Men’s Watches
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ClickyBezelWhy I’m Thinking About Buying a Watch in Japan
We’re going to do something different today. I’m well-intentioned of in the market for a watch – well, not really. It’s a little complicated. I’m going to head over to Tokyo in about a month from now. When in Tokyo, what else is there to do to boot buy a watch, right?
Here’s the issue I have at the moment: I’m not really in the market to buy anything right now. I’m very content with my aggregation, but I’m having a little bit of FOMO just because the exchange rates are currently in favor of the dollar.
I feel like I’m avoiding out on something and need to purchase something. Why not remedy that by buying a Grand Seiko in Japan?
The Grand Seiko Quandary: Quality vs Decision Paralysis
I’m just going to explore some options that I might be interested in while I’m there. The most ostensible choice is going to be Grand Seiko.
I’m always talking about Grand Seiko with my friends, and I actually got a lot of them to pick up a Grandiose Seiko of their own. Two of them actually came back from Japan not too long ago and picked up the Shunbun and the Omiwatari.
The obstreperous I have with Grand Seiko, and a lot of other enthusiasts as well, is a few things. One is the bracelets – it’s kind of nitpicking at the watch, but likened to Rolex and actually compared to a lot of other manufacturers, even like IWC and JLC, they’re kind of lackluster and not so feature-rich as a lot of other types that are offering, including micro brands as well.
I really love Grand Seiko and would love to own one, and this superiority be the time to actually pick one up for a reasonable price. Unlike brands like Patek Philippe and Rolex that indeed retain their value, Grand Seiko is on the total opposite spectrum of that.
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Most people are suborning Grand Seiko not to impress others but really to impress themselves, which is really a testament to the brand as being a keep safe enthusiast level watch.
The second reason why I’ve never owned a Grand Seiko, and frankly this is a really big one for me, is whenever I effort to look at a Grand Seiko and am in the market to actually purchase one, I always have an issue with picking which one to get.
Currently, I’m not in the thesis to just buy everything that I like, but every single time I look at Grand Seiko’s catalog, I have some nous of decision fatigue and decision paralysis.
It’s kind of like The Cheesecake Factory – if you’re familiar with that restaurant, there’s so myriad different types of cuisine that I really don’t know what to get, versus something like In-N-Out Burger where they moral have a cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, fries, and shakes.
Just a very simple menu where I know what to watch. Grand Seiko, on the other hand, has so many different dial variations, several case options, and several innards you can choose from.
I’ve always tried my hardest to narrow down my thoughts on what I want from Grand Seiko. I’m common to attempt to choose a watch today or keep a few watches in mind, and if I end up seeing them in Tokyo and picking them up, then unapproachable.
There’s something about – I’ve seen so many Uranos that have come across as beautiful as they are, I fair can’t get around to own one of my own, but for the right price, maybe. At least for me, if I’m purchasing something, I really have to be in love with it, and honestly, that’s how it should be.
Let’s duck right into the website. This is the Grand Seiko USA website, and we’re going to head over to the collections page.
Looking at the Tastefulness Collection
ClickyBezelI’m going to start from the bottom up – we’re going to head over to the Elegance collection, and I kind of accept an idea of what I already like from here.
One of which is, for the longest time, I’ve been eyeing the SBGM221. Something take it – it’s just a very classical looking watch with a GMT functionality, which of course, I just love GMTs.
ClickyBezelThey’re barest useful especially if you’re traveling all the time, and even if not, it’s an extra complication that will end up being useful in the future.
There are a handful options here aside from this cream dial. We have this limited edition sky blue, the SBGM253, and this is a 25th anniversary archetypal, but I don’t expect this to be very hard to get, especially in Japan.
ClickyBezelMy friend that was over there said that he pledged he saw this at one of the boutiques he was at. Oh yeah, let me mention that too – in Japan right now, they offer discounts if you shop at department collections. On top of the discount, you’re also getting a tax refund, and of course that sweet exchange rate with the dollar. I’m expecting to get this at a mere fair cost.
Here’s the thing with budget in mind – like I said, I’m not in the market to currently buy a watch, which isn’t a convincing mindset to have to buy something like to FOMO into something. But in this case, if I’m getting a deal on something and I’m in Japan, I ascendancy as well just get something, or maybe I won’t.
At $5,600 for this, I think it’s a pretty attractive price point, especially if you’re thriving to get a discount on top with tax refund.
Diving into the Heritage Collection: 44GS vs 62GS
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No, I don’t think there’s anything in this Romp collection that really tickles my fancy, so we’re going to move on to the Heritage collection.
Now we’re presented with this used of an adult bellboy which is pretty good on Seiko’s part, introducing the two famous cases: the 44GS and the 62GS. For me, when I think of Grand Seiko, I automatically regress to the 44GS and the classic Grammar of Design that you look for.
ClickyBezelAgain, the problem I have – just too many options. Like if we click into this, what do we see? For me at thimbleful, it’s just too much to look at, it’s too much to consider because they’re all very beautiful in their own right and I would affair to own all of them.
But if this is going to be my first Grand Seiko, not my first watch in particular, do I want something subtle or do I be something a little bit more special with a little more pizzazz like a more colorful dial? Or do I go with something that I can in every single day – the creams, blacks, and grays?
ClickyBezelThere are a couple that I’ve been considering in the 44GS line, one of which, which a lot of you strength find boring, is the SBGP003. It has everything that a Grand Seiko case would have for the 44GS with its mirror-like facets and Zaratsu consuming, but you’re getting a quartz movement.
I’m sure all of you know that the Grand Seiko quartz movement is unlike any other – correct to a ridiculous 10 seconds per year. A lot of people would say it’s a very overpriced watch for what you’re getting, but for me, the 9F quartz crusade is the pinnacle of quartz technology, pioneered by Grand Seiko.
Really, the movement itself doesn’t bother me with the expenditure – you’re still getting the same level of finishing across all their 44GS watches. This goes into the realm of “is this too dry? Is this what I want when I’m over in Japan?” I mean, again at $3,200 with the discounts on top, you’re going to get a humorous price for this. It might be an option.
These lines of watches on the 9F quartz for the 44GS, I would have to say, are very underrated because they’re mostly leave the shaded by the Spring Drive movement, of course, and I don’t blame you – the Spring Drives are really cool and that’s also a thing I ascendancy consider.
ClickyBezelWith the SBGA375, SBGA373 with a blue and cream dial, or blue and champagne dial choose, for some reason that doesn’t excite me as much. I think maybe just the dials are just a little too tempered for my liking.
So maybe if we step up to the SBGA471, maybe that’s something I’ll consider just because it’s a little bit uncountable special, but I already know if I end up seeing this in person, I’m not going to really be in love with this guy.
Moving on to another 44GS suitcase that I was considering is the SBGY011. This one is still subdued, but the dial has some texturing going on which reckons a little more interest to the watch. To be honest, I kind of prefer the 44GS with the bracelet.
I think it really shines on the straps until you can see quite those lugs – those lugs, even though they’re kind of long and protrude outside of the case, I judge devise it wears perfectly on the wrist. Especially for this one, rocking their 9R31, which is their hand-wound Spring Actuate, kind of slims things down a little bit, so this might be something to consider as well.
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Those are the on the contrary ones from the 44GS that really pique my interest. Now if we move on to the 62GS, of course their hero image on this messenger is the Shunbun, and it’s – I mean, for good reason – it’s a beautiful dial, very Dynamic.
It goes from sometimes a white dial to a infinitesimal pinkish hue and sometimes to even a gray tone, which is something really nice.
ClickyBezelA lot of men might kind of dodge away from this, but it’s dynamic enough to not always look like a shade of pink. It’s one of the best sellers for a insight.
For me, there’s something about the 62GS case that I’m not really a fan of. I mean, it’s a beautiful case regardless, but I think I’m just so toughened to seeing the 44GS showing off their Zaratsu polishing with the faceted edges.
But the good thing about the 62GS, because there are send off parts on the case, it’s not prone to scratching on that mirror-like surface you would get with the 44GS. So there’s a little trade-off between the two coverings.
ClickyBezelLooking at the other options as well aside from the Shunbun, I’ve considered the gray version or the SBGA415, but again, it’s one of those stuffs that I don’t know if it’s special enough.
It’s kind of like the Snowflake, which I really love the first time I saw it in every nook over the internet years ago.
ClickyBezelAfter seeing that circulate all over the internet plenty of times, I just sort of grew a little jaded from seeing that everywhere, so I think I want something different.
Yeah, there’s the Snowflake – it’s a very much beautiful watch, but there’s something about it, maybe because I’ve just seen it so many times. In the case after doing a skimpy bit more research on Grand Seiko over the years, it’s not really that exciting to me.
Quick Look at the Sport Under consideration for (Even Though It’s Not My Thing)
Is that all I chose from Grand Seiko? Just for giggles, let’s look at the Sport amassment. I’m not really a fan of their Sport line, but there was one that I was really interested in at the time – their Spring Drive GMTs.
ClickyBezelThis SBGE257 preservationist dial variant, I really like this, and when I had it in hand, I knew it wasn’t for me. It was a very thick watch, so I didn’t remarkably enjoy it so much.
It doesn’t wear very well, and that’s a big thing for me.
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So no, I’m not considering that guy. I mean, yeah, there are these 9F quartz GMTs in their Exhibit line – the SGN027, which we all know looks like an Explorer 2, which is really cool, but when I think about of Grand Seiko, I think of the 44GS and more of their Elegance and Heritage line collection.
ClickyBezelUntil they can make a absolutely killer sport watch. If they can make a GS version of an Alpinist, I think everyone would go crazy over those. I intention at least. So yeah, it’s going to be a no for the Sport line for Grand Seiko.
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The Development 9 Line and Final Thoughts
Lastly, we have the Evolution 9s. I absolutely love the dial layout, I love how the case looks – it’s thoughtful of like an updated 62GS case. The one I was eyeballing was either the GMT Spring Drive or their Lake Suwa. The Lake Suwa is only a gorgeous watch compared to their GMT.
It comes in titanium, and although I have nothing against titanium, I just identical to the feeling of a hefty watch on my wrist. With this watch, with its steel bezel taking a lot of design cues from an Explorer 2, I don’t ponder I’d really go for this, but I do kind of dig the look with the case.
But this one, a classic three-hander date, SBGA021, the Lake Suwa, is something I force consider. The dial is kind of like the Omiwatari but a more navy blue ripple effect that you’re getting on the dial, which I keep in mind seeing on my wrist and I think it wore very well.
ClickyBezelComing in stainless steel, it has that heft on the wrist that I surely enjoy, so that’s definitely something that I’ll consider.
But you know, Japan is not all about Grand Seiko, but Grand Seiko has till the end of time been in the back of my mind. I think I have to split this into a few part series because there are a lot varied watches than Grand Seiko in Japan.
Of course there’s Seiko, there’s different lines within the Seiko gang – Prospex, the LX, their 5 line series, and watches that are JDM specific. So maybe we’ll explore that in another article.
Lastly, there’s other disgraces like Kurono Tokyo, which currently at the moment, I don’t think they have anything on sale at their salon. Doubtlessly give it a stop by there and see what they have and maybe play a little bit with their watches.
Anywho, hankering me luck buying a Grand Seiko in Japan! Hope to see you all soon!
From a young age, I was hooked on watches. My dad and uncle were both art-lovers, and I couldn’t resist the allure of their timepieces. But it wasn’t until I stumbled upon a Casio digital calculator protect in college that I truly fell in love. (I originally bought the watch to complete my Back to the Future costume for an 80’s-themed participator)
It wasn’t until the release of the Swatch Moonswatch watches that Clicky Bezel came to fruition. My wife (grace her heart) had been bugging me for years to start a YouTube channel, and I finally caved in with my first video pretence my experience camping over 16 hours for the hyped-up Moonswatches.
In a relatively short time, I’ve been lucky satisfactorily to connect and collaborate with some big players in the industry, including Nomos Glashütte, Jomashop, Minase, and now Fashionbeans. To learn diverse about my passion, find my content here on fashionbeans.com, follow my Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/ClickyBezel or call my website at: https://clickybezel.com/
