Looking at this watch, you will recall all the opinions about the brand and the model, the polarized camps of "European vs. Japanese," "is Grand Seiko Seiko," "is Spring Drive automatic," and so on. The very fact that the brand provokes such discussions speaks volumes. But yes, Grand Seiko is indeed a worthy opponent to all the European high-end watches with which it is often compared, and yes – Grand Seiko has nothing in common with Seiko – it is a separate brand, a separate philosophy, and a completely different approach from the manufacturer.
A superb finish, unique detail, and excellent quality emanate from every part of this watch, and the fact that the samurai from Seiko have invented not only a new movement but a completely different approach to powering these timepieces of theirs only adds to the "wow" effect. In fact, to be honest, the only thing where you can see the difference with the naked eye is the way the hand glides smoothly around the circumference of the dial, rather than jumping from marker to marker as is the case with most other movements.
This particular model was introduced in early 2020 as part of a series of 4 models in total, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Grand Seiko, and this model is one of the two quartz ones – a men's model with a Spring Drive movement, another men's quartz model, and a ladies' model complete the collection.
Someone "uninitiated" might wonder what is so special about this watch. We will try to bring some clarity to this matter – this is truly a well-constructed timepiece, with a truly unique dial – in this case, a very special color, used very rarely by the brand and called by the grand name "Grand Seiko's Signature Blue," with exquisite hands and an inimitable quartz movement. All of this places it in that elite group of timepieces that enthusiasts call "watches for close inspection" – because you need to set aside a lot of time, as with each passing hour and minute you will like it more and more and find new reasons for fascination… The incredible hour markers, the insanely polished hands, and last but not least, the Zaratsu finish of the entire case – all of this is truly from another world. There is certainly nothing else like it in this price segment, but the most unique thing about this watch is, of course, the dial…
Today's offer is for those admirers of Japanese watchmaking who do not want to settle for the "ordinary" models of the brand, but strive to own "something truly special." Today I present to your attention a classic model, but in a very special edition – the differences compared to the standard one are in the color of the dial, the gold brand logo, the red seconds hand, a special guilloché in the form of geometric figures – everything is special. The hour markers and hands are hand-finished by highly skilled masters using a technology employed in the centuries-old production of samurai swords and undergo final approval from a single master craftsman! All this is possible mainly because of the small volume of watches produced that Grand Seiko provides to the market – the annual volume of all the brand's models in total complexity does not exceed 40,000 pieces! And today's model was issued only once and in a very short series of only 2,500 pieces – a truly exclusive offer! And on the secondary market, listings are practically non-existent – at the time of posting this ad, on the largest watch sales platform, there are only 5 listings for the model, and only one from Europe!
In the design of this watch, the manufacturer has not tried to make it very different by adding any embellishments, additions to the case, more crowns, or disproportionate bezels – and it is precisely with this simplicity that the watch looks very distinguished, and from this also comes the biggest criticism of these watches from the "Seiko followers" – according to them, this watch is "too European" – for them this is a minus, but for me personally, this is a big advantage. The watch's bracelet is in the so-called "Speedmaster-style" with three brushed links separated by polished connecting elements, and what truly distinguishes Grand Seiko from Seiko are the level of detail and the materials used for the dial. Such attention and precision in the crafting of each marker, hand, and inscription is rarely seen even in the most established brands and models with centuries of tradition.
Inside the watch beats the brand's in-house caliber 9F85 high-precision quartz movement.
