Messages: 4500 Location: New York
Registered: November 2003
Grand Seiko 130th Anniversary - SBGW033
Sat, 03 September 2011 16:31
Last week I got a watch that I had been waiting for since Basel. As soon as I saw it announced I placed my order with my usual Japanese dealer. Because this was a special limited release I had to prepay in full to guarantee a slot, which I did without regret. Almost 6 months later it's finally here!
Since this is my third Seiko I guess I'm a Seiko "collector" now :)
The watch houses a new calibre, the 9S64, with 72 hour power reserve and was released in three versions - steel, gold, and platinum. The one I got is the steel version, which is different from the platinum for having a blue seconds hand. Grand Seikos have more stringent timing specs than COSC, requiring the watch to perform between +5 to -3s/day. The case is a vintage feeling 35.8mm but wears a shade larger due to the thin bezel and curved sapphire crystal. The winding also has a vintage feel, with an almost hollow 'clicking' of the crown.
Sadly it looks like the second hand is not blued steel but painted. At this price I was expecting heat blued, but with the naked eye it's impossible to tell. What it lacks in one area it makes up in others. The hands are curved at the tip, showing an attention to detail more common in fine vintage timepieces and seldom seen today.
The beveling on the hour and minute hands is razor sharp and mirror finished.
The dial has "Grand Seiko" embossed rather than applied, a nod towards the original Grand Seiko model. Modern Grand Seikos have "Seiko" at 12 o'clock and the GS logo at 6 o'clock.
The watch has a polished snap back with the Seiko lion engraved in the center. Laser engraved on the back is the limited edition number (this model is one of 1300 pieces, 130 for the gold and platinum).
The buckle is also different than today's Grand Seikos. I like this version better with just the word "Seiko" on it. One thing about the buckle is that it does not curve as much as other brands, so when you wear it the buckle sticks out a little like a bottle opener. It should get better when the strap is a little more worn in, but for me it could have curved in a little more.
Overall it's a beautiful watch and will be my daily wearer for a little while. It goes great with a suit.
My little "collection." I still want a spring drive and possibly the high-beat. Maybe a vintage piece as well. Seiko is among my favorite brands, too many to choose from and not enough $$!
Congratulations on a very beautiful and special Seiko
Sat, 03 September 2011 18:51
I remember reading elsewhere recently, that the blue seconds hand used in Grand Seiko watches are anodized and not painted. This was in response to a direct inquiry made to Yserv, Seiko Japan customer service arm.
You may want to inquire this directly with them. Personally, I the blue color of the seconds appears to be anodized, just like in the SBGA011 "Mountains of snow" and other GS models that feature either the blue seconds hand or GMT hand.
Again, superb choice.
Now you need the SBGA011 to round up a fine collection.
You will be surprised at the high level of fit and finish when the watch is examined under magnification. The naked eye doesn't tell the whole story and it may even mislead you.
Messages: 13 Location: Singapore
Registered: August 2011
Re: Grand Seiko 130th Anniversary - SBGW033
Sat, 03 September 2011 20:46
Congrats on a truly wondrous watch. You are so right - there are so many wonderful seikos, it is hard to make a decision on which one next. Luckily I have not enough $$$ lol :)
Messages: 4500 Location: New York
Registered: November 2003
Thanks, I have a loupe, but even better
Sat, 03 September 2011 21:11
is a macro lens. I hope you are right about the seconds hand but the photo makes it look like it's painted. Here is the uncropped version, look especially at the base and the tip. It looks like a traditional painted hand where the paint missed a few spots in the hard to get places.
I took the photo handheld with the hands moving, so I may have to bust out the tripod and hack it to get a proper shot.
This was really the only fault I found with the finish, everything else is great. I also like it better than the SBGW001 I used to have because that one feels more "chunky" than this one. This feels more like a fine vintage watch.
Messages: 18893 Location: South East England
Registered: September 2004
Excellent addition Felipe, congratulations. [nt]
Sun, 04 September 2011 06:03
"The knee bone's connected to the something, the something's connected to the red thing, the red thing's connected to my wristwatch..." - Dr. Nick Riveria
Quick question...can you tell if the blue second hand is blue on the underside too? Maybe you can see it reflected on one of the other hands as it passes over it.
Messages: 4500 Location: New York
Registered: November 2003
Hi Pete, as you saw in the photos it's blued underneath
Sun, 04 September 2011 20:35
the question I still have is whether it's heat blued or painted. The photo I have so far seems to suggest the latter, but I have to take a better photo at some point to see. When I took the one I posted I just wanted to capture the curved hand, so I didn't care if the hand itself was in sharp focus. We'll see...
Re: Hi Pete, as you saw in the photos it's blued underneath
Sun, 04 September 2011 22:43
I think you need to ask that question to Seiko themselves.
You can send your inquiry directly to YSERV in Japan or contact Seiko/COSERV in the USA and they will be happy to forward your inquiry to headquarters in Tokyo.
That should clear any doubts as to whether the seconds hand is anodized or painted blue.
Messages: 3500 Location: Louisville, KY USA
Registered: January 2005
I would be shocked if the seconds hand wasn't heat blued...
Mon, 05 September 2011 11:36
I have the highest opinion of Grand Seiko and find it hard to believe they would paint a hand blue. Can you elaborate any on why you suspect this? Great watch and photos regardless, thanks for sharing.
Messages: 4500 Location: New York
Registered: November 2003
It's from the closeup photo I took of the seconds hand
Mon, 05 September 2011 17:47
if you look at the side of it you can see areas where it's silver, as if it was spray painted from the top and bits of the edges didn't get covered. I could have sworn it was heat blued because it's a GS, and Frank and Kohei also mention this, so I'm probably wrong and it's just the lighting. Either way when I have some time I'll try to take better photos.
Messages: 4500 Location: New York
Registered: November 2003
OK, it looks like I was wrong on the second hand
Wed, 07 September 2011 09:31
I took out the tripod and hacked the watch to take a better photo and sure enough I found two things - my sensor is filthy and needs cleaning :) and the hand is more uniformly blued than my original handheld photo with second hand moving.
Thank you to those who disagreed with me and made me take a closer look. I'm much happier now :)
Messages: 1386 Location: London Town
Registered: June 2005
Very nice... but I prefer my SBGW005 ;-) [nt]
Wed, 07 September 2011 12:31
Dysfunctional family : Grand Seiko SBGW005.
Glycine Incursore. Girard Perregaux Gyromatic High Frequency. Seiko Lord Marvel 36000. Orient Star World Time. 2 x Seiko 8F56 Perpetual GMT . Great grandfather's Elgin Pocket Watch. Grandfather's Tudor Prince Oysterdate. Fossil Arkitekt. Seiko Bell-Matic 4006-6070
