Category: grand seiko

Review – Grand Seiko Spring Drive Snowflake SBGA211

Quartz… A word that you don’t often read on MONOCHROME. I’m not afraid to say that and freely admit that we are watch snobs. We love fine mechanics and Haute Horlogerie. However, the watch that we’re about to review has a quartz regulator, but isn’t battery powered – and that already makes things slightly different. Secondly, this watch is made by Grand Seiko – and we’ve already seen that it is committed to doing things in a different (better?) way. And last but not least, this quartz crystal is part of a hybrid movement, mixing old-school mechanics and modernity. This watch is the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Snowflake SBGA211 and no, we’re not afraid to review it in this “online magazine dedicated to fine watches”.

7 years ago

Entry Price – The Most Accessible Watches You Can Get From Established Brands (Rolex, Omega, Patek… and many more)

“Everyone has a Rolex. If you don’t have a Rolex by the time you reach 50, then you have clearly failed in life.” Some of you – at least our French-speaking readers – might remember this outrageous statement pronounced by Jacques Séguéla as the advertising tycoon tried to defend Nicolas Sarkozy’s bling-bling style on French TV. If owning a Rolex is the sine qua non of success for some, it’s a good time as any to review the entry-level prices of watch candidates from the leading brands. 

7 years ago

Hands-on – Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Calibre 9S 20th-Anniversary SBGH267

Grand Seiko’s history dates back to 1960 when Japanese brand Seiko decided to up the game and introduced a gold chronometer watch – a watch that has been reissued in 2017. Another important date in the brand’s history is 1998. That year, Grand Seiko introduced Calibre 9S, an entirely new movement designed to become the base for most mechanical watches we know today. 20 years later, it is time to celebrate, which has been done with a trilogy of commemorative watches, including the desirable and perfectly executed Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Calibre 9S 20th-Anniversary SBGH267 we’re about to look at.

7 years ago

Introducing – Grand Seiko SBGA211G Spring Drive ‘Shuriken’ Edition for Ninja’s

Finally, the wait is over, stylish ninja’s with a good taste for watches now have their own Grand Seiko with a practical built-in Shuriken. From now on, no mission with the Grand Seiko SBGA211G Spring Drive Ninja ‘Shuriken’ Edition or the fully mechanical Kunoichi model for the ladies. Ordinary mechanical watches, and quartz watches alike, …

8 years ago

Baselworld 2018 – Grand Seiko Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Calibre 9S with Three New High-Beat Limited Editions

While the inaugural timepiece made by Grand Seiko dates back to 1960 – a watch that was recreated last year, with a faithful re-edition – another extremely important date in the history of the brand is 1998. Indeed, twenty years ago, Grand Seiko introduced caliber 9S, an entirely new movement designed from scratch to deliver high precision and excellent durability. Today, the entire Grand Seiko mechanical collection is built around this movement. For its 20th anniversary, the brand launches three special movements, a new case and a unique dial. Meet the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Calibre 9S 20th Anniversary ref. SBGH265 – SBGH266 – SBGH267.

8 years ago

Hands-On – Grand Seiko SBGW252, Recreating the First Ever GS Watch

2017 was an important year for the Seiko Group. Indeed, we’ve seen many impressive watches being released by the Japanese manufacture, and new trends coming – including some vintage-inspired pieces, such as the 62Mas reedition or the Enamel Presage collection. This year was also noticeable because Grand Seiko watches won’t have Seiko anymore written on their dial, as GS is becoming a brand on its own. To mark this evolution, the newly-introduced brand presented a recreation of the first ever Grand Seiko watch, and today we look at the yellow gold version, a.k.a. the reference SBGW252… And what a watch it is!

8 years ago

The Superb Grand Seiko Spring Drive 8-Day Now in Rose Gold & Sparkling Black Dial (Ref. SBGD202)

In a recent personal piece, our editor-in-chief Frank gave credits (no to say it was a love letter) to the superb Grand Seiko Spring Drive 8-Day, of course based on the platinum / white dial version that Grand Seiko (don’t call them Seiko anymore, as GS is now a brand on its own) introduced in back in 2016. This was certainly one of the rare times a watch without classical balance was featured on Monochrome, but this was properly deserved. Well, today we do it again, as there’s a new kid in town: the Grand Seiko Spring Drive 8-Day Now in Rose Gold & Sparkling Black Dial (Ref. SBGD202).

8 years ago