Last Thursday, collectors, enthusiasts, and members of the Worn & Wound team came together to celebrate the opening of Grand Seiko’s latest Flagship Boutique, which opened on New York’s iconic Madison Avenue in February. The first boutique of its kind anywhere outside of Japan, this new space is a remarkable testament to the enormous popularity and respect Grand Seiko has garnered since its introduction to the international market in 2010. The event drew in collectors from all over the East Coast and offered a rare after-hours opportunity to explore Grand Seiko’s wide-ranging collection.
New York City collectors have, for the last few years, been lucky enough to have access to Grand Seiko’s marvelous SoHo boutique. That space, which Zach Weiss visited in 2021, is a small, intimate affair, with white-washed brick walls and a narrow footprint, perfectly placed among the cast-iron architecture and red brick buildings of the neighborhood.
This new Flagship Boutique is something else entirely. Entering the warm, sun-drenched main hall of the boutique from the cool New York City weather, you’re greeted by a space unlike any other, with tall ceilings, Japanese carpentry, and glass everywhere you turn. It’s an easy space to get drawn into but, like an iceberg, there is plenty that sits below the water, or in this case, below street level.
Following the large staircase to the lower floor reveals an intimate lounge space and bar. It was this wonderful space that played host to the highlight of the evening, a conversation between Grand Seiko’s Joe Kirk and Worn & Wound Co-Founder and Executive Editor Zach Weiss. As guests sipped on Japanese Suntory Toki Whisky, the two discussed Zach’s recent visit to Grand Seiko in Japan, a trip you can read more about today.
Grand Seiko is a brand that has grown through sheer force of enthusiasm, and nothing highlights that more than a gathering like this. In a room filled with collectors of all stripes, wearing everything from beat-up old Seiko divers to highly limited and pristine Grand Seiko releases, the energy was palpable.
