2 Cheapest Ways to Get into a Grand Seiko | SBGW231 + SBGV243
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- Grand Seiko prices are climbing, but what if you want to get into the brand at the budget end. In this video we explore 2 options at the 2-4k range that are sure to impress!
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You say the black one can be had for $2000. Do you happen to have a link to one? I've been wanting one for a long time, and around $2000 is what I was hoping to get one for
Use the word inexpensive over cheap. Cheap devalues anything, gives it the poor quality vibe.
Pedantic
No no, it’s grand seiko we know the quality. We need really the cheap word to get intrigued 😂
Affordable or accessible
Povo
It’s really hard to beat that 231 imo. Love how the dial has a subtle dome to it. Understated, but still complex! Great vid!
Really interested in GS but I’m holding out for a smaller spring drive model. A 36mm case with a spring drive movement would be perfection!
I have enjoyed my SBGA083. 38 mm, screw-down crown, classic looks, etc.
Credor?
No, it’s a Grand Seiko. The Grand Seiko SBGA083. It’s a Spring-Drive model.
Sorry. The SBGA083 is 39 mm, not 38 mm.
@@bobbywatchaddict523 I meant Credor might have the smaller case sizes OP is looking for. But still no 36mm. Credor GCLP995 is 38.
Great review, Max! I've been kicking around getting a GS and one of these may be the ticket! I appreciate the price point, and actually like that they're quartz. The hardest thing about buying Grand Seiko for me is the lack of AD's. It's difficult to spend what they're asking when I can't see it in the metal first, or have a place I can drop one off for service if I buy one. I can't wait until we start to see a larger network of AD's in North America. Until then I have to wait until something comes to my neck of the woods second hand, or until I travel where there's an AD, and I still have to worry about repairs and service. The lower price point and lower maintenance of these quartz offerings make them very appealing to someone without a local GS dealer.
Yes absolutely. Grand Seiko makes an order of magnitude less watches than the big boys so it'll take a bit before they can match the volume and service, but it shouldn't be long 👍
I just purchased a GS SKGP-001 quartz for $2400 USD - (duty free in Tokyo jeweler) This watch retailed $3200 USD plus tax.
They should make the SBGW231 in a spring drive version too. I think it is the most beautiful Grand Seiko (probably because I don't like date windows on a dress watch, particularly when they're at 3 o'clock. Orient, do you read???).
Thanks for the effort put in this video.
Best regards from Belgium
Price irrespective - the SBGW231 is one of the nicest dress watches out there.
I was able to get an sbga283 for 3k. Love it. Can’t stop staring at the spring drive movement
The cheapest way to get a Grand Seiko is to cut down the wish list and save up to get the watch.
I want an Omega and a Rolex sports/tool watch before the GS. Oh yeah, I guess I should cancel my trip to Florence, Italy and delay my wish to become a Paneristi.
Use the word “manly” if that’s what describes it.
Wish they made a 34 or 35 with a bracelet. And a date.
I prefer the SBGW231 over a lot of GS's more expensive watches. To me, this clean/minimalist execution is exactly what I want from the company known for it's finishing. It there was a thinner/automatic version of this dial (maybe a pure white version), I would immediately buy it.
Beauty in simplicity. Hard to get right but they did it here!
What do you think of their SBGX347? It's 34 mm, has a pure white subtly textured dial, and it uses their (mind blowing) 9F quartz movement. It also only doubles up the 12 o'clock hour marker, which to me makes more sense.
I seriously considered that quartz model repeatedly over the years. I actually love the small dial, the look…. A little conflicted about buying a quartz though (I know its great for since it’s made by GS). It just remains to be one of the watches I’ve never pulled the trigger on
As a die-hard Seikopath (there are regular Seiko, GS, J Springs, Lorus, and Alba watches in my collection) I wholeheartedly approve of this vid! New subscriber earned. 😊
Cheers Johnathan, just ordered another SEIKO 🤔😉
I don't pay 2000 for GS Quartz never ever in my life.
I own a 231. I honestly think it is the best looking watch they make, which just so happens to be priced very well. It's a vintage Omega seamaster and Calatrava love kid.
Yeah I'm tempted to trade my spring drive for one. It's just so classy
I own the sbgw275 & 277 Genbi Valley watches and I really want to own a 231 or 235 before they retire them. The 231 is a sure fire classic 🏆
I own the 231. Works surprisingly well casually not just as a dress piece
I want too see the guy half dirty, cold and lost in the forest, striking his $5000 seiko against a rock to start a fire. This I have to see.
Don’t let the woke crowd dictate what words you can use. That’s the manliest thing you can do.
Grand Seiko Quarts is nice. However Max, I've been searching high and low for a very accurate quartz over the last few week. The Longines VHP seems to be the most accurate. And it's half the price. Don't get me wrong...I love the GS. I agree the finishing might be the best I've seen. But, I'm just not sure I can justify 2k on a quartz. Really nice video. Well done. Thanks.
@@mybrainlikesthings fascinating, thanks for sharing! Where do you get all this information from? I’m looking to buy my first GS and am currently thoroughly enjoying geeking out on the details.
Great video and some awesome options to experience GS. One of my favorite brands 😍
Shame the SBGW231 now retails at $6300 AUD in Australia. Beautiful watch though
I would not use the word 'cheapest' as it does not apply in any way. If you are talking about trying to buy a watch without spending a fortune, the SBGW231 seems like a good idea. Or you could go for a similar looking model, the SBGR261, which is automatic. If the quartz appeals to you, consider saving for a while and get the Spring Drive.
Loved the video, love Watch Crunch, and I love Grand Seiko. You now have me thinking about a quartz watch. I could see wearing the black one every day.
Buy Credo “§eiko” Instead. Seiko is trying to go Rolex.
2k on a quartz??? It’s a no Go
Awesome video on awesome watches. But please don’t change the title to feed off the Moonswatch hype that’s corny.
correct me,if i'm wrong but isn't it 0.5 min loss maximally in 3 years??
3x10secs. precise greets from berlin.
There's lots to think about here. Most importantly, it's honestly refreshing seeing/hearing a channel that is thoughtful and where you can tell watches are your passion. It's been a lot time since a watch video captured my interest properly like this.
The cream dial GS is really something. I don't know the watch, but I've known it's image as the best of the best (without knowing more). There is no Rolex that looks this good, to me. The height wouldn't bother me much. What does bother me a ton is the lack of lasting options for straps, for watches in general. A bracelet rips arm hair and is heavy, and cold in the winter, and sometimes bugs my wrist, with usually poor resizing ease. A leather strap worn every day will crap out after a year, and get gross after 6 months. And for this dress watch, obviously rubber is a no-go. This strap issue has really stumped me because I don't like divers, the only watch style that actually works well on rubber.
If you want a poor man's version of this GS, check out the Q Timex 1978 Reissue in 35mm. At least the strap is replaceable for 30 bucks, and the dial is fantastic. Never thought a 35mm Timex would be my favourite watch. See here:
theslenderwrist.com/timex-q-1978-review/
Hey Max! It would be cool to see your SOTC
Yes yes, definitely coming soon
The only people buying the MoonSwatch for that stupid price are people who are either incredibly stupid and hype beast and don't care about watches, or very rich people who probably already have grand seikos and just wanted a meme watch. I don't really understand this video, how about you introduce someone into the watch hobby with a video showing watches under $500 instead of implying a newbie should spend 2-4k on a watch. You're clearly out of touch with how much money the average person has.
40 years ago I wanted to buy a grand seiko but it was still way too expensive.
Ewww sbgv243...steelers colors, so gross. Then there's the sbgv247 Denver bronco colors, veven worse...they need a yellow / blue "blue angel or la chargers colors" and I'll pick one up
Got one of the 9F sports last year from Japan for like £1600… nice to see them being appreciated!
GS coming up STRONG in the world of high end horology.
The cheapest way to get into any watch is to buy the dam thing
Lovely watches. Great insight here.
Although I love having lume on my watches, how many of us and how often have to read the time in absolute darkness.. likely more so in dim setting at the darkest. As such, the excellent polished hands and indices of thE GS catches and reflects enough light to make even in very dim lighting scenarios fairly easy to read.
Hey, a quartz watch by GS, even by Seiko, is not a bad way to go since they are maybe the pioneers and leaders of the quartz movement in it's earliest days. And, at least GS grows their own quartz crystals for perfection.
Exactly! Quartz has gotten a bad rep but there's definitely different levels
Yes but, a number of years ago, I got everything the SBGV243 hasin the SARB033. AND it's an automatic, not the Q word.
What! Qrtz @ USD2k - gosh!
Just because it has Grand Seiko, they just slapped a USD2k? wow!
it's hideos by the way - I love seiko until the came out with many versions
GS are not yet on my radar but reviews like this are moving the brand up my ladder of priorities - especially since I never seem to have a flintstone handy when I need one! Great content and presentation - as usual! Thanks!
Haha, Thanks Milan for getting my silly jokes 😉
I used to think that too but I recently went to a luxury watch store in Las Vegas and saw GS on display next to Rolex. They seem to think it's up there.
What are your opinions on Seiko labeled GS? Where it says Seiko at the top and GS at 6 o'clock? I believe these were older versions from before GS became more independent, but is there a quality/value difference?
Seiko make watches for everything and watches for nobody, therefore Grandseiko will never be an rolex status watch. People is feed up with japan snow lake, birch wood, great lake theme etc etc........to bad as grand seiko make nice watches nobody realy desires
Does the SBGW 231 have a power reserve indicator/ winding indicator? How can I tell how much power reserve is left and can protect the winding movement?
These are all just too thick. I’m a large Grand Seiko fan, but it’s so hard to own one next to a Rolex. Gonna give the Omiwatari a try though :)
The SBGV243 looks amazing! besides it is always a good idea to add to your collection a high end quartz for worry free wear. I think this will be the perfect replacement for my Breitling Colt Super Quartz. Great watch who lost a couple minutes in NINE years, at the time of it's first and only battery replacement. My advice, when thinking about a beater, think about quartz, super if you can.
You make a valid point, but tbh what appeals to me (and many people, I suspect) are the Grand Seikos with those incredibly intricate dials like the Lake Suwa, Snowflake, Spring etc. Without that, the brand kind of loses its luster.
Thé beauty of simplicity will last
The quartz offering is beautiful, but why don’t they make it a mechanical quartz? Might attract more buyers.
good talk, Max... SBGX341 is a better contender for this line up.. you should do a video on it
I got my sbgw231 like 3 months ago and I love it! Was between that or a VC patrimony. Decided to get a brand new 231. What strap is that? Looks very nice.
Nice Jay! That's a delugs 👍
Nice Video ❤
What is his wrist size btw? Just for reference because i'd like to buy one myself hehe much appreciated!
Finally succumbed to the 231 today. What’s the strap you have on yours in the video?
Still enjoying my SBGW231. Class straight up
So good 👌
Great video as always and really enjoyed this as a snowflake owner. quick obersavtion though, does grand seiko not finish their hands at the bottom side to the same level cause you can see some scratches/dust at the bottom side of the second hand. See the reelection at 2:20
Where is the strap from on the 231 in the video? It’s not a factory strap but looks great!
I was disappointed to see all the scratches on the underside of the second hand when it was reflected in the mirror like surface of the hour hand. I realize you don’t typically see that but it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be polished too. 😂
I have an sbga055 that waterproof 10 bar. Great daily beater.
A very underrated gs would be the sbgx347. An absolutely beautiful and one hell of a gorgeous watch 🤤🤤
Nice one indeed 👌
I have owned a SBGN005 since November 2019. It has been accurate to + 1 second a YEAR since I took it out of the box.
These in house quartz are amazing!
Seiko mechanical 21 jewels is good enough for me ,,,,,bona cera
Great video Max, thanks. Excellent GS choices...strongly considered the 231, though a bit small and do not have a need for a dress watch per se. Owned the SBGN005, a solid, reliable 9F gmt option. Now have the Autumn SBGH273. Another 9F to consider is the SBGP015...nice blue dial, 200m water resistance. 👍⌚🇯🇵
Thanks David, the SBGP015 has a very cool matching colored bezel 👍
If i'm going through the expense of getting a grand seiko, i'm saving enough to afford a spring drive.
Seiko DNA is all came but from Swiss Movement that is the reason TagHeuer got its closest resemblance to TC78
Seiko improves the robustness technology of their movemment capabale of competing against its predecessor in history of watchmaking
Inexpensive enough to not worry about a scratch? Fuck outta here, these are 5 grand watches 😂
MEMS? the model you mentioned has no electronics inside which is "E" stands for
Good stuff again Max. My SBGA373 is my favourite watch and not too much more than the '231. More sporty though. SBGR261 is kind of the auto-with-date version of the '231and sits between. Almost bought that, more stunning than any pic or video will convey. You have to see and handle them to understand what makes GS so great. If you have any kind of collection and the price works for you, a GS is a must-have. Artisanal hand-finished class that nothing Swiss near the price can match.
It's was the 235 for me but i couldn't get one from Japan
This is the first of your videos I’ve watched and I’m buying in. You’ve got great content, unique perspective, and your well researched. I’m a sucker for entry level stuff so please keep it coming.
Just bought a pre-owned SGBX343 and am loving it. For me, this tool-watch is the perfect Daily Driver. It took 2 years with a Spring Drive to soften me up for full on Quartz tho :)
Congrats Rob! Quartz all the way
Good video, good narrator. U have a new subscriber
Cheers! Welcome to the channel 😁
great review....but the holy grail of affordable, fantastic GS is the quartz SBGF021.....believe me, I just landed one and it's incredible value for money :).....but very few around :(
Wear the Sarb 33 and 35 and no one can tell the difference forma standing distance
Thank you Sir.... I was just investigating SBGN005 as affordable GMT. What sells me on that - you touched on - that watch also has a manly case like the SBGV243, which is quite handsome. Thanks for that tip (SBGV243). Some Quartz-phobe comments on the thread... lots of upside with the 9F movements... from a guy who enjoys winding his automatics.
The trick is to just get into breitling, find a pre-owned one in perfect condition on ebay for almost half off!
I feel like the loudness of the design and the quartz movement are completely antithetical to what makes the Grand Seiko brand so special in my opinion. Not saying anythings wrong with them but if Im gonna buy a GS it'll be beautifully inspired by nature and utilizing their proprietary sweeping hands spring drive movement.
This is not even close to Moonswatch, sorry.
I would love to have the 231 but it looks tinny on my wrist .
MY
2 Cheapest Ways to Get into a Grand Seiko
Still no going to buy gs while we can buy seiko ga still on display
If i have to spend 6k for ga i rather buy tudor omega
If it wasn't clear already, Grand Seiko's move became crystal clear last summer. Less than a year ago, you could get a Spring Drive for less than $4,000. And then, all of a sudden, they discontinued the low end models, and replaced them with near identical ones, a millimeter bigger (a downgrade in my book), for a thousand dollars more. Meanwhile, Seiko is filling in the space that Grand Seiko vacated. I'm not saying they're evil for doing it, they really have done a lot to raise their brand equity in the last couple of years, but it is disappointing to someone like me. I'm glad I got the SBGA413 before they raised the price by $300.
Good point, and now Seikos are getting spring drives 🤷♂️
And zaratsu polish, etc. etc. Yet they just separated Grand Seiko from Seiko. It's kind of incoherent. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’m not sure what issue people have with GS watch ref numbers. They’re MUCH more organized than 99% of high end watches out there.
Just picked up the Cherry Blossom yesterday and am in love..
Your macro shots are amazing. Keep up the great content!
The 231 remains one of my most sought after dress watch. Had one in my hand almost pulled the trigger but the owner wouldnt bugde a single penny. Then it was no longer available.
One day
I have SBGW231 but the SBGV243 is really attractive shape and its own character! I want to get 243 either
always love gs, my dad used to wear this watch back in 1975-1979... if i ever wear a watch it would be gs, but i dont.
Is there truth to the rumor that Grand Seiko is going to release its most technologically advanced watch to date this fall? And if this is true, then wouldn't it make more sense to wait until that happens because the older tech Grand Seiko will go down in price?
I bought two quartz GS models from the 2000s, each under U$S900.00 i forget the model number, but it's fine.
They should reissue the 245. Great looking watch on the strap. No idea why they removed it from the cataloge
Sejco.diamant.gold.automatic.atlantic.48.8mm..solar.
First Grand Seiko watch is the $10k evo9 Hi-Beat 36k 80hr, gonna work my way down to the cheaper ones. :)
The 243 deserves a steel band.
U r bringing all japnees watches...no interest
Nice one, my next buy will be a dress watch (don't have one). It will be a milestone purchase. Currently thinking about JLC Mut Date, the SBGW231, or a cartier tank.
Zaratsu… I must be gifted with psychic abilities because I can see the scratches on it before they’re even there. And they seriously bug me!
Only why get a gs is seocnd hand they are a lot cheaper
Am I wrong for not wanting to pay 2k for a quartz watch???
Even if it’s a Grand Seiko
The movement looks a little... dusty D:
The 231 was the one I fell in love with first too! The hands are PERFECT and when the light hits the markers it is so beautiful!
Such simplistic beauty 😍
The strap of the SBG231 is really nice !
Can you tell us please where did you get it from ?
2:21 dust and scratches on the second hand....omg Grand Seiko?Where is my Zaratsu polishing?
Yeah they forgot to polish the back of the second hand, caught em 😉
The SBGW231 is my absolute favorite dress watch. Stunning