I have the same watch and love it. I agree about the strap and reversed mine so it would be more “conventional.” I also purchased the GS bracelet and it really elevated the watch. Got mine for much less from Manfredi in CT. Give them a shout.
mac2lad I didn’t mention the reversal which is an easy fix for sure, but it felt sort of weird for me for some reason. And maybe I’m just a bit OCD, but I kinda wanted to wear it the way grand Seiko intended - and the whole “typing at a desk” situation sold me. The initial adjustment period and more specifically break in period is pretty annoying.
I have also purchased a GS steel bracelet got mine from seiya japan special order and it was 500ish bucks basically the same very similar bracelet as this watch.
You made me do it!!! I pulled the trigger on an SBGS001 the very first quartz grand seiko. Got a wicked deal for a near mint model in box and everything cant wait for it to arrive!!
I have the SBGT243. What gets me the most is the seconds hand does NOT line up with each and every index like the Longines VHP does. PISSES me off for that much money. I'll never buy a watch without seeing it in person first again. But I still like it and am keeping it.
@@tententock Me too. I thought about it. Do I want to be without it for 3 months. I looked at it closely. Not enough to send it back. I'm keeping it the way it is. But the lesson I learned, as I heard you state in one of your many videos I watched tonight is: never buy a watch without seeing it with your own eyes, especially an expensive one.
I know you hate to bump such a great watch, but it's just watch love. I agree. For service, it would ld definitely go back to Grand Seiko and it would truly suck to be without it. Another great video and superlative content as always. Take care and stay healthy.
Hi Steve. I have a Grand Seiko quartz with 9F 62 movement in it and I recently had its battery replaced and pressure tested here at my closest Seiko service center, Melbourne Australia. I live in Tasmania, just a 55 min. plane ride away. Seems like you wouldn't need to send your quartz Grand Seiko to Japan for a basic service. I would hazard a guess that you would have a Seiko "Boutique store" somewhere near you in your part of the U.S. However owners of Grand Seiko Spring drives, I'm pretty sure have to send their watches to Grand Seiko Japan.
Agree. Zaratsu finishing is both GS's strength and weakness at the same time (many testimony on WUS forum). Japan service is also a weakness, more so for HB and SD movement. It takes months of turn around time, up to 6 months, (many countries don't have onsite GS service capabilities).
@@nerychristian GS put the watch under Sport collections when it was launched. The new 2020 model with the same case design (SBGP015) also placed under Sport collections. Are you saying you know better than GS themselves? :)
Ok, know you will read the real experience if something happened to your watch and I hope not. My SBGN003 fell down in the bathroom and took a very bad hit that displaced the second hand and the date wheel. I gave it to Seiko service center here in Kuwait, they sent it to Japan by DHL, after 45 days they told me that my watch is ready, they fixed both problems, checked everything, changed the battery and the seals, polished the side that took the hit. The cost was something about $200, including shipping and one year warranty. BUT, after a month I discovered that they scratched the hour hand! and I'm not ready to sent it again. Before that I sent an automatic chronograph to them and it came back with some dust on the dial! Week ago I sent my rolex explorer to the service center and it came back with an unaligned chapter ring! Moral of the story: When it comes to the service, they forget their standards.
I'm using my 035 as a tester to see if I will sell my current grail (a Glashutte Original) to fund this exact model. I'm looking for a one-watch to just change the straps and do everything minus very formal dress, and this model is very promising. As an aside, I personally dislike traditional sports watches in non active contexts which is why I'm looking for something more formal. Cheers.
D. Stiefel I up the FPS a bit in my iPhone settings, but the video software is what probably makes it seem better. Original Good lighting + adjusting the contrast and brightness in an app can go a LONG way.
@@d.stiefel869 i Just started my own channel been surprised with how much you can get done with I movies on the I pad , down the line I will get a better setup if Im successful
Thank you for the video with information we don't usualy see elsewhere in youtube. so it's a 3000 USD watch that scratches and needs a battery. I think I'll just stay at 20 - 100 USD range for watches with these characteristics.
This watch has been discontinued. To enjoy it, you should not baby your watch and not be paranoid about it. I bought mine used and had it serviced and took more than six months coz they have to send it to Tokyo.
Funny you mention it. Mine is pretty beat up. I swapped the battery myself a few weeks ago after it died. Took me 5 minutes with less than $20 worth of supplies.
IMO, That's the problem with high-end watches. You care when they get marked up and scratched. Get a Damasko and never have to worry about it again. It's still a great looking watch though.
So much for the meaning " ROBUST". For the price you pay on that GS and it gets dinged because of a razor sharp edge. You may as well buy something that is better quality for that price.
Ah man just bought an automatic GS ur making me want a quartz one too now.. better timekeeping and long battery just makes sense. The zaratsu polishing is a bit finicky you're right, mainly because there's no way to really fix anything. The repair will stand out lol. My automatic is in gold also so you don't want to polish away the precious metal. I'm looking at an sbgs009 as a daily dress watch. Its mainly mirror polished so I can buff it out, and quartz. They're dirt cheap on the second hand market also
So you're too damn right about the polishing versus beater thing. I have the SBGV239 quartz with the very angular 44GS case, and boy did the bezel suffer. Then again, if you think wabi-sabi is positive, you have a watch for life. :) Good point to make though. I'm on the fence about a second GS, and it needs considering.
en effet le bracelet n est pas du tout de la classe de la montre et l'aiguille ees seconde qui saute de seconde en seconde c'est nul !! le systeme kinetic est bien plus genial que ce quartz
Grand Seiko is just a tool to tell you the time. All cheap watches do the same. if you appreciate the art of crafts ,Go for a phillipe dufour. however I have been using turtles since I was 18 years old. I'm 35 now.
Faith herman I see your point but I disagree a bit. Some of the cases from grand Seiko like this one and the 44GS case are absolute pieces of art. The laborious hours needed to create a perfect finish, all done by hand for almost all the steps of case production deserve some credit and preservation. There are some grand seikos that have a more typical looking case like an oyster case that I wouldn’t feel as bad about beating up.
Phillipe dufour is just a tool to tell you the time. All cheap watches do the same. if you appreciate the art of crafts ,Go for a Grand Seiko. Also, take note of how polite answer you got from OP even though your opinion was written in an unnecessarily provoking manner.
I have the same watch and love it. I agree about the strap and reversed mine so it would be more “conventional.” I also purchased the GS bracelet and it really elevated the watch. Got mine for much less from Manfredi in CT. Give them a shout.
Great to know thank you!
mac2lad I didn’t mention the reversal which is an easy fix for sure, but it felt sort of weird for me for some reason. And maybe I’m just a bit OCD, but I kinda wanted to wear it the way grand Seiko intended - and the whole “typing at a desk” situation sold me. The initial adjustment period and more specifically break in period is pretty annoying.
I have also purchased a GS steel bracelet got mine from seiya japan special order and it was 500ish bucks basically the same very similar bracelet as this watch.
Is there a silicone strap with an perfect (or near-perfect) alignment with the lugs to get that integrated look?
Andrew Lee not that I know of yet, but I’ve thought about that too.
I really like how casual you are while talking about watches you have actually worn. Straight to the point and short vids, keep up the good work.
Thanks for the follow up from your previous video. You are one of the few watch reviewers who is precise and to the point.
You made me do it!!! I pulled the trigger on an SBGS001 the very first quartz grand seiko. Got a wicked deal for a near mint model in box and everything cant wait for it to arrive!!
Raj Gill congrats!
Where did u go to get urs?
@@litesaber54yi3 Buyee-a "proxy" that lets peoppe anywhere buy and bid on localyahoo japan auctions
Good to know about the daily thing. VERY important bit of info, so thanks 👍
Every morning he wakes up and he hears a voice stir through his body telling him to flip his watch.
;)
Yes I have the similar model the SBGT243 and I'm not too keen on the idea of mailing it to a service center just to change out the battery.
I understand that battery changes are just like any other watch and you don't need their service center for that.
So the second point is really an advantage, isn't it
Roaminggene somewhat, it just takes some getting used to at first as it is a little bit annoying
I have the SBGT243. What gets me the most is the seconds hand does NOT line up with each and every index like the Longines VHP does. PISSES me off for that much money. I'll never buy a watch without seeing it in person first again. But I still like it and am keeping it.
You should send in inquiry to grand seiko. That’s unacceptable. Sorry you have to deal with that rare QC problem
@@tententock Me too. I thought about it. Do I want to be without it for 3 months. I looked at it closely. Not enough to send it back. I'm keeping it the way it is. But the lesson I learned, as I heard you state in one of your many videos I watched tonight is: never buy a watch without seeing it with your own eyes, especially an expensive one.
I can’t seem to find your sbgv247 video can you post a link please please
can you link to the straps?
I know you hate to bump such a great watch, but it's just watch love. I agree. For service, it would ld definitely go back to Grand Seiko and it would truly suck to be without it. Another great video and superlative content as always. Take care and stay healthy.
Hi Steve. I have a Grand Seiko quartz with 9F 62 movement in it and I recently had its battery replaced and pressure tested here at my closest Seiko service center, Melbourne Australia.
I live in Tasmania, just a 55 min. plane ride away. Seems like you wouldn't need to send your quartz Grand Seiko to Japan for a basic service. I would hazard a guess that you would have a Seiko "Boutique store" somewhere near you in your part of the U.S. However owners of Grand Seiko Spring drives, I'm pretty sure have to send their watches to Grand Seiko Japan.
Agree. Zaratsu finishing is both GS's strength and weakness at the same time (many testimony on WUS forum). Japan service is also a weakness, more so for HB and SD movement. It takes months of turn around time, up to 6 months, (many countries don't have onsite GS service capabilities).
Buddy... it's a dress watch.. and not a rugged watch... go and buy yourself a casio rather
@@davindersingh-pq4ed It is a SPORT watch, not a dress watch. Get your fact right.
@@medroastt9888 It's not a sport watch. It's a casual watch. No one is going to play sports with it.
@@nerychristian GS put the watch under Sport collections when it was launched. The new 2020 model with the same case design (SBGP015) also placed under Sport collections. Are you saying you know better than GS themselves? :)
Good job. Points well made. Thanks!
Ok, know you will read the real experience if something happened to your watch and I hope not.
My SBGN003 fell down in the bathroom and took a very bad hit that displaced the second hand and the date wheel.
I gave it to Seiko service center here in Kuwait, they sent it to Japan by DHL, after 45 days they told me that my watch is ready, they fixed both problems, checked everything, changed the battery and the seals, polished the side that took the hit. The cost was something about $200, including shipping and one year warranty.
BUT, after a month I discovered that they scratched the hour hand! and I'm not ready to sent it again.
Before that I sent an automatic chronograph to them and it came back with some dust on the dial!
Week ago I sent my rolex explorer to the service center and it came back with an unaligned chapter ring!
Moral of the story:
When it comes to the service, they forget their standards.
TheDerisavi sorry to hear! I’ve heard grand Seiko quality control is starting to have some problems...
All good points
I'm using my 035 as a tester to see if I will sell my current grail (a Glashutte Original) to fund this exact model. I'm looking for a one-watch to just change the straps and do everything minus very formal dress, and this model is very promising. As an aside, I personally dislike traditional sports watches in non active contexts which is why I'm looking for something more formal. Cheers.
Same. Alot of knocks on bezel. Cant avoid it
great video, hope your enjoying the new watch its a stunner. Sad to see it dinged up a bit but that is what happens with watches unfortunately.
Just curious what equipment you are using for filming and what editing software you’re using for your vids?
D. Stiefel Videoshop App, iPhone 11 Pro Max, usually a cheap mic off amazon but forgot it on this one. I like to keep it easy.
10:10 Tock wow, that’s crazy.... I have an iPhone 11 Pro Max and I feel like my pictures/video aren’t that high of quality.
D. Stiefel I up the FPS a bit in my iPhone settings, but the video software is what probably makes it seem better. Original Good lighting + adjusting the contrast and brightness in an app can go a LONG way.
10:10 Tock thanks for the tips. Looking to start up my own channel so it’s nice I’ll be able to get some good results with my iPhone.
@@d.stiefel869 i Just started my own channel been surprised with how much you can get done with I movies on the I pad , down the line I will get a better setup if Im successful
What’s the name of the rubber strap you’re using?
ItsMinarmy see description for link
10:10 Tock thanks, I saw in your other video you use Barton Elite, they’re gorgeous
Thank you for the video with information we don't usualy see elsewhere in youtube. so it's a 3000 USD watch that scratches and needs a battery. I think I'll just stay at 20 - 100 USD range for watches with these characteristics.
dang...too bad about the scratches. what material or fnish is more resistant?
This watch has been discontinued. To enjoy it, you should not baby your watch and not be paranoid about it. I bought mine used and had it serviced and took more than six months coz they have to send it to Tokyo.
Funny you mention it. Mine is pretty beat up. I swapped the battery myself a few weeks ago after it died. Took me 5 minutes with less than $20 worth of supplies.
Good to know, thanks
Hey do you still own this?
Yep
Geez Im so torn apart between this models, black and yours, and lets say conventional GS on the bracelet like SBGX261. I cant have them all :))
Well done!
IMO, That's the problem with high-end watches. You care when they get marked up and scratched. Get a Damasko and never have to worry about it again. It's still a great looking watch though.
Lyndon Durgan there’s a place for everything in a collection though :) I agree damasks and a tegimented sinn can’t be beat
thanks fir dharing these negatives, I would be pissed off having spent so much money for that watch
So much for the meaning " ROBUST". For the price you pay on that GS and it gets dinged because of a razor sharp edge. You may as well buy something that is better quality for that price.
Price has blown up
Doesn't 9f quartz have a 50 year service interval? You should be fine until you are in your 70s at least lol
mr bacchus yep! Theoretically. What I mentioned was more of a worst case situation with some malfunction lol
Ah man just bought an automatic GS ur making me want a quartz one too now.. better timekeeping and long battery just makes sense.
The zaratsu polishing is a bit finicky you're right, mainly because there's no way to really fix anything. The repair will stand out lol. My automatic is in gold also so you don't want to polish away the precious metal. I'm looking at an sbgs009 as a daily dress watch. Its mainly mirror polished so I can buff it out, and quartz. They're dirt cheap on the second hand market also
more GS is always better :)
You can send them to Japan to have the watch re-polished.. Good as new.
To me this doesn't look like a Grand Seiko watch to me. Should of gotten the heritage line.
Should learn to write too, but we can’t have everything can we?
You look short at that camera angle...👀
Are you sitting on a stool or something?
So you're too damn right about the polishing versus beater thing. I have the SBGV239 quartz with the very angular 44GS case, and boy did the bezel suffer.
Then again, if you think wabi-sabi is positive, you have a watch for life. :) Good point to make though. I'm on the fence about a second GS, and it needs considering.
take a spring bar tool, pop it out, reverse it, pop it back in, 2 minutes. this isnt really a problem worth getting worked up about
you're so fuckin handsome
Been mentioned a few times now, the strap and working at a computer, for f**k sake that's no reason to give u a so so strap that no one likes 🙈
en effet le bracelet n est pas du tout de la classe de la montre
et l'aiguille ees seconde qui saute de seconde en seconde c'est nul !!
le systeme kinetic est bien plus genial que ce quartz
This guy is a real jerk!
Two ads.. Seriously?
Grand Seiko is just a tool to tell you the time.
All cheap watches do the same.
if you appreciate the art of crafts ,Go for a phillipe dufour.
however I have been using turtles since I was 18 years old. I'm 35 now.
Faith herman I see your point but I disagree a bit. Some of the cases from grand Seiko like this one and the 44GS case are absolute pieces of art. The laborious hours needed to create a perfect finish, all done by hand for almost all the steps of case production deserve some credit and preservation. There are some grand seikos that have a more typical looking case like an oyster case that I wouldn’t feel as bad about beating up.
Phillipe dufour is just a tool to tell you the time.
All cheap watches do the same.
if you appreciate the art of crafts ,Go for a Grand Seiko.
Also, take note of how polite answer you got from OP even though your opinion was written in an unnecessarily provoking manner.
Miika Komulainen lol
10:10 Tock thank you. Take care!
@@faithherman9212 yeah I’m sure you can afford a Dufour lmao