Seiko

Yesterday, I accidentally dropped by at a Grand Seiko dealer and was pleasantly surprised after trying on the SBGW031. I am not sure if it was the simplicity of the cream dial, the manual winding movement or the relatively petite 37.3mm diameter that won ...  

but that's me. I like the SBGW031 as it looks like Seiko's version of a Calatrava from the 1950s (but with 21st Century manufacturing methods and build quality). That last photo in your post shows its beauty. Classic. I even like the round case and lugs o... 

I too am partial to traditional mechanical over spring drive although admittedly, I do like the way the second hand on a spring drive watch glides smoothly the way a traditional mechanical watch is unable to. Also the accuracy of 0.5 seconds per day on a ... 

as it makes the winding experience easier. Imagine how it would feel if you had to manually wind a tiny crown on a manual wind watch. You'd get rug burn on your fingers )

and yes I have had Cartier watches in the past with small crowns and even though they do look exquisite, winding the watch can be quite an effort. But arguably a slightly smaller crown may have been preferred on the SBGW031. I always feel part of the joy ... 

I shall now be following the Seiko forum more closely as I have so much to learn.

I bought the SBGW231 at 9pm tonight I have also cancelled my order for the SBGY003.

Wear it in good health. And we need more photos!

Your initial advice did convince me that the SBGW231 was the wise choice.

Can’t go wrong with this one. You know how much I love GS, both for their quality and value proposition.

but I have never quite been taken by the design of the Grand Seiko and was always concerned by its height until I saw the SBGW231. Also I am partial to the watch being a manual wind rather than an automatic which is more common in the Grand Seiko range. T... 

Congratulations again! Looking forward to our next GTG and be able to see this in the metal.

Where your collection is wisely decreasing, mine is going the wrong direction. This was not on the agenda when I retired two years ago to this very day but I do thank you for the positive influence!

I know that isn't the answer you want! As others have said if you can wait until the spring drive arrives & try them both on - will give a much better feeling for them both rather that just a picture. Both very nice so whatever the decision it'll be a goo... 

Thanks for your feedback. They both do look great. One looks a bit more fussy than the other and arguably one should consider getting both for the price of less than a basic Lange or Patek but I need to be disciplined with my ever increasing watch collect... 

It is on my radar too... I find it is a special piece and production numbers are probably quite low

I shall be trying it on again tonight :as I had never seen it being sold in Malaysia until yesterday. I think for many years it was a Japan only watch but I have seen it on the Hodinkee website too.

Grand Seiko is making a big push into the US. From what I can see, this is the brand with the most momentum (social networks, alternative channels, press coverage, new distribution etc.). Also high up on the list of innovative brands, with a maintained fo... 

and even in the UK and Malaysia, it is gaining momentum but I would say it is more successful in Western countries because many Asian countries are still partial to the Swiss brands. Those in the know however would definitely realise that Grand Seiko offe... 

Havent seen them both in person yet but looking at your pics i would opt for the 003 . As you said it is more your size and when the price is almost half that from the SBGW031 i think thats going to be the best watch to pick (imo)

All these SBG codes can be quite confusing. The SBGW031 has the clean classic dial and is half the price of the SBGY003 so I am assuming your preference is for the former Thank you so much for your feedbackj. Not quite a Chronometre Contemporain but at si... 

But still i realy like the clean look of the watch on your wrist ( just to play safe 😁)

the watch on my wrist is the SBGW231 as correctly pointed out by my friend, skyeriding below, and not the SBGW031! Playing safe is always the safe bet especially when it comes to me!!

You meant the SBGW231, not the 031 correct? The 031 was prior to rebranding, which shows Seiko on the dial at 12, and GS at 6. The 231 is what you have on your wrist I believe. I have a little reservation of the new manual wind springdrive, because of the... 

It is the SBGW231 of course. And thank you for your thorough evaluation of the spring drive movement. I think the comparison between both watches is almost unfair as their price points are quite different giving the SBGW231 an obvious advantage. I do like... 

I did it! Thanks for your assistance

This I intend to do and I can say today that the winding mechanism of the Grand Seiko is so much smoother than my Lang & Heyne Friedrich III, my Moritz Grossmann Atum piece unique and my Patek 1530A. It is buttery smooth like no other and is comparabl... 

My view was I will wait for a more interesting dial in this reference. It’s not guaranteed but one would think we will see many more.

I have actually just pulled the trigger an hour ago on the SBGW231, the watch with the clean classic dial

And I loved it! Still hunting for other targets, but I can definitely see myself enjoying this one down the road, as it is such a cool and versatile watch. Good luck in reaching your decision, Alex ...  

You should put it in your list, definitely! Saludos. René

this one is definitely something I can see myself enjoying down the road. Have a great day, Alex

It looks superb on you too!! I guess it is just that kind of watch that looks great on most wrists. Well, I decided to relief myself of the stress and bought the watch 5 hours ago! ...  

What a great pick up!! A wise choice, without a doubt. I hope to join you soon enough in the 231 owner’s club! Enjoy it, Alex

I cannot emphasize enough what a lovely watch this is and I would have been tempted even if it was priced twice as much.

The previous dial version have been in my collection & I didn’t feel the thickness...plus 1 mm difference you’ll hardly be able to notice... But what you might feel is the empty space above 6 when the dia is bigger so the SBGY003 is a tricky one IMHO. Bes...  

I pulled the trigger at 9pm Malaysian time last night. It is now 3.25am and I still admiring my latest toy! The sapphire crystal glass actually sits on the case in a block and accounts for at least 2.5mm of the height of the watch. I like that as it provi... 

when you choose what you love, nothing matters! & after all watches are like a box of chocolates, each one gives an enjoyable taste 😀

It is all about loving what one buys and hoping that the love lasts or at least lasts for as long as possible!

Why pay all of that dough for a Spring Drive Cocktail Time? For me there's no contest, the '031 has it "hands down," and looks perfect on your wrist, to boot. Congratulations! FH

I picked up the SBGW231 late last night! (I had made a mistake with the reference number in my initial post) No contest actually when price and value are factored in and they have always been important elements in my decision making. ...  

Wear your new baby in good health! FH

I predict that it will be getting at least 50% of my wrist time over the next few months!

SBGW031 looks a lot nicer than SBGY003. Also note that Gran Seiko's watch tends to wear bigger. I like the smaller classic Grand Seiko, which are around 37mm in size. I have a similar watch in metal bracelet but earlier version. I chose the earlier versio... 

and the one I have is SBGW005, basically the same but with blued second hand and metal bracelet.

Thank you!

I agree with your aesthetic views and I decided to buy the SBGW231 (my mistake by calling it the 031). I love the watch and you are right about Grand Seiko wearing big. Unfortunately there are not many 37mm Grand Seiko watches around. I do however prefer ... 

They have 001, 031 and 231 so it is quite difficult to remember. Difference between 001 and 031 is the applied logo versus printed logo. 231 has no Seiko logo. I wanted the Seiko logo only because it represents an era. ...  

I quite like the fact that only the Grand Seiko name exists to reduce clutter on the dial. But that's me! Another important point is the lovely matt finish strap which is a lovely departure from the usual gloss finish strap. The strap complements the unde... 

Most importantly is what you enjoy

that the market is full of a varying clientele so what might not appeal to Mr A might be Mr B's holy grail

I have owned various iteration of this model and eventually settle for one that I think will match my other watches and suit my usage Plus, me being trained in art, I'm ultra particular in design and how typography are being placed. This pet peeve had hel... 

is a great asset in our passion!

I guess the size of the watch will help you. Nothing over 40mm Can you imagine most watches are in the 37-38mm range? Temptations!!!

40mm would be the very maximum and that too depending on how curved the lugs are. I am comfortable with anything from 34mm to 38mm although I do have one 31mm incoming and two 40mm incoming too! The 31mm 3878J - my holy grail The 40mm 5212/1A also fits Ev...  

...on your wrist. It couldn‘t look better. But even the best can be seen through the transparent case back. Please show us the brilliantly decorated movement!

Here is a photo of the movement ...  

...some doubts might come around my Calatrava... The movement is great, absolutely great. Thank you for the photo.

I am not sure which Calatrava you were actually considering - the discontinued 5119 range or the classic 5196. The 5196 is more comparable in size and dial to the Grand Seiko SBGW231 but the 215 movement is not visible. In addition, the lugs do not curve ... 

I would compare the GS SBGW231 with my Calatrava 5127G which has the same size and looks rather similar. On the other hand, the Patek has an automatic movement and it shows the date (which would be dispensable imo). I neither bought the 5196 nor the 5119 ... 

and I only mentioned the 5119 and 5196 as I thought you were considering purchasing a manual winding Calatrava. The 5127 is a lovely Patek and you should really keep it. I also think you should add the Grand Seiko SBGW231 (like mine) to your collection an...