Model: Seiko Liner “Dragonfly Wing” Ref. 15010
Year: 1950s
Features:
The Origin. The Seiko Liner series is the result of the friendly competition between Seiko’s two main factories - Daini and Suwa. “Friendly” in the sense both companies were owned by Seiko - but jobs, prestige and promotions were always on the line. The resulting rivalry was fierce but the Hattori family never let it become bitter.
The Factory. The Liner was the brainchild of the Suwa factory, and was created as a response to a Daini factory watch you’ll likely be familiar with - the Goldfeather. I don’t need to tell you which factory won the race to create the Ultra Thin Dress (UTD) watch that Seiko craved. But let’s not feel too sorry for Suwa as it would certainly have its moments in the sun - like creating the Grand Seiko.
The End. As was often the case with the two factories, their duelling collections would fight to the death. Just four years after the Liner’s inception, Suwa creased production of the entire line-up, leaving the Goldfeather to collect the plaudits. But in those four short years, one particularly unusual dial was created and it stood the test of time as far as the vintage collecting community is concerned.
The Design. The Dragonfly Wing - perhaps more accurately referred to as Split Bamboo - is not an easy watch to track down, and while no sales data publicly exists, it’s generally assumed to be the rarest Liner. Part of its enduring popularity is down to its clean aesthetic. Relegating the text to the outer edges of the dial was and still is an unusual move - but it really emphasises the dragonfly wing texture and gives it space to breathe.
The Variants. Not that you’ll find many examples of this watch online, but the watch was produced in two variants - stainless steel, and this gold-filled version. It’s safe to assume the gold-filled model is rarer than the stainless steel offering, which makes the watch on offer today the rare variant, of a rare model, within a rare collection. Rare³?
The Case. The gold caseback showcases the visually pleasing Seiko Liner logo, which is stylistically reminiscent of another wonderful vintage-era logo - the Motorist. Thankfully, I don’t have to choose between the two, because I genuinely don’t know which I prefer. They’re both so effortlessly of the era. Some things just never go out of style.
Specifications:
Condition: In very good condition overall. Just serviced. Gentle wear can be seen on the case and acrylic crystal - but nothing that distracts from the overall look of the watch.
Scope: No box or papers
Movement: Seiko 3140 Manual Wind
Dimensions:
- Case Width: 35.5mm
- Lug to Lug: 42.9mm
- Case Thickness: 8.3mm
- Lug Width: 19mm
