Grand Seiko Hi-Beat GMT Titanium Acquisition

RabidManatee · 2021-08-10T02:31:19Z

Read RabidManatee's personal story of discovering and acquiring a Grand Seiko Hi-Beat GMT with a titanium case and white dial. Explore first impressions and community insights on this unexpected addition.

RabidManatee

WPS member · Seiko forum

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RabidManatee shares an engaging personal account of acquiring a new Grand Seiko, detailing the serendipitous discovery during a road trip. This post captures the excitement of an unexpected watch purchase and offers a collector's first impressions of Grand Seiko's craftsmanship and unique design elements. Readers will appreciate the narrative style and the detailed observations about the watch.

Greetings.

I embarked upon a mini vacation/roadtrip to Charleston, SC a few weeks ago. It started to rain while I was walking around the city post- Ft. Sumter tour and… “hey, that’s a watch place.” “Look they even have that bright/Kelly green “ROLEX” sign above the doorway. Eh, what the heck?”

Despite looking like a drowned albeit Gore-Tex -shrouded rat carrying an ancient LL Bean back pack, the sales people at the local pusher/AD

welcomed me in and asked if they could help. I of course immediately asked for a new no-date Sub but, well, most of us mortals know how that goes. Having gotten that conversation snippet out of the way I decided to walk around and see what was on offer.

Rolex? Need I say more? Aside from a few Lady DateJusts the pickings were slim. So I took a right turn past “the area where the Rolexes would reside were they not an endangered species like the black rhino” and found a few counters with a decent selection of Tudor, Omega, a decent (to me a bit overpriced) vintage selection, and… Grand Seiko.

I bought an SLA017 when they first came out and it’s a nice watch. But I’d never handled a GS.

So I guess most of us get the “ooh, watches, cool” thought upon seeing new and interesting watches. But I was smitten by what I saw in the Grand Seiko display.

And so, upon peering into the Grand Seiko display, I alternately saw and thought: I would love to see what the fuss is about; GMT (don’t have one of those); Hi-Beat movement (don’t have one of those either, and that’s supposedly one of Seiko/Grand Seiko’s best); and that’s a titanium case (nope don’t have one of those either and I kick myself for not getting one of those IWC GSTs); oh yeah and a white dial, which looks freaking amazing (only white dial I have is Grandpa’s Omega dress watch which I hardly ever wear). So, yeah, let’s try that one. Damnit… I like this watch.

Long story short. I said I’d go “home” (back to my hotel, the Charleston Belmond Place) which was fantastic BTW https://www.belmond.com/hotels/north-america/usa/sc/charleston/belmond-charleston-place/, and think about it.

I thought about getting a new watch — that watch — all night despite several good drinks and some really good food. And then the next day, it was a “fait accompli.”

The bracelet is cool but I’m wearing the watch on a new single fold NATO for now. And I’m consider some new strap options including some of GS’s offerings.

Another thing: The lugs on this thing are large and shiny, which is not typically to my taste. But the way they alternately disappear and briefly reappear due to their “black” mirror finishing is pretty cool.

And that fantastic dial… and it’s been super accurate, too.

All in all, I could have done worse.

Thanks for reading.

This message has been edited by India Whiskey Charlie on 2021-08-10 15:39:04

About the Seiko Seiko Prospex Ref. SLA017

The Seiko Prospex SLA017 is a limited edition reinterpretation of the brand's first diver's watch, the 62MAS, originally released in 1965. This modern iteration pays homage to its historical predecessor while incorporating contemporary watchmaking advancements, positioning it as a premium offering within Seiko's Prospex line.

The SLA017 features a 39.9mm stainless steel case with a super-hard coating, paired with a domed sapphire crystal. It is powered by the automatic caliber 8L35, a robust movement known for its reliability. The watch offers a water resistance of 200 meters, consistent with its dive watch heritage.

For collectors, the SLA017 holds significance as a faithful and high-quality tribute to a foundational model in Seiko's diver's watch history. Its limited production run and adherence to the aesthetic codes of the original 62MAS contribute to its desirability and collectibility within the enthusiast community.

Specifications

Caliber: 8L35

Case: Stainless steel with super-hard coating

Diameter: 39.9mm

Dial: Black

Water Resist.: 200 meters

Crystal: Domed sapphire

Key Points from the Discussion

The contributor shares a similar experience of being drawn into Grand Seiko ownership unexpectedly, highlighting how a specific model became a 'genesis' for a deeper appreciation of watches and even led to studying watch repair.
The contributor expresses a preference for Grand Seiko's older offerings, specifically mentioning models like the 3706 or period IWC GST, over some of the latest iterations.
The contributor notes that some of their favorite watches were discovered by chance, not through active searching, echoing the original author's experience. They also suggest that modern Grand Seiko watches often look better on a NATO strap than on their original bracelets.
The contributor praises the original author's writing style, suggesting a talent for creative writing, and affirms that Grand Seiko watches consistently 'over-deliver' on expectations.

The Discussion

Lankysudanese

Aug 10, 2021

I felt like I was there with you, in every step and with every emotion. Do you work in the creative writing field? Congrats. GS’s will always over-deliver. Wear it in good health Hussam

T.S.

Aug 10, 2021

I have the steel GMT version with the black dial. Congrats!

jlux

Aug 10, 2021

You will certainly not be disappointed by the quality of the watch!

Jay (Eire)

Aug 10, 2021

Some of what have become my favourite watches are ones I’ve not been looking for and instead happened upon like your story here. My vote is for the NATO, to me almost all of modern GS are better not on the bracelet.

cazalea

Aug 10, 2021

I enjoyed your story, welcome to the club. I had the same feelings. I'd been into watches for about 3-4 years, and gone through IWC, Sinn, Glashutte, Zenith, etc. Finally I thought I was settling down with Omega, BlancpaiN and one independent from Paul Gerber (OK, and I had a half-dozen moderately-nice Seikos). Then in November of 2004 this watch came into my life. It was the genesis of a whole new way of appreciating watches - including studying so I could open, adjust and repair watches. A few

RabidManatee

Aug 10, 2021

you know that, right? Thx buddy

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Grand Seiko Hi-Beat GMT Titanium Acquisition

About the Seiko Seiko Prospex Ref. SLA017

Specifications

Key Points from the Discussion

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