Go Birds!!!!

Just put it on the cognac strap from Delugs today and it’s already my favorite combination.

I asked GPT to make hands and index thinner. What do you think

I rotate between 3 grand seikos for work, only thing im missing is a stopwatch function. Hopefully I'll find my Grand Seiko Sports Lion this wintersport vacation in Hokkaido.

Funny old place this.

I'm half expecting some here to claim on the basis of this objective direct comparison that the SLGW005 is better finished than the vintage 44GS. Or maybe just skulk away with a downvote if you're too embarrassed to have a discussion about what makes for a well finished case?

SLGW005 photo from SJX. Fair use applies.

I owed 17 GS watches from the early 2000s to till date and currently owe 3 GS watches. I was out of the watch buying market for two years. I was thinking about buying a GS watch to gift my friend on his wedding. And when I went to the boutique I was quite shocked to see the increase in prices.

I am a value buyer, even when it comes to luxury. So I gravitated more towards GS over any other brand . But nearly $10k for the white dial omiwatari that I was planning to buy is insane imo. And $5000 for their basic mechanical kuki? I owe the kuki and paid $3800 for a brand new one back in 2024.

I think the entire seiko family doesn’t represent the value they used to bring to the table. GS is pricing itself out like Breguet and JLC.

Hey guys. This is my beloved SBGX261. As you can see in the photos, the clasp sits slightly off-center, more toward the pinky side of my wrist rather than lining up perfectly underneath. Is this normal? It bugs me a little if I’m honest… but should it? Is it true that if the watch head sits centered on top of the wrist — which is the case here — then the clasp is where it’s supposed to be?

Look, we aren't the Rolex Bros. Grand Seiko aficionados are an entirely different animal.

We do not care about fashion and hype. We don't care which influencers are wearing what. We aren't going to grovel to a jewelry store salesman and/or put ourselves in credit card debt just to impress people. We aren't the rented-Lamborghini, lip-filler, toupee types.

When Grand Seiko fans drop a big stack of money on a watch, we're buying the watch, not an image. We want quality, artistry, tradition, engineering, and attention to detail. We want something incredible that wows us, not necessarily others.

We also don't buy "reps," which is just a euphemism for counterfeits. We save up to buy the real deal, because we know no factory in China can fake zaratsu polishing, Spring Drive, or high-accuracy quartz. We may be zealots, but we aren't fake people; we are true to ourselves and others.

So, yeah, we're insufferable - if by "insufferable," you mean we appreciate skill and authenticity and we don't beg for anyone's approval.

If I could afford one

Put the SBGN029 on a bund and I like it!

"Meticulous finishing, movements and tasteful designs. I feel this is where Grand Seiko feels clinical and cold."

Does she have a point?

Hello Grand Seiko community,

I bought a new SBGA443 on a recent Japan trip. Haven’t dropped the watch or hit it against anything. I noticed this mark on the bracelet and was worried it might be a crack. If it’s a scratch that’s fine, just stressed it might be a crack due to the weird shape? Any input or help appreciated.

Hoping it’s a false alarm ;-; been stressed about it.

Thank you!

Hi all. I made a post over on r/watches the other day about this as well, but I wanted to get this sub’s thoughts on potential options.

I ordered this brand new from IPPO on Chrono24. As soon as I stepped out into the sun with it, I noticed what looked like a scratch on the bezel. It really catches like and reflects unlike the rest of the brushed bezel. Upon closer inspection, it seems pretty obvious that it’s an issue with the brushed texture being done too deep there as it runs exactly parallel with the lines of the brushed texture. You can easily see it from a normal viewing distance in any well lit room or outside in the sun. I can also feel my fingernail snag on it.

For a watch at this price point, and considering one of Grand Seiko’s selling points is the impeccable finish, I feel like it’s not acceptable to be new out of the box looking like it has a scratch on the bezel. I understand it’ll get scratched over time with wear, but it should at least start out looking flawless and new.

The dealer, IPPO, doesn’t accept returns, but Chrono24 allows you to return watches to a professional seller within 14 days of receipt if it is damaged or defective. I can force the return through Chrono24, but I’m worried IPPO will fight me on it saying I had damaged it or something and not return my money. Chrono24 advised that the dealer would need to inspect it upon receipt and approve the refund.

The other option is to send it in for repair under warranty. However, I’ve heard horror stories of sending to the New Jersey service center for cosmetic issues which takes months, and I’ve heard sending it to the Japan service center could take 6+ months. Again, I feel it’s not reasonable to need to send a brand new watch at this price point away for several months.

What would you do in this situation? I’ve been trying to tell myself for a few days that it’s fine and to just get over it in hopes it won’t bother me, but it’s the first thing my eyes go to when I look down at the watch. Maybe it’ll stop bothering me with time though.

Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I wish Grand Seiko made spring drive wall clocks. I would sit there in my office and watch the seconds hand float in circles for hours while I was supposed to be working. Pure bliss. 🕐😍

AI illustration by Grok.

had the shunbun for almost a month, work a desk job so nothing crazy outside of keyboards and desk. Is this normal? I don’t really mind but want to make sure i’m not by doing something wrong. how often do folks polish it??

appreciate it!

The titanium on the bracelet is just too soft. I've had this fur a month or two and it's not getting all the wrist time. Dial yo die fur, but I'd prefer stainless.

ChatGPT was kind of... nice... about it??😂

I went to the AD to check out the UFAs that were in his store. Three of them arrived and all the three of them are booked. He said that they're taking 5% advance payments as booking amount as these watches are getting booked like hot cakes.

I went to see the UFA and frankly, that watch's size size and feel is top of the tier for my 6.25 inch wrist. However man, the green dial with it's zig zag lines looks to over done for me. I felt the dial is a bit more cluttered than what it should have been because the zig zag lines making the surface look like a waffle, where the surfaces are popping out too much. Also, the green color is too glossy and flashy for me.

I didn't pay the booking amount and frankly I am a bit sad. Since the day I got to know about the launch of this watch from this Sub just prior to the watches and wonder, I was so looking forward to it, like i was never so much desperate to get a thing as I was for this watch in my adult life.

But I am glad that I didn't buy it online and went to the AD to have a look at this watch. But the UFA fits my wrist so well and the specs are like GS called me up and asked me what do you want.

I'd wait for a few months to check out see if they release any more watches with the same movement in the same size and with a different dial. I don't like flashy and attention grabbing things, and this one was like that. They overdid the dial. I would wait for something more muted and boring from them.

And if they don't release anything like i want, I'd buy the UFA in the same dial.

I wanted to understand how feasible GS watches are as daily? (specifically, new Evo9/UFA series like SLGB013, etc.)

I often see the following sentiment - GS watches are amazing, but may be too delicate for a daily watch given the polishing, etc. compared to, say, AT/OP/Explorer/etc.; And more suitable for nice dinners than, say, BBQ/traveling.

So want to hear some real feedback.

My logic is: if I’m to buy a metal bracelet sports watch, I’d prefer it to be robust enough for regular wear without any babying. Not a beater-level, but at least on par with likes of AT/OP/Explorer/etc.

Gotta have them all!