Established in 2004 to manufacture Seiko’s higher-end offerings, the watchmaking studio in Skizuku-ishi, in the Iwate Prefecture, has been the spiritual home of some of Seiko’s best watches for over two decades. While the space was renovated and reopened in 2021 under the Grand Seiko brand, there was a time when it would create built-to-order timepieces under its own special limited edition brand, Shizuku-ishi, from around 2011 onwards, which was only available to those who toured the facility. With a handful of cases, movements, dial, and bracelet variants to choose from, collectors could work with the workshop to create built-to-order timepieces that were made exactly to their liking, and exceptionally rare. Offered here we have one of the two time-only variants that Shizuku-ishi offered, the NB98, which is powered by the 1.98mm tall ultra-thin manual-wind cal. NB98A movement. Boasting a black dial with no Seiko branding besides the Shizuku-ishi signature at 12 o’clock (which also features on the deployant clasp), this timepiece features no markings that link to Seiko. With applied Breguet numerals that are rotating around the dial, this 35mm x 6mm stainless steel timepiece is a unique, rare, and exceptionally timeless example of Seiko’s desire to create the finest watches Japan has to offer.

An exceptionally rare watch that is built-to-order, not only is the Shizuku-ishi a watch that nearly all of Seiko's die-hard fans don't have in their collection, but it's a watch that the vast majority of them haven't even heard of either.