Comments on: Mad About Harry http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/ Japanese Watch Enthusiasts Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:16:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Lee® http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-65 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 01:14:55 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-65 Les, you are one cheeky bastard! :-) Les, you are one cheeky bastard! :-)

]]> by: SirLes http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-50 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 23:34:23 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-50 Wow, that brochure brings back memories of a flight in a Boeing 707 (not Pan Am) from London to Sydney in December, 1969. Although the 707s flew as fast as (or even faster than) today's jetliners, their inferior fuel efficiency and smaller tank capacity meant we had to stop at Teheran, Karachi and Singapore to refuel. Funnily enough, I can remember seeing a woman wearing a fur coat on the plane, just like the woman in your brochure! She was fine in the snow at London and Teheran, but was getting a bit overheated in the boiling sunshine at the other stops. Interesting to see each Clipper had "a gay first class lounge". Not much has changed in the way of airline service, then. :) Wow, that brochure brings back memories of a flight in a Boeing 707 (not Pan Am) from London to Sydney in December, 1969. Although the 707s flew as fast as (or even faster than) today’s jetliners, their inferior fuel efficiency and smaller tank capacity meant we had to stop at Teheran, Karachi and Singapore to refuel. Funnily enough, I can remember seeing a woman wearing a fur coat on the plane, just like the woman in your brochure! She was fine in the snow at London and Teheran, but was getting a bit overheated in the boiling sunshine at the other stops. Interesting to see each Clipper had “a gay first class lounge”.

Not much has changed in the way of airline service, then. :)

]]> by: bryanandersen http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-48 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 19:25:26 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-48 Hi Les, Yes, the copywriter definitely made a mistake with the Crown-Chronograph text. There are other similar errors throughout the catalog. That makes me wonder if the text was written by a non-native English speaker. Heaps of praise for pointing out the meaning of "diaflex" and "diafix." Those are new ones for me. I love that sort of thing, those made up terms by Japanese watch manufacturers. Is it too much of a stretch to say you have "expert knowledge" about these vintage Seikos? Well, more expert than myself, anyway. Regarding nostalgia, if a person wanted to fly from the West to Japan in the early 1960s, he might have traveled on Pan Am. Here's a scan of a Pan Am brochure from the year 1960 for you. This is back when flying was a big deal for most people, so they wore their best clothing for a flight. <div style="text-align: center"><img src="http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/banderjp/panam.jpg" /></div> <div align="center"><font size="1">Brochure: Copyright ©1960 Pan American World Airways, Inc.</font></div> Enjoy! Bryan Hi Les,

Yes, the copywriter definitely made a mistake with the Crown-Chronograph text. There are other similar errors throughout the catalog. That makes me wonder if the text was written by a non-native English speaker.

Heaps of praise for pointing out the meaning of “diaflex” and “diafix.” Those are new ones for me. I love that sort of thing, those made up terms by Japanese watch manufacturers. Is it too much of a stretch to say you have “expert knowledge” about these vintage Seikos? Well, more expert than myself, anyway.

Regarding nostalgia, if a person wanted to fly from the West to Japan in the early 1960s, he might have traveled on Pan Am. Here’s a scan of a Pan Am brochure from the year 1960 for you. This is back when flying was a big deal for most people, so they wore their best clothing for a flight.

Brochure: Copyright ©1960 Pan American World Airways, Inc.

Enjoy!

Bryan

]]> by: SirLes http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-46 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 08:29:46 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-46 Hi Bryan, Thanks for the interesting (and nostalgic) article. Australian currency went decimal in 1966, so Harry would have had to alter his currency conversion chart! Regarding the Crown-Chronograph (was it <i>really</i> only $29.45?!), I believe the copywriter got it wrong: instead of "a stop watch which can be easily converted to a wrist watch by rotating the bezel", it's actually the other way round. Also, it has diashock, diaflex and diafix, not diafit as you thought. Diaflex refers to the 'unbreakable' mainspring (there's no such thing as an unbreakable mainspring in reality -- they eventually succumb to either rust or fatigue), and diafix is a cap jewel with an oil reservoir for long-life lubrication. Cheers, LesZ Hi Bryan,

Thanks for the interesting (and nostalgic) article. Australian currency went decimal in 1966, so Harry would have had to alter his currency conversion chart!

Regarding the Crown-Chronograph (was it really only $29.45?!), I believe the copywriter got it wrong: instead of “a stop watch which can be easily converted to a wrist watch by rotating the bezel”, it’s actually the other way round. Also, it has diashock, diaflex and diafix, not diafit as you thought. Diaflex refers to the ‘unbreakable’ mainspring (there’s no such thing as an unbreakable mainspring in reality — they eventually succumb to either rust or fatigue), and diafix is a cap jewel with an oil reservoir for long-life lubrication.

Cheers,

LesZ

]]> by: bryanandersen http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-45 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:07:29 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-45 Hi Sjors and Pete, Sjors, your comment about Anton Geesink impressed me. I mentioned the US men's ice hockey teams' win, but I know that is an American memory. It's cool to hear about Dutch pride in its Olympic champions. Pete, it's true that ordering from Harry must of taken a leap of faith, but did you notice Harry accepted personal checks as payment. I guess there was more faith in the past. Did you notice the Crown-Chronograph is described as having "diashock, diaflex, diafit"? The last two are new ones for me. I guess they refer to the bracelet. Finally, how about that list of people/professions they use to try and sell the World Time!?!! Thanks for your feedback, guys. Bryan Hi Sjors and Pete,

Sjors, your comment about Anton Geesink impressed me. I mentioned the US men’s ice hockey teams’ win, but I know that is an American memory. It’s cool to hear about Dutch pride in its Olympic champions.

Pete, it’s true that ordering from Harry must of taken a leap of faith, but did you notice Harry accepted personal checks as payment. I guess there was more faith in the past.

Did you notice the Crown-Chronograph is described as having “diashock, diaflex, diafit”? The last two are new ones for me. I guess they refer to the bracelet.

Finally, how about that list of people/professions they use to try and sell the World Time!?!!

Thanks for your feedback, guys.

Bryan

]]> by: petew http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-42 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 14:27:17 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-42 Oh my goodness. I am shocked at the prices for some of those Seikos. Not only how low they are, but also how the Crown Chronograph clearly wasn't close to being the most expensive in the lineup. To an extent, buying from Harry must have taken a real leap of faith for some. Even today, you have so many people who are apprehensive about buying and selling to foreign countries. Fun article. Oh my goodness. I am shocked at the prices for some of those Seikos. Not only how low they are, but also how the Crown Chronograph clearly wasn’t close to being the most expensive in the lineup.

To an extent, buying from Harry must have taken a real leap of faith for some. Even today, you have so many people who are apprehensive about buying and selling to foreign countries. Fun article.

]]> by: Sjors http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-41 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:55:55 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/02/14/mad-about-harry/#comment-41 Hi Bryan, That must have been a very hard way to get Japanese stuff back then. My dad had some business trips to Japan in the early 80's and showed me very futuristic pictures he took on his business trips. I was the first kid in the class with a pocket calculator (as big as a credit card, around 1981). How did people find Harry? Now there are blogs, websites and fora sending people to Seiya and Higuchi, but in 1964 (2 years before I was born) telephone wasn't even common goods where I live. BTW, Netherlands had at least 1 Gold medal. Anton Geesink (the only 10th dan still alive right now) was the first non Japanese judoka who won, completely surprising the Japanese audience. Cheers, Sjors Hi Bryan,

That must have been a very hard way to get Japanese stuff back then. My dad had some business trips to Japan in the early 80’s and showed me very futuristic pictures he took on his business trips. I was the first kid in the class with a pocket calculator (as big as a credit card, around 1981). How did people find Harry? Now there are blogs, websites and fora sending people to Seiya and Higuchi, but in 1964 (2 years before I was born) telephone wasn’t even common goods where I live.

BTW, Netherlands had at least 1 Gold medal. Anton Geesink (the only 10th dan still alive right now) was the first non Japanese judoka who won, completely surprising the Japanese audience.

Cheers,

Sjors

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