At long last, I've finally added not one but two Grand Seikos to my collection and they are absolutely incredible. In Part 1, we'll take a look at the gorgeous SBGA375, and stay tuned for Part 2 in which we'll take a look at the SBGN013.
The thing with Grand Seiko is that when you are wearing one, it gives you confidence. Try and you'll see what I mean. It is solid, it is yours and it will never fail you. You cannot find fault. Me? I have three.
I was in NYC and stumbled upon Grand Seiko boutique in Soho and purchased the SBGA 375 and I have been in love with it ever since it landed on my wrist. I loved your review. I agree with you 100%. It’s a beauty.
Ah amazing!! I have yet to get to that boutique. If you’re in NY with any frequency, you should check out the GS9 Club events, they seem to hold all their events in NYC and I definitely want to go to one sometime soon.
I stumbled across this watch in the Grand Seiko store in Tokyo while I was looking for a white snowflake, and fell in love. Went ahead and bought it in the Grand Seiko boutique in Osaka after sleeping over it. My first ever watch, and I couldn't be happier. The snowflake is a beauty, but this is just more wearable daily, it doesn't stand out as much.
I completely agree! There are things I don’t care for about the snowflake (pin and collar bracelet), so I think you got a better watch. I’ve just bought another GS from the Beverly Hills store and definitely want to buy from a Japan store at some point in the future!
I think you’ve made the right choice with the spring drive version! - quartz watches are accurate but have to change the batteries. Mechanical ones don’t need a battery change but are less accurate. - the power reserve looks like a Sensu fan, another tribute to Japanese heritage. - I don’t know why, but GS quartz watches have a shorter second hand that doesn’t reach toward the end of the case and barely touches the minute trackers. They are not as attractive looking as the spring/mechanical counterparts
Just stumbled upon this video. Better late than never! A wonderful watch, and I'm so happy you have welcomed GS to your collection. I owned the exact same model. It was beautiful, but I just didn't bond with Spring Drive like I thought I would. I've since purchased an SBGJ235, which I adore! A few days ago I received my SBGK015. Such a lively piece! Both were purchased from the boutique in Beverly Hills. Shout out to Xavier who is absolutely wonderful!
Beautiful watch! My SBGA211 Snowflake is due to be delivered tomorrow and i cant wait. I scratched the "swiss watch" itch with my Omega Seamaster 300. With that factor out of the way there is nothing i could compare the GS with that could stand toe to toe with it. Truely buying GS because im in love with it over every other reason.
Congrats and I’m so excited for you to get it!! I love the Snowflake. One day I’ll go back for it (and if you can check out the White Birch at some point). And I agree 100% on not much standing toe to toe with it! Cheers!
Josh, don't usually write comments, but your "close-ups" of the watches are very really well done, makes the visuals pop out off the screen! Nice review.
So I found a fantastic deal on this watch (sub 3k) and it will be my first grand seiko with spring drive. Your video convinced me to pull the trigger and give it a go. Super excited to get it on wrist and see what the hype is about.
Hi Josh…. Great video really enjoyed it, id actually took ya advice before seeing the value deo and bought and sbgp001 quartz which is the same as the sbga373 SD with champagne dial. Love your mid night blue dial though…. So classy!! What happened to the review for the sbgn013 quartz I am looking to buy and wanted to see you opinion?
Just ordered the similar SBGA469. Magnificent watches. The only problem I'm tempted to say is they're too cheap, but in truth Grand Seiko are showing us the other mainstream luxury brands are way more expensive than they should be. My 1st GS, a 2020 spring drive GMT limited edition, is accurate to less than 2 secs a month & there's been no depreciation.
Yes I completely agree with you! The other brands are only able to charge what they can because of the brand recognition which is such a double edged sword. Both of yours are terrific choices!!
No what he’s saying (and I agree with) is that if Rolex or Omega made a watch to this level of complexity with this level of fit or finish you’d better believe they’d be charging $10-15K
Very nice review Josh. This is my target GS watch and I believe this is the only Spring Drive GS in a 44GS case. Every other 44GS comes with the Hi-Beat movement
Thank you!! It’s an incredible piece! The 44GS-style case is actually used throughout the line. For spring drive, there are also the SBGA 373, 384, 385, and 471. I love the 373 which is this but with the champagne dial and fully mirror polished furniture. They also make some quartz watches (like the SBGP009) with it as well. Cheers!!
@@joshjamesyoutubeoh wow didn't know there are so many variants. With the exception of the 373, everything else is limited edition or precious metal. Wayyy outta budget. Which makes the 375 all the more desirable!
I didn’t realize that either about all the others being precious metals or limited! Thanks for the info! I had just gone through and looked at the catalogue. That’s good to know and definitely makes the 375 more desirable! Cheers!
Thank you!! And oh man so many great releases. If you haven’t seen the white birch in person I would highly recommend looking at it before you decide on one. That is the ultimate GS as of now with either the 9SA5 or 9RA2.
@@joshjamesyoutube I agree it is stunning. I'm also quite attracted to the Omiwatari, as I don't have any real dresser and lately I seem to like the smaller/subtler pieces...
The White Birch is GORGEOUS. And even though I know it’s worth the money the $10K+ price is a lot. 😅 I’m waiting to see what else they put the new movements in before I make a decision one way or another.
@@joshjamesyoutube Agreed. I prefer the aesthetics of the SLGH005. That said, I would prefer the spring drive movement from the SLGA009, if only, it was as beautifully finished, as the new 9SA5 High-beat. In all honesty, "on the fly adjustment" be d@mned, if I could only wear one watch, for the rest of my life, it would be the SLGH005....hands down. That is a chunk of change, for a watch. It's so much more than art though. I'm preachin to the quire though....you know what I mean.
Fabulous!! If they have it, check out the champagne dial version of it as well, in retrospect I wish I’d done that first, so think that will be my next if I can’t find the money for a white birch. 😍
Great review, but the bias toward Swiss watches is extremely difficult to overcome. I'd also wager the desire to own Swiss watches is stronger in Asia than it is in Europe or the US. Japan is the ultimate exception out of the major Asian countries in that its consumers are more value rather than brand driven. That isn't even the case for HK or Singapore let alone China. Right now I'm debating between SBGA 375 or the Skyflake. Unfortunately, the GS I really wanted (SBGA293) has been discontinued and is only available through online grey sellers.
The bias is only difficult to overcome if one prioritizes brand and heritage over innovation and quality. :) I personally like both, so I’ve always favored the two equally. I love my Rolex submariner and it’s my daily driver because it’s classic, timeless, and goes with everything but it can’t hold a candle to my Grand Seikos in terms of innovative uses of materials and mechanics.
@@joshjamesyoutube thanks! You confirmed my suspicion :(... SBGN013 is at the upper limit on my wrist, but I want a spring drive so bad. Maybe GS will release a 38mm option before I leave Japan 🙏
Ah! If that’s the concern then check out the SBGA439. It’s very close to the same case as the SBGN013 but has spring drive. It’s going to be a bit thicker than the SBGN but should work just as well as it’s in the new “Grand Seiko Style” case. Also, really important to know about purchasing a GS watch in Japan - a few years ago Seiko changed their policies and so now the warranty you get with your purchase there I believe is only honored in Japan. So if you live abroad, they won’t honor it should anything happen once you leave Japan. On a $5000 watch with a movement as complex as spring drive, that’s a risk I personally wouldn’t be willing to take.
I will double check, but I was told we can register the warranty service as US even if purchased at an AD in Japan. I will definitely try that one if I make it to the Ginza GS boutique! I must say, I prefer the more subtle power reserve on the SBGA375... I hope they move to the Minamo style soon
Nope, bought brand new, I just wear my watches daily and don’t put any effort into keeping them pristine. Also, people don’t realize how scratched up their watches actually are until they look at them under magnification and close up in 4K.
I think it's this 375 I saw in the shop the other day. You can't do this watch justice on video. I wanted another GS until I saw 375 live. That dial with the bow-tie reflection and polished hands etc. WOW
@@joshjamesyoutube I was wondering about that white birch. I'll have to ask if they have that one. My problem now is that I build watches and have more fun doing that, and don't spend thousands. LOL
@@joshjamesyoutube My wrist is about 6.5" and I'm wondering if a 40/48mm Grand Seiko would be too big. My titanium Kinetic that's around 35/40mm looks & feels about right.
I was just about to comment about the SBGP005 but you beat me to it 🤣 for me the value of the quartz model is amazing and the watch I'd go for. I have also tried on the new SLGH009 with the ever-brilliant steel and 9sa5 movement, that watch is stunning but sadly way too much for me.
Haha! I totally agree, the 9F watches are seriously impressive all around or the price they sell for! I’m sure another is in my future at some point. And I hear you on the price of the SLGH. It’s a pretty penny for a Grand Seiko and for my $9K I’m going to buy a Datejust first. But I’ll be back for the white birch one day!
@@joshjamesyoutube I will be keen to see how the polished surfaces hold up after a few months of wear, I've heard people say the Zaratsu polishing scratches easily. Wear them on good health my friend 👍
@Liam Mulholland It absolutely does and you can probably already see a lot of it in the video LOL. I’ve got some pretty visible scratches around the bezel from when it got knocked against a door frame. Once the initial scratch happened it was open season LOL. Doesn’t bother me and if it gets really bad you can always send them back to Grand Seiko for repolishing as well!
Well, those are two very different watches. Astron is going to lack the build quality and super perfect finishing. It’s also going to be something that’s far more computerized and digital than GS which is all about the mechanical pedigree. Both are great but don’t conflate the two.
Its perfect until you send it in for service and they fuck up the dial. Happened to me, it went instantly back to service. And yes, it was through GS service in EU.
