Grand Seiko (GS) seems to have become one of these brands that carries a certain cachet and gets you watch nerd's approval by simply knowing about them. I think part of its appeal is that for non-connoisseurs, the name Seiko is immediately associated with cheap quartz watches and Grand Seiko watches are nothing but cheap and common. Anyhow, regardless of your baggage and opinion of Seiko or Grand Seiko, I believe once you handle a GS, you will change your mind for the better.
So it was not surprising that after one year of becoming an “independent” brand from parent Seiko that Grand Seiko decided to offer a series of watches under the new moniker that are limited and especially created for the American market. Grand Seiko decided to unveil these watches at COUTUREtime in Las Vegas. A great locale choice since this event is perhaps the largest watch-specific event in the USA. Let's take a closer look at the new offerings.
Let me first start by stating that I am a Grand Seiko owner. I took the plunge two years ago as the brand was about to remove the Seiko branding from their watches and use the GS name. My original Grand Seiko "snowflake" SBGA011 in titanium is one of my favorite work beater. I use it often since it’s super light, it has an amazing dial that I never tire of looking at, and it flies under the radar as a Seiko-branded watch.
My own original Grand Seiko "snowflake" SBGA011 with SEIKO branding on dial at 12 o'clock
But we are not here to review my watch, I will do so in depth at a later time. What did Grand Seiko introduce at COUTUREtime? Well, as mentioned, it’s a special edition GS for the US market. It’s unique characteristic is its wonderful blue dial that the brand calls "Kabuki Kimono". And boy, can Grand Seiko deliver. As you can see from the original photos, the dial is almost mystical with a light blue pastel color that seems to be layered in a modern digital camouflage pattern.
Like many Grand Seiko dials, the magic is in giving a certain texture to the untouchable dial. You almost feel like reaching inside and touching it. It’s like a variation of the "snowflake" but colored blue and with somewhat bigger icy blue flakes. It’s hard not to be mesmerized by the execution. Coming in stainless steel at 40 mm and just over 12 mm high this is a super wearable watch in any kind of settings. Like my original "snowflake" this one also includes the coveted super accurate Spring Drive movement, specifically the 9R65.
As of August 2018, the exact numbers for the limited run is not yet known, nor is the price, however, I'd make sure to call your local authorized dealer to reserve, if interested, as I would venture that this is a watch that surely will sell out. To complement the steel model, GS also announced a model in rosé gold and one in platinum with a similar dial but less striking in tones better matching the precious metal. These are similar to the models that Grand Seiko introduced at Baselworld but with the new dial pattern. However, for me the blue dial in stainless steel is the most attractive and collectible version.
Grand Seiko is the epitome of Japanese perfectionist culture in a watch with the added bonus of the artful and equally famous Japanese appreciation of nature. If you have ever been to Tokyo or better Kyoto, you know what I mean. This is a people with what appears to be contradictory customs. They produce some of the most technical and accurate instruments known to man, yet if you take a short ride outside of the big city, you will be surrounded by old school, nature loving and cherishing people that are masters at preserving and working with what comes naturally. And for me Grand Seiko is a perfect proxy for this culture that is more than a millennia in the making. grand-seiko.com
The Tudor brand of watches is interesting. Not only because they are the watches from the “little sister” brand to the mighty Rolex, but because they have a design language onto themselves that many like and many don’t. While I don’t own a Tudor watch and not many of their models sing to my sensibilities and aesthetic, I always like to see what novelties they produce every year.
At the COUTUREtime show in Las Vegas, I had this exact opportunity. It’s not clear I left with a lust for any of their new watches, but what Tudor showed me was streamlined, strong, well priced, and overall desirable. Let’s take a closer look.