I’m tired of this movement argument for spring drive. Yes it regulates through a quartz oscillator. But have you looked at the history and development of spring drive? It’s one guy inside Seiko who developed 600 prototypes before finding one that worked. It took 30 years of work before Grand Seiko put it in to production. The history of it from a craftsmanship perspective is there. I love mechanical watches and I see this as a mechanical watch much more than a quartz watch. It wasn’t a discovery like quartz was. It was painstaking passion that makes traditional mechanical watches
Exactly. It's a mechanical watch, regulated and made precise by quartz. It isn't a qaurtz driven watch. I love Fed, but yeah anybody who can't appreciate that is snobby.
Ashwin Mascarenhas No watch is quartz driven. A traditional quartz watch is battery driven and quartz regulated. Spring Drive is spring driven and quartz regulated. A mechanical watch is spring driven and balance regulated. The jury is still out for me on Spring Drive. It is really cool, but the servicing cost/wait is a huge downside for me. If I were to get a Grand Seiko, I’d go with one of their mechanical options.
The spring drive is what bothers you the most? Oh brother. I got a 9f and I LOVE how it's always bang on time and the degree of engineering it has for a "quartz"
Bob Oso - I totally agree with you. I've had the Spring Drive SBJA275J (JDM piece) for about 3 years and just love it. I was so impressed by the quality that I have just purchased the SBGP015G (Limited 60th Anniversary piece) with the 9F85 Quartz movement, wow what a watch, ceramic bezel, anti magnetic and accurate to +/- 10 seconds a year, amazing.
I have a SBGE005 GMT Spring Drive as my daily wearer, and I absolutely love it. You'll have to pry it from my cold dead wrist. As to the quartz debate, I totally disagree with Federico. I love that it has a piece of in-house grown, primo quartz in it because, to me, accuracy is prized above all else. I argue that it's a mechanical, automatic watch. The accuracy is uncanny (+15 seconds a year) and crushes my Rolex Explorer. And I love the accuracy of my Explorer (+3 seconds a day). Months go by without being my GS off even by a second. I don't think any automatic Rolex can even compare at any price point in terms of accuracy. Then, there's the finishing and attention to detail which I do agree with Federico about: that it punches four times higher than its weight class. My GMT looks very different from the one in this video. Mine has a minimalist dial that is a Japanese design aesthetic that I adore. While I certainly would prefer micro adjustments on the bracelet, I can't find any flaw with the watch itself. It's pretty much perfect.
I see you didn't mention one of the greatest features of the spring drive: the seconds hand smooth movement. I believe that it is the most relevant feature aside that it doesn't require a battery to have a quartz accuracy. Cheers from Spain.
Exactly. The fact that we can now have quartz accuracy, in a mechanical watch, with no battery for power, is amazing and a real feat of human engineering.
Agreed. Also, the glide wheel of Spring Drive always spins in the same direction. No wear & tear like the forward/reverse starting/stopping of an escapement.
No battery-powered quartz movement can make the second hand sweep smoothly without running down the battery within a hot minute, so that makes the Spring Drive extra special in that way. And the electric feedback loop is absolutely ingenious.
A non watch person sees the word "Seiko" and thinks $300. There is no inherent "status" symbol, which many people buy expensive watches for. Granted, if you are a true watch aficionado, this doesn't matter. But, it is reality.
I'm at the other end I love that my dial says Seiko on it. It's subdued and not in your face as a luxury title would be. After a closer look at that watch that's when the quality does the talking and you can draw you own opinion of it.
I’ve loved watches for many years but only recently got into the hobby, and I have got to say Teddy B’s explanation of the spring drive made me fall in love with the complexity and artistry of grand seiko
The fact it's not a stupidly overpriced luxury watch, is what bothers these watch snobs so much. They're mostly into watches for the bragging and money flexing, not for the horology
Exactly what I compare GS too. Unfortunately, Lexus never made the break-through in Europe, numbers even go down nowadays. So let’s hope for a different fortune for GS.
I have a GS Hi-Beat. My AD told me that the Spring Drive can now be serviced in the US. At this point, only the chronograph still has to go back to Japan. GS is building out its US infrastructure. He showed me the pricing for GS service. A Spring Drive was between $550 and $600, as I recall. What I heard Fed say is that if he had bought a Hi-Beat on a strap, he’d have no real complaints.
I have the Snowflake and absolutely love the watch and have connected to it, but totally agree about the bracelet and buckle. Hopefully they will step up their game in that area. Would you consider a High Beat GS?
Three weeks ago I purchased the Grand Seiko Sklyflake on a blue alligator strap. The Sklflake blue watch face is absolutely mesmerizing which stacks up against other watches multiples in price. The stainless steel case with the Zaratsu polish is simply stunning. The strap blends if perfect and looks great in any social setting. This is my first Grand Seiko, I loved it so much I purchased the new SBGM239 Hodinkee version. My other watches are taking a sabbatical for a while to enjoy the fine finishing of Grand Seiko.
I went from anti-GS to owning 3 including a spring drive diver. People like Bill Sanders whom I greatly respect have difficulty with accepting spring drive. I am in love with the technological achievement spring drive represents and the glide of the seconds hand freed from the normal friction of an escapement. I am not enamored of the metal bracelet but all of those issues go away when you switch the bracelet out for rubber, leather or NATO straps (I use all three). The overall value proposition of GS watches is tremendous. If you were to have a good custom strap made for your GMT, I think you would not be thinking of saying sayonara to GS. In all events, I admire you for being open to trying a GS.
I just picked up my first GS too, a few months ago, SBGA413, the Spring "Shunbun" model from the "Seasons" release, and OMG I love that white/pink sakura dial. The finishing is amazing, it's Titanium but you would think it's steel until you pick it up. As far as shipping the watch to Japan once every five years for service? Doesn't bother me one bit. Of course if I have issues with the watch and it constantly needs service, well yeah, that would kind of suck. The Spring drive movement? That's one of the main reasons I got this watch, something different. Quartz technology is actually really interesting when you dive into the details, at least to me, but I do agree, the heart of the watch is not the mainspring. I almost picked up a high-beat GMT but chose this instead. I'd like to own a high-beat some day. I wasn't certain if I'd connect with my GS, but I have in a big way. It's so beautiful and the sweep of that seconds hand is mesmerizing, but I understand it's not for everyone. And oh yeah, it does suck that there is no micro adjustment. I got lucky though, mine fits perfectly.
I would never send that watch to service unless you notice it rate getting more than 15 seconds slow. Most watches with this synthetic lubricants can go 20 years without service. That's why Rolex started offering a 5 year warranty and pushing out their service recommendation to 10 years instead of what was just 5. I own over 25 mechanical watches and some more expensive quartz. The only one I needed serviced was a Tissot quartz that bit the big one and had to a get a new movement put it. I'm not sure about your Grand Seiko, but I've never had a reason to send in any watch that's well over 10 years old so far. Also, the Seiko Service Center in NJ should be able to service that watch as well. They've done great work with servicing my old Kinetics that needed the cell replaced.
I like sending this out for servicing. It means that the extremely high quality talent that builds the watch is the one who services it. It is not some local dealer who knows nothing about the watch. It is the actual technicians that have a heart for the watch and an emotional connection to the watch that services it. The band has been fixed on the new 2020 series, so that is no longer an issue. What I hate about a mechanical watch is that they are not really that accurate. Every month you have to reset it. I love that this has real engineering behind it and after a month it is only off by a handful of seconds, sometimes just 1 or 2. The quality blows away even Rolex. It is an amazing watch that is focused more on the engineering than the brand.
Once I got over that branding thing (and I believe it improved much by using GS) I learned to love it a great deal the SBGN005 GMT being a close to perfect travel watch for me! That sweeping second hand of the Spring Drive models is in my view pure perfection and superior to any hacking regular escapement..
By far the greatest practical weakness of a quartz watch is that it needs to be regularly opened to replace the battery. Every time that happens, water resistance is endangered. I don't care about that with an inexpensive watch. The idea of quartz accuracy with a mechanical source of electricity is staggering. This is a mechanical watch; it's just that the mechanism works indirectly to power and regulate speed. While I couldn't imagine actually diving with a spring drive GS diver, in theory it is an optimal technology for this purpose.
When I first heard people spending thousands on a SEIKO (GRAND SEIKO), I thought I must have heard wrong. Who would spending 4 grand on a GS? Then when I finally tried on one, I havent looked back since. The polishing and finishing is at Patek's level, let alone Rolex's. I am a owner of several Rolexes but I love my GSs more, particularly if you can get ones which one of those special dials (like the Godzilla).
I appreciate your candid and honest thoughts, it is very refreshing to hear. I can totally understand some people's hangup due to the quartz element, because for so long we've been conditioned to think of quartz as something cheap associated with $20 "throwaway" watches, but for me it's the mastery of what Grand Seiko have done which elevates the Spring Drive into an art form and a thing of beauty. The value of a watch from my perspective comes from the exquisite craftsmanship of its construction and its absolute perfection in its primary function of telling the time, and for me Grand Seiko Spring Drive is the absolute pinicle of embodying this in (realatively speaking) an affordable timepiece.
I’ve enjoyed the video. Servicing is a nightmare for a great deal of luxury brands, such as horror stories from Rolex and patek. I can’t but help think that watch snobbery has affected you sir and I say that respectfully. There’s no issue with not connecting with a watch but it’s wrong when it’s purely Because of the brand name. You’re other points about the buckle and such is understandable though. I’m just a bit fed up with grand seiko never truly being looked at with the open mindedness it deserves.
Recently bought a Spring Drive, and found the fit a bit loose, but then realized replacing 2 small links with one large link did the trick. Thats the micro adjustment necessary. If slightly tight, replace one large link with 2 small links
As I have stated earlier in channel's such as yours Swiss watch makers are relying mostly on there past Laurel's The Grand Seiko have made giant strides in the market the past decade commercially because The Japanese as artists are unmatched due to there sincerity devotion skill and hardwork. GRAND SEIKOs attention to detail is in un matched. Not saying Swiss watches are junk having owned a few of them. If one has to truly enjoy perfection I would recommend everyone to have 1 Any Grand Seiko 2 Own Japanese selvedge denim 3 have the finest A1 wagyu beef 4 Japanese melon Once you have all of the above I promise you Swiss artistry won't hold a candle against the Japanese.
Re finishing "One More Watch" recently did a review of the "Batgirl" Rolex 126710BLNR and a macro view of the dial and hand finishing did that watch no favors.
I really enjoyed this video - I own the SBGE001. Spring drive has that face engineers and physicists adore - the force driving EVERY aspect of ANY watch movement is electromagnetism - spring drive extends upon a spring's electromagnetic properties to unleash the broader potentials of this fundamental force of nature. A true masterpiece
What I love about your review is that it is 100% honest in how the watch is superbly finished, precise, it checks all the boxes you expect from a luxury watch, and yet you don't love it as much as somebody else would. That is what we love about Horology: a man's trash could be the next man's treasue. I was looking at Omega but when I started looking at GS I just flipped. I just love the brand, and for the record, servicing a Spring Drive watch is cheaper than an Omega speedy or seamaster.
If you like expensive jewelry, with a history of reasonable accuracy in horology but mainly buy watches for profit...buy a Hong Kong produced Swiss brand. If you like technological innovation and a passion for innovation not seen since John Harrison, then buy Grand Seiko/Credor.
For two of the hangups the solution is get a GS highbeat auto GMT instead. Easier to service and no hangups about the quartz element...I plan on getting the Gs GMT chronograph next.
The good news is that Spring Drive pretty much never has to be serviced. There are people that have gone over ten years without a servicing and it's still keeping the same time it was when it was new.
If you're having trouble connecting to the watch because its Spring-Drive. Think about the engineer that had a dream in '72, then worked for the next 28 years and passed away just as his dream was realized (Spring-Drive). I can connect to the sheer will and grit that it took to bring Spring Drive to market.
Great you had good and bad points Fed. Been honest I thought you might hate on it more. I tried a Rolex then a GS could not for the life of me understand why Rolex gets all the love, it felt almost cheap in comparison! Hey but you like what you like right?, watches are very personal. Glad your sticking with it... for now!
It''s a mechanical watch regulated by quartz for accuracy. What's there not to love? And you can go out and buy one no bother. Be mesmerized by its finishing and the smooth seconds hand. Still love your channel Fed.
I loved this video. Your candid honesty is refreshing and honest. I need to watch more of your watch reviews because I know that you'll give an honest assessment.
The part about servicing in Japan is incorrect. All GS watches are services in NJ at the GS service center except for Chronographs, those are very complicated and need to go to Japan. The only thing you can’t get in the US for your non chrono GS is Zaratsu polishing, for that it needs to Japan as well.
Spring drive is cool but GS started with mechanical watches. I think people really forget that and underappreciated their mechanical line ups. You get top, top level finishing as Fed mentioned, nicely finished in house movement as well that's comparable in quality to any in house movements from Rolex/Omega, and are less expensive around 4-7k retail. I know ppl love spring drive and quartz from GS, but I think their mechanical watches should be the core of their business moving forward.
Federico is straight to point with acknowledging being a snob before discussing on topic. Nothing wrong with being a snob, people who are are so obviously a snob but act and claim like they aren't is people i don't like.
Thanks Fed for the video as always. Fratello, don't give up on connecting w/it, only has been a month. Agree w/several of your concerns. If GS were to: (1) make more of their watches in the 40-42mm range, (2) improve bracelet quality, and (3) add micro-adjustments, the Swiss may have something to worry about. Nevertheless, these watches and brand (GS) will remain somewhat niche since their production is limited based on what they do...actually a positive. ⌚👍🇯🇵
I just purchased a Snowflake from Federico and it is stunning! The way it catches the light and the detail is amazing. The pin and collar is a negative and no micro adjustment is my only complaint.
Hi Frederico. I understand your experience with the watch. I want to buy a Grand Seiko myself but it is not top of my list. I like Seiko and the Grand Seiko is the top of the line. The finishing is superb and for me a Grand Seiko needs an open caseback to see the movement. The problem with Grand Seiko for you is probably the fact that the watch is not recognizable as an expensive watch. Only watch people will know what it is and for most people this is just an ordinary Seiko. If you think it is important for you to wear a watch that is more of a status symbol then Grand Seiko is probably not your brand. The SKX is more cult and recognized as a beater watch for people that are into watches. So at this price point the watch is not a status symbol. For me the Spring drive tech is fantastic and sets Grand Seiko apart from other brands. The sweep of the seconds hand is so beautiful with spring drive. The fact that the watch need to be serviced in Japan is not an issue for me. When you buy expensive watches, and 5K is expensive for 95% of the people in the world, then the service costs is part of the deal. When I have to service my JLC or Panerai watches they go back to Switzerland and will return 8 weeks later. Annoying but a fact when a watchmaker has to overhaul the watch completely. I agree that Grand Seiko has a few flaws. The bracelet and or clasp is not on par with Rolex and for me the real competition for Rolex is Grand Seiko and maybe Omega. People often compare Rolex and Omega but I think that Seiko is probably more of a competion (if they really step it up and make some fundamental changes). Grand Seiko can be so good/perfect that sometimes it is a little bit detached or distant. Hard to explain but I understand why you can't connect with the watch. I think that deep down you want a watch that you can show off with (not in a negative way). Something to be proud of. At least to yourself. This is not a problem because a lot of people have this. For me this is also a factor that plays a part when buying an expensive watch. Would people buy a Rolex watch when the brand on the Rolex watch was different with another symbol? People like the watch because it is a Rolex. A lot of people don't buy the watch because they like it and the brand is not important. I think you should sell it and buy Rolex again (New Pepsi or Batman). Better for you. Just my two cents. Greetings from Amsterdam.
Without a doubt, the greatest movement in the history of watchmaking. This is now my daily watch. I wear my Rolexes, Omegas, IWCs, JLCs etc only when I need to show the uninformed that I have the money.
I was told at a GS AD on Madison Avenue that they service spring drive in the Seiko service center in NJ - maybe they were wrong but that is what I was told.
just fyi I had a gs spring drive and although I wasant the original owner I sold it when it was 9-10 years old and it likely had never been serviced and kept dead on time. The design of the spring drive movement suggests that service intervals may be longer than you expect. thanks for your honesty fed
The Grand Seiko GMT Spring Drive and the Seiko LX GMT Spring Drive both are...10 times more accurate than Rolex at 1/2 the price, better built (Spring Drives are hand made by only a handful of people), better finished, AND AVAILABLE!! FYI, I have 2 Spring Drives...MM600 and GS diver...owned for 10yrs now. No servicing required yet...accurate to +5 seconds/month.
Maybe you'd like one of their dressier options on leather. I didn't like the bracelet on my SBGA413 so I swapped it for a honey colored ostrich strap and it's now the classiest looking watch I own.
I do not have a grand Seiko but believe me I am looking hard at them now. I find the Spring Drive an astonishing and innovative solution to the keeping of time. No battery! The purity of the idea that the electrical power is generated by mechanical means resulting in the smooth sweeping seconds hand and accurate time keeping would have had Brequet and his contemporaries applauding the brilliance of the notion. The absence of a 5 mm extension seems bizarre and I imagine that it will not be long before it appears. The servicing issue is a real bind and I doubt if either brand are quick about it! The Rolex has its own problems which do not even relate to the watch itself!
My first mechanical watch will be a Grand Seiko. The Swiss watches come across to me as pretentious luxury nonsense aimed at the rich Arab or the son of a CEO who needs to show off his money. Seiko seems to actually concentrate on making good watches - an oddball in the industry? - which appeals to me as an engineer. Before I learnt of the brand, I did not even consider ever buying a wristwatch again.
That Spring drive has less moving parts than a traditional mechanical. It also keeps time with a digital circuit. Your great grandkids will be using that watch no service required. It's like a Toyota car, the oil changes are only a suggestion not a necessity 🤣
Also Federico some people just has only one watch (spring drive) and are very happy with it since it doesn't need Time consuming battery charging, and or winding. Also divers are happy to have diver spring drive because it doesn't require much opening for service which in turn could be prone to watch flooding. This has happened to me despite the "authorized citizen" watch technician pressure testing after changing battery and gasgtets. Grand Seiko has a good alternative where they have developed a Grand Seiko spring drive diver watch where not much opening is required. Very good alternative for divers working in remote areas, where there isn't much service watch alternative. So it pretty much broils down to what you use the watch for, and your personal circumstances. Thanks interesting video.
I'm glad you made this video. It was a tricky one I think because a lot of it is your emotional response, and that is always hard to put into words. I'm a mechanical guy, don't connect to quartz, but springdrive - not sure myself. It is a weird area of horology! Interestingly, Bark & Jack also did this and ended up loving it, so perhaps stay with it? Might find a permanent place in the collection as a travel watch, and be associated with fun times.
Fwiw, the rumor that it has to be sent to Japan for service isn't true. I was told by the seiko boutique that they have a service center in [I think it was] Pennsylvania. Service is pricey, but the interval on a spring drive is long because there are less parts causing friction and requiring oil & maintenance. You should be good for at least 10 years between services. And if that doesn't help, try a high beat. GS makes amazing fully mechanical watches too.
If you have an ideological problem with the spring drive (which I can understand and struggle with myself) , they also put out a superbly designed and impeccably finished hi-beat automatic .
I’d take an Omega X-33 Gen 2 over anything out there. It was developed for pilots by pilots and astronauts. I found it to be my favorite watch, even over a moon watch.
What I like about GS is the hands and how they hide the mouting pin. The hands look like they are 3d machined. I have no idea how they make such hands in large series. Think about it: how do you make a round seconds hand with a barrel/cap like center that small. It's a difficult 3d shape. No other watch has hands made in that shape that I know of. Even the small power reserve hand has that style of design/manufacture. It makes virtually all other watchhands look like stamped tin (which they probably are), and only watches like 50k+ Lange&Söhne and such go to that much detail. On a rolex (for instance a daytona) you still see the center clamp bushing protruding through the hand. Maybe the cellini hands come in the ballpark. Also the sharpness and detail on the dial markers is very nice. The weakest point of GS is I think the styling. That is of course a personal preference, but it looks like most higher end seiko's inc. GS are very conservatively styled. I'd like to see some wild designs like they did in the 70's (like the 6138 and 6139 series) The $900 service on a 5k watch is a dealbreaker though imho. I can understand the part about the quartz regulation versus price. Getting a mechanical thing to be tuned to its absolute best is one of the attractions of a mechanical watch. On the other side this is pure Seiko. There is no brand that has revolutionized and reinvented the watch and timekeeping in general as much as seiko has. And there is no brand in the world that is as much 'in house' as Seiko is. The do everything themselves, even making their own hairsprings, crystals, developping their own materials etc. No brand does it to that extention.
So glad u are on RUclips! Thanks for the honesty. I enjoy both mechanical & quartz movements. Camping,hunting, shooting range my mudmaster gwg1000. Everything else mechanical. I would like a Grand seiko diver in my collection. I think the movement is +/- 10 sec a year. That’s impressive
I love grand seiko and it’s definitely my dream luxury watch. I’ve been a fan of seiko for years but the grand seiko spring drives are a thing of beauty.
wakajumba as the other comments suggest, there’s always horror stories about luxury brands like Rolex and patek. Basically have to pay a fortune to get them serviced. Feel like it’s just another excuse for watch snobs to keep their elitist status.
Spring drive movement revolutionarize the accurracy of mechanical watch because of its quartz accuracy,,! Blending mechanical and quartz technology without batteries (perpetual movement)... No worries about changing batteries.
I agree with some of the points made. From an emotional point of view, most of us have grown to accept Seiko as an under $200 watch. From a marketing point, they should have called it something other than Grand Seiko. Would anybody buy a luxury Lexus for $80,000 if it was called a Toyota? Same thing here. The Japanese are learning from the Swiss, like Rolex. They only want their GS watches serviced by their watchmakers in Japan. This means that they will derive additional income as the watch ages. This is the concept with a Porsche or Tesla car. There are not too many user serviceable parts on those vehicles and they require a dealer shop with specialized equipment. Having said that, I think it a revolutionary watch and it is a technological marvel. The spring drive system is far more accurate than any mechanical watch and the snowflake dial model is a piece of art.
I love that it is called seiko. That way i can have a fantastic watch without it bringing to much attention! That is the primary reason i don’t like rolex. They make nice watches but it’s just to flashy.
Great review, Fed. I had similar feelings about the SBGE245 that I purchased. Checked all the boxes from a quality standpoint, and I had no issues with the spring drive and enjoyed the sweep of the hand. For whatever reason, I just didn’t love it. It was a bit bigger than I liked, so that probably played a role. If I give GS another try, I will probably go with a Hi Beat GMT. Thanks again.
I agree with the service issue of having to send it away. I sold my Sinn UX recently due to the fact you have to send it back to Germany to service the oil filled quartz movement. Not something I want to deal with.
I looked pretty hard at a GMT springdrive about 3 months (at Delray Watches site) and while it had all the pluses you note, the service situation was the show stopper for me. Reassuring to hear that you feel the same way. It always amazes me how Seiko does such an incredible job of some things and completely drops the ball on others. Thanks for your honesty and frankness here.
Hey Federico just wondering why you didn’t go for a fully automatic model? Also just wondering for future reference can you get the GS automatic models serviced by an independent watchmaker or would they have to go back to Japan to the Seiko factory?
Hi Fed, wondering about mentioning the service of a spring drive watch as a bad point: Wouldn't work the seikoserviceusa site for you where you send the watch Mahwah, NJ? (no experience here though - I am from Switzerland)
if you're specifically looking for a bracelet Grand Seiko with Spring Drive you better get the SBGA229 or SBGA231. Personally I sugest to get the leather strap, which I think much better then go with SBGA289.
So you should change with GS with 9F automatic movement and strap instead? That solves several current problems. But yeah, I think you should keep wearing it.
I like the idea of the spring drive as an evolution in technical excellence, mastery. Agree with you that for that kind of $ the buckle and bracelet should be much better....and the service situation is a valid concern.
I own a GS spring drive love it and definitely agree with the bracelet gripe but not a big issue for me I hate the feel of bracelets anyway, so I just toss it in a drawer as I do on all my watches.
I like the channel and the aproach. GS has it for me at this price. I own only one 1980s Quartz Omega, which I once adored, now I never wear it; sentimental appeal only. I'm a layman, but would disagree GS more a Quartz movement than mechanical. From a purely personal position, the clever marriage of these two vastly different technologies is it's value.
Although I don’t agree with it, thank you for your honest opinion. I actually think of buying a pure quartz GS, so all I need to check out is the bracelet fit and feel. Keep saying what you’re thinking man.
The service issues is the same here in Japan. Local shops refuses spring drive. Only Seiko can fix them. Official service cost around 700-1000 USD. Might be clever to pick hi-beat mechanical (or quartz) GS models.
If Rolex had developed this movement would your opinion or the snobbery of the watch world be different and claim it's the future now and how amazingly accurate the spring drive is compared to the same old same old movements in watches the world over why not just buy a mechanical watch with the nh35 movement in then if that's how you feel about mechanical watches or is it the badge rather than the movement that's the most important thing and yes a do own Rolex watches as well as Omega,Tag,Tudor and Grand Seiko I buy a watch because I like it not what people think, and pound for pound the Grand Seiko offers the most or the biggest bang for the buck
I suppose you deserve kudos for trying a spring drive when you knew you probably wouldn't connect with it, but clearly I think you'd have a better chance at liking one of their autos, be it a 'plain' automatic or a high beat.
Great Review...since I generally hate all bracelets, I put straps on my Grand Seikos. My first Spring Drive arrives tomorrow and I believe that before too long they will be able to be serviced locally...hopefully before I wear one in my casket. Keep up the great videos.
I agree the spring drive takes out for a better word the “ romance “ of a mechanical watch, for instance the snow flake would be a incredible watch full mechanical, the details are incredible on a GS. Thanks
Spring drive is also not for me. Was lookimg at the hi beat GMT but same observation the bracelet is a far cry ftom the rrst of the watch. Mkght get it on the strap if ever i do. Is the hi beat also serbiced only in Japan? Another negative for me is the 2 year warranty. Thanks Fed I am nkt alone.
Yes Federico, 900 to service and weeks without your watch is a serious problem. Why don't GS train dealers and service workshops around the world to service and maintenance? It's ridiculous. But still, watches of fantastic quality...
Grand Seiko is for a different class. GS until recently was mostly a JDM product and as such with how new these watches really are they definitely have growing pains. They occupy a weird market. The low to mid range sub 5000 market beats nearly every watch brand besides a few micro companies who've specialized in a specific niche. The high range punches above it's belt, there are few companies of any pedigree that under a macro lens can finish their watches like the Japanese can. German engineering, swiss movements? They all have their positives. There is a huge history about Seiko and the fight they've waged with the Western countries, specifically the swiss. The watches are compelling and have a major story behind them. The only problem is subjectivity, some of their watches just won't look good to you. GS and spring drive is NOT a quartz movement. The primary power house is a micro engine, generator attached to an IC which pulses between the quartz and the mini electrical magnetic drive engine that's inside. THAT is why you buy spring drive. It is the only watch on the planet with a literal generator, that can be self sustaining and keeps extremely accurate time for what is NOT a digital quartz watch.
Should have gotten one of the Mechanical GMTs. Yes the bracelet is a disappointment, no adjustment on the clasp is a crime. Value on GS is there in spades, especially buying preowned. Overall build quality superb. It’s a whole different experience coming from the Rolex world. Still unsure about my GS GMT but it’s growing on me
I’m tired of this movement argument for spring drive. Yes it regulates through a quartz oscillator. But have you looked at the history and development of spring drive? It’s one guy inside Seiko who developed 600 prototypes before finding one that worked. It took 30 years of work before Grand Seiko put it in to production. The history of it from a craftsmanship perspective is there. I love mechanical watches and I see this as a mechanical watch much more than a quartz watch. It wasn’t a discovery like quartz was. It was painstaking passion that makes traditional mechanical watches
BruBish Very well said!
Exactly. It's a mechanical watch, regulated and made precise by quartz.
It isn't a qaurtz driven watch.
I love Fed, but yeah anybody who can't appreciate that is snobby.
Nailed it. Exactly my sentiments.
I think you have convinced me.
Ashwin Mascarenhas No watch is quartz driven. A traditional quartz watch is battery driven and quartz regulated. Spring Drive is spring driven and quartz regulated. A mechanical watch is spring driven and balance regulated. The jury is still out for me on Spring Drive. It is really cool, but the servicing cost/wait is a huge downside for me. If I were to get a Grand Seiko, I’d go with one of their mechanical options.
If it was Omega Spring Drive...no one would complain. People would sing it’s technological achievement like the co-axial movement.
Yes
Very good point.
That being said, the aesthetic of Swiss watches appeals to me more, personally. I think most people are the same.
Yep. There are those who truly admire the work and technology, then there are those who needs the brand name to feel better about themselves. :D
@@BatCountryAdventures and with grand seiko you have both. The quality/technology and the brand hype.
Imagine if Rolex came up with the spring drive...!
The spring drive is what bothers you the most? Oh brother.
I got a 9f and I LOVE how it's always bang on time and the degree of engineering it has for a "quartz"
Bob Oso - I totally agree with you. I've had the Spring Drive SBJA275J (JDM piece) for about 3 years and just love it. I was so impressed by the quality that I have just purchased the SBGP015G (Limited 60th Anniversary piece) with the 9F85 Quartz movement, wow what a watch, ceramic bezel, anti magnetic and accurate to +/- 10 seconds a year, amazing.
I have a SBGE005 GMT Spring Drive as my daily wearer, and I absolutely love it. You'll have to pry it from my cold dead wrist. As to the quartz debate, I totally disagree with Federico. I love that it has a piece of in-house grown, primo quartz in it because, to me, accuracy is prized above all else. I argue that it's a mechanical, automatic watch. The accuracy is uncanny (+15 seconds a year) and crushes my Rolex Explorer. And I love the accuracy of my Explorer (+3 seconds a day). Months go by without being my GS off even by a second. I don't think any automatic Rolex can even compare at any price point in terms of accuracy. Then, there's the finishing and attention to detail which I do agree with Federico about: that it punches four times higher than its weight class. My GMT looks very different from the one in this video. Mine has a minimalist dial that is a Japanese design aesthetic that I adore. While I certainly would prefer micro adjustments on the bracelet, I can't find any flaw with the watch itself. It's pretty much perfect.
The Spring drive literally combines the best of both.
Hello! It's two years later, but have your feelings changed about this piece? I'm considering picking one up vs. a Snowflake. Thanks.
I see you didn't mention one of the greatest features of the spring drive: the seconds hand smooth movement. I believe that it is the most relevant feature aside that it doesn't require a battery to have a quartz accuracy. Cheers from Spain.
yes, agreed...it'S a beauty to see that 'sweeping', the continuous nature of the flow of time,,,
Exactly. The fact that we can now have quartz accuracy, in a mechanical watch, with no battery for power, is amazing and a real feat of human engineering.
Agreed. Also, the glide wheel of Spring Drive always spins in the same direction. No wear & tear like the forward/reverse starting/stopping of an escapement.
No battery-powered quartz movement can make the second hand sweep smoothly without running down the battery within a hot minute, so that makes the Spring Drive extra special in that way. And the electric feedback loop is absolutely ingenious.
Ah but GS gas some of the most boring/over crowded faces in the industry. Not all but definitely 99% of them.
A non watch person sees the word "Seiko" and thinks $300. There is no inherent "status" symbol, which many people buy expensive watches for. Granted, if you are a true watch aficionado, this doesn't matter. But, it is reality.
I agree. I went to the GS boutique in Beverly Hills. Very nice pieces, but it was hard to justify. Toyota went with Lexus branding, not Grand Toyota.
I'm at the other end I love that my dial says Seiko on it. It's subdued and not in your face as a luxury title would be. After a closer look at that watch that's when the quality does the talking and you can draw you own opinion of it.
And the lack of status symbol (apart from those inherently interested in watches and horology) is exactly what appeals to me about them.
towedmycar: It's changing BUT Seiko isn't trying to become Omega or Rolex. GS watches are already superior and watch enthusiasts know it.
Prefer the Seiko at the top
I’ve loved watches for many years but only recently got into the hobby, and I have got to say Teddy B’s explanation of the spring drive made me fall in love with the complexity and artistry of grand seiko
Grand Seiko reminds me of Lexus in the early 2000s. A decision by the Japanese to build the very best for an elevated but still affordable price.
The fact it's not a stupidly overpriced luxury watch, is what bothers these watch snobs so much. They're mostly into watches for the bragging and money flexing, not for the horology
Exactly what I compare GS too. Unfortunately, Lexus never made the break-through in Europe, numbers even go down nowadays. So let’s hope for a different fortune for GS.
Still expensive for normal salaried people like me. 😥
I have a GS Hi-Beat. My AD told me that the Spring Drive can now be serviced in the US. At this point, only the chronograph still has to go back to Japan. GS is building out its US infrastructure. He showed me the pricing for GS service. A Spring Drive was between $550 and $600, as I recall.
What I heard Fed say is that if he had bought a Hi-Beat on a strap, he’d have no real complaints.
I have the Snowflake and absolutely love the watch and have connected to it, but totally agree about the bracelet and buckle. Hopefully they will step up their game in that area. Would you consider a High Beat GS?
Richard Davis I have a Hi-beat and spring Drive love both watches. They are working on the bracelet 😉 inside information 🤫
Horology Homies thanks for the info!
Three weeks ago I purchased the Grand Seiko Sklyflake on a blue alligator strap. The Sklflake blue watch face is absolutely mesmerizing which stacks up against other watches multiples in price. The stainless steel case with the Zaratsu polish is simply stunning. The strap blends if perfect and looks great in any social setting. This is my first Grand Seiko, I loved it so much I purchased the new SBGM239 Hodinkee version. My other watches are taking a sabbatical for a while to enjoy the fine finishing of Grand Seiko.
Purchased the SBGA407G like you as a first GS, now i am trying to grab any limited pieces for fun.
I went from anti-GS to owning 3 including a spring drive diver. People like Bill Sanders whom I greatly respect have difficulty with accepting spring drive. I am in love with the technological achievement spring drive represents and the glide of the seconds hand freed from the normal friction of an escapement. I am not enamored of the metal bracelet but all of those issues go away when you switch the bracelet out for rubber, leather or NATO straps (I use all three). The overall value proposition of GS watches is tremendous. If you were to have a good custom strap made for your GMT, I think you would not be thinking of saying sayonara to GS. In all events, I admire you for being open to trying a GS.
I just picked up my first GS too, a few months ago, SBGA413, the Spring "Shunbun" model from the "Seasons" release, and OMG I love that white/pink sakura dial. The finishing is amazing, it's Titanium but you would think it's steel until you pick it up.
As far as shipping the watch to Japan once every five years for service? Doesn't bother me one bit. Of course if I have issues with the watch and it constantly needs service, well yeah, that would kind of suck.
The Spring drive movement? That's one of the main reasons I got this watch, something different. Quartz technology is actually really interesting when you dive into the details, at least to me, but I do agree, the heart of the watch is not the mainspring. I almost picked up a high-beat GMT but chose this instead. I'd like to own a high-beat some day.
I wasn't certain if I'd connect with my GS, but I have in a big way. It's so beautiful and the sweep of that seconds hand is mesmerizing, but I understand it's not for everyone. And oh yeah, it does suck that there is no micro adjustment. I got lucky though, mine fits perfectly.
Congrats on getting the 413. That watch is awesome.
I would never send that watch to service unless you notice it rate getting more than 15 seconds slow. Most watches with this synthetic lubricants can go 20 years without service. That's why Rolex started offering a 5 year warranty and pushing out their service recommendation to 10 years instead of what was just 5.
I own over 25 mechanical watches and some more expensive quartz. The only one I needed serviced was a Tissot quartz that bit the big one and had to a get a new movement put it.
I'm not sure about your Grand Seiko, but I've never had a reason to send in any watch that's well over 10 years old so far.
Also, the Seiko Service Center in NJ should be able to service that watch as well. They've done great work with servicing my old Kinetics that needed the cell replaced.
I like sending this out for servicing. It means that the extremely high quality talent that builds the watch is the one who services it. It is not some local dealer who knows nothing about the watch. It is the actual technicians that have a heart for the watch and an emotional connection to the watch that services it. The band has been fixed on the new 2020 series, so that is no longer an issue. What I hate about a mechanical watch is that they are not really that accurate. Every month you have to reset it. I love that this has real engineering behind it and after a month it is only off by a handful of seconds, sometimes just 1 or 2. The quality blows away even Rolex. It is an amazing watch that is focused more on the engineering than the brand.
Once I got over that branding thing (and I believe it improved much by using GS) I learned to love it a great deal the SBGN005 GMT being a close to perfect travel watch for me! That sweeping second hand of the Spring Drive models is in my view pure perfection and superior to any hacking regular escapement..
Fed, the High-Beat automatic gets around the Spring-Drive snob issue.
Motormouth but not the seiko snob issue
Did not expect you here, love your car reviews!
By far the greatest practical weakness of a quartz watch is that it needs to be regularly opened to replace the battery. Every time that happens, water resistance is endangered. I don't care about that with an inexpensive watch.
The idea of quartz accuracy with a mechanical source of electricity is staggering. This is a mechanical watch; it's just that the mechanism works indirectly to power and regulate speed.
While I couldn't imagine actually diving with a spring drive GS diver, in theory it is an optimal technology for this purpose.
When I first heard people spending thousands on a SEIKO (GRAND SEIKO), I thought I must have heard wrong. Who would spending 4 grand on a GS? Then when I finally tried on one, I havent looked back since. The polishing and finishing is at Patek's level, let alone Rolex's. I am a owner of several Rolexes but I love my GSs more, particularly if you can get ones which one of those special dials (like the Godzilla).
Godzilla GS is like nothing else
I appreciate your candid and honest thoughts, it is very refreshing to hear. I can totally understand some people's hangup due to the quartz element, because for so long we've been conditioned to think of quartz as something cheap associated with $20 "throwaway" watches, but for me it's the mastery of what Grand Seiko have done which elevates the Spring Drive into an art form and a thing of beauty. The value of a watch from my perspective comes from the exquisite craftsmanship of its construction and its absolute perfection in its primary function of telling the time, and for me Grand Seiko Spring Drive is the absolute pinicle of embodying this in (realatively speaking) an affordable timepiece.
The bracelets on a GS are deliberately a little "loose" so it won't pinch and pull hairs.
I’ve enjoyed the video. Servicing is a nightmare for a great deal of luxury brands, such as horror stories from Rolex and patek. I can’t but help think that watch snobbery has affected you sir and I say that respectfully. There’s no issue with not connecting with a watch but it’s wrong when it’s purely Because of the brand name.
You’re other points about the buckle and such is understandable though. I’m just a bit fed up with grand seiko never truly being looked at with the open mindedness it deserves.
I just don't see the complaint with the GS spring drive. The technology is awesome and far above anything offered by Swiss brands at that price point.
Hear hear
Recently bought a Spring Drive, and found the fit a bit loose, but then realized replacing 2 small links with one large link did the trick. Thats the micro adjustment necessary. If slightly tight, replace one large link with 2 small links
Interesting hack!
Seiko make great watches and GS are is if not better than anything from Switzerland,and the clasps are getting better every yr,thanks
As I have stated earlier in channel's such as yours
Swiss watch makers are relying mostly on there past Laurel's
The Grand Seiko have made giant strides in the market the past decade commercially because
The Japanese as artists are unmatched due to there sincerity devotion skill and hardwork.
GRAND SEIKOs attention to detail is in un matched.
Not saying Swiss watches are junk having owned a few of them.
If one has to truly enjoy perfection I would recommend everyone to have
1 Any Grand Seiko
2 Own Japanese selvedge denim
3 have the finest A1 wagyu beef
4 Japanese melon
Once you have all of the above I promise you Swiss artistry won't hold a candle against the Japanese.
A5 wagyu, not A1...
but otherwise, yes
Re finishing "One More Watch" recently did a review of the "Batgirl" Rolex 126710BLNR and a macro view of the dial and hand finishing did that watch no favors.
It does look good on your wrist. The finishing looks very impressive.
I really enjoyed this video - I own the SBGE001. Spring drive has that face engineers and physicists adore - the force driving EVERY aspect of ANY watch movement is electromagnetism - spring drive extends upon a spring's electromagnetic properties to unleash the broader potentials of this fundamental force of nature. A true masterpiece
What I love about your review is that it is 100% honest in how the watch is superbly finished, precise, it checks all the boxes you expect from a luxury watch, and yet you don't love it as much as somebody else would. That is what we love about Horology: a man's trash could be the next man's treasue. I was looking at Omega but when I started looking at GS I just flipped. I just love the brand, and for the record, servicing a Spring Drive watch is cheaper than an Omega speedy or seamaster.
Solution: Get a Grand Seiko High-Beat and stick it on a strap!
You should try to experience a Grand Seiko that doesn't have Spring Drive :)
If you like expensive jewelry, with a history of reasonable accuracy in horology but mainly buy watches for profit...buy a Hong Kong produced Swiss brand.
If you like technological innovation and a passion for innovation not seen since John Harrison, then buy Grand Seiko/Credor.
For two of the hangups the solution is get a GS highbeat auto GMT instead. Easier to service and no hangups about the quartz element...I plan on getting the Gs GMT chronograph next.
Yeah that high-beat GS with the blue GMT hand and white dial is out of this world. I was sooooo close to purchasing one and probably will someday.
The good news is that Spring Drive pretty much never has to be serviced. There are people that have gone over ten years without a servicing and it's still keeping the same time it was when it was new.
If you're having trouble connecting to the watch because its Spring-Drive. Think about the engineer that had a dream in '72, then worked for the next 28 years and passed away just as his dream was realized (Spring-Drive). I can connect to the sheer will and grit that it took to bring Spring Drive to market.
Great you had good and bad points Fed. Been honest I thought you might hate on it more. I tried a Rolex then a GS could not for the life of me understand why Rolex gets all the love, it felt almost cheap in comparison! Hey but you like what you like right?, watches are very personal. Glad your sticking with it... for now!
It''s a mechanical watch regulated by quartz for accuracy. What's there not to love? And you can go out and buy one no bother. Be mesmerized by its finishing and the smooth seconds hand. Still love your channel Fed.
I loved this video. Your candid honesty is refreshing and honest. I need to watch more of your watch reviews because I know that you'll give an honest assessment.
The part about servicing in Japan is incorrect. All GS watches are services in NJ at the GS service center except for Chronographs, those are very complicated and need to go to Japan. The only thing you can’t get in the US for your non chrono GS is Zaratsu polishing, for that it needs to Japan as well.
Spring drive is cool but GS started with mechanical watches. I think people really forget that and underappreciated their mechanical line ups. You get top, top level finishing as Fed mentioned, nicely finished in house movement as well that's comparable in quality to any in house movements from Rolex/Omega, and are less expensive around 4-7k retail. I know ppl love spring drive and quartz from GS, but I think their mechanical watches should be the core of their business moving forward.
Federico is straight to point with acknowledging being a snob before discussing on topic. Nothing wrong with being a snob, people who are are so obviously a snob but act and claim like they aren't is people i don't like.
Thanks Fed for the video as always. Fratello, don't give up on connecting w/it, only has been a month. Agree w/several of your concerns. If GS were to: (1) make more of their watches in the 40-42mm range, (2) improve bracelet quality, and (3) add micro-adjustments, the Swiss may have something to worry about. Nevertheless, these watches and brand (GS) will remain somewhat niche since their production is limited based on what they do...actually a positive. ⌚👍🇯🇵
I just purchased a Snowflake from Federico and it is stunning! The way it catches the light and the detail is amazing. The pin and collar is a negative and no micro adjustment is my only complaint.
Hi Frederico. I understand your experience with the watch. I want to buy a Grand Seiko myself but it is not top of my list. I like Seiko and the Grand Seiko is the top of the line. The finishing is superb and for me a Grand Seiko needs an open caseback to see the movement. The problem with Grand Seiko for you is probably the fact that the watch is not recognizable as an expensive watch. Only watch people will know what it is and for most people this is just an ordinary Seiko. If you think it is important for you to wear a watch that is more of a status symbol then Grand Seiko is probably not your brand. The SKX is more cult and recognized as a beater watch for people that are into watches. So at this price point the watch is not a status symbol. For me the Spring drive tech is fantastic and sets Grand Seiko apart from other brands. The sweep of the seconds hand is so beautiful with spring drive. The fact that the watch need to be serviced in Japan is not an issue for me. When you buy expensive watches, and 5K is expensive for 95% of the people in the world, then the service costs is part of the deal. When I have to service my JLC or Panerai watches they go back to Switzerland and will return 8 weeks later. Annoying but a fact when a watchmaker has to overhaul the watch completely. I agree that Grand Seiko has a few flaws. The bracelet and or clasp is not on par with Rolex and for me the real competition for Rolex is Grand Seiko and maybe Omega. People often compare Rolex and Omega but I think that Seiko is probably more of a competion (if they really step it up and make some fundamental changes). Grand Seiko can be so good/perfect that sometimes it is a little bit detached or distant. Hard to explain but I understand why you can't connect with the watch. I think that deep down you want a watch that you can show off with (not in a negative way). Something to be proud of. At least to yourself. This is not a problem because a lot of people have this. For me this is also a factor that plays a part when buying an expensive watch. Would people buy a Rolex watch when the brand on the Rolex watch was different with another symbol? People like the watch because it is a Rolex. A lot of people don't buy the watch because they like it and the brand is not important. I think you should sell it and buy Rolex again (New Pepsi or Batman). Better for you. Just my two cents. Greetings from Amsterdam.
Without a doubt, the greatest movement in the history of watchmaking. This is now my daily watch. I wear my Rolexes, Omegas, IWCs, JLCs etc only when I need to show the uninformed that I have the money.
I was told at a GS AD on Madison Avenue that they service spring drive in the Seiko service center in NJ - maybe they were wrong but that is what I was told.
just fyi I had a gs spring drive and although I wasant the original owner I sold it when it was 9-10 years old and it likely had never been serviced and kept dead on time. The design of the spring drive movement suggests that service intervals may be longer than you expect. thanks for your honesty fed
Peter Choma OUCH!
The Grand Seiko GMT Spring Drive and the Seiko LX GMT Spring Drive both are...10 times more accurate than Rolex at 1/2 the price, better built (Spring Drives are hand made by only a handful of people), better finished, AND AVAILABLE!! FYI, I have 2 Spring Drives...MM600 and GS diver...owned for 10yrs now. No servicing required yet...accurate to +5 seconds/month.
Maybe you'd like one of their dressier options on leather. I didn't like the bracelet on my SBGA413 so I swapped it for a honey colored ostrich strap and it's now the classiest looking watch I own.
I do not have a grand Seiko but believe me I am looking hard at them now. I find the Spring Drive an astonishing and innovative solution to the keeping of time.
No battery! The purity of the idea that the electrical power is generated by mechanical means resulting in the smooth sweeping seconds hand and accurate time keeping would have had Brequet and his contemporaries applauding the brilliance of the notion.
The absence of a 5 mm extension seems bizarre and I imagine that it will not be long before it appears.
The servicing issue is a real bind and I doubt if either brand are quick about it!
The Rolex has its own problems which do not even relate to the watch itself!
My first mechanical watch will be a Grand Seiko. The Swiss watches come across to me as pretentious luxury nonsense aimed at the rich Arab or the son of a CEO who needs to show off his money. Seiko seems to actually concentrate on making good watches - an oddball in the industry? - which appeals to me as an engineer. Before I learnt of the brand, I did not even consider ever buying a wristwatch again.
This is what I like about Grand Seiko. Even their quartz entry level watches are finished to the same standard as their most expensive ones.
That Spring drive has less moving parts than a traditional mechanical. It also keeps time with a digital circuit. Your great grandkids will be using that watch no service required. It's like a Toyota car, the oil changes are only a suggestion not a necessity 🤣
Also Federico some people just has only one watch (spring drive) and are very happy with it since it doesn't need Time consuming battery charging, and or winding. Also divers are happy to have diver spring drive because it doesn't require much opening for service which in turn could be prone to watch flooding. This has happened to me despite the "authorized citizen" watch technician pressure testing after changing battery and gasgtets. Grand Seiko has a good alternative where they have developed a Grand Seiko spring drive diver watch where not much opening is required. Very good alternative for divers working in remote areas, where there isn't much service watch alternative.
So it pretty much broils down to what you use the watch for, and your personal circumstances. Thanks interesting video.
Despite the fact that I don't agree with your opinions... I agree with the facts and I appreciate a VERY honest review. Great content.
Thanks for the honesty. I personally love spring dive but it’s very rich hearing other opinions. Nice
I'm glad you made this video. It was a tricky one I think because a lot of it is your emotional response, and that is always hard to put into words. I'm a mechanical guy, don't connect to quartz, but springdrive - not sure myself. It is a weird area of horology! Interestingly, Bark & Jack also did this and ended up loving it, so perhaps stay with it? Might find a permanent place in the collection as a travel watch, and be associated with fun times.
I own a JLC, Omega, IWC. But the GS snowflake is my favorite. I always catch myself looking at the dial, more than any other watch.
I almost ordered it yesterday but I kept thinking do I really want to keep saying it’s not just a Seiko if I ever get a compliment 🤦♂️
One question, how good is it keeping time?
Fwiw, the rumor that it has to be sent to Japan for service isn't true. I was told by the seiko boutique that they have a service center in [I think it was] Pennsylvania. Service is pricey, but the interval on a spring drive is long because there are less parts causing friction and requiring oil & maintenance. You should be good for at least 10 years between services. And if that doesn't help, try a high beat. GS makes amazing fully mechanical watches too.
some models still do have to be sent to Japan
the spring drive movement will not need servicing for more than 10 years althought I do agree with the quality of the clasp and bracelet.
If you have an ideological problem with the spring drive (which I can understand and struggle with myself) , they also put out a superbly designed and impeccably finished hi-beat automatic .
Federico, I'm a private pilot looking for a sport/pilot GMT watch in the $1k - $3k range... Which one you recommend other that this GS?
Oris pro pilot GMT is probably right up your alley.
I’d take an Omega X-33 Gen 2 over anything out there. It was developed for pilots by pilots and astronauts. I found it to be my favorite watch, even over a moon watch.
Hey Fed, great review! Did you end up keeping the watch? If not, how long did you keep it for? Keep up the great content!
When GS start making tapered bracelets with microadjustments, I’ll buy one.
I wish they’d hurry up I’m ready to pull the trigger
Thanks for keeping the prices of Grand Seiko’s low. My +/- 1 second per month Snowflake and I appreciate it.
What I like about GS is the hands and how they hide the mouting pin.
The hands look like they are 3d machined. I have no idea how they make such hands in large series.
Think about it: how do you make a round seconds hand with a barrel/cap like center that small. It's a difficult 3d shape. No other watch has hands made in that shape that I know of.
Even the small power reserve hand has that style of design/manufacture.
It makes virtually all other watchhands look like stamped tin (which they probably are), and only watches like 50k+ Lange&Söhne and such go to that much detail.
On a rolex (for instance a daytona) you still see the center clamp bushing protruding through the hand. Maybe the cellini hands come in the ballpark.
Also the sharpness and detail on the dial markers is very nice.
The weakest point of GS is I think the styling. That is of course a personal preference, but it looks like most higher end seiko's inc. GS are very conservatively styled. I'd like to see some wild designs like they did in the 70's (like the 6138 and 6139 series)
The $900 service on a 5k watch is a dealbreaker though imho.
I can understand the part about the quartz regulation versus price. Getting a mechanical thing to be tuned to its absolute best is one of the attractions of a mechanical watch.
On the other side this is pure Seiko. There is no brand that has revolutionized and reinvented the watch and timekeeping in general as much as seiko has.
And there is no brand in the world that is as much 'in house' as Seiko is. The do everything themselves, even making their own hairsprings, crystals, developping their own materials etc. No brand does it to that extention.
So glad u are on RUclips! Thanks for the honesty. I enjoy both mechanical & quartz movements. Camping,hunting, shooting range my mudmaster gwg1000. Everything else mechanical. I would like a Grand seiko diver in my collection. I think the movement is +/- 10 sec a year. That’s impressive
Both mechanical and electrical oscillators are interesting things to learn about.
I love grand seiko and it’s definitely my dream luxury watch. I’ve been a fan of seiko for years but the grand seiko spring drives are a thing of beauty.
I really like GS but have heard horror stories about getting them serviced. For me, that’s a deal killer.
unless you send it to japan... tbh there are many horror stories about Rolex/Tudor service too
@@exPEdiAZ Yeah, and all those Pateks with rooted rotors that have to be serviced in Asian countries.
wakajumba as the other comments suggest, there’s always horror stories about luxury brands like Rolex and patek. Basically have to pay a fortune to get them serviced. Feel like it’s just another excuse for watch snobs to keep their elitist status.
Spring drive movement revolutionarize the accurracy of mechanical watch because of its quartz accuracy,,! Blending mechanical and quartz technology without batteries (perpetual movement)... No worries about changing batteries.
I'm debating on getting the Godzilla GS but I just plan on having a small watch collection. Do you think it would hold its value??
I had one. Tried to love it. Sold it. No regrets selling it either.
Hey, you never know till you try right?
I agree with some of the points made. From an emotional point of view, most of us have grown to accept Seiko as an under $200 watch. From a marketing point, they should have called it something other than Grand Seiko. Would anybody buy a luxury Lexus for $80,000 if it was called a Toyota? Same thing here. The Japanese are learning from the Swiss, like Rolex. They only want their GS watches serviced by their watchmakers in Japan. This means that they will derive additional income as the watch ages. This is the concept with a Porsche or Tesla car. There are not too many user serviceable parts on those vehicles and they require a dealer shop with specialized equipment. Having said that, I think it a revolutionary watch and it is a technological marvel. The spring drive system is far more accurate than any mechanical watch and the snowflake dial model is a piece of art.
I love that it is called seiko. That way i can have a fantastic watch without it bringing to much attention! That is the primary reason i don’t like rolex. They make nice watches but it’s just to flashy.
Great review, Fed. I had similar feelings about the SBGE245 that I purchased. Checked all the boxes from a quality standpoint, and I had no issues with the spring drive and enjoyed the sweep of the hand. For whatever reason, I just didn’t love it. It was a bit bigger than I liked, so that probably played a role. If I give GS another try, I will probably go with a Hi Beat GMT. Thanks again.
I agree with the service issue of having to send it away. I sold my Sinn UX recently due to the fact you have to send it back to Germany to service the oil filled quartz movement. Not something I want to deal with.
I looked pretty hard at a GMT springdrive about 3 months (at Delray Watches site) and while it had all the pluses you note, the service situation was the show stopper for me. Reassuring to hear that you feel the same way. It always amazes me how Seiko does such an incredible job of some things and completely drops the ball on others.
Thanks for your honesty and frankness here.
Subjective and objective reasoning. Rock solid. No complaints on the review at all.
I enjoyed this review. I had some question concerning the Spring Drive and chose instead the Hi-Beat Grand Seiko.
So, the watch will be for sale in a week or 2?
I do not believe he will be lacking in prospective buyers if he does so.
Hey Federico just wondering why you didn’t go for a fully automatic model? Also just wondering for future reference can you get the GS automatic models serviced by an independent watchmaker or would they have to go back to Japan to the Seiko factory?
Hi Fed, wondering about mentioning the service of a spring drive watch as a bad point: Wouldn't work the seikoserviceusa site for you where you send the watch Mahwah, NJ?
(no experience here though - I am from Switzerland)
if you're specifically looking for a bracelet Grand Seiko with Spring Drive you better get the SBGA229 or SBGA231. Personally I sugest to get the leather strap, which I think much better then go with SBGA289.
So you should change with GS with 9F automatic movement and strap instead?
That solves several current problems. But yeah, I think you should keep wearing it.
You picked the worst GS. Sports watches aren’t their strength. I would pick Rolex diver over GS diver. As for dress type of watch, I’d pick GS.
I like the idea of the spring drive as an evolution in technical excellence, mastery. Agree with you that for that kind of $ the buckle and bracelet should be much better....and the service situation is a valid concern.
I own a GS spring drive love it and definitely agree with the bracelet gripe but not a big issue for me I hate the feel of bracelets anyway, so I just toss it in a drawer as I do on all my watches.
I like the channel and the aproach.
GS has it for me at this price.
I own only one 1980s Quartz Omega, which I once adored, now I never wear it; sentimental appeal only.
I'm a layman, but would disagree GS more a Quartz movement than mechanical.
From a purely personal position, the clever marriage of these two vastly different technologies is it's value.
Although I don’t agree with it, thank you for your honest opinion. I actually think of buying a pure quartz GS, so all I need to check out is the bracelet fit and feel. Keep saying what you’re thinking man.
The service issues is the same here in Japan. Local shops refuses spring drive. Only Seiko can fix them. Official service cost around 700-1000 USD. Might be clever to pick hi-beat mechanical (or quartz) GS models.
Appreciate your honest review!
If Rolex had developed this movement would your opinion or the snobbery of the watch world be different and claim it's the future now and how amazingly accurate the spring drive is compared to the same old same old movements in watches the world over why not just buy a mechanical watch with the nh35 movement in then if that's how you feel about mechanical watches or is it the badge rather than the movement that's the most important thing and yes a do own Rolex watches as well as Omega,Tag,Tudor and Grand Seiko I buy a watch because I like it not what people think, and pound for pound the Grand Seiko offers the most or the biggest bang for the buck
I suppose you deserve kudos for trying a spring drive when you knew you probably wouldn't connect with it, but clearly I think you'd have a better chance at liking one of their autos, be it a 'plain' automatic or a high beat.
Great Review...since I generally hate all bracelets, I put straps on my Grand Seikos. My first Spring Drive arrives tomorrow and I believe that before too long they will be able to be serviced locally...hopefully before I wear one in my casket. Keep up the great videos.
I agree the spring drive takes out for a better word the “ romance “ of a mechanical watch, for instance the snow flake would be a incredible watch full mechanical, the details are incredible on a GS.
Thanks
Spring drive is also not for me. Was lookimg at the hi beat GMT but same observation the bracelet is a far cry ftom the rrst of the watch. Mkght get it on the strap if ever i do. Is the hi beat also serbiced only in Japan? Another negative for me is the 2 year warranty. Thanks Fed I am nkt alone.
Yes Federico, 900 to service and weeks without your watch is a serious problem. Why don't GS train dealers and service workshops around the world to service and maintenance? It's ridiculous. But still, watches of fantastic quality...
Grand Seiko is for a different class. GS until recently was mostly a JDM product and as such with how new these watches really are they definitely have growing pains. They occupy a weird market. The low to mid range sub 5000 market beats nearly every watch brand besides a few micro companies who've specialized in a specific niche. The high range punches above it's belt, there are few companies of any pedigree that under a macro lens can finish their watches like the Japanese can. German engineering, swiss movements? They all have their positives. There is a huge history about Seiko and the fight they've waged with the Western countries, specifically the swiss. The watches are compelling and have a major story behind them.
The only problem is subjectivity, some of their watches just won't look good to you.
GS and spring drive is NOT a quartz movement. The primary power house is a micro engine, generator attached to an IC which pulses between the quartz and the mini electrical magnetic drive engine that's inside. THAT is why you buy spring drive. It is the only watch on the planet with a literal generator, that can be self sustaining and keeps extremely accurate time for what is NOT a digital quartz watch.
Should have gotten one of the Mechanical GMTs. Yes the bracelet is a disappointment, no adjustment on the clasp is a crime. Value on GS is there in spades, especially buying preowned. Overall build quality superb. It’s a whole different experience coming from the Rolex world. Still unsure about my GS GMT but it’s growing on me