Comments on: Wabi and Japanese Watches — A GMT+9 x G-Peopleland Collaboration http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/ Japanese Watch Enthusiasts Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:58:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: kmcnyc http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1403 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 22:40:11 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1403 Hi Great article on Wabi. I have heard the word in JUdo class- years ago. I had some blood stains on my Gi (uniform) We where talking about cleaning it and one of the older ( as in late 70's) Japansese Players, said not to clean it, but to leave it. It gave the Gi some Wabi. He went on to explain that when Judo was young there were no belts. That we all had white belts to match our Gi. The theory being that when you did Judo for a while, your belt would be dark with Age, or Wabi and that is how you knew who did it for a while, If you did Judo for a long long Time, your belt is white, then Dark , then light with age. Most of my watches have a good amount of wear, but I have one that I love with its beautiful wabi. kmc <a href="http://photobucket.com" rel="nofollow"></a> Hi Great article on Wabi.
I have heard the word in JUdo class- years ago. I had some blood stains on my Gi (uniform)
We where talking about cleaning it and one of the older ( as in late 70’s) Japansese Players, said not to clean it, but to leave it.
It gave the Gi some Wabi. He went on to explain that when Judo was young there were no belts. That we all had white belts to match our Gi. The theory being that when you did Judo for a while, your belt would be dark with Age, or Wabi and that is how you knew who did it for a while, If you did Judo for a long long Time, your belt is white, then Dark , then light with age.

Most of my watches have a good amount of wear, but I have one that I love with its beautiful wabi.
kmc

]]> by: kpatt http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1390 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:11:31 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1390 Thanks for the fascinating article Bryan and Sjors. As a collector of mostly vintage Casios I find the idea of wabi very intriguing. I often look at an old calculator model and wonder how the scratches and dents occured, imagining the previous owner/s and what situation they were in at the time of the ding or scratch. I guess in the west we would call it something bland like 'character', but it's so much more. Wabi makes watches more human I think. regards, Kim Thanks for the fascinating article Bryan and Sjors.

As a collector of mostly vintage Casios I find the idea of wabi very intriguing. I often look at an old calculator model and wonder how the scratches and dents occured, imagining the previous owner/s and what situation they were in at the time of the ding or scratch. I guess in the west we would call it something bland like ‘character’, but it’s so much more.

Wabi makes watches more human I think.

regards, Kim

]]> by: Jurphaas http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1383 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:33:59 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1383 Sjors & Bryan - what a lovely article and what a lucky circumstance that the article came to be. Although most things in my life are well organized and clearly regulated, clean from top to bottom, predictable and controlled, my privat den, the space I call my own and in which I retreat to hide, work, think, and dream, is what I now understand, very wabi. It is cluttered and has an unfinished and scarred look. All aroud an undefinable, special atmosphere is noticeable. Here I rule and here I keep my best memories and here I lick my wounds. When I share this space I frequently get comments on what others notice about it, usually things that I don't notice or care about. This place balms my soul and gives me peace of mind. A very fine article in a great place! Thanks guys. Jurphaas. Sjors & Bryan - what a lovely article and what a lucky circumstance that the article came to be. Although most things in my life are well organized and clearly regulated, clean from top to bottom, predictable and controlled, my privat den, the space I call my own and in which I retreat to hide, work, think, and dream, is what I now understand, very wabi. It is cluttered and has an unfinished and scarred look. All aroud an undefinable, special atmosphere is noticeable. Here I rule and here I keep my best memories and here I lick my wounds. When I share this space I frequently get comments on what others notice about it, usually things that I don’t notice or care about. This place balms my soul and gives me peace of mind.
A very fine article in a great place! Thanks guys.
Jurphaas.

]]> by: petew http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1373 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:30:28 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1373 Thanks Bryan and Sjors, Sjors, that friend's apartment that you go to sounds very interesting indeed! Bryan, I was very struck by this sentence: "Most Japanese people don’t pretend to understand the meaning of wabi, or feel they have the ability to use the word correctly." The more I've learned about the term "wabi" over the years, the less sure I am on how to use it. MikeNovember, the last sentence in your comment was VERY funny! I enjoyed that. And Konrad. I smiled when I saw your Rolex. I have a work associate with the exact same watch. He bought it new in the 1970's. He is not a collector, nor did he, until I told him, have any idea of how collectible his GMT was. Recently it needed a service. When he asked me about recommendations on where to send it, I explained how they would make it look new if he sent it to Rolex. He did not want that. He loved the wear (it was considerable) and was very careful on who he sent it to so they wouldn't polish any part of it. Thanks Bryan and Sjors,

Sjors, that friend’s apartment that you go to sounds very interesting indeed! Bryan, I was very struck by this sentence:

“Most Japanese people don’t pretend to understand the meaning of wabi, or feel they have the ability to use the word correctly.”

The more I’ve learned about the term “wabi” over the years, the less sure I am on how to use it.

MikeNovember, the last sentence in your comment was VERY funny! I enjoyed that.

And Konrad. I smiled when I saw your Rolex. I have a work associate with the exact same watch. He bought it new in the 1970’s. He is not a collector, nor did he, until I told him, have any idea of how collectible his GMT was. Recently it needed a service. When he asked me about recommendations on where to send it, I explained how they would make it look new if he sent it to Rolex. He did not want that. He loved the wear (it was considerable) and was very careful on who he sent it to so they wouldn’t polish any part of it.

]]> by: MikeNovember http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1372 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 08:25:14 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1372 Hello, I think we have a French word for "wabi", it is "patine". Note that, the fact we use "patine" instead of "usure" (wear) is just a sociological question, not a technical one: - we will like the "patine" of antique wood furniture, - we will enjoy the green "patine" of an old brass roman coin, but for a modern one we will want it "brilliant uncirculated", and consider badly any trace of "usure"! Concerning watches I am more reserved towards "patine" or "wabi"; unless it reminds a strong personal event (the exemple of Rolex damaged in motorcycle accident, or Seiya Kobayashi's alba military watch), I think I would prefer my watches to stay "as new". But one of the general laws of physics is "entropy increases", which means things degrade with time... Would "wabi attitude" be a philosophical approach to console oneself over the effects of a physics law? ;-) MikeNovember Hello,

I think we have a French word for “wabi”, it is “patine”. Note that, the fact we use “patine” instead of “usure” (wear) is just a sociological question, not a technical one:
- we will like the “patine” of antique wood furniture,
- we will enjoy the green “patine” of an old brass roman coin, but for a modern one we will want it “brilliant uncirculated”, and consider badly any trace of “usure”!

Concerning watches I am more reserved towards “patine” or “wabi”; unless it reminds a strong personal event (the exemple of Rolex damaged in motorcycle accident, or Seiya Kobayashi’s alba military watch), I think I would prefer my watches to stay “as new”.

But one of the general laws of physics is “entropy increases”, which means things degrade with time…

Would “wabi attitude” be a philosophical approach to console oneself over the effects of a physics law? ;-)

MikeNovember

]]> by: JohnF http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1371 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:23:28 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1371 Hi - Great post, reminded me of some things to say. I've posted a link to you on WUS with a small commentary, http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=558379#post558379 Great website you've got here! Best regards, JohnF Hi -

Great post, reminded me of some things to say.

I’ve posted a link to you on WUS with a small commentary,

http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=558379#post558379

Great website you’ve got here!

Best regards,

JohnF

]]> by: bryanandersen http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1367 Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:36:35 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1367 That's a great example, Konrad. I'm sure many don't understand why you haven't swapped out the crystal. But don't feel too lonely. I imagine you and Basho on a fall day, walking north on a mud road in the late afternoon, through the woods, with wet yellow leaves sticking to your boots, brown ones to his <em>seta</em> (sandals made from braided rope) -- far from the crowd -- having an interesting conversation about your watch, and many other things. <div style="text-align: center"><img src="http://www.gmtplusnine.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/picture_basho_lonely_north_4.png" /></div> Regards, Bryan That’s a great example, Konrad. I’m sure many don’t understand why you haven’t swapped out the crystal. But don’t feel too lonely. I imagine you and Basho on a fall day, walking north on a mud road in the late afternoon, through the woods, with wet yellow leaves sticking to your boots, brown ones to his seta (sandals made from braided rope) — far from the crowd — having an interesting conversation about your watch, and many other things.

Regards,

Bryan

]]> by: Konrad http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1366 Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:57:14 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/10/18/wabi-and-japanese-watches-a-gmt9-x-g-peopleland-collaboration/#comment-1366 Very interesting and thoughtful article. I once posted the photo below of a Rolex I've owned since 1975, describing how the scratches and edge nicks came from wearing it when I had a motorcycle accident in 1989 at age 50. Someone responded and asked if I kept in that condition as a sort of "war" trophy, and I had no real answer because I never thought about it, but I knew I wanted [and still do] to keep it in the battered and time worn condition it remains in today. So perhaps my Rolex is a bit "shibui"? <div style="text-align: center"><img src="http://www.gmtplusnine.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/picture_konrad_shibui_rolex4.png" /></div> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://photobucket.com" / rel="nofollow"> Very interesting and thoughtful article. I once posted the photo below of a Rolex I’ve owned since 1975, describing how the scratches and edge nicks came from wearing it when I had a motorcycle accident in 1989 at age 50. Someone responded and asked if I kept in that condition as a sort of “war” trophy, and I had no real answer because I never thought about it, but I knew I wanted [and still do] to keep it in the battered and time worn condition it remains in today. So perhaps my Rolex is a bit “shibui”?

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