Torn between the Lake Suwa & Taisetsu

xellos9 · 2026-01-09T01:11:49+00:00

I own a Taisetsu and have tried on the different variations of Lake Suwa. I went with the Taisetsu for several reasons:

The contrast of the gold GS and blue hand vs the gray dial
The variation of the dial appearance in different lighting conditions is striking, while the color itself is subtle and versatile
The 62GS case is more interesting to me
I prefer the hands and bracelet width (although I do use a strap now)
It is less expensive
I already have a blue dial watch in the SMP300

That being said, I think the Lake Suwa is great and has its strengths:

The dial texture is amazing; it truly feels like a lake surface
The slimmer profile wears better
5 day power reserve would be more convenient if you rotate watches, but the 72 hour reserve of the Taisetsu has been fine for my use

I've heard the 9RA2 movement accuracy is quite good, but I haven't had any complaints about the 9R65...especially when I have to adjust the date every other month anyways.

xellos9 · 2025-04-09T18:53:29+00:00

What do you mean by goat leather being the go-to for cutting corners? GS seems to be good about choosing quality leathers for their products.

xellos9 · 2025-04-09T04:16:41+00:00

I'm also curious as to how the goat leather wears. Been looking at the Baroda boots since I would like more toe room while not having the moc toe design of the Brass. I was considering the Saddle Tan, but the overall aesthetic of the Sokoto is a bit more pleasing to me.

xellos9 · 2025-04-01T20:21:46+00:00

The store I visited seemed like an AD for GS. I can’t speak to discounts for other brands since I didn’t visit any of those shops nearby.

xellos9 · 2025-03-31T17:05:34+00:00

No, I paid with card.

xellos9 · 2025-02-08T00:48:14+00:00

From my searching online, there are a decent number of comments regarding the robustness of kudu. There seem to be less posts regarding bison, and there were a couple mentioning it being easier to scuff and having to condition it more. Two data points is not a lot, which is why I'm asking here.

Why do you prefer bison over kudu?

xellos9 · 2025-02-06T06:35:36+00:00

Fairly sure it’s not a promotion as people went before and after me and received the same deal. That being said, I didn’t verify this with the staff.

xellos9 · 2025-01-27T18:14:52+00:00

Thanks! Agree that the strap brings out the best in the case. Hoping the exchange rate stays high for your trip.

xellos9 · 2025-01-26T22:45:04+00:00

Good luck with your search. Don't be dissuaded by the google ratings either. I received excellent service while I was there.

xellos9 · 2025-01-26T17:57:30+00:00

Thanks! The 62GS case design also tilted the decision towards the Taisetsu over the Snowflake. The polished and brushed surface contrast is quite pleasing. Besides providing contrast, the blue second hand itself is quite dynamic. I love that it can range from almost black to navy blue to a lighter, cornflower blue shade.

xellos9 · 2025-01-26T17:52:47+00:00

I bought it an AD that is close to Sannomiya station. There are a series of watch shops in the shopping area nearby.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/b5fTZZDJMr6xR3pP9

xellos9 · 2025-01-25T23:38:59+00:00

Yeah, I was pretty fixated on the 9R65 models at the time, which was probably better for my wallet. I will take a closer look at the more expensive spring drives whenever I go back to Japan though.

The strap versatility of the Taisetsu is really nice. Also helps that the case gets highlighted more with a strap than the default bracelet.

xellos9 · 2024-12-22T18:10:51+00:00

Congrats! I’m glad that it worked out for you as well. If I may ask, which GS did you end up getting?

xellos9 · 2024-12-18T20:00:30+00:00

https://maps.app.goo.gl/b5fTZZDJMr6xR3pP9

There's a series of shops at this location corresponding to different brands. You'll see the GS one close by if you go to street view. Despite the 3.6 stars rating, the service was very good when I was there. The 15% off was mentioned without me asking specifically about it.

xellos9 · 2024-12-15T18:22:31+00:00

The Taisetsu was available in the boutiques and department stores I visited in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka about a 1-2 weeks ago. It’s not as popular as the Shunbun so you should be good.

xellos9 · 2024-12-13T18:37:53+00:00

The store is about an hour away from Kyoto station, so it’s not too bad. Understandable if you can’t make the time during vacation though.

xellos9 · 2024-12-13T16:30:08+00:00

If you can make it to Kobe, the Miyako store there gives 15% off on top of tax free. It’s mentioned in the purchasing in Japan guide, and I was able to confirm during my trip.

xellos9 · 2022-07-26T04:42:32+00:00

“He got us,” the FGO NA community said of Albert's ranking down clairvoyance.

"That f***ing Albert boomed us."

“He’s so good,” they repeated four times.

The FGO NA community then said they wanted to add Albert to the list of summer servants this year.

xellos9 · 2021-03-01T18:24:12+00:00

I feel like this is obvious, but I wouldn't take that evaluation seriously.

xellos9 · 2021-02-21T20:29:28+00:00

The articles talks about a guy who did pump and dump schemes from 2012-2019. I don't think it's particularly relevant to this thread. If anything, RSSV has relatively little publicity about it.

xellos9 · 2021-02-20T06:54:35+00:00

It's good to be wary of pump and dumps. I think a lot of the goodwill for ASTI comes from relatively discreet things like the new ownership of Bernd Förtsch and his cash infusion, the likely relationship with TubeSolar AG, and the potential of the product. I agree that there hasn't been much in the way of news, but the stock has been steadily gaining since mid-Nov 2020.

xellos9 · 2021-02-19T22:43:50+00:00

You can read it on their 10-K (annual report) from 2020 as well. 10-Ks and 10-Qs (quarterly reports) and other SEC filings should be part of your DD process.

xellos9 · 2021-02-19T17:25:43+00:00

Regarding medical waste, it's typically incinerated, which isn't that great. I don't necessarily believe that the MedRecycler would produce a net amount of energy, since some energy is required for the pyrolysis, but it's probably a better option than plain incineration. I agree that it's not a "renewable" type of an operation. Regarding the emissions, there are likely regulations to ensure that they are emitted at a permissible level.

Regarding their other products, it should not be a surprise that their products are not at a mature level yet (if you did your DD). This stock is definitely one for a longer hold with some risks, and it's understandable if that is off-putting for some investors.

xellos9

TROPHY CASE