranty card and manual (in Japanese). There is also the BAPE tag with the surprise tag and ape statement, much like Chinese Fortune cookies. :)

This BAPE model is based on the popular DW-5600 series from Casio. The bezel is Navy Blue in colour. The body is made of resin. This resin body is tough and is further protected by the bezel. The bezel has raised ridges at the top and bottom of the LCD display and this helps to protect the mineral glass used on the case. On the ridges are the wordings 'PROTECTION' and 'G-SHOCK', rendered white. The wordings do stand out against the navy blue bezel.

The dial on the watch is very busy, made up of patterns and has 3 colours, 2 shades of blue, white and black. The BAPE logo is at the bottom right corner. The use of this design although beautiful and interesting, added with the choice of white lettering makes it difficult to make out the 'Mode', 'Adjust' and other normal wordings found on a typical DW-5600 dial. Even the BAPE lettering is hard to make out. Watch design reminds me of the Casio G-Shock SOAR reference DW-5600SA-2JF, which was also just as busy.

The buttons are a pleasure to use, large, very tactile and very polished. Typical of module 1545, there is a confirmation 'beep' when the mode button is selected. The watch will cycle through time display, alarm, countdown alarm, stopwatch and back to time display. The 'beep' for the return to time display is different (not much) from the 'beep' when cycling through the functions. This helps the user in that the user knows when he is back to the normal time display.

Additionally, the watch reverts to normal time display when the mode button is selected once an operation has been selected, regardless of mode. What this means is if you have adjusted the alarm in the alarm mode, when you select the mode button, you return to normal time display instead of having to cycle through the entire function modes. The current time is displayed in all modes except alarm.

As with most Casio, the adjust button is recessed to prevent accidental selection.

I like the LCD on this watch. You can just see the BAPE ape motif the LCD. The background of the LCD is greenish. The top of the display shows the day, month and date. The lower portion shows the time, either in 12-hour mode (with a 'PM' for afternoon) or 24-hour mode (with 24H indication). In other modes, except alarm mode, the time display will appear in the 'month-date' window.

The EL is the BAPE ape logo.

The watch itself is not very heavy and is comfortable to wear. The strap is different from the standard DW-5600E strap. It looks much like the G-lide Jelly series strap. The strap has the silk printing of BAPEs' motto (?) 'Ape shall not kill ape' in silver. The printing contrast nicely with the Navy Blue strap. The is an 'R', the Registered Trademark logo perhaps (?) at the tip of the strap.

The strap is slightly wider the DW-5600 standard strap and the internal design is typical Casio. There are ridges at the side to prevent slipping. Internal markings: 413 H14 16 PUR and 413 H13 16 PUR.

The buckle is made in Japan, as is the watch. There is a slight tab at the tang rest. The Casio and Japan inscription on the buckle is by far the best I have seen in my collection. It is very crisp and clear.

The case back is the standard Stainless Steel plate with the 4 screws. Again it has the vertical brushing and is matte. One would expect with the price, a screw back case back would be in order. Anyway, the usual Casio markings are there, module no., model no., made in information, etc. However instead of the typical G-Shock logo in the center, this has the BAPE logo and the BAPE markings and wordings.

The Limited Edition production run information has been removed for security reasons. BAPE are produced between 1,000 to 3,000 pieces.

Overall, it is a nice watch. This watch is on its way to a good home.

BAPE Camo watch

This is a little review of the BAPE Camo watch. The interesting thing about this watch is that it cost USD 20. USD 20 for a BAPE? Is it possible? Yes actually. How? This watch is a novelty watch from BAPE. You buy the BAPE 2009 Winter Collection magazine and get the watch free. I look at is as I buy the watch and get the magazine free. Interested?

Technical specification:

Function: Hours, minutes and seconds

Case: Plastic (ABS?), 42 mm diameter, 16 mm thick, lug width 20 mm

Movement: Seiko Cal. PC21S 6 3/4 x 8 ligne quartz movement

Crystal: Acrylic (?), no AR coating

Water Resistant: ?

CASE

The case is made of 2 parts, the main body and the case back. The entire case is made of plastic (ABS?). The case is beige/ sand in colour. It is well made. All the sides are smooth and the finish is not too bad. There is a cut-out to position the crown.

The case back is a snap back case back. There is a notch at the 1 o'clock (looking at the case back) to facilitate removal of the case back. The case back is signed 'NOWHERE Co. Ltd' and 'All Rights Reserved'. From my understanding, the NOWHERE Co is the company that manufactures BAPE products. It is located in Sendagaya, Japan. There is no BAPE signature on the case back.

I would not use the watch for washing my hands or get it wet. True that the case back has a rubber gasket, but from the photographs, you can see that the gasket is exposed at certain parts of the case. The fit of the case back could be better.

The crown is a simple stainless steel crown. It is polished. The crown measures 4 mm in diameter and is 2.5 mm thick. It has deep serration that helps to provide positive grip. It needs that as the crown is small as compared to the case. The crown is unsigned.

MOVEMENT

The watch is powered by Seiko Cal. PC21S. The movement is made by SII in Singapore. It is a basic 3 hand movement with a single position adjustment. The movement has no jewels.

DIAL

The dial is unique. It is the only place that helps you identify that the watch is a BAPE. The dial has the BAPE ape logo in abstract design. The rest of the dial has the camo effect. The dial is void of hour and minute markers. This makes exact time setting difficult.

The dial is also sterile of any legends.

HANDS

The hands on this watch is also made of plastic (guessing here). All three hands are of the same colour, greenish. The minute hand is long enough to differentiate it from the hour hand. The finish of the hands is very good. It looks like BAPE does not compromise when it comes to their product, even when it is 'free'.

CRYSTAL

I suspect the crystal fitted is made of plastic but just to be nice, it is made of acrylic. Can anyone tell me how to tell the difference, please. There is no AR coating.

STRAP

The strap is rather interesting. It is made of plastic and is clear. The print is on the background. Viewed at certain angles, it does 'give' a 3D effect of the stylised camo colours. The strap measures 115 mm on the hole side and 82 mm on the buckle side. The back of the strap is white.

Again, you can find a stylised BAPE logo on the strap. On the hole side, it is at the tip in black and in green on the buckle side. The strap keeper is translucent clear.

The buckle is also made of plastic. It is unsigned. As with the rest of the watch, it is well made. The buckle is the loop over design.

CONCLUSION

I have to say that it is an interesting watch. Where else can you get a BAPE product for USD 20. This is a novelty and should be treated as such. However it is still cool.

BAPE DW-6900 (Taiwan Store)

For those who are interested, the latest BAPE DW-6900, or BAPE model 1663-MGD-001 is available in BAPE Taiwan store in Taipei. The retail price for the watch is NTD 8,950 with no discounts. Stock is limited and no new stock is expected once sold out.

Photograph: BAPE

New BAPE G-SHOCK

BAPE has announced a new BAPE G-Shock collaboration. The new watch will be of the popular DW-6900 design. BAPE and Casio have had many collaborations and the watches issued under this collaboration has been either of the DW-5600 or DW-6900 design (well there was one DW-5000). The new watch will carry the following part number: 1663-MGD-00109 COLOUR. As with other BAPE G-SHOCK, the EL Back-light will feature the 'APE FACE'. The G-SHOCK will be rendered in 7 colours (colours of the rainbow?). The watch will be released on 23rd. August and will retail for ¥21,000. Expect this watch to sell fast.

For Taiwan collectors, I believe the BAPE shop will carry the watch and expect the retail price of the watch to be around NTD 8,000.

BAPE Table Clock

Well the Mayday weekend is over and I was away with the family on holidays. It was a good holiday, just to get away and we ended up in Taichung. What started out as a family vacation, turn out to be a horological adventure with me ending up with 1 table clock, 1 watch and a watch winder.

On with it. The BAPE table clock. Well I did not actually buy the table clock, it was a gift when you buy the BAPE magazine. But since the magazine was in Japanese, well it came to me buying the magazine for the clock.

A bit about BAPE or A Bathing Ape. It is a Japanese clothing company and was founded by Tomoaki Nagao San in 1993. It specializes in street wear. It also does collaboration with Casio to issue BAPE G-Shocks. The company also produces watches under its own brand.

The picture above has not been corrected for white balance. The picture below has.

The table clock itself looks good. The clock is called BAPEX and is produced by BAPE. It is made by human (above the 6 o'clock position). All BAPE products have some saying of sorts. The design of the clock is of the divers design. But don't be fooled as the 'bezel' does not rotate. The dial is shiny (wish it was matte) and the dots are luminous. The BAPE logo is at the 12 o'clock position. The registered trademark 'R' logo at 6 o'clock. The mercedes hands are also luminous. The dot on the second hand is also luminous. The triangle at 12 o'clock has a luminous dot as well.

There is no light function or alarm function. This is a basic table clock that shows the time (hours, minutes and seconds). The second and minutes hands extend to the minute markers and as with all quartz watches, the second hand does not align with the markers.

The clock is made of plastic. It is about 5 inches in diameter (13 cm) and is very light. It is about 1.2 inch (3 cm) thick.

Just how luminous is the clock? Not very. The photo below shows the clock immediately after the light was switched off and the clock was exposed to sunlight for 30 seconds. In fact the dot on the bezel does not even show up. From the picture below, it looks like the BAPE logo is luminous as well.

The clock is battery powered and the movement is made in China by a company called Jia Hao. It has no jewels and is unadjusted (whatever that means). It had a metal stand holder that tilts the clock and holds it in place.

My only complain, as can be seen from the picture below, is that there should have been a flat spot at the 6 o'clock position to assist keeping the clock in place as it has a tendency to roll. Having the flat spot would certainly help to make it more stable. But who am I to complain, as the clock or rather the magazine cost less than USD20.