Dear guests at Bel Montre, I would like to extend my hospitality to you.
Hello, I'm Seno, the manager of Belle Montre.
Our YouTube channel is here ↓
If you have come here, it means that you have some interest in "vintage watches."
First of all, let me introduce myself.
Manager's self-introduction
I currently live in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and run my shop in a room in my house, which I have opened as a gallery.
I originally lived in Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, and sold antique vases, tableware, and silverware (as I still do today).
Our antique shop "Antique Tableware" is here ↓
So what led you to start dealing in watches?
That being said, my grandfather loved collecting antiques.
For these reasons, I started an antique shop selling vases, tableware, etc., but when I was 31 years old and gathered with my grandfather's relatives for New Year's,
"Micchan, there's no point in having this here anymore, so could you sell it online? (Fukuoka dialect)"
A relative told me this.
This is a common thing with antiques, but even if the owner recognizes that the item is wonderful and buys it, it has almost no value to the child, or they often don't even understand it.
When I received this message, I actually took it home and displayed it in a cabinet; the clock was made with a skeleton so you could see the gears moving, and it was really captivating.
At that moment,
"Watches are beautiful."
I once again realized this.
However, working with watches is not an easy task.
That's why I chose to only handle items that don't move, like vases and tableware.
However, at that time I had already been dealing in antiques for seven years.
In order to broaden my horizons and to let more people know about the appeal of antiques and vintage items, I decided that I should also start dealing in watches.
Watches are difficult after all
At that time, I found it really difficult to handle a watch.
Since it is a working item to begin with, it needs to be repaired.
As for whether I could repair it myself, just seeing that many parts makes me feel discouraged.
So you have to look for a place that can repair it, but it turns out that there aren't many places like that.
I inquired about 80% of the watch repair shops in Fukuoka and visited the stores to talk to them, but I couldn't find one that satisfied me.
In most cases,
・We can make quartz watches, but we can't make mechanical watches.
・Omega can do it, but other brands can't.
・This is an old type, so the repair will cost about this much (super expensive)
I think I've been using it here for about a year.
To be honest, I can live the way I am now without being forced to handle anything that moves, and I don't think I need to handle watches anymore.
I thought this many times.
But I'm still only 32 years old, so I can't let my life go by without dealing with watches.
It goes back to that feeling 😅
From there, I started searching for watch repair shops all over the country, and I was finally able to find a shop that I was satisfied with.
All of the problems I mentioned above were solved by two watchmakers.
I've skipped this part for a bit, but watch repair shops can't handle any more so they ask that you not make it public, so it's a fairly closed world.
Why did you move to Kanagawa?
As I said earlier, I'm only 32 years old.
This ties in with the idea that I would really like to compete in Tokyo, the largest city in Japan!
This is going to be the biggest reason.
I didn't have the courage to go to Tokyo all of a sudden, so I'm living in Kanagawa to keep myself safe.
I moved to Tsuzuki Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture when I was 33 years old, and now I'm 34, so I've been living in Kanagawa for a year.
I lived there for a year and now I live in Kawasaki, but to be honest Fukuoka is much better, haha.
Wherever you go there are always a lot of people, if you go on the weekend you're sure to get stuck in traffic, fruit is expensive, there's no convenient parking space, and parking fees are shockingly high...the list goes on and on, but I feel like there's still a world I don't know about.
If you go to Minato Mirai, you'll feel fashionable and you'll see a lot of impressive businessmen.
Because it's close to Tokyo, you can feel a sense of speed rather than the lukewarm air.
I'm only 34, so maybe I can handle it.
If I were 40, I might have returned to Fukuoka by now.
For that reason, I made the effort to move from Fukuoka to Kanagawa, so just because things aren't going well, I can't just go back to Fukuoka.
It's still an ongoing process, but I struggle and go back to Fukuoka about four times a month, and I feel like I want to do it, but I'm working hard every day with the sole desire to make this a store that is recognized by the public.
Why a store for women?
I can now see this, but the majority of watch shops are aimed at men.
I didn’t start out as a watchmaker, and I realized along the way that the reason there are so many men’s shops is because that’s what men buy.
My explanation may be a bit misleading, so let me explain it again: women have many other fashionable items besides watches, such as bags, necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets.
However, for men, the only fashionable item they have is basically a wristwatch.
That's why men flock there, and I think that's why there are so many men's shops there.
However, as I explained earlier, I come from an antiques business, so this was just an extension of that thinking.
Based on the trends among our customers so far, the ratio of men to women when it comes to antique products is 50:50.
And the women who purchase these antique items are all truly wonderful people.
It's a matter of feeling, but they're elegant, kind, and have a wonderful personality.
That's how I feel.
Having had these experiences for the past seven years, I have come to the conclusion that I prefer women and would like to continue to associate with such people.
(Of course, the men are all gentlemen.)
So when I created a shop for women, I wasn't thinking at all about whether it would sell or not. I was thinking about the kind of people I want to be, and the kind of people I want to have long-term relationships with, so that's how I ended up creating a shop for women.
I also believe I have a certain degree of understanding of women's tastes, which I developed over seven years running the antique shop, so although it is difficult, I am working hard to create a shop that is recognized by the public.
What kind of shop is this?
In this shop
・Vintage Cartier watch
・Vintage Chanel watches
・Vintage Rolex
・Vintage ladies' watches
We have a variety of works on display, including:
This shop is for lovely women who appreciate the charm of vintage items.
Also, one of the characteristics of customers who shop at my shop is that many of them buy not because of the low price but because of the value of the product.
I think it's about not compromising on quality.
Speaking of Belle Montre, we are sure you will find the product you are looking for in this shop.
As you know, most vintage watches are unique .
The reason for this is that, even though the items were made more than 50 years ago and remain in existence today, the condition of each item and the accessories that come with it are different.
Due to this background, in most cases vintage watches are one-of-a-kind, and even if there are multiples, there is no telling when the next one will appear.
When it comes to vintage watches, the rarer they are, the more expensive they tend to be.
That's a given, isn't it?
But surely the product you get in exchange is worth even more?
The watch you have been searching for will arrive at your home and from that day on will become your partner and walk with you for the rest of your life.
From the moment that product arrives in your hands, it will add color to your life, lift your spirits, and make your life even more enjoyable. Just imagining this makes you excited.
One thing a customer said to me has stuck in my mind ever since.
"If I think it's the one, I buy it without hesitation. If I want to travel, I'll go as far as I can. At my age, I've learned that regretting something I didn't do is deeper than regretting something I did."
The content is as follows.
After hearing this story, I began to tell other customers, "Instead of thinking about buying one someday, I want you to cherish the fact that you have come across a vintage watch right now."
I think most women like flashy things.
If you buy a new watch, you can have something very shiny.
Of course, new items have their own unique qualities and are unique to you.
So are vintage watches inferior to new ones?
Well, that's not the case.
Basically, the more modern the manufacturing process, the more machines are involved in the process.
This is due to the rapid advancement of technology and rising labor costs.
In that respect, the appeal of vintage watches is that they involve more manual processes than modern watches, and you can feel the warmth and craftsmanship of the people involved.
Also, vintage watches have a certain depth and sophistication to them, as they have survived to the present day.
I think that this is exactly why he is a perfect match for a wonderful woman like the one who has read this far.
It was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime vintage watch, but...
If you miss this, you'll never get it again...
Because I don't know if it's right for me...
This is why some people put off making a purchase.
Then, after the product has been handed over to someone else (after it has sold out), these people realize they should have bought the product after all.
There are so many people who end up regretting it.
But it doesn't matter whether it suits you or not.
To begin with, ladies' watches are designed to look their best when worn on a woman's wrist.
Cartier watches, in particular, have a history of satisfying royalty and European queens.
The reason why we were able to satisfy them to such an extent is because the products were painstakingly made by artisans, and so the appeal they exude is overwhelmingly different.
Does it suit me?
Rather than thinking about that, I'd rather think about which design I prefer, this one or that one.
It would be better if you were worried about such things.
So, I think the best way to buy a vintage watch is to buy it based on your intuition, keeping in mind that it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, rather than regretting it if it ends up in someone else's hands just because it doesn't suit you.