Seiko

but Seiko, GS is having so many anniversaries pieces and tributes to bamboo's here and US editions etc...that I lost interest.

I think that Grand Seiko are definitely producing way too many LE models, like you say Omega has done in the past. I hope that they steer clear of it soon and continue to produce beautiful pieces maybe in a lower overall production quantity.

The straw that broke the camel’s back is when I bought the “limited” 253 and the matching gold and platinum watches in the series for their anniversary a couple years ago and then they brought the same watches (except for the steel which is now a titanium blue dial piece) out this year. That’s just not right and I feel those that bought the earlier “limited edition” pieces were a bit misled as it turns out. It’s bad business and it turned me off the brand. Too bad because I enjoy the ones I have and they are nice watches but I’ve been soured on the brand.

Sorry to hear that Ed, but like most of us here like to think, original or first series is the most memorable.

Yes that was terrible on their part. I was disgusted when they released those models, pretty much spitting in the face of collectors like yourself who purchased those limited models. I enjoy the brand but am careful as to what piece I purchase from them, most of the time being older models. Congratulations on having all three, they are such amazing pieces to own! I would love to see the platinum version one day.

Don’t get me wrong, they make great pieces but the marketing gimmicks hVe gone too far and cheapened the brand.

albeit sbgw253 is quite good one but with a modern case sizing...still i think keeps the proportions intact.

I totally agree, the SBGW253 is still perfect proportions with modern case sizes. I have found myself going smaller and smaller with every new watch I purchase which makes it hard to find modern pieces around the 36mm mark. It does allow me to enjoy some of the amazing vintage pieces that have been produced throughout the years

then it all depends on the lugs ;-)

Enjoy the GS !

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I really think that the whole watch market will start to going smaller again. (well fingers crossed it does) haha

As mentioned earlier, these dimensions are very classic and appealing. I like this mix of delicate proportion with quite sturdy lugs. I suppose it is quite thin too. 

It's very light and comfortable on the wrist, as was the SBGW253 I previously owned.

As you can see, on the side thread, I have finally received my green cordovan strap!

Unwrapping back in Sept 2011 when it first arrived


















Live photos a few years later









Most recent image:



Cazalea

I am only speculating, but looking at it from the logistical position of the manufacturer, I believe that they plan ahead to release a fixed, limited number to ensure they will sell all of them, rather than to make a small group of collectors happy, or to give the watch status as a rarity. Given the various suppliers and in-house studios where the watches are made, it's a giant logistics puzzle to have enough of the right cases, dials, hands, movements, straps, packaging, marketing, etc.
If they are lucky enough to move them all and there is still demand a year or two later, they do another batch.
This may NOT be the case with big names, let's take Panerai, or maybe Hublot, who constantly release new varieties. But having watched the GS world for about 15 years, I don't really think they operate the way Swiss companies do. I could be wrong but I just don't see that in the past GS or Seiko either knew or cared very much about what collectors think about their watches. Perhaps that is changing as GS gets their own management and marketing teams going around the world.
Mike
When I went to Japan 5-6 years ago and did tours with Seiko as my host, they were quite surprised at the number of Seikos and Grand Seikos I have, and I'm not a BIG collector by any measure.

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