Kobayashi Sachiko boasts a career spanning over 50 years as an enka singer. Her lavish watch collection, estimated to be worth over 6000 million yen, was revealed on her YouTube channel "Kobayashi Sachiko is YouTube BBA!!", and most of the pieces are said to be gifts from her husband. She has admitted to being a "sparkler lover" since she was young, and her honest personality and unpretentious attitude, unusual for a leading figure, have captivated many fans across generations. In this article, we take a closer look at Kobayashi Sachiko's precious collection, which is cultivating a new fan base.
Text by Yukaco Numamoto
Edited by Takashi Tsuchida
Edited by Takashi Tsuchida
[Article published on January 10, 2024]
Even though he is a big name, his unpretentious attitude has earned him support from the younger generation.
With over 19.1 subscribers, her YouTube channel "Kobayashi Sachiko is YouTube BBA!!" allows viewers to learn about Kobayashi Sachiko's private life and personality. She invites guest Kenichi Mikawa to enjoy shopping at GU together, and compares miso soups from convenience stores, making for a fun channel for anyone to watch.
Meanwhile, a video introducing her watch collection was posted on October 3, 2021. Kobayashi Sachiko has stated that she has never had a desire for material things since she was young and has no interest in luxury goods, but in the video, her manager brought in her place and displayed a collection of luxury watches. With the exception of one watch that she purchased herself when she was young, all of the watches were gifts from her husband. They were gifts for anniversaries such as birthdays, or as mementos of overseas trips.
The lineup includes prestigious brands such as Cartier, Franck Muller, Chanel, Bvlgari, Harry Winston, and Audemars Piguet. Most of the models are adorned with diamonds, and some are rare high jewelry models.
The only item he has ever purchased himself is a Cartier watch, and he spoke with emotion about how he bought it at Marui on a 20-month loan, which cost around 25 yen at the time, before his song "Omoidezake" (Omoidezake), released in 1979, became a hit.
Ralph Lauren's "Stirrup Small Full Pavé Diamond" was introduced along with travel memories.
Manual winding (Cal. RL430). 18 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve approximately 40 hours. 18K White Gold case (27.7mm x 29.3mm). Water resistant to 3 bar.
She purchased the "Stirrup Small Full Pavé Diamond" at the Ralph Lauren flagship store while traveling to New York with her husband. Although Sachiko Kobayashi said she did not know the purchase price, it was estimated on the show to be 330 million yen.
She also shared an episode that shows how much she treasures the memories she has with her husband. Every time she receives a watch or piece of jewelry as a gift, she takes a photo to capture the joy she feels. Her husband seems to be quite a watch lover, and it seems that Sachiko Kobayashi's collection will continue to grow with each milestone in her life and every trip they take together.
Among the Ralph Lauren collection, the "Stirrup" is housed in a unique case inspired by the shape of equestrian armor (stirrups). Its unique shape, unlike any other, still fascinates many people today.
The case, with its distinctive design that can be described as a Ralph Lauren heritage, is equipped with the hand-wound movement Cal. RL430. The case is made of white gold and measures 27.7mm x 29.3mm. Despite its small size, it is adorned with pavé diamonds and, together with the alligator strap, exudes a gorgeous presence.
A rare character whose watch collection worth over 6000 million yen doesn't seem sarcastic
Kobayashi Sachiko is not particular about brands, but has a sensibility that truly appreciates sparkly things, calling them "cute" and "beautiful." She didn't seem to know the price of each watch at all, and seemed surprised every time the staff told her the estimated price. However, as mentioned above, she was happy to receive them as gifts at each milestone, and said she could clearly recall the memories of those times. Despite being considered a big name, her honest, cute, and innocent personality comes through in the video.
It seems that she sees her watch as more of an accessory than something to check the time, and her manager says, "Sometimes she comes to the set wearing her watch even though it's stopped." But even such an episode is captured in a charming way by Sachiko Kobayashi.
Recently, she has been active in a variety of fields, such as collaborating with the gal magazine "egg" to perform DJ sets and trying her hand at professional wrestling. Those of you with children may also remember her for singing the theme song for Pokemon.
Redefining the image of a leading figure in the world of enka, Sachiko Kobayashi has entered a unique zone, and her ambitious activities continue to provide a pleasant stimulus to a wide range of age groups. "If you think it's a joke, I'll actually do it!" she says, tackling any job with a sincere attitude. Her open-minded personality, which readily embraces youth culture, brings a smile to the face of anyone who sees her.
The collection shown in the video was estimated to be worth over 6000 million yen, but the reason why her collection of luxury watches doesn't seem at all gaudy is probably because of the mysterious balance between her genuine surprise when told the prices of the watches and her pure mind, which includes her love of sparkly things.
I hope they continue to amaze us with their gorgeous skills and fun projects.
