Both are great watches, of course. But GS gets my vote. I’m a big fan of different and detailed dials so I love the White Birch and it was on my short list (with Shunbun and my ultimate purchase - the Omiwatari white dial, which also has a bracelet I enjoy). I really can’t get over the cyclops date on the Rolexes I otherwise appreciate.
Be a win win if we could move the Rolex Bracelet over to the Grand Seiko. GS needs to start adding a micro adjustment to their bracelets though I don't believe their bracelets are as bad as folks like to say. Rolex makes a far better bracelet however. Great content as always Tim.
It's really the microadjustment that makes the Rolex a standout. The oyster bracelet is more comfortable, but it's not such a night and day difference over competitors (even GS in this case). It's really just the microadjustment that GS is lacking.
I find the GS bracelet very smooth and it is comfortable but for the lack of any micro adjustment. I get that they want to have the buckle slender but it doesn't really matter about that if half the time you are feeling it is too tight or too loose. They need to do something, the micro adjustment on the Overseas is good and many microbrands have great solutions. There really isn't any excuse at this price point.@@jamied931
@@jamied931That's just absolutely not true, just a highly sensationalized internet take. Anyone who has worn a GS will tell you the bracelets are good quality. Not the best, but good. The lack of microadjustment is the only thing that actually lets it down.
@@michaeljordan6008 Why? Are you anti-technology and accuracy? The Amish still plow fields with a horse. But, if we're just talking about mechanical movements, I also have a $700 Hamilton Kakhi Suba with the H-10 movement that gets +1 second a day. Rolex is overpriced and reliant on marketing. There are so many better watches out there these days. Omega has a ton of technology in them too, the Co-Axial movement with the Spirate System is newish tech. Grand Seiko has the first highbeat movement with a chronograph. So why is Rolex so special? Is it the awesome customer service? My friend's hulk was recently serviced, and less then a month later it was losing 15 minutes a day. When he sent it back again, they told him it would take 6 months to fix it and return it to him. It's like the McDonald's of customer service, not what you'd expect from a luxury brand watch. I've had much better service experiences from far lower-end watches. Let's be a little honest about Rolex .. what have they done lately. They change case size + or - one or two mm, and they change dial color. The big announcement from them this year was the see-through case back in the Daytona. Big whoop. I'm so over this brand.
Spring drive is ingenuity that cannot be copied. Rolexes can be faked on a massive scale to a level that requires experts to verify that they are fake. No question about which has the Supreme movement tech.
thx for the nice vid this model watches is my favorite dailey watch to wear at the moment i wear the seiko baby alpanist green dile with a 6r35 movement super watch i also would go for grand seiko its amazing they make everything in house
I visited my local AD last week (September '24), spec'ed a Datejust exactly how I'd want it (40mm, fluted bezel, steel /yellow gold jubilee, gold dial etc. It was available to buy there and then. Why would anyone pay a premium?
So much merit in these two watches. But I will say my Grand Seiko gets a lot more wrist time than my Datejust these days. I can’t look past the quality, design and hand finished aspect!
I got the DJ41: smooth bezel, Oyster, blue dial, at retail, 3-day waitlist. The 21-15mm bracelet taper with EasyLink is SO much better that for me it completely disqualifies this & every other Grand Seiko.
I don't want to sound harsh, but I think a better comparisson would have been between the DJ and the SBGA 415. it's the same comparison I made when deciding between the two. Although I love the DJ and think it's just perfect, I got the GS because it aims to be so much more. It doesn't hit homeruns across the board, but what it misses kind of become charismatic defects. Plus the fact that I can wear it whenever I want without people asking or thinking about how much I spent on the watch (which is common with Rolex), makes it a fun watch to have. The only attention you get when you wear a GS is from watch enthusiasts. Isn't that what we all want? 😅
Just ordered my White Birch from Exquisite Watches in Naples Fl, got a great price! Being delivered today. There is no contest between the GS and the Rolex.
It made me laugh so much will you show the case back to the Rolex and started talking about the movement features while we are all staring at a blank piece of Steel lol
Id take the GS but i .wish gs would put as much effort into braclet and clssp desisn as they do with. Dial, finishing and movements . Heck I'd be happy if they put any effort into it.
The best rolex can do is +/- 2 seconds per day. The high beat is not Grand Seiko's best. Their best is Spring drive at about 5 seconds PER MONTH! Or their 9F quartz at 5 seconds PER YEAR. Oh, and you can buy GS TODAY! No contest. I have several of both and love both. But as a watch conneseur, it is GS 100%. For wanting others to be jealous of you, sure...Rolex, if that's your thing. I do love the cyclops, though. Always did.
Such a well done video, thank you! Having owned several of both, and I know this is petty, but GS has to upgrade their clasp before I consider another, unless Titanium due to low weight. Or maybe soon Steel Reef will come to GS rescue on this count as promised.
Looks are subjective. GS movements are amazing, but Rolex kills them in wearability. Case thickness and lack of micro adjust keep away after owning and selling a few
For me personally, some of the Grand Seiko models are exactly what I always wished for Seiko to produce, a high-end watch with superior quality movement (7S26 or similar) and a slightly larger case with a similar look to the Seiko 5 from the 1980s (those beautiful $100 watches with a crown at 4 position). So far Grand Seiko watches are exceeding my expectations except for one thing that bothers me and seems to me, nobody else. I can't stand those pointy hands on the dials of almost every Grand Seiko model except their diver watches. Those pointy hands are a good match for dress watches, not a sport watches in my opinion. Some other brands are using similar hands but with a loom in the middle of the hands and that looks much better. I also don't care much for those birch or snow dials, give me a beautiful sunburst blue, silver, champagne, green, black, or brown dial instead anytime.
Most of these "Heritage" style watches from GS aren't meant to be sports watches or dress watches. They're right down the middle, both dressy and casual, and in that case, the hands work well imo.
brand wise. rolex is king. if im a commoner and had to choose one of these. chances are they would recognize rolex as the most exclusive watch. id choose rolex
Not exactly a fair fight for the Rolex imo. If you choose fluted bezel with jubilee and any other colored dial, then it’s a 50/50 call. Also the cyclops might be an eyesore to some but it’s a clear mark of history and a unique identity to Rolex
I went to the Rolex dealer and put myself on the list for an OP with a silver dial, but it seems impossible to get one. Can you believe it, they said at least two years. I don't believe in this thing and I think they only sell to whoever they want. I felt very inferior. It's very sad and humiliating.
The datejust might be the most boring watch on earth. But it’s really hard for me to justify paying over $1k for a watch with “Seiko” on the dial. My choice is neither.
It’s really not in October 2023. Daytona, Pepsi, Sub then yes, the rest of their massive catalogue you can get with a very short wait. A Datejust in any configuration aside from 41mm green dial is a month or less.
Tim I have the minase divido 2.0 the polishing on the bracelet ist awesome better then these twos or what do you think. Yes the caliber of these are better.
“Grand Seiko dilutes its watches.” Yes! I’m an OG fan in the US from decades ago. I rarely look at modern releases. Too many, too gimmicky and that’s a real bummer.
I own one rolex for when I occasionally need to show pop cultured masses that I have a Rolex. Otherwise, GS has more soul in a single piece than 1000 machine crafted Rolexes.
This is not fair to Rolex beacuse Grand Seiko passed Rolex years ago in the terms of design, craftsmenship and micro perfection.GS is now more comperable to JLC,GS is way more unique than the Rolex beacuse GS yearly production is way less than even Patek and Vacheron!!
@4120306 Yes. GS SLGA023 Ushio and it’s awesome. To quote Kevin O’Leary - “Grand Seiko is the best value you can get for your dollar anywhere in the world.”
Came for the Rolex, stayed for the Grand Seiko 😅 I think both the dial and the movement on this GS are more beautiful than anything else I've seen under $10k. Just to mention one aspect that Tim didn't bring up here - as gorgeous as that Zaratsu polish is, it does also accrue scratches, and they're very visible. This puts me off buying GS pre-owned because they tend to look quite worn very quickly.
Rolex all day every day. Nicer case curvature, no tree bark gimick, no pretentious polish that, like a fresh haircut, fades within weeks and shows swirls and scratches just like any other watch, maybe more.
The GS just blows Rolex out of the water. It's stunning. Rolex isn't even in the same league as a Grand Seiko. They're not comparable.
I know people don’t like the Cyclopes magnifier, but now that I’m fifty I need it.
The GS Birch is so much more beautiful than the Rolex its not even funny!
The failures from the 9sa5 isn’t funny either
That Date Just is stunning. But the White Birch just kills it!
Specifically, between these 2 watches, I'd take the Grand Seiko
Keep these vs series coming Tim. 🎉
👏
Both are great watches, of course. But GS gets my vote. I’m a big fan of different and detailed dials so I love the White Birch and it was on my short list (with Shunbun and my ultimate purchase - the Omiwatari white dial, which also has a bracelet I enjoy). I really can’t get over the cyclops date on the Rolexes I otherwise appreciate.
Instead of a datejust, I got a Grand Seiko SBGA283. 39mm, champagne dial, spring drive, hand finished, just couldn't beat it for the price.
I’m with you-GS SLGH005 is way more interesting
Love the lugs and bracelet of the Rolex. The GS wins at everything else. What a lovely piece
Thanks for this highly detailed and engaging head-to-head review. I was hooked for 18mins!
So Rolex, the king of proportions, got the proportions wrong.
Grand Seiko all day here.
Why is rolex even popular?
Cuz there's more idiots in this world than smart people.
Marketing + a stronger history in Western popular culture.
@@ken4747 makes sense
Roger Federer is awesome
Be a win win if we could move the Rolex Bracelet over to the Grand Seiko. GS needs to start adding a micro adjustment to their bracelets though I don't believe their bracelets are as bad as folks like to say. Rolex makes a far better bracelet however. Great content as always Tim.
It's really the microadjustment that makes the Rolex a standout. The oyster bracelet is more comfortable, but it's not such a night and day difference over competitors (even GS in this case). It's really just the microadjustment that GS is lacking.
These comparison videos are so awesome. DJ all day.
Truly a great review and comparison of these two watches Tim.
White Birch super special. Hoping to buy one at some point.
GS screams "fellas I really like watches".
Love grand seiko, but I use easylink all the time and sometimes frustrated with the lack of adjustment on my GS.
GS had the worst bracelet in any watch about 3k its the same as a Seiko Presage sharp edge
I find the GS bracelet very smooth and it is comfortable but for the lack of any micro adjustment. I get that they want to have the buckle slender but it doesn't really matter about that if half the time you are feeling it is too tight or too loose. They need to do something, the micro adjustment on the Overseas is good and many microbrands have great solutions. There really isn't any excuse at this price point.@@jamied931
@@jamied931That's just absolutely not true, just a highly sensationalized internet take. Anyone who has worn a GS will tell you the bracelets are good quality. Not the best, but good. The lack of microadjustment is the only thing that actually lets it down.
@@rousseau327well said
@@rousseau327I have a minase divido bracelet this is awesome
When GS learns how to make their hi beat movements within +-2 like Rolex, it’s a hard pass.
When Rolex gets as accurate as a spring drive, I might go back to thinking about getting one again
I like my mechanical watches without any circuits or quartz.
@@michaeljordan6008 Why? Are you anti-technology and accuracy? The Amish still plow fields with a horse. But, if we're just talking about mechanical movements, I also have a $700 Hamilton Kakhi Suba with the H-10 movement that gets +1 second a day. Rolex is overpriced and reliant on marketing. There are so many better watches out there these days. Omega has a ton of technology in them too, the Co-Axial movement with the Spirate System is newish tech. Grand Seiko has the first highbeat movement with a chronograph.
So why is Rolex so special? Is it the awesome customer service? My friend's hulk was recently serviced, and less then a month later it was losing 15 minutes a day. When he sent it back again, they told him it would take 6 months to fix it and return it to him. It's like the McDonald's of customer service, not what you'd expect from a luxury brand watch. I've had much better service experiences from far lower-end watches.
Let's be a little honest about Rolex .. what have they done lately. They change case size + or - one or two mm, and they change dial color. The big announcement from them this year was the see-through case back in the Daytona. Big whoop. I'm so over this brand.
Spring drive is ingenuity that cannot be copied. Rolexes can be faked on a massive scale to a level that requires experts to verify that they are fake. No question about which has the Supreme movement tech.
I chose the SLGH005--and am quite happy with my choice. Keep up the vs. series they are great reviews and comparisons!
you get the rolex if you only want 1 watch.
you get the Grand seiko when you already have multiple watches.. including the rolex.
GS wins hands down
thx for the nice vid
this model watches is my favorite dailey watch to wear
at the moment i wear the seiko baby alpanist green dile with a 6r35 movement super watch
i also would go for grand seiko
its amazing they make everything in house
I want to get a GS but no lume and poor bracelets still stop me from buying
Gs❤
I’ll take the grand seiko over the dj any day.
I pick grand seiko over Rolex every time.
Don’t worry Tim, there’s nothing superlative about the 32xx caliber either.
I wear the datejust as a gada watch.
I wear the white birch when I want to soak in the beauty of life.
"lets make the movement bigger to fit our big watch case!". I guess making a smaller more elegant watch shape is out of the question lol
It’s not even close the white birch is superior in every way I love the polish on the Rolex, but the birch is movement. The dial the finish.
I visited my local AD last week (September '24), spec'ed a Datejust exactly how I'd want it (40mm, fluted bezel, steel /yellow gold jubilee, gold dial etc. It was available to buy there and then. Why would anyone pay a premium?
So much merit in these two watches. But I will say my Grand Seiko gets a lot more wrist time than my Datejust these days. I can’t look past the quality, design and hand finished aspect!
I got the DJ41: smooth bezel, Oyster, blue dial, at retail, 3-day waitlist. The 21-15mm bracelet taper with EasyLink is SO much better that for me it completely disqualifies this & every other Grand Seiko.
Datejust you are basically forced to wear bracelet, grand seiko arguably looks better on their leather straps
Buy a Rolex to impress your friends, buy a Grand Seiko to impress a watch enthusiast.
Team GS!
If it weren't for the difference in available manual microadjustment, I'd pick the GS, no question. However...
I don't want to sound harsh, but I think a better comparisson would have been between the DJ and the SBGA 415. it's the same comparison I made when deciding between the two. Although I love the DJ and think it's just perfect, I got the GS because it aims to be so much more. It doesn't hit homeruns across the board, but what it misses kind of become charismatic defects. Plus the fact that I can wear it whenever I want without people asking or thinking about how much I spent on the watch (which is common with Rolex), makes it a fun watch to have. The only attention you get when you wear a GS is from watch enthusiasts. Isn't that what we all want? 😅
Just ordered my White Birch from Exquisite Watches in Naples Fl, got a great price! Being delivered today. There is no contest between the GS and the Rolex.
It made me laugh so much will you show the case back to the Rolex and started talking about the movement features while we are all staring at a blank piece of Steel lol
Id take the GS but i .wish gs would put as much effort into braclet and clssp desisn as they do with. Dial, finishing and movements . Heck I'd be happy if they put any effort into it.
The best rolex can do is +/- 2 seconds per day. The high beat is not Grand Seiko's best. Their best is Spring drive at about 5 seconds PER MONTH! Or their 9F quartz at 5 seconds PER YEAR. Oh, and you can buy GS TODAY! No contest. I have several of both and love both. But as a watch conneseur, it is GS 100%. For wanting others to be jealous of you, sure...Rolex, if that's your thing. I do love the cyclops, though. Always did.
I own a 500 dollar Certina with a COSC quartz movement that runs like +5 seconds a year. That’s not such a big deal tbh.
Such a well done video, thank you!
Having owned several of both, and I know this is petty, but GS has to upgrade their clasp before I consider another, unless Titanium due to low weight.
Or maybe soon Steel Reef will come to GS rescue on this count as promised.
Looks are subjective. GS movements are amazing, but Rolex kills them in wearability. Case thickness and lack of micro adjust keep away after owning and selling a few
Should have made a comparison with a Motif Blue dial instead of plain Jane white dial
I have the 2022 version of the DJ 41mm with the blue dial. GS wins the dial competition, hands down!👌
For me personally, some of the Grand Seiko models are exactly what I always wished for Seiko to produce, a high-end watch with superior quality movement (7S26 or similar) and a slightly larger case with a similar look to the Seiko 5 from the 1980s (those beautiful $100 watches with a crown at 4 position). So far Grand Seiko watches are exceeding my expectations except for one thing that bothers me and seems to me, nobody else. I can't stand those pointy hands on the dials of almost every Grand Seiko model except their diver watches. Those pointy hands are a good match for dress watches, not a sport watches in my opinion.
Some other brands are using similar hands but with a loom in the middle of the hands and that looks much better. I also don't care much for those birch or snow dials, give me a beautiful sunburst blue, silver, champagne, green, black, or brown dial instead anytime.
Most of these "Heritage" style watches from GS aren't meant to be sports watches or dress watches. They're right down the middle, both dressy and casual, and in that case, the hands work well imo.
It’s not even close the white birch is superior in every way I love the polish on the Rolex, but the birch is movement. The dial the finish.
brand wise. rolex is king. if im a commoner and had to choose one of these. chances are they would recognize rolex as the most exclusive watch. id choose rolex
I'd pick the grand seiko every day over a rolex, better watch and your not going to get mugged for wearing it :D
Rolex does not warranty the watch to run -1/+2 up to 5 years. Bogus claim
Not exactly a fair fight for the Rolex imo. If you choose fluted bezel with jubilee and any other colored dial, then it’s a 50/50 call. Also the cyclops might be an eyesore to some but it’s a clear mark of history and a unique identity to Rolex
If Grand seiko can sort out their $1 bracelets, put some effort with micro adjustments and some tapering. They would be so much better
The bracelet on the grand Seiko’s are trash though along with the
FIrst. Whenever a new episode of versus comes out, I'm here.
Stevie Wonder just told me that Grand Seiko looks way better than the Rolex.
Grand Seiko everyday.
Grand seiko making Rolex look so like a local mall watch.
Where can I find this model?😊
I went to the Rolex dealer and put myself on the list for an OP with a silver dial, but it seems impossible to get one. Can you believe it, they said at least two years. I don't believe in this thing and I think they only sell to whoever they want. I felt very inferior. It's very sad and humiliating.
the final comparison was personal lol
This comparison is easy, the difficult comparison as Tim mentioned is between this slga005 and slga009 (spring drive 120hrs)
This is a huge mismatch. GS by a mile.
The datejust might be the most boring watch on earth. But it’s really hard for me to justify paying over $1k for a watch with “Seiko” on the dial. My choice is neither.
I am no longer a fan of Rolex. It’s impossible to find 95% of their models new at retail price.
It’s really not in October 2023. Daytona, Pepsi, Sub then yes, the rest of their massive catalogue you can get with a very short wait. A Datejust in any configuration aside from 41mm green dial is a month or less.
Rolex every day! GS bracelet and clasp are naff! Ye nice dial but not the kind of watch you will hand down either
Rolex bracelet is much better than the Grand Seiko.
For a daily, I want the better bracelet.
I have the 41. Very nice, but they cheapened out and are using the crown from the 36. To small.
For invesment (not really watch lovers) Rolex. For really watch lovers GS.
Cringe
For investment and really watch lover, a lange sohne odysseus
I mustn’t be a really watch lover then.
@@Explorer40mm 🤷🏻♂️
Not really. Why would you want a shot movement in your watch ? The 9sa5 is failing big time, with Seiko levels of accuracy
I'd add the new Seiko Alpinist and Pitzmann II to the comparison.
Tim I have the minase divido 2.0 the polishing on the bracelet ist awesome better then these twos or what do you think. Yes the caliber of these are better.
Adding all that writing on the bottom of the gs ruins that dial imo
Please put them on a timegrapher to which one is more accurate
O čemu pričamo šta ovde porediti pa naravno Grand Seiko daleko daleko ispred u svemu pa čak i u narukvici po meni...pozzz
The Datejust is easily attainable for anyone complaining of wait lists. Just here to read the comments from all the Rolex haters.
“Grand Seiko dilutes its watches.” Yes! I’m an OG fan in the US from decades ago. I rarely look at modern releases. Too many, too gimmicky and that’s a real bummer.
Mine send to japan out of the box accuracy issue 26+ secound a day. Very disappointed by GS with all there certificate...etc
I did the same. No worries after this.
The Datejust tells some about its owner. Great watch though, as all Rolex watches are.
GS 9SA5 is not there yet in terms of movement robustness.
Grand Seiko movement is better
only watch people know what grand seiko is. nothing carries the flair, appreciation and admiration
that a rolex does, no matter what price.
I own one rolex for when I occasionally need to show pop cultured masses that I have a Rolex. Otherwise, GS has more soul in a single piece than 1000 machine crafted Rolexes.
Both just depends.
This is not fair to Rolex beacuse Grand Seiko passed Rolex years ago in the terms of design, craftsmenship and micro perfection.GS is now more comperable to JLC,GS is way more unique than the Rolex beacuse GS yearly production is way less than even Patek and Vacheron!!
Must be a slow news day
First time anybody has ever said that Rolex has more options than Grand Seiko. Hehe.
love this format!
I want to love the GS so much. Just can't unsee it as a usual sub $1k Seiko.
That’s on you. How can you look at that watch or any of the wonderful GS pieces and see sub-
@briankenny6883 Do you own a GS?
@4120306 Yes. GS SLGA023 Ushio and it’s awesome. To quote Kevin O’Leary - “Grand Seiko is the best value you can get for your dollar anywhere in the world.”
@@4120306 Yes. A GS SLGA023 Ushio. It’s awesome. It’s a very big watch, but I have an 8” wrist. No adjustments needed.
It's astonishingly easy to tell apart a GS from a Seiko, even without the logo.
Rolex , hands down
Hate to say it, the seiko is actually a little too much.
Came for the Rolex, stayed for the Grand Seiko 😅
I think both the dial and the movement on this GS are more beautiful than anything else I've seen under $10k.
Just to mention one aspect that Tim didn't bring up here - as gorgeous as that Zaratsu polish is, it does also accrue scratches, and they're very visible. This puts me off buying GS pre-owned because they tend to look quite worn very quickly.
Every man need a Rolex
Please stop doing watches we’ve seen 10 million times..
Rolex all day every day. Nicer case curvature, no tree bark gimick, no pretentious polish that, like a fresh haircut, fades within weeks and shows swirls and scratches just like any other watch, maybe more.